This list of places to visit in Oxford will help you make the most of this famous university city that we are sure will exceed all your previous expectations.
Not only does this city boast some of the oldest and most prestigious colleges in the world, Oxford also impresses with its beautiful historic centre, filled with stone buildings topped by spires and historic pubs, where the atmosphere is buzzing.
Moreover, this city will give you unforgettable moments while strolling and visiting its main tourist attractions, because, believe it or not, we assure you that you will feel in every corner the tradition and the value for knowledge, which have turned this place into a great source of great writers and illustrious characters.
Based on the experience of the time we spent in the city during our last month-long trip to London, we have compiled this list of what we believe to be the 10 must-see places in Oxford. Let's get started!
1. Christ Church College
The huge Christ Church is the most famous college and one of the most beautiful places to visit in Oxford in one day. As well as being part of the University of Oxford, this college is home to the city's cathedral and is one of the most prestigious colleges in the city, with up to thirteen Prime Ministers among its former students.
To visit it, we recommend you follow the itinerary in the leaflet given to you at the entrance, which takes you to all the most interesting places in the college, such as the staircase, the dining room, the large central courtyard, the cloister and, above all, the cathedral with its beautiful stained glass windows and chapels.
Although it has always enjoyed great prestige, its popularity has grown in recent years thanks to its spectacular dining hall, which served as inspiration to recreate the great dining hall in the Harry Potter saga.
If you are a big fan of this young wizard, don't miss this Harry Potter tour with an English guide who will take you to all the locations where scenes from the films were filmed.
Visiting hours: Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm and Sundays from 2pm to 5pm. Please note that the Hall is only open from 10am to 12pm and from 2pm to 5pm.
2. Bodleian Library
In a city full of great bookshops and libraries, the Bodleian Library, one of the oldest in Europe and the main research library to see in Oxford, stands out above all others.
Please note that although there are some tours that do not have to be guided, to enter the library room, you have to book one of the guided tours offered at the ticket office. We booked the half-hour mini tour which takes in the two most interesting sights such as the impressive Duke Humfrey's Library and the Divinity School, a medieval hall built between 1427 and 1483, which has been used as a film set in the Harry Potter films.
Near the library are two other important buildings not to be missed, including the Sheldonian Theatre and the new Bodleian Library, known as the Weston Library, which houses the rarest and oldest books.
Visiting hours: You can check tour times on this page.
3. St Mary the Virgin Church
One of the best things to do in Oxford is to climb the tower of St Mary the Virgin Church where you can enjoy views of the Radcliffe Camera and the nearby colleges.
This 13th-century church has one of the most beautiful spires in England and inside you can see several stained glass windows, an organ, the pulpit and the 14th-century tomb of Adam de Brome.
To climb the tower you will have to queue for about 20 minutes, depending on the time of year and day of the week you visit, as access is restricted to a small number of people due to the narrowness of the stairs.
Another viewpoint in the city is the Carfax Tower, although if you only want to climb one, we recommend the tower of this church.
4. Covered Market
The Covered Market, a former covered market, is another of our favourite spots and must-see places in Oxford.
In this 1774 market you can shop in the beautifully coloured shops for all kinds of goods, hats, gifts, clothes, cakes, fresh produce such as vegetables and meats as well as flowers and enjoy the well-decorated shops, including a wide variety of eateries, cafes and a stall for Ben's Cookies.
Visiting hours: daily from 8am to 5pm. Open at 11am on Sundays.
5. Radcliffe Camera, one of the places to visit in Oxford.
The Radcliffe Camera, built between 1737 and 1749, is the most iconic building in the city thanks to its neoclassical architectural style and another of the places to visit in Oxford.
Although formerly used as a scientific library, the building has long been one of the additional reading rooms of the Bodleian Library, although it should be noted that it can only be seen from the outside, as only library members are allowed in.
An interesting way to get to know the city and the history of each building is to book this free guided tour of the historic city centre or this free tour of Oxford.
Our recommended hotel in Oxford
Our recommended accommodation in Oxford is the Rewley House University of Oxford, located 10 minutes walk from the city centre. In addition to its great location, the hotel has spacious dorm-style rooms, an excellent breakfast and one of the best value for money in the city.
6. Historic pubs
Another of the best things to do in Oxford in a day and not to be missed is a good fish and chips, accompanied by a great pint of beer in one of the city's historic pubs.
Among the most famous pubs are:
Turf Tavern: the most famous pub in the city where celebrities such as Stephen Hawking, Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor or Margaret Thatcher have drunk and spent pleasant moments. This old pub, dating back to 1381, is tucked away in a pretty alleyway and has several terraces where you can eat or have a drink.
The Bear Inn: this small pub from 1242 is perfect to taste the typical English food and feel the local atmosphere where students and teachers mix.
Eagle and Child: classic pub where great fantasy writers such as C.S. Lewis author of The Chronicles of Narnia and J.R.R. Tolkien author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings used to meet. They have a wide variety of craft beers and a good university atmosphere.
The Chequers: 15th century tavern with a large terrace and period interior, perfect for a traditional Sunday Roast and English ales and lagers.
King's Arm: another historic pub to visit in Oxford with several rooms and full of students. Legends say that this pub has the highest IQ of any pub in the world.
7. Streets of Oxford
The historic centre of Oxford has many charming streets to stroll through and browse for souvenirs in the many shops. Among the most important shopping streets with a large number of colleges and historic pubs are the pedestrianised Conmarket and High Street, although our favourite street in the city is Holywell Street, which reminds us of Notting Hill in London for its old houses with colourful facades and has become, for us, another of the must-see places in Oxford.
8. Bridge of Sighs
Near the Bodleian Library is the 18th century Bridge of Sighs, which links the old and new parts of Hertford College. This bridge, homonym of the one in Venice, has become one of the most photographed places to visit in Oxford, so we recommend that you spend at least a few minutes to contemplate it and understand the reason why one of the legends about the origin of the name of the bridge, says that in this place the boys and girls students used to meet at night, and sighs could be heard.
Recommended cards for travellingRemember that to avoid paying commissions and to always have the current exchange rate, we recommend you use the Revolut card and the N26 card, which are the ones we use, are free and will save you a lot of money.
You can find more information in this article on the best cards for commission-free travel.
9. Other Colleges
The city has 38 colleges that together form the prestigious University of Oxford, its main tourist and student attraction.
Each college operates autonomously with its own rules of operation and different requirements for accepting students to study its magnificent and difficult university degrees. The fame of Oxford University, considered one of the best in the world, has educated 29 Nobel Prize winners, heads of state from all over the world and its students have won 160 Olympic medals.
Among the best colleges to see in Oxford are:
New College: one of the most beautiful in the city, which impresses with its architecture and the ensemble formed by its gardens, cloisters, chapels and the oldest dining hall in the country.
Magdalen: one of the richest and largest colleges in Oxford, with its tall tower and a park with deer.
All Souls: the most exclusive, where students have to pass "the hardest exam in the world" to get in.
Balliol College: one of Oxford's oldest colleges, dating back to 1263 and boasting a magnificent chapel and large landscaped gardens.
Merton College: another of the city's most famous colleges, where J.R.R. Tolkien taught. If you are a fan of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings you can book this tour of the origins of Middle-earth.
10. Ashmolean Museum
The free Ashmolean Museum from 1683 is one of the oldest museums in the country and our final recommendation for places to visit in Oxford in a day.
This museum of art and archaeology of the University of Oxford has several important collections such as Egyptian mummies, Sudan and contemporary art.
Visiting hours: daily from 10am to 5pm.
How to get to Oxford from London
Although Oxford has an airport nearby, the vast majority of tourists visit the city from London in one day.
To get to Oxford you can book one of the trains which depart every 10 minutes from London Paddington station and take around an hour to get there. Alternatively, you can take an Oxford Tube or X90 bus which leaves every 10 minutes from Victoria Coach Station.
If you want to do the tour in a more comfortable way and with the explanations of a guide in English you can book this tour by train or this one by bus that includes Stratford, both considered two of the best tours from London.
For more information about the transfer you can consult this post on how to get to Oxford from London in one day.
Map of the best places to see in Oxford
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If you feel like helping us to complete the list of the top 10 places to visit in Oxford, add yours in the comments.
