OXFORD
- Josephine
- Jan 4
- 8 min read
Updated: Aug 12
Welcome to my Oxford guide!
I'm so happy you found your way here. I completely my Masters of Science at the University of Oxford and got the incredible opportunity to live in this magical city for a year. Given that my degree was only a year, I was determined to say "yes" to everything I possibly could knowing my time was limited and precious.
How to Get Around
Oxford is small enough that you can truly walk most places (and that's definitely part of the experience, looking up at the different colleges and seeing why it's called the "City of Spires").
The bus system is pretty well connected, however, most streets in the center of town are pedestrian only, so you will likely do some walking anyways between bus stops. Google Maps should show the next bus and how to connect between them quite accurately. You can tap with your credit or debit card and a single ride will cost about £1.10 (last updated May 2025).
I do not recommend biking around Oxford, as roads are tight and weaving between busses and tourists was probably the most dangerous part of my year (sorry mom).
You can take the train to and from London (about 50 minutes) or take the bus (often cheaper but takes longer). To get to Oxford from London Heathrow or Gatwick I always took a bus from Megabus which was generally the cheapest. From Heathrow it takes about 1hr 50 minutes and from Gatwick about 2 hr 50 minutes.
Last thing - there's a sample three-day itinerary at the bottom! 👇
What to See
A Google Maps guide with some of the main things to see in Oxford (getting a free walking tour first can help you get a lay of the land and decide what else you want to go see):
OXFORD - What to See and Do · Josephine https://maps.app.goo.gl/NXRWxcvcfgBLcGHh7?g_st=i
Walking, Library & Boat Tours:
Free Walking Tour by Oxford Students: https://footprints-tours.com/oxford/oxford-walking-tours/2-hour-free-oxford-walking-tour/
Tour inside the Bodleian Library: https://visit.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/tours/library-guided-tours
Make sure to book early as these sell out MONTHS in advance
If possible, try to get the tour where you can go inside the Radcliffe Camera
Sit and read in Blackwell’s Norrington Room on a rainy day
Walk inside the book store and head towards the back where there is a staircase that goes downstairs to the Norrington Room (don't miss this!!)
Go to a concert at the Sheldonian Theater
Also able to just tour around
Go on an Oxford Boat Tour up and down the Thames River
Go punting (rent by Magdalen College)
Go to the top of St. Mary’s Cathedral
Colleges you can go inside:
More of a description of colleges and different formals I went to can be found below
Magdalen College
Oct–Mar: 10:00–16:00
Apr–Jun: 10:00–17:00
Jul–Sep: 10:00–18:30
Admission cost: Adults ≈ £8
All Souls College
Open to the public: Weekdays & Sundays only, 14:00–16:00
Cost: Free entry
Worcester College
Hours: Daily from 14:00 to 16:00
Cost: Free, just sign in at the Porters’ Lodge
St. John’s College
Open daily from 13:00
Cost: free
Mansfield College
Visitors should check in at the Porters’ Lodge
Trinity College
Cost: admission fee
Balliol College
Cost: admission fee
New College
Visitors are welcome to attend Evensong: 18:15 on weekdays (not Wednesdays), Saturday evenings, and 17:45 on Sundays
Christ Church College (pay for self-guided tour online, tickets available 1 week in advance)
Entry by paid self-guided ticket, purchasable online one week in advance.
Tickets include cathedral and quadrangles.
Guided tours of Christ Church also sold separately; prices vary.
Choral Evensong Wednesdays at 18:00
This is a great way to be able to go into the different churches of the colleges for free
Places to walk around:
Botanical garden walk
Book shopping at Blackwell’s (& maybe a coffee at the café upstairs)
Walk through Worcester College gardens
Walk through University Parks
Walk along the Thames by the boathouses
Walk around Magdalen College
Walk in Port Meadow at dusk with the horses
Museums:
Pitt Rivers Museum (super interesting!! Lots and lots of artifacts)
Museum of Natural Science
Ashmolean Museums
History of Science Museum
This is where Albert Einstein's handwriting on a blackboard in preserved
Museum of Oxford
The Story Museum
Where to Eat & Drink Coffee
A Google Maps guide to all my favorite food and coffee places in Oxford:
OXFORD - Where to Eat & Drink Coffee · Josephine https://maps.app.goo.gl/Q1h1DuRA1fiyZWt68?g_st=i
Tip: add the Google Maps guide to your phone and then whenever you're hungry or in need of a coffee you can locate the nearest pin!
Cafés:
Paper Boat cafe next to Folly Bridge (super cute seating area down by the river) 🚣♀️
Green smoothie from Tree Artisan Cafe (with delish chocolate cake)
Grabbing a coffee from the Weston Library cafe and sitting out front, looking at the Sheldonian (I’d bring my laptop & work here a lot too)
Hot chocolate from the cafe inside Blackwell’s Bookstore (right next to the Weston Library) 📚
On Turl Street, decaf cappuccino from the Missing Bean & Thursday morning pastries! Like jelly donuts
Scones & a pot of tea from Vaults & Gardens sitting looking at the Rad Cam (a good view is essential right?!) 🫖
Oat milk matcha (oat milk doesn’t cost extra here!) @ the Independent cafe with the coziest window nook to look out at Christ church gardens & watch the tourists (& get no school work done) 🤸♀️
Coffee (and co-working) at Common Ground
Restaurants:
Lunch or scones at Vaults & Gardens
Scones with clotted cream here are a must
The Punter (a little bit outside of town but I LOVE their food) truffle fries, paneer curry dish
Baked goods from Hamblin Bread + stop at vintage store by Magdalen Bridge
Sunday roast at Head of the River
Wine and jazz nights at Gulp Fiction bookstore in the Covered Market
Warm chocolate chip cookies from Ben’s Cookies after wood fired pizza at Sartorelli’s
Cycle to the Perch to have a drink under the willow trees, or at the Medley with wood fire pizzas closer to Port Meadow
Ramen at Ramen Kulture
Especially delicious on a rainy day (of which there are many!)
Ice cream at G&D’s across from Christ Church
Fancy dinner at Gee’s in their backyard garden or beautiful glass dining room (get their lemon pie for dessert if it’s on the menu)
Brunch at Handlebar Café
Pubs:
Turf Tavern
Tucked away near the Bridge
King’s Arms (personal fav)
Fun to sit outside on one of the tables and look out at the Old Bod and Sheldonian on a nice day and take in the hustle & bustle of Oxford
Lamb & Flag
where Tolkien and C.S. Lewis used to meet & host their club
Interesting Facts about Oxford:
Oldest teaching since 1096
3 miles of shelving space in the Norrington Room (in Blackwell's Bookstore)
STEM undergraduate degrees are 4 years with the last year as a research year
Norrington Table ranks the colleges every year on their academic performance
Oriel College admitted women only in 1984
Rad Cam was built in 1784
Tolkien incentivized CS Lewis to include the lampposts in his story somehow and then they became an important part of Narnia
Thomas Bodley’s wife had the endowment from her first marriage for the Bodleian libraries which was made by the sardine business (fish money)
Thomas Bodley engravings on pipes along the old Bodleian (TB)
Bodlein has copyright status in 1610 which allows the university to get a copy of any book published in the UK
During the Reformation 80% of the existing books were destroyed
Christopher Wren was a student at Wadham College before becoming a fellow at All Souls College
Where to Thrift:
Sadly I didn't do a lot of thrifting in Oxford itself, London is much better for that around the Brick Lane area (find more info about that in my London guide!). However, I did frequently stop into these stores:
British Heart Foundation at 32 Saint Ebbe's Street
I found a couple vintage shirts I liked here but most things are sadly fast fashion
Oxfam on Broad Street
Oxfam is like the Goodwill of the UK and stores can be found in many different cities
Found one of my favorite white denim skirts here and a puffy Lululemon running jacket
Oxfam Bookshop on Turl Street
Oxfam on Cowley Road
Ballroom Emporium at 5-6 The Plain, or the round-about right across the bridge from Magdalen College
I found my dream black wool winter jacket here for only 25GBP and it had a lot of dresses and things for formals at Oxford. Definitely on the pricier side for most things but of high quality and mostly vintage.
What to Bring Home (that's more unique than your normal souvenirs)
Shortbread from M&S (not in boxes but in plastic wrapping which takes up less space in your suitcase!)
Tea from Cardew's Tea Store within the Covered Market
For example, the Oxford Breakfast Tea (which is their own blend similar to English Breakfast but slightly milder)
Anything from Objects of Use, a home goods store with incredible high-quality home and garden objects that have a very specific use
I bought my dad a cleaning scrub for the grill and dishes here
Oxford sweaters, notebooks etc.
Super cute Christmas tree ornaments at the gift shop by the Weston Library (across from the Sheldonian Theater)
A Blackwell's library tote bag which you can get within the library (about 8 GBP)
And a book from Blackwell's! I love the book Babel which is fiction but based in Oxford and written by an Oxford alum
Sample Three-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Historic Colleges & Bookish Charm
Start with the Free Walking Tour by Oxford StudentsLink
Grab a decaf cappuccino and pastry from The Missing Bean on Turl Street
Tour the Bodleian Library (or join a guided tour)Link
Stop by the Sheldonian Theatre — check if a student concert is on or just admire the architecture
Sip a coffee from Weston Library Café, sit outside and enjoy the view of the Sheldonian
Visit All Souls College (free entry weekdays from 2–4 PM)
Wander Blackwell’s Bookstore (don’t miss the Norrington Room downstairs!)
Lunch or cream tea at Vaults & Garden — the scones and clotted cream are a must
Climb St. Mary’s Church Tower for panoramic views of Oxford
End the day with Evensong at Christ Church (Wednesdays at 6 PM if you can)
Post-dinner treats: G&D’s ice cream or Ben’s Cookies after pizza at Sartorelli’s
Day 2: Nature, Gardens & Local Eats
Brunch at Handlebar Café
Walk through the Botanical Gardens or University Parks
Wander along the Thames by the boathouses or through Port Meadow at dusk
Get baked goods from Hamblin Bread near Magdalen Bridge and browse the nearby vintage store
Stroll through Worcester College Gardens (often open to the public)
Visit St. John’s College (free entry daily from 1 PM) or Mansfield College
Warm up with Ramen at Ramen Kulture, especially on a rainy day
In the afternoon, go punting by Magdalen or take an Oxford Boat Tour up the Thames
Dinner at The Punter — order the truffle fries and paneer curry
Finish with wine and live jazz at Gulp Fiction in the Covered Market
Day 3: Museums, Pubs & Hidden Gems
Green smoothie and chocolate cake at Tree Artisan Café
Morning at Pitt Rivers Museum and the Museum of Natural Science
Browse the Ashmolean Museum
Quick stops at the History of Science Museum and Museum of Oxford
Lunch at The Perch or Medley (bike there if you're up for it)
Visit a new college: Trinity, Balliol, or New College (some have entry fees)
Take a break at The Independent Café — great oat milk matcha and window seating
Visit The Story Museum if you're into storytelling and children’s literature
Afternoon tea at Vaults & Garden again
Wrap your visit with a pint at Turf Tavern, King’s Arms, or Lamb & Flag (Tolkien’s old haunt!)
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