Flanked by the Chiltern Hills to the east and the Cotswold Hills to the west is Oxfordshire county and the city of Oxford.
The city’s colleges and urban delights are the main allure of this city for locals and international travelers alike, but the countryside is equally amazing and pretty villages line the many rivers that meander throughout the county. Suffice it to say, academia has taken the front seat here in the “city of dreaming spires.”
From atop the Carfax Tower you can gaze across the expanse of world-famous Oxford university campus and then head into the city’s streets that have all been designed to be pedestrian-friendly. The Ashmolean Museum and Botanic Garden are Great Britain’s oldest features. If you are shopping for picnic makings to enjoy at Headington Hill Park, all you need to do is follow the street (and your nose) to the Covered Market.
The city is a delightful mix of historic and modern establishments ranging from Iffley’s 12th century church to the ethnic shops and musical venues located in the trendier Cowley area. To say the least, there are over 100 different Oxford attractions, but the following is a list of the top 5 visitor’s delights to take in whenever adventuring around this historical city.
Pitt Rivers Museum
Though Pitt Rivers Museum was closed for renovations and opened its doors on May 2009, the Upper Gallery is still under renovation scheduled to open in Spring 2010. However, this is a natural history museum that is well worth putting on your exploration agenda.
Oxford River Cruises
Enjoy an all-encompassing tour boat excursion down one of the many rivers in the county when hiring any one of these renowned river cruises. None of the boats are lacking for comfort as well as crews that are tourist-friendly, and the scenery is nothing short of breathtaking.
Christ Church College
Often touted as one of Oxford’s stellar attractions, you will quickly appreciate why this location was chosen for the filming of the Harry Potter movies. It is a combination of venues – educational, historic, and religious – and is sure to delight all types of tourists.
Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology
Founded originally as part Oxford University’s campus in 1683, it is one of the world’s oldest museums. The establishment contains a wide array of Greek and Roman sculptures such as the Apollo from Olympia, the Parthenon frieze, and the Prima Porta Augustus.
The Botanic Gardens
The oldest gardens of their type in all of Britain, these were founded expressly for studying medicinal plants back in 1621. There are a variety of greenhouses that you can tour as well as some spectacular views of the river.
Enjoy the delights at Oxford, savor the hospitality and bring home beautiful memories!
Other Top Things to Do in Oxford
Top 3 accommodations in Oxford, UK
- Barceló Oxford Hotel - double room from £115,00/€132,30
- Remont B&B – standard double room from £89,00/€102,40
- Ridings Guest House – double room from £95,00/€109,30
Photo of Christ Church in Oxford, UK, by jimmyharris.
5 responses to “Top 5 things to do in Oxford, UK”
Report an inappropriate commentJuly 13th, 2010 at 7:46 am
Hello!
The Places are really nice and every place has its own tang and gratification. I loved to go Oxford Botanic Garden because of its uniqueness and its distinction from other.
After reading about Botanic Garden (from the article) I look forward to read more about it. it’s really lovely place to go and observe also it really makes a person to comes towards it through its vast collection of 7000 different type of plants. For the safety of plants and its nourishment they make three sections of their garden that shows that they really care each and every plant like their children also they consider more on those plant which supply us food and they look forward to discover new plants in their gardens.
One more thing about going there is it is open all year.
July 7th, 2011 at 10:52 pm
I highly recommend attending Evensong at Christ Church College Cathedral during the school year, when the boy’s choir will be present. The chapel is an amazing site to behold, but the choral music brings life to the stained glass windows and towering stone walls. You don’t need to be Anglican to appreciate the service, but be prepared to occasionally kneel for prayers. The service is somber, but you are free to wander around the chapel after the service for a few moments. This is likely the only time visitors are allowed on college grounds for no charge.
July 12th, 2011 at 5:41 pm
I agree with the comments of Josh. The choir was the highlight of the service. It was easy to reflect on God’s goodness and mercy while they sang.
July 12th, 2011 at 10:34 pm
I agree with Josh completely re: the Evensong service at Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford. The walking tour at Christ Church College (for a fee) is also worth your time. The guides in the cathedral were extremely friendly, taking the time to point out some great information about the building and its history that you’ll miss if just attending the service. The grounds and other buildings are amazing, as is the history of this place (Cardinal Wolsey/King Henry VIII, Lewis Carroll, John and Charles Wesley, and even a little Harry Potter trivia).
July 13th, 2011 at 4:53 am
The Bodleian library is a magnificent structure from the 15th century. The library houses 8 million books and is a center for international research. The Divinity School is a place where oral examinations took place. The Radcliffe Cameron is an 18th century round building with several reading rooms. Off of the Old School’s Quadrangle are entrances representing the curriculum of the early 17th century – the Liberal Arts: Trivium – logic, grammar, and rhetoric; Quadrivium: Arithmetic, Astronomy, Geometry, and Music – the Philosophies, and Languages. The building reminds one of how little one can actually know. With 8 million books, realistically a person can only know a fraction of the information. Humility quickly becomes the theme. We had a wonderful conversation with our professor about servant leadership and education. The goal of the teacher is to help the student reach and understand God’s purpose for his/her life. Future leadership in education should emphasize servant leadership where educators are concerned first and foremost for the interests of the student. This occurs through personal one-on-one or small group tutoring.
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