Looking for an atmospheric city full of history and charm for your next trip? Then Oxford is an absolute must! Just an hour from London lies this unique city, where cosy shopping streets, cosy pubs and education have met for centuries. As early as the 12th century, Oxford flourished into an international centre of education. This has not only resulted in the beautiful old university buildings, which you can find throughout the city, it has also definitely shaped the atmosphere. Stroll through the iconic university buildings, discover hip boutiques, and enjoy the lively cafés and restaurants. Wondering what there is to do in this delightful city? Read our tips for Oxford and travel prepared!
General information about the United Kingdom
Are you planning a round trip to the UK? Then check out our tips for the best travel period and daily budget. You can find all information about United Kingdom here.
How do you travel to Oxford?
There are several ways to travel to Oxford. Read more on the different options below:
By train to Oxford (our favourite)
Oxford is actually very close to the Netherlands and Belgium. Taking the train is therefore the most efficient way to get to Oxford. If you go by train, catch the Eurostar to London and then (after a short underground ride) transfer to the train (from Paddington station) to Oxford. The train takes less than an hour and you'll get straight into the city centre. Unfortunately, train tickets can be quite pricey, so try to book as early as possible and go outside the holidays. Check out the options on the website of NSInternational.
By plane to Oxford
The second option is to take the plane. You then fly to London first and then take the train to Oxford. With this option, bear in mind that there may be quite a bit of travel time added because you have to take the train from London to Oxford. How long this travel time is depends on the airport you arrive at. In terms of travel time, the train and plane will be fairly similar, with the plane usually being the cheaper choice and the train offering the more sustainable option.
By car to Oxford
Another great option is to travel to Oxford by car. This is especially ideal if you want to make a longer trip of it. For example, combine your visit to Oxford with the beautiful English south coast, where you can admire the impressive white cliffs, or with the picturesque region of the Cotswolds.
If you are travelling by car, you can make the crossing by boat from Calais or Dunkirk in about 2 hours. Although more boats make the crossing from Calais, we recommend you make the crossing from Dunkirk. This is because it is often quieter and cheaper here!
Once you arrive in Dover - England, it is less than a 3-hour drive to Oxford. We recommend booking a hotel just outside the city centre or parking your car at a P+R car park and travelling further by bus, as parking in the city centre can be very pricey.
From Calais, you can also take the train through the Channel Tunnel. This option is a bit more expensive, but you'll be across about half an hour.
What to do in Oxford, England?
Oxford is an uncluttered city that you can easily explore on foot. Everything is within walking distance: from quaint shops and cosy cafés to beautiful buildings and other impressive sights. Below are our favourite things to do in Oxford.
1. Stroll through The Covered Market
In the heart of the city you will find The Covered Market, a charming British covered market that has been around since 1770. Stroll through this colourful part of Oxford full of artisan shops and cosy cafes. For example, try the delicious savoury ‘Pies’ (pies) at Piemaster. These savoury pies are filled with all kinds of delicious fillings such as braised beef with beer gravy (Steak and Ale) or chicken and mushroom. Or visit Colombia Coffee Roasters for a good cup of coffee and sweets.
2. Admire the extraordinary university buildings
Oxford is full of beautiful university buildings, so you will naturally come across some of them. Nevertheless, there are definitely a few that are worth a Google Maps pin. Extra famous are the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, The Radcliffe Camera and Square and the Bodleian Library, which are just steps away from each other, in the heart of the city.
- University Church of St Mary the Virgin: This 14e-century university church is beautiful and free to visit. However, climbing the tower does cost money, around €8 euro, but is well worth it. You'll also find a café in the church for tea and lunch called the Vaults & Garden.
- Radcliffe Camera: This iconic round building is a reading room for students. The university is free to enter only for students and researchers. Fortunately, this building is special enough to see even from the outside. Want a complete tour inside, though? Then keep an eye on the tours in summer and winter!
- Bodleian Library: With a 90-minute tour (£24) to Bodleian Library, you'll get a behind-the-scenes look at this historic library, pass Radcliffe Camera and visit Divinity School and the Duke Humfreys Library (known from the Harry Potter films). These tours are popular, so booking early is smart! Good to know is that you will also get an insight into Oxford University with lots of information about its 600-year history. The tour is run on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays only.
Other university buildings we recommend are Christ Church Cathedral, Keble College, Trinity College, and Magdalen College.
- Christ Church Cathedral: This is the the only cathedral in the country that also serves as a university chapel. It was built in the 12e century built as the monastic church of an abbey, hence its immense complex. Many people also like to come here for the world-famous choir. Visiting Christ Church Cathedral can only be done through an event or guided tour. You can choose between an architectural tour of the cathedral or a tour combined with some of the buildings of Christ Church College, one of the university's most prestigious colleges. These tours are available from €26 and are best booked online.
- The other universities: Keble College, Trinity College and Magdalen College are certainly not inferior to the rest. The buildings are beautiful and opposite Magdalen College you will also find the oldest Botanical Garden of England, which you can visit for around €8.
3. Visit the impressive museums
There are three museums we can recommend. Unlike the university buildings, the museums are completely free to visit! This is because museums are subsidised for everyone in the UK, including tourists.
- Ashmolean Museum: Housed in an imposing building, the Ashmolean Museum is the oldest museum in the UK, founded in 1683 and today still one of the most prestigious art and archoleogy museums in the world. You'll find modern and classical art (including Michelangelo, Picasso and Andy Warhol) and archaeological artefacts from all over the world.
- Oxford University Museum of Natural History: Another favourite is the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. The natural history museum has been around since 1860 and has a very rich collection. You'll find all kinds of unusual stuffed animals (like the Dodo) and skeletons. It's a really fun museum for when you're out and about with kids.
- Pitt Rivers Museum: The Pitt Rivers Museum is ideal to combine with the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. In fact, these two museums are in the same building! Although this museum is not particularly large, you'll still find over 500,000 objects from all sorts of continents and cultures. Think totem poles, native canoes, traditional clothing and musical instruments. Truly everything! You get the feeling that you are on some kind of journey of discovery through the world. Only quibble with this museum is that, like so many other similar museums in the UK, it is rather controversial. For instance, many artefacts were obtained during colonial times and this has usually been anything but legitimate. However, the museum is taking steps to become more transparent in this and is working with the countries of origin to find a respectful solution.
4. Travel back in time at the imposing Oxford Castle & Prison
Together, Oxford's castle and prison provide a unique insight into the city's long history. The castle was built as early as 1071 by a Norman nobleman after the Normans conquered England. In the 18e century, the complex was converted into a prison, which was still in use until 20 years ago! Now you will find a very cool hotel in part of it (more on this later).
You can only visit the castle on a guided tour given by guides in period clothing. So it's not just a tour with information, but really an experience with stories of battles and escapes. Among other things, the tour takes you to St George's Tower with great views over the city and the old dungeons. A tour of the castle costs €24 and lasts 50 minutes, after which you can also check out the exhibition and prison on your own.
Tip: You can book a tour directly through Oxford Castle's online website or through well-known tour operators such as Getyourguide!
5. See the city from a completely different perspective on a river cruise
We actually wanted to call it a boat trip, but if the provider's website is to be believed, it is actually a ‘river cruise’. And this designation... also suits the experience better!
To us, this looks like a unique experience to explore the city and its beautiful green surroundings. You can either go on a tour or rent your own boat. Besides a ‘simple’ one-hour tour, you also have more extensive sightseeing tours, including an extended picnic or high tea. Tours are available from 50 minutes and €23 per person.
6. Spend your evening in a classic British pub
Nothing is more British than spending an evening in a cosy pub. The rule is often ‘the older the better’, because then you are guaranteed a particularly atmospheric setting. We also highly recommend eating in a pub, as the food here is often ‘no-nonsense’ tasty and really comes under the heading of ‘comfort food’! Oxford is bursting with great pubs. Some recommended ones are:
- Turf Tavern: You'll find this pub close to the university buildings, tucked away in an alley. It's a very popular pub from 1831, and when the sun shines, the garden is also great for plopping down
- The Old Bookbinders Ale House: Authentic pub with comfort food, near the canal.
- The Cape of Good Hope: A fine local pub just outside the city centre.
Read also: What you need to know for a city break to London
Read also: 14x The best things to do in Barcelona
7. Our favourite restaurants in Oxford
Oxford is a culinary hotspot with cuisines from all over the world. Besides the aforementioned pubs, some other super fun places to eat and drink are:
- Turtle Bay: A colourful restaurant serving very special Caribbean dishes and delicious cocktails
- Dishoom Permit Room: A super atmospheric Indian restaurant from the fantastic Dishoom chain, even though you can find these restaurants in every major city in the UK, it will also be one of the best anywhere!
- Banana Tree: a hip pan-Asian restaurant with good cocktails
Where to stay in Oxford
To get right to the point: it doesn't really matter much where you stay in Oxford. In fact, the city is small enough that you can be in the city centre from its various small suburbs within 15 minutes by bus. Especially if you have a slightly smaller budget and still want the nicest possible accommodation, staying away from the city centre can actually be a good plan.
Nevertheless, there are some places that will make your stay in Oxford even more enjoyable! First of all, of course, the city centre itself. Oxford is not that big, so staying in the city centre is ideal for exploring everything at your leisure by foot. This also gives you the most choice of cafés and restaurants nearby.
Another popular place to stay is the Jericho district. This is a district with pretty pastel-coloured Victorian houses and plenty of good restaurants and pubs. So you actually get to see an even more authentic slice of Oxford. If you stay here, you can walk to the city centre within 15 minutes. Also, be sure to take a little diversions along the Castle Mill Stream with its typical elongated English houseboats!
Our favourite accommodations
You can compare hotel prices in Oxford to those in London. So, as we mentioned above, it can be interesting to book a hotel on the outskirts of the city. Going by car? Then you can find cool hotels or Airbnbs even a bit further from the city centre.
Tip: You will find several P+Rs in Oxford. When you park here, you save a lot of money and see some of the beautiful English countryside at the same time.
Special and luxury hotels
- Old Bank Hotel: A stylish hotel in an old bank building right in the city centre.
- Malmaison Oxford: This is a very special hotel because it is located in a big old prison in the middle of the city! How unique is that?
- Old Parsonage Hotel: A boutique hotel housed in an attractive 1660s building, this is perhaps Oxford's most luxurious hotel, located in the Jericho district
Hotels outside the city
- Voco Oxford Thames: Located about 6 km from Oxford, you have a more rural, but certainly no less luxurious experience here. A fine hotel with pool!
- Artist Residence Oxfordshire: Located some 17 km from Oxford, set against the Cotswolds, you'll find this particularly atmospheric accommodation, full of colours and classic details.
Affordable hotels about 7 km from the city centre
- The Coach and Horses: A typical British B&B with pub (restaurant)
- South Avenue B&B: A fine and decent B&B including breakfast
We hope these tips help you plan your trip to Oxford, England. Do you have any questions about this blog? Then please Countingborders or send us a message at any time via Instagram.
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