Inside a minute of stepping foot on Excessive Road, it’s clear why Oxford, England, is known as the Metropolis of Dreaming Spires. Its towers reaching skyward, the arches and vaults of the universities, the gargoyles that peer out from medieval roof traces—the entire impact is intoxicating. Past the College and its lovely buildings, it’s also a metropolis full of world-class museums, enjoyable pubs, and nice websites to discover. There are many enjoyable issues to do in Oxford, and each time we return, we uncover one thing new.
Oxford holds a particular place in my coronary heart as a result of I spent a month dwelling right here as a part of a program for highschool college students the summer season I used to be 17. On the college, I met new folks from everywhere in the US and the world, immersed myself in British life, and explored what to do in Oxford, London, and past. It was the place that made me wish to grow to be a traveler.
It took me 20 years to return to this place, however now I can’t keep away, and I’ve gotten Lance adore it, too. Right here’s a have a look at a few of our favourite issues to see and do in Oxford.
Tour Christ Church
Christ Church might be probably the most well-known of the universities of Oxford College. Not solely are its buildings exceptional, however the faculty has educated philosophers and world leaders for hundreds of years. When you solely have time to go to one faculty, Christ Church is value it.
Christ Church was based in 1546, and strolling via its halls, you are feeling each little bit of that historical past. I first visited right here in highschool, and the majesty of its Tom Tower, the richness of the stained glass in its cathedral, and the picture of its portrait-lined eating corridor have been a few of my most vivid recollections. They’re simply as sensible now as they have been then.
After visiting the faculty’s quads and buildings, you possibly can wander via the Christ Church Memorial Gardens or head a number of steps away to Christ Church Meadow, a well-liked spot for picnicking, strolling, and stress-free.
Due to the faculty’s look in Harry Potter, Christ Church is among the prime locations to go to in Oxford, and it’s highly regarded. Because of this, it’s essential to e-book timed tickets prematurely, which requires planning forward. Within the fall, my self-guided go to was leisurely. Nevertheless, when I discovered myself alone in a usually standard location within the faculty, one of many guards talked about that 30 folks per minute transfer via in the summertime.
See Radcliffe Digital camera
For among the finest views within the metropolis, head to Radcliffe Sq.. The edges of the sq. are fashioned by magnificent buildings, together with the medieval College Church of St. Mary the Virgin, the famend Bodleian Library, and the Fifteenth-century All Souls Faculty. The round library in the course of the sq., Radcliffe Digital camera, is a standout among the many metropolis’s architectural wonders.
I’m at all times a sucker for a skyline. So, whereas the view on the bottom is beautiful, heading up the tower at St. Mary’s is considered one of my favourite Oxford actions.
At 127 steps, the climb is pretty tame in comparison with many different towers in Europe. Alongside the best way, you possibly can pause to see the mechanisms of the 300-year-old clock. On the prime, you’re rewarded with panoramic views of spires, towers, and superb gargoyles. I’ve made the climb greater than as soon as as a result of it’s so gorgeous.
To see contained in the Radcliffe Digital camera, you’ll must take one of many guided excursions that permits you to discover the studying rooms and extra. Tickets can be found two weeks prematurely. Additionally, don’t miss the inside of St. Mary’s, which dates predominantly from the later Fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. It’s free to go to with out the tower ticket.
See Radcliffe Digital camera and different well-known websites on a small-group strolling tour. For a personal tour, try this highly-rated possibility.
Have afternoon tea
You may’t spend any period of time in England with out having a correct afternoon tea. Certainly one of my favourite locations to go in Oxford for tea is the The Grand Café on Excessive Road. It payments itself because the oldest espresso home in England, established round 1650. Choices vary from easy scones with jam and clotted cream to the “Grand Excessive Tea,” with sandwiches, scones, petit fours, and champagne. Throughout the road, The Rose has equally outdated roots and can be a stable alternative.
Go to the Ashmolean Museum
The oldest public museum in England, the Ashmolean was based in 1683 to accommodate a large assortment of artwork and archaeological artifacts.
The gathering spans every part from historical Egypt to fashionable China with such spectacular artifacts as Man Fawkes’s lantern, a Stradivarius violin, and Michelangelo’s research for the Sistine Chapel. Certainly one of my favourite sights was the large deerskin mantle (a cloak) of Native American chief Powhatan—it dates from the early 1600s on the time of the primary contact between the native tribes and colonizers.
When you’ve completed visiting the museum’s collections, that are a few of the most spectacular issues to see in Oxford, head upstairs to the rooftop restaurant for a snack, afternoon tea, or perhaps a Sunday roast. You’ll discover not solely good meals however beautiful views of the town. Superior reserving is really useful.
Admission to the Ashmolean is free, so it’s exhausting to consider a greater place to spend time, particularly if the climate isn’t cooperating.
Go punting on the Thames
Reducing via the town, the River Thames (domestically referred to as The Isis) is a central function of the town. When the climate is nice, going punting is among the finest issues to do in Oxford from spring via early fall.
Punting–cruising down the river in a flat-bottomed boat propelled by your personal effort and a picket pole–is finest loved when you could have a number of spare hours to be taught to do it correctly. It may be a little bit of a exercise, so it’s additionally a good suggestion to verify your route features a pub. Fortunately, one of many boathouses has a pub on-site, so you possibly can nonetheless have a pint even when your punting efforts don’t get you so far as you’d like.
See the Bridge of Sighs
One of the crucial photographed websites within the metropolis, the distinctive Bridge of Sighs is formally named Hertford Bridge. Its nickname supposedly comes from its similarity to the extra well-known Bridge of Sighs in Venice. The walkway joins two buildings of Hertford Faculty over New Faculty Lane, and you’ll ceaselessly see folks crossing between the 2 whereas others pause on the street beneath for selfies.
Purchase a memento at Alice’s Store
Alice in Wonderland is simply one of many basic tales dreamed up in Oxford. Written by Charles Dodgson (aka Lewis Carroll), a lecturer at Christ Church, and impressed by the faculty dean’s 10-year-old daughter Alice, the story has captivated readers for over 150 years. Alice’s Store is the right place for lovers of the story.
The store itself—a small, Fifteenth-century constructing—was a sweet retailer within the days Dodgson and Alice wandered right here, and it even makes an look within the e-book because the outdated sheep’s store. Now, Alice followers can discover all kinds of Wonderland-themed objects from umbrellas and plates to postcards, jewellery, and, after all, books.
Discover the Museum of Pure Historical past
The dodo is a creature that lives in folks’s imaginations. It’s used as every part from a cautionary story of extinction to a cartoonish presence in Alice’s wonderland. It’s been gone for over 350 years, so I by no means thought of that any proof of it nonetheless existed. But it surely does at Oxford’s Museum of Pure Historical past.
The components of the dodo, which possible died about 1662, are simply one of many exceptional specimens at this free museum. It’s becoming for a spot that additionally hosted one of the crucial well-known debates about Charles Darwin’s analysis and his principle of evolution.
Though the dodo stays aren’t usually seen to the general public, a reproduction and the chicken’s story might be seen alongside the seemingly infinite variety of dinosaur skeletons, elephant bones, and taxidermied animals that fill the distinctive area.
Every case and panel has detailed details about the totally different species, and there are many ongoing public occasions, excursions, and workshops to show adults and kids. One factor I discovered notably fascinating on the museum was the variety of panels devoted to highlighting the analysis contributions of feminine scientists, who could or could not have beforehand gotten the credit score they deserved.
Go to Pitt Rivers Museum
The Pitt Rivers Museum is a group of the fascinating and weird from all over the world. It was based in 1884 when Normal Augustus Pitt Rivers, a famous ethnologist and archaeologist, gave his huge assortment to Oxford College.
The museum homes greater than 500,000 objects, pictures, and paperwork from almost each nation and all through all ages in human historical past.
The shows are organized by sort of artifact reasonably than the extra frequent group by geographical area or time interval. Which means there are collections of masks, weapons, writing instruments, musical devices, jewellery, and plenty of different objects that present how totally different cultures solved the identical issues over time. Among the many most unusual artifacts are the towering totem pole from British Columbia and the museum’s assortment of shrunken heads.
Just like the Ashmolean and the Museum of Pure Historical past, seeing the Pitt Rivers Museum is among the finest free issues to do in Oxford. It adjoins the Museum of Pure Historical past, so it’s handy to go to each on the similar time.
Stroll the College of Oxford Botanic Backyard
Based in 1621, the botanic backyard on the College of Oxford is the oldest botanic backyard within the UK. The compact and numerous assortment includes a walled backyard and glasshouses with crops and flowers from throughout the globe. This lovely setting is alleged to have impressed Oxford professors and authors Lewis Carroll and J.R.R. Tolkien as they created the fantastical worlds of Alice in Wonderland and The Lord of the Rings.
Go to Choral Evensong
Attending Choral Evensong is an ideal alternative to listen to wonderful music in wonderful buildings. You don’t should be non secular to understand the skillful singing and luxurious interiors of the chapels, lots of which date again not less than 300 years.
Each night through the college time period, many chapel choirs on the Oxford schools and choose parish church buildings supply Choral Evensong, a service which is sort of totally sung and open to anybody who needs to attend. The 45-minute service options typical hymns sung by the congregation in addition to musical shows by the choir.
Evensong is accessible all through Oxford at many totally different places relying on the day. I opted to attend the Sunday evening service at Christ Church Cathedral, which has been dwelling to a choir of some kind since 1526. The music and setting have been as lovely as I had hoped, and attending the service gave me restricted entry to the faculty grounds and the cathedral itself. When you’re taken with visiting Christ Church however don’t have time for the tour (or don’t wish to pay), attending Evensong will allow you to see the cathedral and stroll via the well-known quad at no cost.
Have a pint at Turf Tavern
Properly-hidden amongst historical buildings is the Turf Tavern, an historic, 400-year-old pub that also fills with locals and college students each evening of the week. Due to its lengthy historical past, the pub has welcomed British celebrities from C.S. Lewis to Tony Blair, and it’s the situation the place Invoice Clinton famously “didn’t inhale” when he was finding out right here. Indicators everywhere in the pub inform guests about fascinating occasions within the institution’s previous.
The Turf Tavern is a bit tough to search out down the small St. Helen’s Passage on the finish of a winding alley, however when you get there, you discover an genuine and conventional pub expertise. You may seize a pint on the bar and order fish and chips or go for a gin and tonic and spicy grilled halloumi underneath the umbrellas exterior. Both approach, a go to to the Turf Tavern is an effective time. It’s a should see.
Tour Oxford Citadel & Jail
Initially inbuilt 1071, Oxford Citadel has an extended historical past as each a fortress and a jail. Through the years, it served as every part from a degree of protection to a courtroom and execution web site. On a tour, guests can see the crypt and jail and be taught the tales of prisoners who have been held—and in the end put to dying—right here. You can even climb up St. George’s Tower for nice views of the town.
See the reveals at Weston Library
One of many fascinating free issues to do in Oxford is to go to the Weston Library. A part of the Bodleian Library complicated, it holds a few of the College’s uncommon manuscripts and thousands and thousands of revealed works belonging to the college.
Although a lot of the Weston is accessible solely to college students and students, its public exhibition rooms are free to go to. They host a spread of particular reveals on every part from maps of the world to the artwork of promoting over the centuries. All the subjects are introduced in an interesting approach, that includes uncommon artifacts, multimedia shows, and interactive parts.
Go to the universities of Oxford College
I’ve talked about Christ Church a number of occasions as a result of it’s distinctive among the many Oxford schools and a spot I occur to like, however there are 37 different lovely schools with excellent structure and noteworthy historical past. Lots of them are open to the general public and straightforward to go to for those who’re conscious of their opening hours.
Each afternoon, visitors can go to the enduring buildings of Exeter Faculty, which has an excellent view of Radcliffe Sq.. The alma mater of J.R.R. Tolkien, Exeter nonetheless shows a bust of considered one of its most outstanding alumni. New Faculty and its gorgeous backyard are open each day, as is the beautiful Balliol Faculty, which dates from 1263. The stained glass (and different grand options) are additionally obtainable for visiting at All Souls Faculty, Magdalen Faculty (pronounced like maudlin), and a myriad of different buildings.
Examine this listing for opening occasions. And, no matter you do, don’t stroll on the grass.
Have cocktails in Jericho
A brief stroll from the middle is the Jericho neighborhood. Recognized for its cool eating places, cafes, and unbiased companies, it’s an excellent place to come back for craft cocktails and a enjoyable evening out.
Our favourite spot is Raoul’s, each for its basic cocktails and its personal creations. Raoul’s makes their bitters and syrups on-site and does every part with a bit little bit of flare. We additionally love the trendy Toby’s Cocktail Bar.
Store at Lined Market
Recent produce, distinctive jewellery, and to-die-for milkshakes are only a few of the issues obtainable within the historic Lined Market. Opened in 1774, it has been dwelling to merchants ever since and is stuffed with distinctive and vibrant outlets and stalls.
From snickerdoodle to triple chocolate chunk, don’t miss the choices at Ben’s Cookies, and ensure to cease by The Cake Store to see the dramatic fondant creations coming to life. Sasi’s Thai and Pieminister are our favourite stops for lunch on the market.
See the Harry Potter websites
When you assume that Oxford feels quite a bit like Hogwarts, you’re not improper. There’s good cause for that—not solely do the grand buildings of the wizarding college echo Oxford’s Gothic and Romanesque structure, however a few of the motion pictures’ scenes have been filmed with the College as a backdrop.
We love Harry Potter and have visited the studios exterior London, so scouting out the places was a no brainer. Fortunately, it’s simple to place collectively your personal tour of Harry Potter-related websites.
A visit to the Divinity College will discover you standing within the shiny Hogwarts infirmary, and the cloisters inside New Faculty are the identical hallways Harry and his mates walked in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fireplace. Duke Humfrey’s Library is the setting for the Hogwarts library in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
At Christ Church, the ornate Bodley Tower staircase shall be acquainted to followers of the films, and it’s simple to see how the close by Nice Corridor impressed the enchanted Hogwarts eating corridor the place a lot of the films’ motion occurs.
Play a sport at Thirsty Meeples
England’s first board sport café, Thirsty Meeples, is the right place to go to for those who’re in search of one thing totally different to do. Packed floor-to-ceiling with greater than 2,000 video games, it’s exhausting to consider one thing this place doesn’t have.
For a modest cowl cost, you possibly can spend a number of hours taking part in with mates or go by yourself to make new mates on their Tuesday evening open gaming nights. Order a smoothie, a cocktail, or a sandwich when you plan your subsequent Jenga transfer or search your reminiscence financial institution for that illusive Trivial Pursuit reply.
Seize a snack at G&D’s
Daily is an effective day for ice cream, and G&Ds is the place to get it. There are three shops across the metropolis with the G&D’s Cafe moniker (technically George & Danver, George & Davis, and George & Delila, for those who’re as confused by that as I used to be). They focus on pure do-it-yourself ice cream and baked items, and so they supply cafe objects like bagel pizzas and salads.
My lunch there was good, however the ice cream is admittedly the standout. With flavors like bananarama, t’was mint to be, highway to Reeses, and tremendous #?*! chocolate, you’re in for a deal with.
Step into fantasy land at The Story Museum
In a metropolis with as a lot literary historical past as Oxford, a spot like The Story Museum suits in completely. This cute museum is the fantasy of any child or grownup who loves make-believe or a well-crafted story. There are alternatives for dress-up, reveals about authors and their works, and interactive storytelling classes with video games and props.
The chance to activate your creativeness is in every single place on the Story Museum—the restroom door has a warning about Moaning Myrtle, the entrance window has an commercial for 101 Dalmatians, and there are numerous different delicate literary references. Within the museum’s café and quirky present store, there’s a vary of meals, books, and story-inspired objects.
Check out The Oxford Artisan Distillery
The Oxford Artisan Distillery (TOAD) is a grain-to-glass distillery specializing in gins and different spirits. They use a wide range of fascinating, Oxford-inspired elements to develop distinctive taste profiles of their merchandise, and every part is sourced from inside 50 miles. The Ashmolean gin is impressed by the museum’s collections (and bought there, too), and the Physic gin is made for the College utilizing botanicals sourced from and impressed by the College of Oxford’s Botanic Backyard. TOAD’s different spirits have equally native tales.
The distillery provides a number of totally different tour choices. The usual tour lets guests see how the vodka, gin, absinthe, and whiskey are produced from scratch, and the whisky tour goes even deeper into the distillery’s science and mission. Both possibility is nice for those who love craft distilleries like we do. Reserving forward is really useful.
Go to Blenheim Palace
Solely a half-hour bus journey from the town heart, Blenheim Palace makes a straightforward journey. This UNESCO World Heritage Web site was constructed within the early 1700s because the residence of the Dukes of Marlborough who nonetheless reside there right now. It was additionally the birthplace of Winston Churchill, and an exhibition right here traces his profession and lifetime of service to Britain.
The general public can tour the splendid inside of Blenheim Palace and have afternoon tea within the Orangery. The grounds function formal gardens, pleasure gardens, and cascading Italian-inspired fountains that remind me of the grand fountains at Villa Tivoli close to Rome.
All year long, the Palace has a wide range of particular occasions and
themed shows. We visited close to Christmas and noticed the Palace remodeled
into Alice’s Wonderland together with an impressive mild path across the
grounds.
Discover Fashionable Artwork Oxford
Fashionable Artwork Oxford is a component museum, half group area. The museum brings the work of each well-known and up-and-coming up to date artists to the town and makes the reveals accessible to everybody—it’s among the finest free issues to do in Oxford for artwork lovers.
When you’ve wandered via the galleries, cease on the vibrant café.
Locals are available for meals, to fulfill with mates, or simply to hang around for some time
within the welcoming area.
Tour the Bodleian Library
One of many oldest libraries in Europe, seeing the Bodleian Library is a vital a part of any go to to Oxford, even for those who’re simply visiting on a day journey. There may be extra to the tour than merely book-filled rooms—you get to see a few of the most lovely areas inside the College.
There are a number of tour choices that spotlight totally different components
of the library. We opted for the hour-long model that features the gorgeous
Divinity College, which dates from 1470. As we walked via the Convocation
Home and the Chancellor’s Courtroom, we discovered in regards to the historical past of the College
and the way it intertwined with the non secular and political historical past of England.
The final cease on the tour was Duke Humfrey’s Library, a large room full of darkish wooden, ornate paneling, and that sure candy, musty scent that accompanies very outdated books. Initially constructed within the late 1400s after which rebuilt following its destruction through the Reformation, the library is among the distinctive locations in Oxford.
See the Sheldonian Theatre
Constructed within the 1660s, the Sheldonian Theatre is among the most recognizable sights in Oxford because of its semi-circular design and distinctive eight-sided cupola. A tour right here provides an in depth have a look at the constructing’s structure and gorgeous painted ceiling in addition to a stroll via its historical past.
There are nonetheless common lectures and concert events open to the general public, so attempt to get a ticket if there’s an interesting efficiency whenever you’re on the town.
Store at Bicester Village
If procuring is your factor, visiting Bicester Village is an absolute must-do. Nearly each outlet heart on the planet claims to have luxurious objects, however this place is luxurious past creativeness. Among the many over 160 shops at Bicester Village, you’ll discover manufacturers like Fendi, Balenciaga, Saint Laurent, and extra.
You may take the prepare (quarter-hour) or a bus (half-hour) straight
from Oxford to the retailers. It might probably get fairly busy on the weekends or through the
holidays, so plan accordingly.
See the Headington Shark
One of many extra uncommon issues to do close to Oxford is to pay a go to to the Headington Shark. On an unassuming road of this suburb simply three miles from downtown, the large sculpture is difficult to overlook and so odd that we needed to see it for ourselves.
The 25-foot-long fiberglass shark who appears like he simply fell out of the sky has been in place since 1986. Commissioned by native journalist Invoice Heine for his dwelling and made by sculptor John Buckley, it was initially a supply of battle. The city council was afraid that in the event that they allowed it to remain, immediately everybody would need one thing comparable protruding from their roof. Almost 40 years later, it’s protected to say their considerations have been unfounded.
The singular sculpture is supposed to be a commentary on warfare
and the sensation of vulnerability and helplessness when catastrophe strikes. Regardless of
its heavy underlying that means, most guests come for its quirkiness and a few
keep. As a result of it’s additionally an Airbnb now.
Go to Tolkien’s grave
An Oxford alum and professor, J.R.R. Tolkien is among the literary giants carefully related to the College. Throughout his time there, he revealed The Hobbit and his epic The Lord of the Rings and was a founding member of The Inklings, a literary group that included different greats resembling C.S. Lewis.
Tolkien’s grave (alongside his spouse Edith) at Wolvercote Cemetery is a well-liked pilgrimage web site for lovers of Center Earth. It’s planted with rose bushes and different flowers, and guests usually go away rings in homage to Tolkien’s works as we noticed on our go to.
The cemetery is about three miles from the middle of Oxford and is straightforward to achieve by bus or automotive. There are indicators pointing the best way to the Tolkiens’ grave all through the cemetery.
See the Christmas Market
The Christmas market is the guts of the vacation festivities on the town. With a number of dozen chalets lining Broad Road, it’s one of the crucial festive locations to be at Christmas.
The market right here is small in comparison with different markets like close by Bathtub, however that helps it keep a wholly native really feel. For many of December, you’ll discover the scents of mulled wine and the native favourite—churros—filling the air as folks store for ornaments, artworks, and artisan meals from the encircling space.
Go to Bathtub
There are such a lot of enjoyable locations to go to and issues to see in Oxford that you just’ll be utterly entertained for a weekend. However, with a bit extra time, take into account a day journey someplace close by.
My favourite shut vacation spot is Bathtub. The historical metropolis of Bathtub has a handful of UNESCO-listed websites, together with the traditional Roman Bathtub complicated. You may chill out within the springs at Thermae Bathtub Spa, go to the outlets on Pulteney Bridge, and see the romantic Bathtub Abbey.
The place to Keep
Head of the River – Overlooking Folly Bridge and the River Thames, the Head of the River has 20 individually adorned rooms—some with river views. Positioned over a pub by the identical identify, the lodge gives visitors a hearty breakfast cooked to order every morning.
Leonardo Royal Lodge – An amazing possibility for drivers, the Leonardo Royal Lodge provides parking only a 5-minute drive from the town heart. This 4-star lodge has spacious bedrooms, an award-winning restaurant and bar, and an indoor splash pool and health heart.
Laura Longwell is an award-winning journey blogger and photographer. Since founding Journey Addicts in 2008, she has written lots of of articles that assist over 3 million folks a 12 months get probably the most out of their journey. In that point, she has visited almost 60 international locations on 5 continents, usually returning to favourite locations time and again. She has a deep love of historical past, uncovering sudden sights, and making an attempt all the nice meals a spot has to supply.
Along with Journey Addicts, Laura runs a web site about her hometown of Philadelphia—Information to Philly—which chronicles distinctive issues to do and locations to see round southeastern Pennsylvania. Her journey suggestions and recommendation seem throughout the net.
