We’ve recently hosted our first guests from the U.S.! It was their first visit to Oxford, and it got us thinking seriously about what the must-see attractions are. Obviously, what you think of as important sights will depend on your interests. But here are the ten we recommend, with something for everyone.
Broad Street
This whole area is stunning; you will want to take lots of pictures from every angle and wander back and forth a bit. Many of Oxford’s most iconic sights are here: the Bodleian Library, the Bridge of Sighs, the Sheldonian Theatre (also a concert venue),… Just through the Bodleian gates are the Radcliffe Camera and St Mary’s (officially the University Church of St. Mary the Virgin, with fabulous views from the top). Plus there are two pubs within this single block of the Broad, just in case.
Tours
There’s something for everyone: a Morse tour; a ghost tour; a Harry Potter tour, a C.S. Lewis tour; a Philip Pullman tour; an Alice and Wonderland tour; or just a regular old Oxford tour. We’ve linked here to the free do-it-yourself options but there are also tour operators on Broad Street for nearly all of them. The only Oxford tour we don’t recommend is the double-decker bus; those aren’t bad for spread-out locations, or getting over jet-lag, but Oxford isn’t spread out at all. You can easily walk all of its stops in a couple of hours.
Tea
See our post about having afternoon tea at the Randolph Hotel. The Grand Cafe also does a proper tea.
Oxford Colleges
See our post about Oxford Colleges. If you aren’t a member of the University, you will have to pay a few pounds’ admission. If you could only see one, it should probably be Christ Church or Magdalen, simply in terms of acreage per pence. Many of them are available to visit in the afternoons, usually at around 2-4.
Parks
Aside from secluded college gardens, we like to take visitors walking through Christ Church Meadow, University Parks, and/or the Port Meadow. The first and third are, well meadows, with real cows and everything. And all three are beautiful nearly any time of year.
Ashmolean Museum
The Ashmolean is a world-class museum, chock-full of the kinds of things you find in museums, including especially antiquities. And there’s a nice café on the roof.
Pubs
In addition to our three pub picks, there’s the Magdalen Arms east on the Iffley Road, the Eagle and Child of historic importance (erstwhile home of the Inklings; currently closed but possibly to re-open), and the Bear Inn.
The Pitt Rivers Museum
Even if you are not a museum-goer, the Pitt Rivers Museum is worth a peep on any visit to Oxford. It’s a fabulously wacky space, with anthropological collections arranged by kind (rather than origin).
Covered Market
The independently owned shops and stalls in Oxford’s Covered Market remain remarkably un-touristy. Our favourites include Cardew’s & Co. for tea, M. Feller and Daughter’s butcher, the Pieminister for pies, and iScream for gelato.
Oxford Castle
Dating to the Norman period, the Oxford Castle and Prison are a fun place to stroll around on a nice day. You can climb the Saxon tower and go down into the crypt, and there are lots of restaurants right in the neighborhood.
Those are our top picks for a first-time visit to Oxford. What are yours?
