Things to Do in Oxford: A Complete Guide to the Perfect Day Trip

Q: Is Oxford worth visiting for a day trip?

Oxford is one of the best day trips from London. The city centre is compact enough to see the major highlights on foot in a single day, including the university colleges, the Bodleian Library, the Radcliffe Camera, and excellent pubs. The train from London Paddington takes about an hour.

Q: What are the best things to do in Oxford in one day?

Take a walking tour to get oriented, visit university colleges like Christ Church and Exeter, go punting on the River Cherwell, climb the University Church tower for the best views, and finish at the Turf Tavern. The Ashmolean Museum is free and the Covered Market is great for lunch.

Q: Is punting in Oxford difficult?

Punting is harder than it looks but that is half the fun. The Cherwell Boathouse provides a quick briefing before you set off. Expect to pay around £22 per hour for a punt that fits up to six people. Chauffeured punts are also available if you prefer to relax.

Q: Can you visit Oxford for free?

Much of Oxford is free. Walking around the city centre and admiring the colleges costs nothing. The Ashmolean Museum and Pitt Rivers Museum are free. Several colleges are free to enter. You will need to pay for punting, the University Church tower (£6), and specific attractions like Oxford Castle.

I lived in and around Oxford for a number of years, and I generally felt like a tourist most of that time too. You can’t really help it. You’re walking to the shops and suddenly the Radcliffe Camera appears around a corner, and you stop and stare at it like you’ve never seen it before. That’s the effect Oxford has on people.

Jess and I have been back many times since, and we always find something new to discover. Oxford is one of those places that rewards repeat visits, but it’s also brilliant if you only have a day. The city is compact enough that you can see the highlights on foot, and there’s a good mix of history, architecture, food and just plain wandering to fill your time.

In this guide, I’ll share our favourite things to do on an Oxford day trip, based on years of exploring the city. I’ve also included practical details on getting to Oxford from London, where to stay if you want to spend longer, and answers to the most common questions people have about visiting.

Is One Day Enough for Oxford?

One day is plenty to see the highlights. Oxford’s city centre is very walkable, and the major attractions (the colleges, the Bodleian Library, the Radcliffe Camera, the covered market, the pubs) are all within about ten minutes of each other.

That said, you could easily spend three or four days here and not run out of things to do. There are 38 university colleges to explore, world-class museums that are free to visit, and the surrounding countryside (including the Cotswolds and Blenheim Palace) is beautiful. If you have the time, I’d recommend staying at least one night, because Oxford has a lovely atmosphere in the evening once the day-trippers head home.

But if one day is what you have, don’t worry. You’ll still have a wonderful time, and you’ll almost certainly want to come back.

Things to Do in Oxford on a Day Trip

Here’s a list of all our favourite things to do in Oxford which you should be able to do in a day trip from London, or other nearby location.

1. Take a walking tour

One thing Jess and I did this time round that was different to my previous visits was to take an official walking tour. This was an excellent way to get oriented (I always get lost in Oxford, the place is a maze!), learn about some of the history of the city, as well as see some University Colleges, of which there are many!

We took the Official University and City Tour, which started at the visitor centre and which is run by the official Oxford Tourism Board. Tours run a number of times a day, and are led by licensed blue badge guides, which means they really know their stuff.

The tour lasted a couple of hours, with our guide taking us to some of the highlights of Oxford, including the covered market, the high street, the Radcliffe Camera, the Bodleian Library and of course, a number of the university colleges.

It was excellent value for money, and a wonderful way to quickly get a handle on the layout of Oxford, the history of the town, and to learn more about the university colleges. We also went in to a number of the universities, and were given advice and tips as to which ones we should come back to to visit independently.

Finally, our last port of call was the optional Divinity School, a stunning building which also doubled up as the location for the Hogwarts Sanatorium in the Harry Potter movies.

Film buffs will know that Oxford was featured in many of the Harry Potter films – see our guide to Harry Potter filming locations for more of these. Plus you can take a specific Harry Potter walking tour if that’s what you are interested in.

All in all, a very worthwhile couple of hours of exploration! If you’re interested in doing a walking tour of Oxford, this is a link to the tour we took so you can book in advance now.

Alternatively, you can also take a tour of Oxford which is led by an Oxford student, which is a fun way to get more of an insight into what life here is like as a student. These tours cover similar ground and last around the same amount of time – you can see the reviews and book online here.

2. Visit the University Colleges

We visited a number of the colleges on our walking tour, and they are just stunning. Our guide had given us some ideas as to which we could visit by ourselves, including some of his personal favourites, and I would very much recommend setting aside a bit of time to explore the colleges by yourself.

A little bit about Oxford University. One of the oldest Universities in the world, Oxford University is made up of thirty eight colleges, each of which is independently governed. There’s no campus, with all the colleges, halls, faculties and departments set throughout the city centre.

Visiting the colleges is a bit hit and miss depending on the time of year. In addition, some of the colleges (notably Christchurch), do charge an entry fee. Since opening times vary depending on the time of year and the exam schedule, your best bet is to draw up a shortlist of colleges you would like to visit, and pop into the porter’s office for each college to see if it’s open. The porter’s office is pretty much always at the entrance, and we found that they were always more than happy to help us out.

We visited a number of the colleges, including David’s College, Exeter College and Trinity College. I particularly liked the chapel at Exeter College, arguably one of the most picturesque of all the college chapels, and the gardens at Trinity College was also gorgeous to walk in.

Christchurch, which is generally regarded as one of the more spectacular colleges, was unfortunately closed on the day we visited, but if it’s open when you’re in town, I’d highly recommend popping by.

3. Go Punting

Punting is a classic pastime in Oxford, and one that is best enjoyed over a lengthy period of time, where you can learn how to actually do it, and maybe even reach a pub somewhere on your journey.

I’ve punted a few times before, but usually in the company of a competent punting friend. On this visit, it was just Jess and I, so I was given the task of figuring out how to make the boat move along the river in the direction I wanted it to go.

After a slightly confusing start where I confused the front and back of the punt, and following some helpful advice from the punt house as to my technique, we set off upstream, with the theory being that this would make for an easier return journey. I settled into a vaguely efficient rhythm, managing to avoid both the riverbanks and other punters, and we had a lovely time, even if we didn’t get quite far enough to find a pub.

For punting, I’ve always gone with the Cherwell Boathouse. It’s a great location, there are pubs in both directions, and they have a lovely bar and restaurant on-site if you don’t quite make it the half hour upstream that’s required to find a pub. We went this time, and were thankful for the friendly service and helpful punting advice! Punts are hired either by the hour, or the day, with the most up to date prices on their website.

4. Imbibe a Beverage

If you struggle to punt your way to a pub, don’t worry. Oxford has no shortage of fantastic watering holes, with some personal favourites including The Eagle & Child (popular with Tolkien), The White Horse, the Lamb and Flag, and the King’s Arms.

At the top of my list though is The Turf Tavern. A little tricky to find, being as it is down a tiny alley just next to the Bridge of Sighs, if you’re struggling just find a local to give you directions. This is one of the oldest pubs in Oxford, and has a lovely outdoor beer garden as well as plentiful indoor seating and a wide selection of beers as well as food.

It’s popular with University students, and has had it’s fair share of famous faces over the years, including former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke, who downed a yard of ale in 11 seconds. Not as easy as it sounds. Other famous visitors include Bill Clinton, and legend has it that it was at the Turf Tavern that he “did not inhale”. Whatever you think of that story, you’re bound to love this venue.

5. Visit Oxford Castle

If you are travelling with children, they’ll likely love a visit to Oxford Castle. Originally built in the 10th century, the castle served first as the main defensive centre of the town, back when castles were genuinely useful for that, before being used as a prison from around the 14th century.

Whilst much of the original castle was destroyed in the English Civil War, the parts that survived were incorporated into Oxford’s official prison, and stayed that way until 1996, when it was concluded that it probably wasn’t the most modern of prison constructions, and decommissioned.

Now, the surviving castle complex serves a number of functions, with part of it being a hotel. As a visitor wanting to learn more about the history though, you’ll want to take an Oxford Castle Unlocked tour, which gives you access to the Motte (a big earth mound), St George’s Tower, the crypt and parts of the prison.

The tour, which ran for around half an hour, largely comprised St George’s tower, and was performed by a character actor who assumed the role of King Stephen. From him, we learnt all about the history of the tower and it’s various uses, as well as some notable characters who had been held here.

We also got to go up on the roof of the tower itself, which had great views over the city. After the tour was complete, we were able to explore the prison, where we got a bit of an insight into prison life over the years, which looked pretty miserable! You can buy tickets online here.

6. Climb the University Church

Regular readers will know that one of my favourite ways to see a city is from above, usually by finding a nice tower and climbing to the top of it. It turns out that even in all my years living around Oxford I had never found a suitable tower, which was a bit of a failing as it turns out there’s an excellent view to be had from the top of the University Church of St. Mary the Virgin, which is right next to the Radcliffe Camera.

It’s a bit of a climb to the top (127 steps up a medieval spiral staircase), and there’s an entry fee of £6, but the view is more than worth both the effort and expense. The church itself is free to visit.

More Things to Do in Oxford

If you still have time after the highlights above (or if punting isn’t your thing and you need an alternative), Oxford has plenty more to offer.

The Ashmolean Museum is one of the best museums in the country, and it’s free. It covers everything from ancient Egyptian artefacts to Renaissance paintings to samurai armour, and you could lose an entire afternoon in there. It’s on Beaumont Street, a short walk from the city centre.

The Covered Market has been trading since 1774 and is a lovely place to wander. You’ll find independent food stalls, cafés, cheese shops, and some excellent cake. It’s right in the centre of town, near Carfax Tower.

If you’re a fan of literary history, the Eagle and Child pub on St Giles’ is where J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis used to meet with their literary group, the Inklings. I mention it in the pub section above, but it’s worth singling out if you’re a Tolkien or Narnia fan.

And for a bit of green space, Christ Church Meadow is a beautiful place for a walk, particularly in spring and summer. You can access it from the south end of St Aldate’s, and it runs down to the river.

Practicalities for Visiting Oxford

Where to Stay in Oxford

If you want to stay in Oxford for longer than a day, there are plenty of options in Oxford for accommodation to suit the majority of budgets.

We stayed a little way outside of the city centre at the peaceful Hawkwell House Hotel, found in Iffley Village. This is just a short taxi ride from Oxford City centre, or a ten minute bus ride. It’s also walkable via a lovely riverside footpath.

Our room was very comfortable, and the included English breakfast was of course appreciated. Other details like free wi-fi and luggage storage rounded out a solid offering.

If you’d prefer to be more central, there are lots of options for city centre accommodation in Oxford – check out the booking.com listings for Oxford here to get yourself started.

How to Get To Oxford from London

Oxford is very easy to get to, being served by trains and buses, and of course by car. There are direct trains from London Paddington to Oxford multiple times an hour – if you get one of the fast trains the journey time is around an hour.

Avoid the local trains which stop at more than four stations on the route, as this can make the journey more like two hours! We recommend the Trainline website for advanced booking reservations – we’ve tried most of the train booking sites in the UK and the Trainline is our favourite for ease of use.

Always book train tickets in advance of your travel for the best prices in the UK, and opt to either have them delivered to your mobile device, or to pick them up from the station, to save on postage fees.

There are also buses to Oxford from the centre of London, Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport and Stanstead Airport, as well as many other destinations around the UK.

Buses (also known as coaches) in the UK are usually a little bit cheaper than the train, although they do take a bit longer. We recommend National Express for bus travel, see their prices and book in advance for the best deals here.

If you’d prefer to drive yourself, Oxford is between 60 and 90 minutes drive from London. If you’re visiting Oxford as part of my detailed two week UK itinerary, then you’ll know that a hire car is my preferred method of getting around the country, giving you more flexibility and control over your trip. We recommend searching for your car rental on Discover Cars here. They compare a range of providers so you can find the best deal for your trip.

Finally, if you want to just visit Oxford as part of a tour and let someone else handle all the logistics, there are a number of tours you can take from London. Here are a few options to choose from:

A tour of Oxford, the Cotswolds and Stratford. This is a full day out, and means you’ll see a number of popular English attractions
A tour of Oxford, Stonehenge & Windsor – another full day of some of the most popular attractions you can visit from London
A tour of Oxford and the Harry Potter Studios – two popular destinations that you can visit in a day from London
A tour of Oxford and some of the stone villages of the Cotswolds

As you can see, there’s no shortage of choice when it comes to options for visiting Oxford as a day trip from London, as well as trips incorporating some other popular destinations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Oxford worth visiting for a day trip?

Oxford is one of the best day trips you can do from London, and I say that as someone who lived there for years and still gets excited going back. The city centre is compact enough that you can see all the major highlights on foot in a single day, including the university colleges, the Bodleian Library, the Radcliffe Camera, and some excellent pubs.

If you have the time, I’d recommend staying a night, because Oxford has a lovely atmosphere in the evenings. But even a day trip will give you a fantastic taste of the city.

How do I get to Oxford from London?

The fastest option is the train from London Paddington, which takes about an hour on the express services. Trains run multiple times an hour. Book in advance through the Trainline for the best prices.

You can also take a coach from London Victoria, which is cheaper but takes around 90 minutes to two hours depending on traffic. National Express and the Oxford Tube both run frequent services.

If you’re driving, Oxford is about 60 to 90 minutes from London. Parking in the city centre is limited, so I’d recommend using one of the Park and Ride sites on the edge of the city.

What are the best things to do in Oxford in one day?

My top recommendations for a day in Oxford would be: take a walking tour to get oriented (the official Blue Badge tours are excellent), visit a couple of the university colleges (Christ Church and Exeter are favourites), go punting on the River Cherwell, climb the tower at the University Church of St Mary the Virgin for the best view in the city, and end up at the Turf Tavern for a pint.

If you have time, the Ashmolean Museum is free and brilliant, and the Covered Market is worth a wander for lunch.

Which Oxford colleges can you visit?

Most of the 38 colleges are open to visitors at some point during the year, though opening times vary depending on the academic calendar. Some charge an entry fee (Christ Church is the most expensive at around £10), while others are free. Your best bet is to check with the porter’s lodge at the entrance of whichever college you want to visit. They’re always happy to let you know if it’s open.

During exam periods (late May to mid-June), many colleges close to visitors entirely.

Is punting in Oxford difficult?

It’s harder than it looks, but that’s half the fun. I’ve done it several times now and still can’t claim to punt in a particularly straight line. The Cherwell Boathouse is my preferred spot, and the staff there will give you a quick briefing before you set off.

Expect to pay around £22 per hour for a punt that fits up to six people. If you’d rather not do the work yourself, you can hire a chauffeured punt instead.

Can you visit Oxford for free?

Quite a lot of Oxford is free to enjoy. Walking around the city centre costs nothing, and simply looking at the architecture and the colleges from the outside is one of the best things about the place. The Ashmolean Museum and the Pitt Rivers Museum are both free. Several colleges are free to enter, and the ones that do charge are only a few pounds.

You’ll need to pay for punting, the University Church tower (£6), and some specific attractions like Oxford Castle, but it’s entirely possible to have a brilliant day in Oxford without spending very much at all.