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Key Info for Visitors
- Currency: GBP
- Languages: English
- Climate: Temperate maritime
- Timezone: Europe/London
- Population: Approximately 154,000 residents
- Best Time to Visit: best time to visit is late spring to early autumn for pleasant weather.
- Visa Requirements Visitors from the EU, US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand generally do not require a visa for short tourist stays in the UK, including Oxford. Other nationalities may need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa before travel. Visa on arrival is not typically available. Electronic visa applications are required for many countries. Visitors should check the UK government website for the most current requirements based on their nationality.
About Oxford
Oxford is a historic city renowned worldwide for its prestigious university, which is the oldest in the English-speaking world. The city’s unique blend of stunning medieval and modern architecture, cobbled streets, and lush green spaces creates an enchanting atmosphere for visitors. Oxford’s rich academic heritage is visible in its many colleges, libraries, and museums, including the Bodleian Library and Ashmolean Museum. The city offers a vibrant cultural scene with theaters, galleries, and festivals throughout the year. Visitors are drawn to Oxford not only for its educational significance but also for its charming river punting experiences, quaint cafes, and traditional pubs. The combination of intellectual history, scenic beauty, and lively cultural offerings makes Oxford a compelling destination for travelers interested in history, literature, and quintessential English charm.
Top Attractions
1. University of Oxford Colleges – Explore the historic colleges such as Christ Church, Magdalen, and Balliol, each with unique architecture and beautiful gardens. 2. Bodleian Library – One of the oldest libraries in Europe, famous for its vast collection and stunning reading rooms. 3. Ashmolean Museum – The world’s first university museum, housing art and archaeology collections from around the globe. 4. Radcliffe Camera – An iconic circular library building and architectural landmark in the city center. 5. Oxford Botanic Garden – The oldest botanic garden in Britain, offering a peaceful retreat with diverse plant species.
Popular Activities
Visitors can enjoy punting on the River Cherwell or Thames, walking tours of historic colleges, cycling through scenic parks, and attending theatrical performances at the Oxford Playhouse. Cultural experiences include visiting museums, participating in literary festivals, and exploring local markets. Outdoor enthusiasts can hike nearby trails or relax in the city’s many green spaces. Unique experiences include attending formal dinners at college halls or exploring the city’s bookshops and antique stores.
Oxford Tours & Experiences
- Top Attractions: Highlights of South East England
- Duration Range: Visitors can enjoy punting on the River Cherwell or Thames, walking tours of historic colleges, cycling through scenic parks, and attending theatrical performances at the Oxford Playhouse. Cultural experiences include visiting museums, participating in literary festivals, and exploring local markets. Outdoor enthusiasts can hike nearby trails or relax in the city’s many green spaces. Unique experiences include attending formal dinners at college halls or exploring the city’s bookshops and antique stores.
- Group Size: Small groups (up to 15 people)
- Difficulty Level: Mixed Difficulty
- Recommended For: The best time to visit is late spring to early autumn for pleasant weather. Pack comfortable walking shoes and a light raincoat due to occasional showers. Respect local customs such as queuing and polite greetings. Oxford is generally safe, but keep an eye on personal belongings in crowded areas. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted, but carrying some cash is advisable for small purchases. Booking accommodations and tours in advance is recommended during peak seasons.
Average Tour Price: $80
Lowest Price Tour: $50
Highest Price Tour: $200
220 Available Tour Excursions in Oxford
We invite you to explore the enchanting beauty of the North Cotswolds, which we proudly call home. Celebrated for its picturesque historic villages, grand manor houses, stunning gardens, and breathtaking landscapes. Whatever your interests may be, the Cotswolds has something to offer, from its vibrant culinary scene and exclusive boutique shops to its family-friendly attractions and rich heritage. Our dedicated tour guide is committed to tailoring your experience to perfection, ensuring that your time in the Cotswolds is personalized and unforgettable. While we will visit popular highlights such as Chipping Campden, Stow-on-the-Wold, and Lower Slaughter, our goal is to take you off the beaten path. We want to introduce you to the hidden village gems of Blockley, Snowshill, and Stanton, where you can truly immerse yourself in the splendors of the Cotswolds. To book this tour 6 or more seats must be booked to complete the booking for the online price.
Price: $1,100.03
Duration: 6-8 hours
Johnnie your local driver and tour guide, has lived and worked in The Cotswolds for three decades. As we navigate the picturesque countryside, Johnnie, with his passion for the Cotswolds and love of local history will provide an informative and interesting commentary. Visitors will be left with cherished memories of this timeless English countryside. Our tours showcase the beauty of the area while minimising time spent in the car and with this in mind, we have carefully chosen the routes and destinations. We aim to show you as much as possible whilst ensuring you have a relaxed and enjoyable experience and time to savour the Cotswolds. There will be plenty of photo opportunities, breaks for a bite to eat, a cream tea, or a pint in a cosy pub, as well as a chance to explore local shops. This is a private tour and will include only you and your driver. You will not share the car with anyone else.
Price: $619.89
Duration: 8 hours
Building upon the success of our 2-hour tour, this extended 3-hour version now includes entry into one of the oldest colleges at Oxford University. It also incorporates visiting the world-famous Bodleian Library, one of the best examples of Medieval architecture in Europe, and a Harry Potter film site. As always, this is done uniquely with our Oxford University student guides.
Price: $172.96
Duration: 3 hours
Get exclusive access to the home of MINI on this award-winning, 100-minute factory tour in Oxford. Begin your journey with a warm welcome and an introduction to the plant’s rich history and significance. For over a century, cars have been built at this storied site – now the only place in the UK that builds the MINI, an iconic British car beloved worldwide. Feel the heritage come alive as you hear how a humble Oxford factory evolved into a state-of-the-art facility, crafting a true automotive legend.
Price: $35.98
Duration: 1 hours
A photography tour of the Cotswolds, England's stunning and unique village area, departing from near Cotswolds by private vehicle. During the trip, a real photographer will take your photos and deliver them after the trip. It is quite flexible as the trip is by private vehicle and small group.
Price: $373.59
Duration: 5-6 hours
This tour focuses on introducing famous people and events from the Reformation era but also introduces other religious names from before and after the Reformation and Counter Reformation period. You will also earn all about Oxford city & university history and traditions plus student life and how the university developed. This tour can be booked at a range of start times but please note there are much more colleges open afternoons than mornings, so ideally preferable to book afternoon tour. Requests for a tour in Dutch must be received at least 2 days in advance and the Dutch guide does not work weekends or Mondays.
Price: $345.92
Duration: 1-2 hours
You will learn lots about Oxford and what to see and do tips with your own private guide for the evening. Enjoy a guided walking tour of Oxford and explore its city streets at night. Average duration is 3 hours. Visit two or three historic local pubs and learn the stories and urban legends behind them while socializing with others at the two or three historic pubs we visit. This tour offers a social night out in Oxford while you hear stories about local students and their antics, learn urban legends, discover the favourite hangouts of famous alumni, and pass the famous university at night.
Price: $155.66
Duration: 2-3 hours
This magical walking tour is led by an award-winning Green Badge tour guide. It will introduce you to the extraordinary history and people who've shaped our city of dreaming spires. From Alice in Wonderland to JRR Tolkien, Oxford has inspired many timeless stories. But its real history is just as fascinating, and often just as strange… As we walk around Oxford's famous buildings and explore its world-renowned university and colleges this glorious city will reveal its secrets to you. This is a great tour if you only have a short time in Oxford or are visiting for the first time. I can tailor it to your interests so let me know if you are particularly interested in Harry Potter, Tolkien, CS Lewis, Morse, Alice in Wonderland etc. If you want to visit a specific college or the Divinity School you will have to pay an extra entrance fee - we can discuss the options when you book.
Price: $283.65
Duration: 2 hours
Leave Oxford city & the crowds behind on this small-group tour and enjoy a 3 hour bike ride with scenic views. Cycle past traditional narrow boats, ducks, swans, and of course Oxford's famous teams of rowers out on the Thames river. There are two routes available, both of which include an optional garden pub stop. Fun for all ages but a good family activity too. Learn about the rowing races and the historical importance of trade along the river, and the various writers, including Lewis Carroll, whose story-telling is the result of days messing about with boats on the river.
Price: $172.96
Duration: 2-3 hours
Visit the stunning buildings of the University, dating back 900 years up to modern day. We will learn how the University works, what makes Oxford unique and the history of the town itself. We will visit at least one College or University building (depending on availability). I will show you some of the beautiful green spaces Oxford has to offer, as well as the varied architecture. Oxford has a long and varied history that I look forward to sharing with you. I love telling the amusing stories and strange traditions we have here.
Price: $221.39
Duration: 2 hours
Oxford’s Only Guided Tour with Live Entertainment Magician to The Royal Family as your guide! Experience Oxford like never before with a tour that combines fascinating history and unforgettable live entertainment. We are the only tour company in Oxford to offer this unique experience. Your guide a magician who has and continues to perform for the British Royal family and A list celebrities. As you explore Oxford’s historic landmarks, enjoy not only rich tales of the university’s past but also mind-blowing tricks and illusions. This is not just a tour—it’s a magical Experience history, magic, and charm, making it the perfect experience for anyone looking to explore the magic of Oxford in a whole new way. We also re create a famous spell from the Harry Potter movie (looks Like trick Photography) Book your spot now and get ready for a truly one-of-a-kind experience! We do limit the numbers and the tour can get very busy, advanced boking is highly recommended.
Price: $27.67
Duration: 1 hours
You will see more scenic beauty & experience nature better on a bike tour than by car. This tour is delivered only by myself, Alasdair and my local colleagues. I am the business owner of Visit Oxford Tours. However, for insurance purposes, these tours are actually booked to be conducted privately via myself as a self employed sole trader offering you a personal service. They are not delivered as a product delivered by Visit Oxford Tours Ltd. This legal distinction will be reconfirmed in writing whenever any booking is received. Default itinerary is 10am to 5.30pm. The Cotswolds is a scenic part of England located only 10 minutes by train from Oxford or less than 30 minutes tax ride from Oxford. Oxford is only 60 minutes from London Paddington station. It's my pleasure to share these sights & heritage with you on an active cycling tour. Participants must be fit and aged 14+ as the Cotswolds roads are lots of up and down cycling but the scenery plus the villages here are beautiful.
Price: $345.92
Duration: 7-8 hours
Explore the highlights of Oxford's two major art collections, at the Ashmolean Museum and Christ Church Picture Gallery, with an art historian and Sotheby’s specialist. Join me on a rich and entertaining journey through the history of European art, from Ancient Greece to French Impressionism. On the way, you’ll discover masterpieces ranging from Uccello's Hunt in the Forest, to Monet’s Sunset at Sea. Half way through, we’ll have a coffee break at Ashmolean’s Rooftop café. We’ll then walk to Christ Church Picture Gallery, part of Christ Church, one Oxford’s most famous colleges, to see masterpieces from their collection of mainly Italian paintings and drawings, including Botticelli's paintings of the Sybils, and Head of Young Woman by Verrocchio, one of the most beautiful drawings that remains from the Florentine Renaissance. During the experience, you'll be introduced to specialist skills, including spotting painting restorations and identifying 15th century paper.
Price: $41.51
Duration: 3 hours
On this one-day tour, you'll get out of the minibus and into the glorious countryside! Explore Broadway Tower, Broadway and Burford, and experience the Cotswolds' celebrated walking trails with a fun, friendly local guide. You'll enjoy up to three glorious walks on this tour: a short walk to Broadway Tower Country Park for panoramic views and red deer sightings (1 mile/1.6km); Broadway Tower to Broadway following The Cotswold Way (1.5 miles/2.4km; optional); figure-of-eight walk in the Windrush Valley to 3 secluded Cotswold villages (2.75 miles/4.5km; shorter option available; optional). Tours depart from Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon, or from Moreton-in-Marsh in the Cotswolds. Travelling from London or Oxford? Take the train to Moreton-in-Marsh! You'll skip all the traffic, enjoy a charming, scenic train ride, and get to spend even longer in the beautiful Cotswolds!
Price: $117.61
Duration: 8 hours
Can money ever be 'clean'? This tour highlights the University of Oxford’s relationship with contentious sources of revenue. Learn about historic and modern wealth distribution networks within the University and engage with conversations of wealth inequality in a city experiencing a housing crisis. We ask why billionaires keep investing in the historic university, how massive philanthropic donations should be handled, and what effects such income streams have on academic freedom and political neutrality. All our tours are led by university researchers who have completed our official Uncomfortable Oxford training programme. Our guides combine expert knowledge and performance, ensuring each tour is a fun and educational experience. Tour recommended for teens age 14 and older.
Price: $27.67
Duration: 1 hours
On this small group tour, embark on a journey through the wilder, sparser southern Cotswolds. Admire countryside views, discover ‘royal’ Tetbury, and step back in time in tiny Castle Combe. You'll explore the amazing World Heritage City of Bath, too! After collecting our guests from Stratford-upon-Avon (08.50) or Moreton-in-Marsh (09.30), we'll travel to Tetbury. This small, pretty and typically Cotswold market town is known for its quaint streets, historic market hall and great shopping - especially if you're into antiques. King Charles III lives at the nearby Highgrove Estate! From Tetbury, it's on to the UNESCO World Heritage City of Bath. First, we’ll make a quick photo stop at the iconic Royal Crescent. Then, we’ll drop you in the centre of Bath for 2 hours 45 minutes of free time to explore with maps we’ll provide. Grab lunch on the go so you can see as much as possible! Lastly, explore idyllic Castle Combe, consistently ranked as the “prettiest village in England”!
Price: $110.69
Duration: 8 hours
Spend half a day with an award-winning guide who knows and loves Oxford, to get a thorough overview of its extraordinary history, architecture, and stories. Whether you are interested in the city's ancient origins, the rise of the university, the many fascinating personalities who have studied here, or its famous film locations, this bespoke tour will take you off the beaten track, guide you amongst the dreaming spires, and give you the inside story of this beautiful and eccentric city. You will see inside one of Oxford's most fascinating colleges, including its chapel and dining hall. You will visit the oldest classroom in the world and learn not just about the ancient university but how it works today. And you will hear many stories about the city's famous - and infamous – inhabitants, including its connections with Tolkien, CS Lewis, Alice in Wonderland, Harry Potter and Wonka. The timings include a coffee break and walking times between stops.
Price: $470.45
Duration: 4 hours
This activity concept is aimed at solo travellers who want a short introduction tour lasting typically about 90 minutes. The tour focus is variable eg about the university or Harry Potter in Oxford. The pricing reflects the fact that this tour can only be booked by 1 person max and if you 2 persons or more, please just book one of our alternative tours listed. Which college we may visit inside will depend on what's open and please note that if you are a Harry Potter fan, then instead option exists to see inside the Divinity school film site at the Bodleian library. Entry fee up to £3 is included in the tour. If you may wish to see inside any other colleges, that can be discussed on the day but with any additional higher entry costs to then be paid by yourself. The meeting point and start time is fixed and you are booking the guide for up to 90-120 minutes tour duration. See exclusions below for dates of eg university graduation dates or Xmas dates, when few or no colleges open.
Price: $138.37
Duration: 1-2 hours
1. Choose Your Tour
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2. Check Details
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3. Book Online
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4. Enjoy Your Experience
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Important Tour Information
- Bring comfortable walking shoes and appropriate clothing
- Check tour cancellation and refund policies
- Arrive at the meeting point at least 15 minutes early
- Carry valid identification and tour booking confirmation
Frequently Asked Questions
Local Food & Cuisine
Oxford’s food scene features traditional British fare alongside international cuisine. Signature dishes include Oxford sausages, hearty pies, and afternoon tea with scones. The city has a variety of dining options from cozy pubs like The Eagle and Child, known for its literary connections, to fine dining restaurants such as The Old Parsonage. Local markets offer fresh produce and artisanal foods. Dining customs often include enjoying a relaxed meal in historic settings or sampling local ales and ciders.
Getting Around
Oxford is accessible by train from London and other major UK cities. The city has an extensive bus network and is very pedestrian-friendly. Cycling is popular, with many rental options available. Taxis and ride-sharing services operate within the city. Parking in the city center is limited and expensive, so public transport or walking is recommended. Travel costs are moderate, with day passes available for buses.
Travel Tips
The best time to visit is late spring to early autumn for pleasant weather. Pack comfortable walking shoes and a light raincoat due to occasional showers. Respect local customs such as queuing and polite greetings. Oxford is generally safe, but keep an eye on personal belongings in crowded areas. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted, but carrying some cash is advisable for small purchases. Booking accommodations and tours in advance is recommended during peak seasons.
Culture & Customs
Oxford’s culture is deeply influenced by its academic tradition, valuing politeness, formality, and respect for history. Social customs include formal dining etiquette in college settings and quiet respect in libraries and museums. Annual events include the May Morning celebrations, literary festivals, and college balls. Visitors should dress modestly when visiting religious sites and follow guidelines during formal events. Punctuality and courteous behavior are appreciated.
