Guidebook for Oxford
Parks & Nature
It is a lovely place to walk through (no bikes allowed), or to sit and picnic, and watch the ducks, geese, moorhens and swans paddle or glide by on the stream. Beautiful trees, lush foliage. A good place to jog, if that is your thing!
132 locals recommend
University Parks
South Parks Road It is a lovely place to walk through (no bikes allowed), or to sit and picnic, and watch the ducks, geese, moorhens and swans paddle or glide by on the stream. Beautiful trees, lush foliage. A good place to jog, if that is your thing!
You can reach the river from Oxford Train Station and continue along the river to Wolvercote. It takes an hour or two. It's a beautiful walk - with fields of horses and bullocks grazing on the other side of the river. When you get to Wolvercote, there's a great old pub on the weir called The Trout, with 2 peacocks strutting around or resting on the rafters, and gourmet food. I like to walk back along fields on the other side of the river, and then turn left somewhere along Port Meadow where there's an exit leading to Jericho, and then having a drink outside at Freud's. Wonderful for a sunny day.
7 locals recommend
Wolvercote
You can reach the river from Oxford Train Station and continue along the river to Wolvercote. It takes an hour or two. It's a beautiful walk - with fields of horses and bullocks grazing on the other side of the river. When you get to Wolvercote, there's a great old pub on the weir called The Trout, with 2 peacocks strutting around or resting on the rafters, and gourmet food. I like to walk back along fields on the other side of the river, and then turn left somewhere along Port Meadow where there's an exit leading to Jericho, and then having a drink outside at Freud's. Wonderful for a sunny day.
It's lovely to walk or cycle along the River Cherwell. You can join it from St Aldates, just after the Department of Music. You'll pass the college boat houses, and are likely to see rowers preparing for the boat races!
River Cherwell
It's lovely to walk or cycle along the River Cherwell. You can join it from St Aldates, just after the Department of Music. You'll pass the college boat houses, and are likely to see rowers preparing for the boat races!
I listed this because you can sit and have a drink on the river at this pub, and you can hire punts from behind the pub (see Magdalen Bridge listing - on punting).
The Head of the River
Saint Aldate'sI listed this because you can sit and have a drink on the river at this pub, and you can hire punts from behind the pub (see Magdalen Bridge listing - on punting).
Arts & Culture
The family home of Churchill, in grounds where the lawn is kept immaculate by grazing sheep! Recommended to be followed by afternoon tea in a teahouse in Woodstock.
657 locals recommend
Blenheim Palace
The family home of Churchill, in grounds where the lawn is kept immaculate by grazing sheep! Recommended to be followed by afternoon tea in a teahouse in Woodstock.
The Sheldonian Theatre
Broad StreetFor concerts.
Holywell Music Room
Holywell StreetSunday morning coffee concerts - and other concerts.
Christ Church College is amazing to visit, and to listen to the choir in the cathedral.
45 locals recommend
Christ Church
Saint Aldate'sChrist Church College is amazing to visit, and to listen to the choir in the cathedral.
Museum Of Natural History
Parks RoadMuseum of ethnological artefacts.
Ashmolean Museum
Beaumont StreetBodleian Library
Broad StreetCould go on a tour at the Bodleian.
Garsington Opera in Garsington - a village very close to Oxford.
http://www.garsingtonopera.org/
6 locals recommend
Garsington Opera
Garsington Opera in Garsington - a village very close to Oxford.
http://www.garsingtonopera.org/
Exeter College was my college in my first year in Oxford. It has an amazing chapel which is worth seeing, and perhaps attending evensong or a concert there. If you get a chance to get a peak at the dining room with all the portraits of former dons - the long tables which students climb over to get in and out of their benches - you might think it's like something out of a Harry Potter film!
Exeter College
Turl StreetExeter College was my college in my first year in Oxford. It has an amazing chapel which is worth seeing, and perhaps attending evensong or a concert there. If you get a chance to get a peak at the dining room with all the portraits of former dons - the long tables which students climb over to get in and out of their benches - you might think it's like something out of a Harry Potter film!
Food Scene
Art Jericho
112 Walton StA deconsecrated church, where you can sit inside or outside, and have a meal, or just a drink. Sometimes there is live music there.
20 locals recommend
Freud
119 Walton StA deconsecrated church, where you can sit inside or outside, and have a meal, or just a drink. Sometimes there is live music there.
A pub which you can reach from along the river, with good food, barbecues in summer - great to eat out.
77 locals recommend
The Perch
Binsey LaneA pub which you can reach from along the river, with good food, barbecues in summer - great to eat out.
Good for traditional English food - especially puddings! Things like fruit crumble, spotted dick, sticky toffee pudding, bread & butter pudding - each with hot custard (not obligatory) - part of the English experience!
19 locals recommend
British Cooking Oxford
5-11 Woodstock RdGood for traditional English food - especially puddings! Things like fruit crumble, spotted dick, sticky toffee pudding, bread & butter pudding - each with hot custard (not obligatory) - part of the English experience!
Kurdish family-run takeaway, where you can get hot freshly-baked flat-bread, and the best hummus you will find in a country that doesn't know about hummus!
13 locals recommend
Bodrum Restaurant
242 Cowley RdKurdish family-run takeaway, where you can get hot freshly-baked flat-bread, and the best hummus you will find in a country that doesn't know about hummus!
A fabulous pub on the weir in Wolvercote, with 2 resident peacocks gliding around or resting on the rafters. Gourmet food. Great to sit outside, weather permitting.
73 locals recommend
The Trout Inn
195 Godstow RdA fabulous pub on the weir in Wolvercote, with 2 resident peacocks gliding around or resting on the rafters. Gourmet food. Great to sit outside, weather permitting.
Shopping
Indoor market. Great for fresh pasta, but lots of other things: clothes, food, gifts, cafés.....
126 locals recommend
Oxford Covered Market
Market StreetIndoor market. Great for fresh pasta, but lots of other things: clothes, food, gifts, cafés.....
If you have any treasured knitted woollens that need repairing - this unique little shop is specialised (in a city of specialists!) in offering this rare service! So bring all the woollens you've put your elbow through, but don't want to throw out!
Darn It & Stitch
6 St Aldate'sIf you have any treasured knitted woollens that need repairing - this unique little shop is specialised (in a city of specialists!) in offering this rare service! So bring all the woollens you've put your elbow through, but don't want to throw out!
Everything Else
Burford
A picturesque village in the Cotswolds, not too far from Oxford.
Entertainment & Activities
Many, many years ago, I used to go and sing at the Catweazle Club which was held weekly in a pub in Jericho. People would perform music, or recite poetry. The Catweazle Club is still going strong, it seems, but in a different venue, and it happens on a Thursday night at 8pm. Get there at 7.30 if you want to perform. Details here: http://catweazleclub.com/
Daily Information
121 Cowley RdMany, many years ago, I used to go and sing at the Catweazle Club which was held weekly in a pub in Jericho. People would perform music, or recite poetry. The Catweazle Club is still going strong, it seems, but in a different venue, and it happens on a Thursday night at 8pm. Get there at 7.30 if you want to perform. Details here: http://catweazleclub.com/
Essentials
Tesco Metro
159-161 Cowley RdSainsbury's Local
1-8 St Clement's St