Forty to fifty pearls
Researched in archives and sources, and checked on the spot: a spotting question only works when you are standing in front of it.
For cities and partners
Pearls of your city.
Delft is the first. We make Pearls of for cities whose stories people walk straight past, together with the people who know those stories: city marketing, heritage organisations, museums and hotels.
Every city gets its own tiles. The empty ones are for yours.
What a city gets
Not a route past the usual sights, but a reason to look.
The app sends visitors to places away from the crowds, because there is something to see there: an almshouse courtyard, a stone with a mistake in it, an old painting back on the spot it shows. That is the spread and the longer stay most cities are looking for.
Routes along real streets
Four routes with walking times and a starting point at the station or the market square, plus Walk to your hotel via pearls for people who have just arrived.
Then and now
Paintings, prints and photographs measured in at the spot where their maker stood, with viewing direction and angle of view, so that through the camera they fall onto the facades.
The old city map
A historical map, bent into place at dozens of points along today's canals and streets, with a looking glass to look through it.
Tours for groups
A game leader in control, quiz questions, flash challenges and a winners' podium: for schools, companies and the tourist office.
Nothing in the way
No app store, no account, works offline. Locations stay on the visitor's phone; no advertising and no tracking.
How we work
Four months from first walk to launch.
- Weeks 1 and 2
Walking together
A walk with your guides, archivists and local businesses: what makes this city, and what does everyone walk past?
- Weeks 3 to 8
Research and writing
Sources, stories, spotting questions and routes. Every text cites its sources; you read along.
- Weeks 9 to 12
On the spot
Every spotting question checked on site, the old images measured in, the historical map bent into place and your own tiles drawn.
- Weeks 13 and 14
Test play
With residents, a school class and a group from the tourist office. Whatever jars is taken out.
- Weeks 15 and 16
Launch
A leaflet, QR cards for hotels, a press event and a first tour with the press or the city council.
Working together
Two ways to begin.
Licence
On request
You pay for the development and an annual licence for hosting, maintenance and new pearls. Visitors play for free or at a price you set.
- For city marketing and local councils
- Income from passes goes to you
- Your own tiles and your own images
Partnership
On request
We make and sell the app; you open up the sources, the tourist office and your channels. A fixed share of every pass sold goes to the city.
- For cities with an active tourist office (VVV)
- No investment up front
- Decide on the content together
Prices excluding VAT. Museums and heritage organisations: ask about a tour or a layer just for your collection.
Hotels and hosts
A walk to your front door.
Your guests step off the train at the station. With Walk to your hotel via pearls, they pass the finest spots in the city on their way to your reception desk, with a detour of ten, twenty or forty minutes. They arrive with a story instead of a wheelie case full of hurry.
- Cards with a QR code and leaflets for the reception desk and the rooms.
- A listing as a partner hotel on parelsvan.nl/delft.
Getting acquainted
Join us for a walk in Delft.
The best explanation is an hour in Delft with the app. Tell us who you are and what makes your city special; we'll arrange a walk or a video call.
Thank you.
We've received your request. You'll get a proposal by email within one working day.