September 28, 2022
A Day Trip to Oxford from London - a guide to the most prestigious university on earth
If you’re visiting UK then why not visit Oxford from London! Oxford is only a short journey from London by train. If your looking to fill a day with some sightseeing, don’t pass up the opportunity to visit one of the oldest and most prestigious universities on the planet! The town of Oxford is a quaint but absolutely stunning village built around Oxford University.
Surrounded by austere architecture, ancient colleges, and beautiful courtyards, you will be spoiled for sights in this little town, and you might even glimpse a few scenes out of Harry Potter! In this guide, we will break down a single day visit to Oxford from London and some of the brilliant sites this little town has to offer.
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In this article
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Why you should visit Oxford?Why you should visit Oxford?
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What to do a see in Oxford?What to do a see in Oxford?
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Take a walking tour of OxfordTake a walking tour of Oxford
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When is the best time to visit Oxford?When is the best time to visit Oxford?
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How to get to Oxford from LondonHow to get to Oxford from London
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How to get around Oxford?How to get around Oxford?
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What to eat and drink in Oxford?What to eat and drink in Oxford?
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Travel BudgetTravel Budget
Why you should visit Oxford
The township of Oxford is located north-west of London and home to the oldest English-speaking, and arguably the most prestigious university on the planet; Oxford University. Within the town there are over 40 residential colleges where students who attend the university live for most of the year. Many of these colleges have long histories, famous alumni, and beautiful grounds and architecture.
It’s no surprise that many of the Oxford colleges have featured in many famous movie scenes from Harry Potter. You can be visit these spots by picking up a tour or exploring the colleges by yourself.
Given that Oxford is such a small town, you can easily see it all in a day. Most of the iconic sites are located within the town centre. As such, you won’t need to hike for hours between sites to experience one of the most magical cities in Britain. So jump on a train and visit Oxford from London for the day!
What to do and see in Oxford?
If you’re visiting Oxford for the day, then there are a few sites you simply cannot afford to miss!
The Radcliffe Camera (Rad Cam)
The Radcliffe Camera, more fondly known as the Rad Cam, is an iconic building in the heart of Oxford. The stunning circular building serves as the reading room to the Bodleian library and is situated at its southern entrance. Winding the corner of the Bodleian library your eyes will set upon the Rad Cam for the first time. The edifice of this building brings forth that special sense of wonderment which comes to define the charm of Oxford. For the best views of the Rad Cam (and the surrounding city of Oxford), enter the Church of St Mary and climb the steeple. You will need to pay £5 but the view is absolutely worth it!
The Bodleian Library
Just to the north of the Rad Cam is the Bodleian library which is the main research library of the Oxford University. In fact, the Bodleian library is one of the oldest in Europe. You can walk around the many buildings that make up the library. For the keen Harry Potter fans you might even recognise a few of the buildings from the movies. Just like the Rad Cam, the Tower of the Fiver Orders is an absolutely stunning piece of British architecture. As you walk around the library, you will find the entrance to the Divinity School which you can enter for £2.50. The Divinity school was the location of several of the most memorable scenes from the Harry Potter films.
The Bridge of Sighs
Situated within a few hundred meters of the Rad Cam, the Bridge of Sighs jumps out at you when you first see it. The bridge connects two buildings of Hertford College. For those who have visited Venice, you might recognise that it shares the same name with the famous Venetian Bridge of Sighs, but physically resembles the Rialto Bridge. While there is in fact no relation, the bridge makes for a beautiful photo opportunity.
Christ Church College
Christ Church College is a must see for any Harry Potter fan and it is commonly called the “Harry Potter College”. It served as the filming location for many iconic scenes. Most notably, the dining hall where the current students eat their daily meals served as the inspiration for the dining hall in Harry Potter. Christ Church College is a beautiful college to explore but is also very touristy. Entry will cost you a whopping £16 for the day! To get the most out of this, you’re best off joining a tour of the college (see below), or maybe jumping on a tour of the other colleges. This will give you a more more detailed experience through the history of Oxford University.
Magdalene College (Take a punt!)
Magdalene College is one of the oldest colleges at Oxford University. It boasts many beautiful courtyards, buildings, and also includes a deer park. You can spend quite a lot of time walking the paths in the peaceful serenity of Magdalene College.
Magdalene College is situated on the river so why not take a punt! A ‘punt’ is a flat squared based boat. Located within a few minutes walk of the entrance, a punt can be hired out for £25 an hour. Going for a ‘punt’ is one of the quintessential pastimes of anyone who has spent time in either Oxford or Cambridge. It is also a peaceful way to get off your feet for an hour!
The Botanic Gardens
Within a short walk of the city centre and just across the road from Magdalene College, you can enter the Botanic Gardens. It is the oldest Botanic in the UK and was founded in 1621. Entry tickets are £6.40 for an adult for a day ticket. If the weather is beautiful, spending a few hours walking around the garden’s can be a great way to spend your time. If you are only visiting for a day, you might be hard pressed for time, so this activity might be better for those who plan on staying overnight!
Visit one of the many museums
Given the academic history of Oxford, it is unsurprising that the town hosts some of the grandest museums in the UK. Visit either the Ashmolean Museum of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History which is also home to the Pitt Rivers museum. These museums contain many works of art, archaeological treasures, and natural specimens which are actively subject to research within the university.
A few special mentions
In the city centre you will find Carafax Tower which was built in the 12th century. It is very easy to miss if you are walking by and not actively looking for it! While you don’t need to dedicate much time to see this site, you will certainly walk past it!
New College is one of the most prestigious colleges at Oxford and is home to several famous scenes in Harry Potter. Any fan will automatically recognise the New College Cloisters. Unfortunately they were closed during our visit to Oxford. Admission times to New College varies during the year, so it’s best to check their website. The cost of entry for an adult will set you back £8.
Another spot to visit if you have time, is Blenheim Palace. Unfortunately, we we did not have time. Once the ancestral home and birthplace of Winston Churchill, you can visit the palace from Oxford by catching the S3 bus from Oxford station. It departs 4 times every hour, 7 days a week. The journey is approximately 20 minutes and for further details see out the Palace website.
Take a walking tour of Oxfrod
If you’d like to get a bit more out of your visit, you can jump on a walking tour of the city which will get you entry into several colleges and take you past many of the top spots in Oxford, including some of the Harry Potter sites. There are many tours that run around Oxford, but one with an alumni of the university would be best as they can give you an insiders perspective of what day to day life in the university is like. You can book a tour here.
Another good one to jump on is a tour exclusively focused on the Harry Potter sites, which will also get you access to New College and the Divinity School (you will need to pay to get into Christ Church unfortunately).
If you don’t want to spend money on a tour, then you can follow the map below or you can follow the tour guide here.
When is the best time to visit Oxford
At its heart, Oxford is a university town. As a result, its population ebbs and flows with the academic year. Between the months of June and September is the quietest time to visit because students are away on their summer breaks. Moreover, this will coincide with the warmer weather and longer days. You will still see some students around but the large population in the city centre is substantially reduced.
That being said, depending on what time of the year you visit will constitute the type of experience you have! If you want to see Oxford in the hustle and bustle of student life, then you will want to visit either between October and December (Michaelmas term), between January and March (Hilary Term), or between April and June (Trinity term, which is usually the quietest term).
How to get to Oxford from London
One service the UK do exceptionally well is public transport. You can get to Oxford from London directly by catching the train from Marlybone train station. There are multiple carriages traveling back and forth between Oxford and London everyday. A train ticket from Marlybone to Oxford from London will vary depending on several day to day factors. However, you should be easily able to find a one way ticket for under £7 at trainline. There are other stations you can catch a train from including Paddington, however tickets will be a little more expensive and you will have to make a connection on your journey.
Another great option is the Oxford Tube which is a bus service that passes multiple bus stops in London. Tickets are quite cheap with return prices at £18 for an adult. This service is very frequent with numerous buses departing every hour. Tickets can be bought online and used when you like (subject to conditions). Although it should be noted that this service is slower than the train service from Marlybone, which we would argue is the quickest and best value for money!
On the other hand, if you happen to find yourself with a car, you can easily drive to Oxford in about 1.5 hours from London city.
How to get around Oxford
f you’re planning on seeing just the local sites in the town of Oxford, then it is easiest to walk around the town! Most of the sites in the city centre are within walking distance of each other, so you can easily cover the majority of these sites in under 3 hours by foot.
If you might feel inclined to go farther afield, then hiring a bike can be a great option. You can hire bikes from baintonbikes.com for around £12 a day. Cycling in Oxford is a very pleasant experience and will make for a fun, and efficient way to see all the town has to offer and more!
Lastly, if you’re planning on heading out to Blenheim Palace, then you could cycle but it will take around 40 minutes. In this case, it might be best to jump on the S3 bus which will get you there in no time!
What to eat and drink in Oxford
After spending a few hours walking around Oxford, you’re going to work up an appetite, so why not satisfy it with a pint of beer and a meal in the pub! Oxford has many classic pubs, some of which have incredible histories!
The Kings arms
The Kings Arms is a beautiful pink pub that is decorated with flower boxes and located opposite the Bodleian Library. It is one of the oldest pubs in Oxford and is impossible to miss. It makes for the perfect lunch stop along the historical sites in Oxford with a great selection of beers and a big pub lunch to rejuvenate you for the rest of your visit.
The Bear Inn
If you’ve just visited Christ Church college and are looking to grab a bite, drop into the Bear Inn located just around the corner. Also one of the oldest (if not the oldest) pubs in Oxford, it will give you the true impression of a traditional British Pub with snug rooms and a low wooden ceiling. It can be easy to miss this pub since it’s hidden down the back streets behind Christ Church College.
St Aldates Tavern
Again located very close to Christ Church, you’ll find St Aldates Tavern. A beautiful Victorian pub, it will catch your eye when you walk past. Drop in for a quick pint and energise yourself for the afternoon!
Other foody spots
If you’re looking for a bit more variety than pub food, head towards Walton Street and Little Clarendon St where you’ll find many more restaurants than just pubs (but there are also some good ones in the vicinity if you’re eager for a pint).
Travel Budget?
| Activity | Cost |
|---|---|
| Transport | £30 |
| Food | £40 |
| Entry to Christ Church | £16 |
| Entry to other colleges | £7 |
| Other ticket costs | £20 |
| Total | £113 |
Thanks for stopping by!
We hope we’ve inspired you to go visit Oxford when on your next holiday to the UK. It’s a great way stop to see some of the beautiful places that the UK has to offer. It’s a low cost day trip visiting Oxford from London, so jump on the train and soak up the beauty of this little academic town!
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