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Oxford is a college town about an hour’s train ride from both Bath and London. The university has really taken over the town, but it is fascinating to learn about the city’s history.
Many people come to Oxford on a day trip from London, but there’s enough to do to warrant staying several days. I stayed in Oxford three nights to try to see as much as I can and take advantage of visiting nearby places, like the Cotswolds.
If you only have a day, here’s a complete guide to the must-do activities while on an Oxford day trip.
Why Visit Oxford on a Day Trip?
A day trip to Oxford from London is definitely doable, and you’ll have so much to do once you’re in Oxford.
You’ll love visiting Oxford if you like visiting historic towns, old colleges, and beautiful libraries. And if you’re a Harry Potter fan, even better, because Oxford was a filming site of the Harry Potter movies, and you’ll see it all over town.
A lot of the must-see activities in Oxford are close together so it’s easy to do most of them while visiting for just a day. Better one day in Oxford than none at all.
However, I’d suggest at least three days to see more of Oxford and go on a day trip to the Cotswolds.
What to Do in Oxford for a Day
Morning
- Take an Oxford walking tour, where you’ll see the city’s highlights including Radcliffe Camera and the Bridge of Sighs.
- Tour the Bodleian Libraries (be sure to get tickets in advance).
- Visit Blackwell’s Bookshop, famous for appearing small on the outside but actually being a large bookshop with multiple floors.
Afternoon
- Have lunch at an iconic Oxford establishment such as Turf Tavern or the Grand Cafe.
- Tour Christ Church College, the most popular college to visit at Oxford with links to Harry Potter and Alice in Wonderland.
- Visit the Covered Market, which dates back to the 18th century.
- Climb University Church Tower and grab a cup of tea at Vaults & Garden.
Must-Do Activities on an Oxford Day Trip
Take a Guided Walking Tour of Oxford
One of the first things you should do upon arrival is take a walking tour of the city.
Oxford is most famous for its university, Oxford University, which is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. It was built in A.D. 1096.
The city and the university have an interesting relationship that you’ll learn more about on the tour.
You should book your two-hour walking tour in advance through the Bodleian Libraries. It costs £25 a person, and it is well worth it. We learned so much about how Oxford University works, its history with the city of Oxford, and many interesting stories and facts.
I’m glad we started with this as it oriented us to this fascinating city. Our tour guide also gave us some great tips on where to go and eat in Oxford.
Take Photos at Oxford’s Highlights
There are a couple iconic landmarks in Oxford that are fun to visit and take photos of. You really shouldn’t miss them while you’re here!
If you take the Oxford city walking tour, you’ll pass by them, so be sure to get a photo when you can.
- Radcliffe Camera
- Broad Street
- Bridge of Sighs
- The Narnia Lamppost
Tour the Bodleian Libraries
After finishing your city walking tour, check in for your next tour of the Bodleian Libraries.
I must warn you that the Bodleian Libraries tours are very, very popular. They sell out in minutes once on sale.
There are three different tours that are offered — a 30-minute tour, a 60-minute tour, and a 90-minute tour.
- On the 30-minute tour, you’ll see the famous Duke Humfrey’s medieval library and you’ll get to peek inside the Divinity School, which was used as the infirmary in the Harry Potter movies.
- The 60-minute tour will include what was on the 30-minute tour but it will also allow you access to the Convocation House and Chancellor’s Court.
- The 90-minute tour will allow you to see all that’s mentioned on the 60-minute tour plus you’ll get to go inside Radcliffe Camera (which is otherwise off limits for tourists). The 90-minute tour is the most popular tour and the hardest to get tickets for.
You’ll most likely be able to get tickets to the 30-minute tour easily, and if that’s the case, don’t worry. Duke Humfrey’s medieval library is absolutely amazing and a must see.
I would show you photos to prove it, but unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to take pictures inside the library. You can see it elsewhere, though, as it was used as the restricted section in the Harry Potter films.
I tried to get tickets for the 90-minute tour but was unsuccessful. Our 60-minute tour was very nice, though, and I’m grateful to have gotten to visit the most beautiful library I’ve ever seen.
Tickets for all Bodleian Libraries tours go on sale one month in advance, so get your alerts ready.
Visit Blackwell’s Bookshop
Blackwell’s Bookshop started in Oxford, and you can visit its flagship store. Our city tour guide advised us to visit Blackwell’s Bookshop because of its interesting size.
On the outside, it seems like a very small, quaint bookshop. But, once inside, it goes on and on, like some kind of magic trick.
There are multiple floors and rooms that you can really get lost in here. If you like books, you’ll find this place interesting.
Tour the Colleges at Oxford University
One thing to know about Oxford University is that it is made up of 38 colleges that each have their own chapel, library, and quad. Every college has its own coat of arms, its own rules, and its own way of doing things.
Many people visit one of these colleges to get a better sense of what life is like for students.
Each college has its own process for admitting visitors. Some require advance booking, some are free, some cost money.
See a list here of all colleges and their visiting times and prices. You can definitely visit several in a day; you’ll just need to do a little planning to find out when the colleges are open.
Which College Should You Visit? Christ Church College
There are 38 colleges in Oxford University, and most of them are free to visit! We only visited one college on our trip to Oxford, and it was Christ Church College.
Christ Church College is the most popular college to visit at Oxford, mostly because of its links to the Harry Potter films. It’s also the most expensive Oxford college to visit with adult multimedia tour tickets priced at £22-24 if bought online (all other colleges are either free or under £5 to tour).
For me, it was worth it. Christ Church College is a beautiful college at Oxford, and it has an incredible dining hall reminiscent of Harry Potter.
You’ll have a multimedia guide to tell you more about each of the buildings, and it takes 1-2 hours to get through the tour.
Tips for purchasing tickets to tour Christ Church College: Tickets are released on a weekly basis. Create a reminder in your phone to alert you when tickets go on sale. You might also be able to walk up to the college to get tickets the day of, though it will be more expensive and there’s no guarantee of availability.
List of Harry Potter Filming Sites in Oxford
Some of the Harry Potter movies were filmed in Oxford. Here are a list of filming sites around Oxford with a link to a clip of the scene in the movie.
- Bodleian Libraries Divinity School — Hogwarts’ infirmary
- Bodleian Libraries Duke Humfrey’s medieval library — Hogwarts’ library restricted section
- Christ Church College Dining Hall — inspiration for Hogwarts’ dining hall
- Christ Church College Bodley Staircase — Hogwarts’ staircase
- Christ Church College hallways — Hogwarts’ hallways
- New College cloisters and oak tree — Hogwarts’ cloisters and oak tree
Visit the Covered Market
The historic Covered Market in Oxford dates back to the 18th century. You’ll find shops and cafes inside, a perfect place to eat or buy souvenirs.
Climb University Church Tower
The University Church Tower is located near the Radcliffe Camera. It’s the most historic part of the church having been built in 1280. You can climb all 127 steps to the top of the tower to see incredible views of Oxford below.
It is free to visit the University Church of St. Mary the Virgin, but to visit the tower, you do have to purchase tickets. Tickets are currently £6.
The tower is open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Restaurants to Try in Oxford on a Day Trip
Vaults & Garden Cafe
The Vaults & Garden Cafe is an iconic Oxford restaurant. It’s located inside the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, so a perfect place to stop in after climbing the University Tower. The cafe has beautiful vaulted ceilings and is frequented by both students and tourists. They offer breakfast, lunch, and tea.
The Grand Cafe
Grand Cafe is said to be the oldest cafe or coffee shop in England, established in 1650. Come in for breakfast, lunch, or tea, or even just a coffee. Reservations are not required.
The Alice
We ate the breakfast buffet here at The Alice, an Alice in Wonderland themed restaurant inside The Randolph Hotel. The decorations are so cool, but the food was a bit overpriced for what it was (at least for breakfast anyway).
Turf Tavern
We learned about Turf Tavern while on our official walking tour of Oxford University. Our tour guide said it was one of the best places to eat in Oxford, a favorite among students.
Turf Tavern has traditional pub fare and is famously hidden among the smaller streets and alleyways, making it all the more charming. If you find it while walking around Oxford, be sure to stop in!
The Crown
The Crown pub is easy to miss — it’s snuggled between two buildings, off of Cornmarket Street. What caught our attention was a sign out front that said Shakespeare used to dine, almost exclusively, at this pub on his journeys to/from London.
We really wanted to come back here for dinner but because we visited Oxford on the hottest day on record, we didn’t make it down, preferring a closer restaurant.
Turtle Bay
We loved Turtle Bay so much that we ate here twice. The restaurant was around the corner from our hotel The Randolph, so an easy walking distance.
Turtle Bay serves Caribbean food, and the flavor and spices were heavenly. It was a nice change from the British cuisine we’d been mostly having on our trip. They have a few vegan/vegetarian options such as the curry aubergine, Buddha bowl, and the mac and cheese bites. All of it was amazing!
Map of Things to Do on a Day Trip to Oxford
Have More Time? Extend Your Trip to Oxford
With more time, my top recommendations would be to visit the Oxford Botanic Garden and/or the Oxford Castle and Prison.
We didn’t make it to these places on our trip because of how hot it was — one of the hottest days on record in England — and we wanted to take it easy.
There is so much more to do in Oxford, though, you can really stay a few days and not get bored.
More Things to Do in Oxford
- Oxford Botanic Garden
- Oxford Castle and Prison
- Punting in the river
- Pitt Rivers Museum
- Ashmolean Museum
- Oxford University Museum of Natural History
- Magdalen Bridge Boathouse
Day Trips From Oxford
Opt to spend another day or two in Oxford, using it as a base to visit Blenheim Palace or the nearby Cotswolds like we did.
Where to Stay While in Oxford
If you do decide to stay a few more days in Oxford, consider staying in the city center.
We stayed at the five-star hotel called The Randolph Hotel by Graduate Hotels, and I can’t recommend it enough. I paid mostly with credit card points to offset the cost (it is a luxury hotel), but it’s definitely worth it.
A cool feature of The Randolph hotel is that there are 38 banners hanging in the grand stairwell, each displaying a coat of arms for the 38 colleges in Oxford University. The rest of the hotel is beautifully decorated in a collegiate style.
There’s also an Alice in Wonderland themed restaurant here, The Alice, in honor of the author Lewis Carrol who studied at Oxford.
Other Recommended Hotels in Oxford:
How to Get to Oxford from London
I’d suggest taking an early train into Oxford to arrive in the morning. There’s a direct train route from London Paddington Station to Oxford that takes less than an hour.
How to book your train tickets: You can purchase your tickets on Trainline.com. We used Trainline to purchase all our train tickets in the UK. I loved how easy it was to search train tickets from various train companies and to pull up our tickets in the app when needed to scan or show them to employees. Everything was all in one place, making it very convenient.
How to save money on train tickets: If you will be doing a lot of train travel in the UK, consider getting a railcard for 33% off. I was traveling with my mom so we got the Two Together Railcard and saved quite a bit.
Getting Around Oxford on a Day Trip
You don’t need a car while in Oxford as it’s easy to walk to all the main attractions. Oxford is a very walkable city. You’ll also see a lot of people biking around town.
I’d suggest taking the train on your day trip to Oxford so you won’t have to bother with parking.
But, if you do drive to Oxford, once you park your car, you really won’t need it again until you’re ready to leave.
What to Pack for Travel to the UK
Favorite travel essentials
- I really recommend these compression packing cubes. They’re very thick and durable and allow you to pack more than you expect.
- I also love this travel backpack that opens like a suitcase, fits almost as much as a carry-on, and has tons of pockets as well as a strap to attach to your luggage handle. It makes traveling so much easier and more organized. It also fits nicely under the airplane seats.
- I bring this AirFly receiver for AirPods with me on long-haul flights, so I can connect to the plane’s video screen with my own AirPods.
- I no longer hop on a flight without wearing my Sockwell compression socks because they really do help relieve/prevent leg cramps from sitting so long in one place. I have the lotus pattern, but there are other patterns to choose from, such as this cat pattern or this flower pattern. See all sock patterns in the Sockwell storefront.
Other Posts to Help You Plan Your Trip to England
Oxford
Day Trips from London
Bath
- Weekend in Bath England Itinerary: What to Do in Bath UK for 2 Days
- 18 Things to See and Do in Bath, England
- Best Afternoon Tea in Bath: The Pump Room
York
London