Interactive digital guide that brings city stories to life
Research
Design
Development
Secret Zagreb is a well-known tourist agency offering unique guided tours that reveal the city’s hidden corners, forgotten tales, and local legends. As their popularity grew, it became increasingly difficult to accommodate every visitor with a personal guide.
We partnered with Secret Zagreb to create a mobile app that transforms the traditional tour experience into a flexible, self-guided adventure — allowing anyone to explore at their own pace while preserving the agency’s signature storytelling.
Expanding the magic of guided tours beyond physical limits
With an ever-growing number of visitors and a limited number of guides, many tourists were left waiting for available time slots or missing out entirely. The team faced mounting pressure to deliver quality experiences to all guests without overextending resources.
The challenge was to extend Secret Zagreb’s reach beyond physical limitations — without losing the charm, mystery, and local authenticity that made the tours special.
Transforming storytelling into a self-guided digital adventure
We envisioned a digital guide that gives visitors the freedom to explore the city independently while still enjoying the captivating storytelling that defines Secret Zagreb.
The app offers self-guided tours that combine maps, stories, and audio narration. Visitors can choose their language, select a tour, and discover Zagreb’s hidden gems — all at their own rhythm. The experience removes time pressure, allowing users to pause for coffee, visit shops, or wander freely, making every tour uniquely personal.
Behind the scenes, the app also relieves the agency’s team from scheduling strain, letting them reach more guests and deliver a consistent, high-quality experience.
An immersive, story-driven interface inspired by mystery and discovery
The app’s design blends clarity, storytelling, and discovery. Using Secret Zagreb’s existing brand identity and custom illustrations by Brainless Studio, we created an interface that feels both mysterious and inviting — perfectly suited for the theme of urban legends and hidden history.
Each tour is structured as a story waiting to unfold. Users see only hints of what’s ahead: a partial illustration and a short teaser. Once they arrive at the location, the app reveals the full illustration, story text, and immersive audio narration. This gradual reveal builds a sense of curiosity and accomplishment, turning every walk into a journey of discovery.
Users can also explore tours by theme — history, legends, or hidden gems — ensuring that every experience aligns with their personal interests and pace.
A seamless cross-platform app built for independence and exploration
The app was built with React Native and Expo, providing a seamless and performant cross-platform experience.
Integrations include:
- WooCommerce for ticket purchases
- React Native Maps and offline maps for reliable navigation
- OneSignal for push notifications
Background location tracking for smooth real-time guidance
A digital storyteller that brings Zagreb’s secrets to life — one walk at a time
The Secret Zagreb mobile app acts as a digital storyteller — guiding visitors through the city with maps, stories, and multi-language support.
It empowers travelers to explore independently while maintaining the authenticity and charm of a guided experience. For the agency, it eases pressure on staff and extends capacity without compromising quality.
The result is a consistent, high-quality, and flexible experience that brings Zagreb’s secrets to life — one story at a time.
