What to see in Oxford if you’re going for the day, or if you’ve decided to spend at least one night there, is what we’re going to cover in this post.
Just one hour by train from London, we find the university city of Oxford. Considered by many a day-trip destination, the city has so much to offer that it’s worth staying at least one night.
►Find the best price on London/Oxford train tickets
It’s known as the city of dreaming spires, a phrase coined by Matthew Arnold to describe the harmony of the architecture of its university buildings. And there’s always the question: Oxford or Cambridge?
Indice:
What to see in Oxford
We’ll stroll around and discover Oxford together, and see what this city has to offer you. Ready, travel companions? What is there to see in Oxford?
Sheldonian Theatre
First stop: the Sheldonian Theatre. Located in the center of Oxford, the Sheldonian Theatre is the university’s official ceremonial venue. This is where graduations are held, where the Congregation meets, and where students are admitted to the university. Inspired by the Theatre of Marcellus in Rome, it was built between 1664 and 1668.
Bridge of Sighs
Right across from the monumental complex formed by the Bodleian Library and the Sheldonian Theatre, we find Oxford’s Bridge of Sighs.
The Bridge of Sighs connects two buildings of Hertford College. It was completed in 1914, and its popular name seems to come from its resemblance to the Venetian bridge. But there are several legends about its name, and one of them says it got its name because it was where the boys and girls staying in the university residence had to part ways, hence the sighs.
Radcliffe Camera
We arrive at what is perhaps Oxford’s most iconic building: the Radcliffe Camera.
Very close to the Bodleian Library and the Church of St Mary the Virgin, we find the Radcliffe Camera. Built in 1749 to a design by the architect James Gibbs, it was intended to house the Radcliffe Science Library, which it did until 1850, when its collection was moved to another location.
After the Radcliffe Science Library moved to another building, the Radcliffe Camera became additional reading rooms for the Bodleian Library.
The Camera was used as a filming location in the movies Young Sherlock Holmes, The Opium War, The Saint, and The Golden Compass.
It’s one of the must-sees in Oxford. You can visit it on a short guided tour of the building; see their website.
University Church of St Mary the Virgin
Just a few steps from where we are (most of the tourist attractions are in the center, a short distance from one another), we find the Church of St Mary the Virgin.
The University Church of St Mary the Virgin is the largest of the city’s parish churches. And here’s something you should know: climbing its tower gives you the best views of Oxford!!
From up here, any doubts about why it’s called the city of spires are cleared up.
The ticket costs £7, and it’s one of the most recommended visits in Oxford. But check the information and even book your tickets on the University Church website.
The tour is getting you hooked, isn’t it? You can complement it with a ride on the Oxford sightseeing bus.
Continuing with what to see in Oxford, we’re heading to……
Bodleian Library
The Bodleian Library is the main research library of the University of Oxford. It’s one of the oldest libraries in Europe and the second largest in Great Britain, surpassed only by the British Library in London.
Some Harry Potter scenes were filmed in the Bodleian Library. The Divinity School hall was used as the infirmary in one of the films, and Duke Humfrey’s Library was used to film the Hogwarts library.
►If you’re a Harry Potter fan, we have an article about a Harry Potter route in Edinburgh.
You can buy tickets for the Bodleian Library online on the Bodleian Library website. There are 90-, 60-, and 30-minute tours.
We chose the 30-minute tour, which costs £9 and includes a visit to the Divinity School and Duke Humfrey’s medieval library.
New College
Another college that’s well worth including on a visit to Oxford is New College. And don’t let the name fool you: there’s little that’s “new” about it. It was founded in 1379 and is one of the oldest medieval colleges in the city.
Stepping into New College is like walking through a small door into another Oxford. After the hustle and bustle of the city-center streets, you’re greeted by quads, stone walls, and those corners that make the city feel frozen in time.
One of its highlights is the cloister, with its stone arches and an atmosphere that immediately conveys the history of the place. From there you can reach different parts of the college and, if you get the chance to visit at a leisurely pace, it’s worth simply strolling around unhurriedly and taking in the details.
But there’s something I find especially beautiful: the gardens. They’re spacious and peaceful, and they contrast sharply with the bustle of Oxford’s streets. In spring and summer they must be wonderful, but even out of season they have that English-garden charm that looks straight out of a movie.
And speaking of movies, it may look familiar. Some Harry Potter scenes were filmed at New College, so if you’re a fan of the saga, you’ll probably recognize some of its corners.
My advice: if you’re going to visit several colleges, don’t try to see them all. It’s better to pick a few and really enjoy them. New College would be one of the ones I’d put on the list, especially for its combination of medieval architecture, cloisters, gardens, and that special atmosphere that makes Oxford, Oxford. Official website
Christ Church
Christ Church is one of the largest colleges that make up the University of Oxford in England. As well as being a college, Christ Church is the cathedral church of the Diocese of Oxford.
Check the opening times, as it’s a working college. Here’s the Christ Church website. Admission costs £16.
The college is also linked to a fantastic character: Alice in Wonderland. Charles Dodgson, who was a mathematics lecturer at the college itself, wrote the story of Alice and signed it with the pen name Lewis Carroll to protect the identity of the family and of the girl he was friends with.
Although Christ Church has been, and still is, Oxford’s largest and most prestigious college, as well as the one most visited by tourists, it was the Harry Potter films that took the image of its imposing dining hall all over the world.
The idea that the scenes were filmed in the college’s dining hall is a myth, since they were actually filmed in studios in London. They say the Hogwarts Great Hall was inspired by this one, but if you visit any other college, you’ll see that they all have a very similar dining hall.
If you’d like to see another dining hall, don’t miss the “Where did we stay?” section of this post, since we stayed in a college and had breakfast in a dining hall in true Harry Potter style!!
The staircase leading up to the dining hall was indeed used in the film. We’ll remember McGonagall standing at the top of it, welcoming the students.
If you’re an HP fan, it’s a must-see in Oxford.
Walking around the city
A good walk around the city will lead you to discover wonderful corners. Getting lost in its streets is perhaps the best plan.
A visit to the shopping area is a must on this route. And don’t miss a stop at one of the city’s most traditional pubs, such as The Bear Inn.
Now you’ll see why we said it’s a destination worth staying at least one night…
Although we chose Christ Church, there are many colleges to visit in Oxford. The first ones were founded in the 13th century, and today there are 38 colleges, which have become the city’s main tourist attraction, since many of them are open to visitors. It’s fascinating to be able to visit these student residences, from one of the oldest, Balliol College, to the largest, Christ Church College.
But it sounds much more interesting if we tell you that you can stay overnight in one of them… yes, you read that right.
Where did we stay in Oxford?
We stayed in a student room at Keble College in Oxford. In summer, many colleges rent out their available rooms to tourists, since their students are on vacation.
Since we went in August, we took the opportunity to have a different experience and enjoy a college from the inside, including having breakfast in the great dining hall in true Harry Potter style.
On this latest trip we stayed at the Oxford University Club, another option for your trip to the city.
We had a similar experience staying at Trinity College Dublin; here’s the post in case you missed it.
But if you’re traveling in a season other than summer, or the places or prices don’t convince you, there’s a wide choice of B&Bs and hotels to stay at in Oxford.
From this beautiful city we set off for the Cotswolds, a truly charming area that I recommend you check out in the post.
Map
NOTE: The information in this article is based on our own experience and is completely objective. Este artículo contiene enlaces de afiliados
