Ludwig Tour of Cambridge

Discover the world of Ludwig on the Ludwig tour which is a 2 hour walk through the historic heart of Cambridge and visit locations featured in the hit BBC detective comedy-drama.

Starring David Mitchell as John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor, the series follows a reclusive puzzle-setter who assumes the identity of his identical twin brother, a Detective Chief Inspector with Cambridge Police. What begins as an attempt to discover why his brother has disappeared soon reveals that John’s extraordinary ability to solve puzzles makes him surprisingly good at solving murders too.

On this guided walking tour, follow in Ludwig’s footsteps through the streets of Cambridge and discover locations featured across both series of the show.

See where John arrives in Cambridge after taking on his brother’s identity and explore the historic university quarter that provides the backdrop to many of his investigations.

Visit picturesque streets used during filming, see one of the city’s most famous river crossings featured on screen and discover the locations used during a Series 2 investigation that takes Ludwig across the centre of Cambridge as he attempts to piece together another seemingly impossible puzzle.

Along the way, your guide will reveal behind-the-scenes stories from the making of the series, show you how locations appeared on screen and explain how the production team cleverly combined real Cambridge locations with places elsewhere in Britain to create Ludwig’s version of the city.

You’ll also see some of the beautiful riverside locations, historic college buildings, narrow lanes and bridges that give the series its distinctive Cambridge setting.

Whether you’re a fan of Ludwig, David Mitchell or British detective dramas, this walking tour is a great way to discover the locations behind the series while exploring one of Britain’s most historic cities.

Meet your guide in central Cambridge and begin your journey into the puzzling world of Ludwig.

Start by discovering locations featured in Series 2, when the historic streets of Cambridge become an important part of one of Ludwig’s investigations. See where characters move through the city as their movements are pieced together using CCTV footage and discover how the programme makers play with the real geography of Cambridge to create the sequence seen on screen.

Continue into the historic university quarter and see one of the colleges used extensively to establish the world of the series. Nearby you’ll discover one of Cambridge’s most famous landmarks, which has appeared in the programme and in imagery associated with Ludwig.

Follow the route through some of the city’s narrow historic streets and passageways where David Mitchell and the production team returned to film the second series.

You’ll then reach another location from the Series 2 investigation, where Ludwig’s attempts to reconstruct a person’s journey through Cambridge form part of the puzzle he must solve.

As you make your way through the city centre, see further locations used for this investigation and discover how places that appear to be next to one another on television aren’t necessarily quite so conveniently located in real life.

The tour then turns to Series 1 as you visit the location where John is seen driving into Cambridge in his brother’s car after taking on his identity.

Continue to one of the most recognisable university locations featured in the series and see the distinctive historic bridge that provides the backdrop to scenes from Ludwig’s first series.

The final part of the tour takes you towards the river. See locations used for filming beside the water and discover how Cambridge’s bridges, punts and historic college buildings were used to create the distinctive visual world of the programme.

Along the way, your guide will also reveal which supposedly Cambridge locations aren’t in Cambridge at all – including the real locations used for Ludwig’s police station and some of the murder investigations.

The tour finishes in central Cambridge, leaving you ideally placed to continue exploring the city.

Accommodation Suggestions

If you’re staying overnight, we recommend checking out Booking.com – click here for convenient hotel options.

Travelling by Train

Travelling by train? Save money by booking your tickets in advance through the trainline website.

Luggage Storage

Need somewhere to leave your bags? We recommend using Bounce for convenient luggage storage locations.

Need an airport transfer?

If you’re flying into London book a reliable airport pickup here

Is the tour accessible?
– This guided tour is not accessible for wheelchair users or parents with prams or buggies due to the uneven surfaces on the route. British Sign Language is not provided on the tour.

Can I do a self-guided Ludwig tour?
Possibly if you know where you’re going and do alot of research but our guided tour gives you behind-the-scenes production secrets, a dedicated actor guide, and an organized route to 12+ locations across both seasons.

Do children need to be accompanied?
– All people under 18 (i.e. 17 years old and younger) must be accompanied by an adult (aged 18 years or over) on all tours

Is the tour suitable for children?
– Yes as long as they are accompanied by an adult

Does the tour still go ahead if there is bad weather?
– Yes, unless on very rare occasions when we have to cancel e.g Force Majeure

– Free Cancellations: Cancel for free up to 72 hours before departure—no questions asked.

– Unlimited Rescheduling: Change your tour date as many times as you need without extra charges.

– Hassle-Free Booking Experience: Get excellent customer service with your questions answered quickly and easily by our expert team who know the tours better than anyone.

– Trip Protection Insurance – Add extra peace of mind with optional trip protection insurance available at checkout.

– Inclusions: Professional guide

– Exclusions: Gratuities (optional)