There's no doubt that Elden Ring has won the hearts of both new and old players, most of which have enjoyed exploring Lands Between, while others have raged quit after having to face a boss multiple times. But, in reality, Elden Ring is made for players that want to advance the storyline at their own pace, not having to be forced to do anything until they feel they're ready.
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With a huge number of magical and holy creatures roaming The Lands Between, it's important that players are well-suited for the challenge.
Because of that freedom that Elden Ring has brought into the gaming world, seasoned players have uncovered hidden locations and quests that are can only be found if they know where to look. But, some of these locations are far more hidden than others, so if a player wants to find them, they'll need to pay close attention to their surroundings.
Updated January 4, 2025 by Erik Petrovich: Elden Ring is an enormous game, and if you don't particularly feel like exploring every single nook and cranny, but don't want to miss out on the quests and equipment that matter to you, it can be tough to figure out which Elden Ring hidden locations are worth discovering. For example, if you don't play a Sorcery or Incantation build and have no interest in the Ranni questline, some hidden locations aren't worth going out of the way for. This guide to the best secret locations Elden Ring players can find has been updated with at-a-glance information regarding relevant quests and powerful (or important) items and materials that can be collected in each location. Follow this guide to see which hidden locations you should go out of the way for, as there are some (like the Abandoned Cave) that house incredibly powerful items that every player should make time to get.
18 The Finger Ruins of Miyr
Fingers Are Everywhere, Even In The DLC
- Finger Ruins of Miyr Questlines: Count Ymir, Swordhand of Night Jolan, Swordhand of Night Anna
- Finger Ruins of Miyr Gear & Items: High Priest set, Maternal Staff, Claws of Night, Remembrance of the Mother of Fingers
There are three Finger Ruins in Shadow of the Erdtree, and if you don't explore the map to its absolute fullest, you might miss the point of two of them, and never reach the third. The Finger Ruins of Rhia can be found by heading to the eastern shores of the Cerulean Coast, where a secret path leads north to the ruins. The Finger Ruins of Dheo are only accessible after getting through the Shadow Keep and reaching the Hinterlands, which connects to this second Finger Ruins area.
If you talk to Count Ymir and progress his questline, he will give you an item that activates the "bells" at each of these two Finger Ruins. These Bells can easily be found by following the environmental fingers to their center point, where a kind of shield of fingers protects the bell. Activate the Finger Ruins of Rhia, then return to Ymir, and finally head to the Ruins of Dheo to activate the bell there, too.
When you have completed both of these, return to Count Ymir, speak with him, then re-load the area. Interact with his throne to reveal a secret ladder leading underground – directly to the Finger Ruins of Miyr.
This particular Finger Ruin is especially eerie, with a walkway that leads directly to the final bell. Ring this bell to fight one of many secret side boses in Shadow of the Erdtree.
17 The Garden of Deep Purple
The Hidden Location of St. Trina
- Garden of Deep Purple Questlines: N / A
- Garden of Deep Purple Gear & Items: St. Trina's Blossom, Deep-Purple Lily
The Garden of Deep Purple is incredibly deep underground, a place that all manners of death have flowed to and coalesced, and where the Sleep Goddess St. Trina has somehow ended up. As one journeys down the Coffin Fissure that leads to the Garden of Deep Purple, a lot of lore that covers Miquella's and St. Trina's relationship is subtly hinted at, and when you do get to the very bottom, you come face to face with St. Trina herself in an immaculate, beautifully violet garden.
This location is hinted at by Thiollier, an Elden Ring DLC NPC who desperately wants to hear the voice of St. Trina again. But getting to the Garden of Deep Purple is no sleepwalk – in fact, it's one of the most out-of-the-way, hidden areas in Elden Ring, and is guarded by one of the DLC's 10 Remembrance bosses.
Garden of Deep Purple Location
To get to the Garden of Deep Purple, head to the Cerulean Coast, and travel on the south peninsula until you reach a gigantic hole in the ground. Follow this hole downward and downward, continuing deeper into the earth, until you reach the Coffin Fissure. Continue through this zone, avoiding the Evergaol Stone Constructs' laser beams, Deathbirds, and other enemies, until you reach a Site of Grace surrounded by critters. Walk through the gateway and off the ledge of a bull's head into the abyss opposite this grace – you will land in the boss arena of the Putrescent Knight. Beat this boss, and walk to the far right corner of this room, to find a Site of Grace and the Garden of Deep Purple.
16 Behind The Bestial Sanctum
Descend The Sanctum Cliffs For Hidden Items
- Behind The Bestial Sanctum Questlines: N / A
- Behind The Bestial Sanctum Gear & Items: Cinquedea, Dragoncrest Shield Talisman
The Bestial Sanctum itself is a hidden area in an endgame zone that players can get to very early, through a portal in Limgrave. But if you are following D's questline, it's not exactly hard to find – in fact he leads you right to it with a mark on your map. What is more hidden, though, is the secret area behind the Bestial Sanctum, down a short cliffside platforming puzzle.
In this area players can get the 
Cinquedea dagger as well as the 
Dragoncrest Shield Talisman. Though +1 and +2 versions of this talisman can be found later in the game, it's one of the best early-game talismans in the game – and you can get it practically from the start of the game.
Bestial Sanctum Secret Area Location
To get to the secret area in the Bestial Sanctum, Elden Ring players should first head to the portal in Limgrave behind the Third Church of Marika, and port to the Bestial Sanctum. Go outside, avoid the Black Blade Kindred, then turn right (west). Follow the cliffside until you see platforms and outcroppings that lead safely downward. After a while, you will need to jump onto other features nearby like the walls and towers. After some careful platforming, run to each side of the area below to get these items.
15 Sellia Hideaway
A Hidden Home For The Master Sorcerer Lusat
- Sellia Hideaway Questlines: Sorceress Sellen, Ranni the Witch
- Sellia Hideaway Gear & Items: Stars of Ruin, Crystal Spear, Somber Stone 4, Crystalian Ashes, Lusat's set
Sellia, Town of Sorcery, has seen much better days, and though it was once home to some of the world's foremost Sorcerers, they have all but abandoned this place that's slowly sinking into Caelid. Above Sellia, though, one of the most famous Sorcerers of all time still resides, but in a much-diminished state.
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Master Sorcerer Lusat can be found at the end of Sellia Hideaway, but finding it in the first place can be quite the puzzle. Sorceress Sellen will hint at its location, as will a certain Merchant note. But once you get to where it should be, you'll still have to find the secret entrance – behind an illusory wall.
Sellia Hideaway Location
To get to Sellia Hideaway, Elden Ring players can either start from the entrance below from Sellia itself, or from the Church of the Plague Site of Grace. Either way, head north from the Church of the Plague until you reach the cliffs. You should see a graveyard with one Sorcerer just to the east – follow the cliff, and hit the cliff wall behind the main gravestone. You can also roll into the wall to reveal it.
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13 A Second Boss In The Black Knife Catacombs
The Cemetery Shade Doesn't Drop The Black Knifeprint, After All
- Black Knife Catacombs Questlines: Ranni the Witch, Sorcerer Rogier, Fia the Deathbed Companion
- Black Knife Catacombs Gear & Items: Assassin's Cerulean Dagger, Rosus' Axe, Twinsage Sorcerer Ashes, Deathroot, Black Knifeprint, Grave Glovewort 2 to 4
In the Black Knife Catacombs players will find that the normal final boss, a Cemetery Shade, doesn't exactly live up to the name of the dungeon. Indeed, if you leave the boss room the way you came in, turn left, and jump over the gap, you will find a second boss room – one that houses a 
Black Knife Assassin (Black Knife Catacombs).
As part of Ranni's questline, the player is tasked to find a 
Black Knifeprint. The Cemetery Shade doesn't drop this item, but the Black Knife Assassin in the room next door will. Many players miss this boss because it seems like the end of the dungeon when the Shade is downed, but it's one of the very few Elden Ring dungeons that have more than one final fight.
Black Knife Catacombs Secret Boss Location
At the end of the Black Knife Catacombs, don't turn left to go into the Cemetery Shade boss room. Instead, continue forward, and jump over a gap, to find the second boss room and the Black Knife Assassin.
12 The Raya Lucaria Shortcut to Volcano Manor
Less Of A Shortcut, More Of A Kidnapping
- Volcano Manor Shortcut Questlines: N / A
- Volcano Manor Shortcut Gear & Items: Inquisitor's Grandiole, Smithing Stone 4 to 6
One surprising Elden Ring hidden area is not necessarily hidden for the entire game, but can be accessed way, way earlier than one probably ought to go there. Volcano Manor is normally players' third Legacy Dungeon, found deep in Mt Gelmir past the Altus Plateau.
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Abductor Virgins can be found throughout Elden Ring in a handful of implicative locations - one even teleports players to the Volcano Manor.
If you are able to get to Raya Lucaria, and can time your jumps effectively, you may be able to get there within the first few dozen hours of the game. Though it's not a particularly useful shortcut, it's the only way to fight the Duo Virgin Abductor bosses, and the only way to get to the Subterranean Inquisition Chamber sub-area.
Raya Lucaria Volcano Manor Shortcut Location
To get to Volcano Manor via this shortcut, Elden Ring players must get about halfway through the Raya Lucaria Legacy Dungeon. Take the water mill all the way around and down the other side, carefully positioning yourself to land back ona platform when it rotates at the top.
When you drop at the bottom, you shouldn't die from fall damage. But a Virgin Abductor will start to chase you down – let it damage you to near-death, then let it kill you with its Grab attack. You should re-appear after the "YOU DIED" screen in Volcano Manor instead of Raya Lucaria.
11 Consecrated Snowfield
A Hidden Zone That Leads To Miquella's Haligtree
- Consecrated Snowfield Questlines: Millicent
- Consecrated Snowfield Gear & Items: Graven-Mass Talisman, Meteorite of Astel, Deathroot, Sanguine Noble Set, Rotten Duelist set, Silver Scarab, Triple Rings of Light, Ghost & Grave Glovewort, Smithing & Somber Stones
Players familiar with the Mountaintops of the Giants will know that this region of the Lands Between is harsh and unforgiving, which is why so many players try to rush through the region. However, one of the best-kept secrets in Elden Ring is the Consecrated Snowfield, which is located on the lower plains of the Mountaintops of the Giants.
In this area, players will be able to obtain an 
Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone, St. Trina's Torch, and Night's Cavalry Set, all of which will make becoming Elden Lord a lot easier. It also connects to the Haligtree and has several mini-dungeons and catacombs to explore, too.
How To Get To The Consecrated Snowfield
Players can only reach this secret area in Elden Ring by acquiring both Haligtree Secret Medallions and using them at the Grand Lift of Rold to unlock a new travel option.
10 Deeproot Depths
Ever Wonder Where Godwyn Ended Up?
- Deeproot Depths Questlines: Fia the Deathbed Companion, Godwyn
- Deeproot Depths Gear & Items: Crucible Tree set, Staff of the Avatar, Prince of Death's Staff, Siluria's Tree, Mausoleum Soldier Ashes, Ghost Glovewort 4 to 7, Smithing Stone 4 to 6, Somber Stone 6 and 7
The Deeproot Depths are found deep beneath Leyndell, and can only be accessed via one of two relatively out-of-the-way methods. This area is reminiscent of Ash Lake from the first Dark Souls game, though instead of a giant Ancient Dragon at the end, players will find something wholly more disturbing.
Players who decide to explore this underground region in Elden Ring will be able to loot several powerful items, including the Crucible Set. Here, players can also progress and complete Fia's questline within Deeproot Depths, which rewards 
Fia's Set and a new Mending Rune, which unlocks a new ending.
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Roaming beneath the lands between, it’s easy to miss most of these underground Elden Ring Bosses.
How To Get To Deeproot Depths
Players must either rest inside a coffin after defeating the Valiant Gargoyles in the Siofra Aquaduct, or progress through the Frenzied Flame questline by defeating Mohg, the Omen in the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds.
9 Inverted Carian Study Hall
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- Inverted Carian Study Hall Questlines: Ranni the Witch
- Inverted Carian Study Hall Gear & Items: Lucidity, Mask of Confidence, Godskin Noble set
FromSoftware has always been known to create the wildest map designs, and Elden Ring brings plenty of craziness to the table. However, one area that will surprise even the most experienced player is the Inverted Carian Study Hall, which is essentially Carian Study Hall but upside down.
The Preceptor that players may have killed in the regular version of the Study Hall returns for round two, and a suite of more difficult enemies (and a Godskin Noble) stand in players' way, too. Getting to the end of this area is crucial not only for Ranni's story, but also for D and Fia's questlines.
How To Get To The Inverted Carian Study Hall
Players can access this hidden area by progressing Ranni's questline to the point that she rewards the Carian Inverted Statue. Place this item on a desk that's near a globe at the entrance of Carian Study Hall, which itself is in eastern Liurnia. Once placed, the entire area will flip upside down.