11 Best Things To Do In Oxford (Oxfordshire, UK)

Are you wondering what are the best things to do in Oxford in Oxfordshire, UK? I’ve been to Oxford a number of times, so let me share with you some of the great places to visit here and things to do around town. I’m sure you will love the history of this town!

It doesn’t matter if you experience Oxford’s world-class heritage on a punt ride down the Cherwell, a candle-lit Evensong in a college chapel, or a visit to galleries and museums filled with ancient treasures; whatever you choose to do, you won’t be able to deny the city’s legacy.

In fact, Oxford is recommended as one of the best places to visit in the UK by most travel bloggers.

You can go to hallowed halls and libraries where Nobel Prize winners, prime ministers, and literary giants spent their formative years; you can check out world-class museums; you can dine in the city’s finest restaurants; or you can just wander the laneways and take in the atmosphere.

Now that Oxford got your attention, how do you actually get from London to Oxford? Read on to find out about the best things to do in Oxford, from perennial favorites to little-known haunts.

Read More: Best Things to Do in Oxfordshire (UK)

Here are the best things to do in Oxford:

1. University of Oxford

Didn’t make the cut for the best university in the UK? Don’t worry, you can still see its hallowed halls, quiet quads, and candle-lit chapels on this walking tour. It covers the school’s history, ceremonies, and strange traditions, as well as a personal account of what it’s like to study here.

The University of Oxford is one of the oldest universities in the world. It takes up about a quarter of the city. It has 38 colleges, and more than 22,000 students go there. Oxford is known as “the City of Dreaming Spires” because many of its old, grand buildings are tourist attractions in their own right.

The Radcliffe Camera and the Bridge of Sigh stand out among the many. Don’t forget to walk through the university’s botanic gardens, and if you like Harry Potter, don’t miss the Bodleian Library, which was in three of the movies.

Radcliffe Camera

The building that got a million pictures taken. The Radcliffe Camera is a well-known piece of architecture in Oxford. It is in the middle of the “city of dreaming spires,” which is a nickname for Oxford. If you ask anyone where to go in Oxford, it will be at the very top of the list.

The Rad Cam, as it is affectionately known, was built in the 18th century, which is pretty new for Oxford. It is still used as one of the Bodleian Library’s main reading rooms and is where some of the library’s collections are kept.

Like the rest of the Bodleian, it’s a working library that you can’t get into unless you sign up for a tour.

Bridge of Sigh

The Bridge of Sighs is another thing to see in Oxford. It might look a little bit familiar. People say it looks a little like the famous bridge in Venice with the same name.

The bridge connects two parts of Hertford College, but its strange look is a big part of why people like it.

2. Oxford Museum of Natural History

One of Oxford’s more unexpected attractions is the Oxford Museum of Natural History, which is housed in the same building as the Pitt Rivers Museum.

The structure is impressive enough; my favorite part is the bright interior. The addition of a sizable collection of geological and zoological specimens makes this a must-see Oxford attraction.

The enormous dinosaur skeletons that predominate the museum’s collection are impossible to miss. You get a close-up view of the various species on display thanks to fossils and replicas.

One of the few of its kind in the world and the rumored model for Lewis Carroll’s character in Alice in Wonderland, the Oxford Dodo is among the other highlights. One of the remarkable items in this free museum is the pieces of the dodo, which most likely passed away around 1662. It’s appropriate for a location that also played host to one of the most well-known discussions of Charles Darwin’s work and his theory of evolution.

The dodo remains aren’t usually on display to the public, but there is a replica and information about the bird there, along with an almost infinite number of dinosaur and elephant bones and taxidermied animals.

In-depth information about the various species is provided in each case and panel, and there are numerous ongoing public events, tours, and workshops to instruct both adults and children. The number of panels at the museum highlighting the research contributions of female scientists, who may or may not have previously received the credit they deserved, caught my attention as one aspect I found particularly interesting.

3. Oxford Castle Prison

Have you had your fill of historical sites? If the answer is yes, bad luck because there was a medieval Norman castle that had been converted into a museum, hotel, and entertainment hub called the Oxford Castle & Prison.

The hotel (Malmaison) has converted the former cells into comfortable rooms, so it’s not as strange as it sounds, and the bars and restaurants are worth a visit.

Are you more interested in the castle itself than its modern fripperies? For more information on the building’s history, which includes a 900-year-old crypt, you can take a guided tour. Similar in age, the crypt exudes an eerie beauty.

Putting aside the fact that the guides on the tours are dressed as different people, it’s a fascinating way to discover a different aspect of Oxford that has nothing to do with the university.

4. Oxford Botanic Garden

The oldest botanic garden in the UK and one of the oldest in the world is the one in Oxford. With more than 6,000 plant species arranged into a number of collections, they are a tranquil haven in the middle of the city.

Although it’s educational, the real enjoyment comes from simply admiring the striking plantings, which somehow manage to look good all year round.

Our favorite part of the garden is the glasshouses because they transport you to various parts of the globe, where tropical palm trees tower over houses or where desert cacti bloom infrequently.

The main characters Lyra and Will are said to frequent a bench overlooking the Isis on a yearly basis in each of their respective worlds, so His Dark Materials trilogy fans should keep an eye out for it as well.

5. Oxford High Street

Oxford is a charming, traditional city that is well-known around the globe for its renowned university. So it comes as no surprise that the High Street is lined with upscale specialty stores that appeal to young people, academics, and shopaholics. Westgate, a contemporary underground shopping center, is located just off the High Street. The 70-store Templars Square arcade is located outside the city.

Although Oxford has a long academic history dating back over 800 years, the town has been inhabited since the ninth century. Although its precise beginnings are unknown, they may date to Alfred the Great’s reign. Even though clerics came to Oxford to study in the 12th century, Oxford’s reputation as a center of learning didn’t really take hold until the 13th.

In today’s Oxford, the historic Dreaming Spires coexist beautifully with a burgeoning high-tech neighborhood. There is a lot to see and do here, as well as many great restaurants. Naturally, a university town has some of the best nightlife in the country.

6. History of Science Museum

The History of Science Museum is a fascinating institution that focuses on the study of the history of science and the development of western culture and collecting. It is housed in the Old Ashmolean Building, the world’s first purpose-built museum building.

Through the museum’s collection of artifacts, creations, and tales of how inventors changed the world, you can investigate the history of science here. The museum is home to a wide variety of man-made artifacts, including the first astronomical instruments as well as historical mathematical, medical, and microscopic equipment.

The museum also has a fascinating exhibit tracing the evolution of clocks as well as the blackboard Albert Einstein used during his 1931 Oxford lectures.

The Holywell Music Room (1748), which is thought to be the world’s oldest concert venue, and Kettell Hall (1620), with its lovely chapel and exquisite woodcarvings, are two additional nearby attractions.

7. The Covered Market

The Covered Market, which is situated between Oxford’s High Street, Market Street, and Cornmarket Street—all of which are known for their shops—has been at the center of the city’s shopping scene since 1774. The grand old building now has more than 40 stalls. It’s a great location for finding presents, trinkets, clothes, and food.

The best way to explore is to simply wander around, but while you’re there, there are a few places you shouldn’t miss. Watch out for the distinctively spicy Oxford sausages that your neighborhood butchers sell. On Saturday afternoons, the market’s cramped halls are especially crowded, so go early or choose another day for a more pleasant experience.

The independent coffee shop Colombia Coffee Roasters, which sources its beans from its own family farm in Colombia, is a must-visit for coffee enthusiasts.

8. Trinity College

What is now the center of Oxford’s city center was a rural outpost when Trinity College was established there in the sixteenth century.

The college has evolved over the course of four and a half centuries into a vibrant and diverse learning environment that has produced academics who have won awards, notable figures in business, politics, and the economy, as well as committed public servants, educators, and activists.

Highlights of Trinity College include more than five meticulously maintained green spaces with lavender, roses, and tree groves, the first college chapel in the baroque style, and 18th-century structures created by renowned architect Sir Christopher Wren.

Pay a small admission fee to enter the chapel, the gardens, and the dining hall, or sign up for a small-group tour to walk or bike while your guide tells you tales and historical anecdotes. Visit the college as part of a hop-on, hop-off bus tour or on your own while taking a stroll through Oxford’s downtown.

9. Christ Church Cathedral

Because of its significant role in the development of Oxford and its stunning architecture, Christ Church is without a doubt one of the top tourist destinations in the city.

Christ Church is an attraction that should not be missed due to its compelling combination of majestic architecture, literary heritage, and a double identity as (parts of) Harry Potter’s Hogwarts. It was established in 1525, and its current location faces the calm and verdant Christ Church Meadow on one side, and the bustling town center of Oxford on the other.

The Renaissance Great Hall, which is the college’s jaw-dropping dining room and features a hammer-beam roof and portraits of past scholars, is one of the most impressive features of this establishment.

10. The Kilns

The house in Risinghurst, Oxford, England, called The Kilns, which is also known as the C. S. Lewis House, is where the author C. S. Lewis wrote all of the books in the Narnia series as well as other classic works.

C.S Lewis House

C.S. Lewis called the Kilns house in Headington, which is located on the outskirts of Oxford, his home from 1930 until the time of his passing. The author wrote his collection of books in the Narnia Series, along with other timeless works, in this house, which has since gained notoriety as a result of its association with this fact. However, readers of the books may also recognize it from its leading part in the Narnia books themselves.

At this time, the primary purpose of The Kilns is to serve as a research facility dedicated to preserving the legacy of C. S. Lewis and his ideas. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, tours can be taken for £10 per person (cash only), and tours can be scheduled at other times by prior arrangement.

C.S. Lewis Nature Reserve

The house is propped up against the C.S. Lewis Nature Reserve, which is a pleasant little natural area that you are free to stroll through whenever you like. It features a trail that is kept in good condition that you can use to walk around the pond. A small stone bench can be found tucked away in one of the pond’s four corners. Have a seat. C.S. Lewis and his good friend J.R. Tolkien used to hang out there and have conversations from time to time.

11. Tom Tower (Clock Tower in Christ Church University of Oxford)

It is possible that you will be taken aback the first evening that you spend in Oxford by the sound of a bell tolling out 101 times at five past nine. Something odd is going on in this location, and the next morning you will search for the cause of this peculiarity, which can be found in Tom Tower, which is located above Tom Gate on St. Aldates, which is the primary entrance to Christ Church.

It provides access to The Great Quadrangle, which is more commonly referred to as Tom Quad. Tom Quad is one of the quadrangles that make up Christ Church and is the largest college quad in Oxford.

Concerning the time at which it strikes its 101st peal: Once upon a time, Oxford time was determined to be five minutes behind Greenwich time. This is not an uncommon occurrence because the majority of towns kept their own time until 1848, when Greenwich Time’s counterpart, Railway Time, was formally adopted. The 101 peals served as a call to action for the college’s original 101 students to make their way back inside before the gates were locked. It is still observed as a part of the college tradition to this day.

In Oxford, there is a larger quadrangle known as TomQuad, which is known for its serious atmosphere. In the Harry Potter books and movies, the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has a ballroom that is located in one of these halls.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Everything Zany

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