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Magdalen College

Magdalen College: Our most recommended tours and activities

Oxford: Private C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien Walking Tour

1. Oxford: Private C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien Walking Tour

Find out more about the Inklings, an informal literary discussion group associated with the University of Oxford, while getting an introduction to the city's history and university life. See inspiring sights related to C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien on a 2-2.5-hour tour of the sights where they worked and relaxed, including the pubs they enjoyed. At Magdalen, discover a beautiful medieval hall, chapel, and quadrangle as well as lovely gardens and a deer park. Walk in the footsteps of C.S. Lewis and his friends along the famous Addison's path where they strolled on many midsummer evenings to discuss their ideas. When open, peek inside Tolkien's Exeter College which hosts pre Raphaelite art and an exquisite garden too. As well as the colleges, your knowledgeable guide will take you on a route through the city of Oxford to take in many famous sights. Visit inside St. Mary's University Church where C.S. Lewis developed his ideas through sermons. Hear about the likes of Cardinal Newman who preached there too, and learn about the Oxford Martyrs — Latimer, Ridley, and Cranmer — from the time of 'Bloody Mary'. A pub/refereshment stop is optional on the tour. Many people who book this tour happen to be theology alumni but the guides are not necessarily themselves religious people.

Oxford: City Bike Tour with Student Guide

2. Oxford: City Bike Tour with Student Guide

Discover Oxford’s historic town center, and the magical parks on the outskirts of town with this guided bike tour. Pedal past the city’s best attractions and cover more ground. Meet your guide in the city center to start your experience. Cycle through the city alongside a student guide, and learn about the history of Oxford. Marvel at the university buildings where Oscar Wilde, J. R. R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and many British politicians studied. Admire the architecture of Oxford colleges, and enter the famous Bodleian Library. Marvel at the scenery of Port Meadow, and visit sites you can’t reach on foot. Enjoy plenty of stops along the route, and finish back at the original meeting point.

Oxford Treasure Hunt: The Mystery of the Bullingdon Burglar

3. Oxford Treasure Hunt: The Mystery of the Bullingdon Burglar

The legendary Oxford mystery... unsolved for 50 years... until now. Start your adventure at the historic Chequers tavern, and embark on a quest to unravel Oxford's unsolved mystery of The Bullingdon Burglar! In 1972, Oxford’s annual Town Vs Gown cricket cup ended in disaster, when a mysterious burglar broke into the clubhouse and snatched the golden trophy… Was it an act of revenge? Nobody knew... But the villain left a trail of clues and this is where you come in. The pages of your Mystery Guide™ take you on an exciting puzzle adventure through the heart of historic Oxford, as you follow the maps, unlock the clues, and unravel the epic tale. Your challenge is to track down hidden objects, decode symbols, and uncover hidden messages, as you eliminate suspects and gradually unpick the crime. And an exciting twist awaits… Make it to the end and you'll be struck by an amazing ‘wow’ moment when the case is solved and the villain is revealed before your eyes! Simply grab your Mystery Guide™, head to the start, and set off at a time that suits you. Don’t let the villain get away... Your time to start is now!

Oxford: Famous Alumni Exploration Game

4. Oxford: Famous Alumni Exploration Game

Explore Oxford in a unique way, by playing an exploration game on your phone via an app. Learn about famous alumni who walked through the city's streets and university's walls, visit locations where Harry Potter was filmed, and have fun with your whole family or friends. Reenact the story of a brilliant former Oxford professor trying to figure out the mystery of their lab partner’s death during your engaging game. Solve challenges and watch the story unfold on your app, as well as exact directions that guide you to your next location. Start your exploration game from The Eagle and Child pub. Best of all, play the game at your own pace, pausing it whenever you feel like a coffee or food break and resuming anytime from the location where you paused it.

Oxford: Bike & Walking Tour w/ University Alumni Guide

5. Oxford: Bike & Walking Tour w/ University Alumni Guide

Immerse yourself in the culture of Oxford University and learn all about the extent of the renowned campus on this biking and walking tour. Explore the dramatic modern architecture of the Blavatnik Centre and the medieval facade of Magdalen College. The walking element of the tour takes you inside one of the oldest colleges of the university and the world-famous Bodleian Library, famous as a filming location in the Harry Potter films. Experience the scenic landscape of the Christ Church Meadows before visiting All Souls College and the Radcliffe Camera. Weave in and out of the old city with rides across local green spaces and explore the Port Meadow while learning about Lewis Carroll’s time at Oxford.

Other Sightseeing Options in Magdalen College

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What people are saying about Magdalen College

Overall rating

4.8 / 5

based on 12 reviews

Thank you Tom for your very informative and enjoyable Oxford: CS Lewis & JRR Tolkien Tour. It was delightful to learn more about these two literary greats and see where they gained some inspiration for their books as we walked and talked our way around the parts of Oxford that they would’ve trod. I thoroughly recommend Tom as an excellent and knowledgeable guide.

We had a great guiding tour about C.S Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. Our guide was Tom. He was very knowledgeable and shared his knowledge about Lewis, Tolkien as well as other inklings with us. We got into Exeter college where Tolkien was studying as well as the magnificent Magdalen college where Lewis was a professor. A great tour with a very scholarly guide.

The tour was excellent and well worth the time. We had Tom give us an inklings tour and he was wonderful. He has an immense wealth of knowledge and little tid bits about all of the sites and lives of the authors. We learned a lot and started a lot of curiosity about all the inklings. Would definitely recommend this tour with Tom.

We really enjoyed our tour with Tom! He was very knowledgeable and wanted to curate the tour based on our curiosities. We came away with much more knowledge than we were expecting. We highly recommend this tour!

Very knowledgeable and fun! Great mixture of history on Tolkien and Lewis and general knowledge of the university. Saw some beautiful spots we never would have found alone.