United Kingdom · Storytelling Tours

CS Lewis & Tolkien Tour with Magdalen Entry Public tour 13.45am

3 Hours Round trip from Oxford Easy pace

The journey

Trip highlights
  • 01 Explore Oxford through the lives of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien
  • 02 Learn about the Inklings and their literary connections in Oxford
  • 03 Includes entry to Magdalen College, where C.S. Lewis taught
  • 04 Visit Addison’s Walk, where Lewis and Tolkien walked and talked
  • 05 See key Oxford colleges and major sights along the route
  • 06 Alternative college visit included when Magdalen is closed

Follow in the footsteps of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien on a guided walking tour through Oxford, exploring the colleges, lanes, and literary connections that shaped their lives and work. Along the way, you’ll also pass many of the city’s major sights while learning about the Inklings and Oxford academic life.

This tour includes entry to Magdalen College, where C.S. Lewis taught, with time to see its hall, chapel, gardens, quad, deer park, and Addison’s Walk. If Magdalen is closed, the tour visits an alternative college such as Exeter College, where Tolkien studied.

Follow in the footsteps of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien on a guided walking tour through Oxford, exploring the colleges, lanes, and literary connections that shaped their lives and work.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 3 Hours
Tour type Shared
Activity level Easy
Accommodation Not included
Transport Not included
Wheelchair access Yes
City Oxford
Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

1
Day 01

We pass by & mention such famous sightsWe pass by & mention such famous sightsThe tour introduces most major tourist sights and colleges on our route as we introduce specifically focused tour about CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien's work and their membership of the Inklings Writers club here in OxfordThe tour introduces most major tourist sights and colleges on our route as we introduce specifically focused tour about CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien's work and their membership of the Inklings Writers club here in OxfordThe tour introduces most major tourist sights and colleges on our route as we introduce specifically focused tour about CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien's work and their membership of the Inklings Writers club here in OxfordThe tour introduces most major tourist sights and colleges on our route as we introduce specifically focused tour about CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien's work and their membership of the Inklings Writers club here in OxfordThe tour introduces most major tourist sights and colleges on our route as we introduce specifically focused tour about CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien's work and their membership of the Inklings Writers club here in OxfordThe tour introduces most major tourist sights and colleges on our route as we introduce specifically focused tour about CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien's work and their membership of the Inklings Writers club here in OxfordThe tour introduces most major tourist sights and colleges on our route as we introduce specifically focused tour about CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien's work and their membership of the Inklings Writers club here in OxfordThe tour introduces most major tourist sights and colleges on our route as we introduce specifically focused tour about CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien's work and their membership of the Inklings Writers club here in OxfordThe tour introduces most major tourist sights and colleges on our route as we introduce specifically focused tour about CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien's work and their membership of the Inklings Writers club here in OxfordThe tour introduces most major tourist sights and colleges on our route as we introduce specifically focused tour about CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien's work and their membership of the Inklings Writers club here in Oxford.

On any dates that Magdalen college may be closed, we will instead visit inside Exeter college, worth £3 entry fee.

Exeter college is where Tolkien studied.The tour introduces most major tourist sights and colleges on our route as we introduce specifically focused tour about CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien's work and their membership of the Inklings Writers club here in OxfordThe tour introduces most major tourist sights and colleges on our route as we introduce specifically focused tour about CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien's work and their membership of the Inklings Writers club here in Oxford.

We often stop at the entrance of exquisite Lincoln college to look at the entry area to the quadrangle and to spot the statue of John Wesley, who studied here, as did the writer of 'Dr Seuss' stories too.We spend one hour average inside Magdalen college on this tour and this is where CS Lewis taught. It has a medieval hall, a canteen where we can stop for a coffee to enjoy the punting boats passing us by outside. There is a deer park and Addisons walk, which is where CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien walked and talked. Plus there is a medieval hall and chapel plus impressive main quadrangle and the tower.

The entry fee to Magdalen worth £10 is paid for you by the guide.We visit inside and outside here to introduce where CS Lewis preached and developed many of his books from sermons here. We also will see the Mr Tumnis and Aslan lookalike figures outside the church which are alleged to have inspired CS Lewis to write, 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'.

We often also end the tour at this location.We often pass down the lane to see this famous pub or to see the Eagle and Child pub where the Inklings met over a drink to discuss their writing and life.

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map
Round trip from Oxford 1 city · 3 Hours

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

Your ticket includes entry worth £10 to Magdalen college to see the hall, chapel, gardens, quad.
Please check 'Exclusions' below for dates of any partial closures eg the hall
Tour is led by award winning guides with hundreds of existing 5 star ratings for this tour!

What's Not Included

On any dates when Magdalen college is closed, we will instead enter a different college- see known closures below. However, please note that during Christmas dates below or on university graduation dates, we cannot always guarantee entry inside an alternative college.

Magdalen is closed from typically about Dec 22 to Dec 31 every year.

2026 published Magdalen closures includes....

The college will be closed all day on Tuesday February 24th 2026

The college will be closed all day on Friday June 26th, 27th and 28th 2026

The college will be open from 10am to 1pm only on Thursday September 24th 2026.

The college will be closed all day on Friday September 25th and Sunday October 4th 2026.

Know before you go

  • ANIMALS OR PETS ALLOWED
  • PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION NEARBY
  • STROLLER OR PRAM ACCESSIBLE
  • WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
  • Please arrive 5 minutes early for your tour at our meeting point.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point
Oxford, GB
Tour start
Oxford, GB
Tour ends at the same location as the start point.
End of the journey

Your 3 hours finish where they began, in Oxford.

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