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OXFORD

  • Jan 4, 2025
  • 12 min read

Updated: Mar 26


Welcome to my Oxford guide!

I'm so happy you found your way here. I completely my Masters of Science at the University of Oxford and got the incredible opportunity to live in this magical city for a year. Given that my degree was only a year, I was determined to say "yes" to everything I possibly could knowing my time was limited and precious. Leaving Oxford, I really felt like I got to know most of its special nooks and crannies. Here is an overview of some places I'd recommend you visit!


The following guide follows this structure:

(click on one of these below to jump to that section)

  1. How to get around (biking, bus, train system)

  2. What to see & do (tours to take, colleges to go into, museums to visit)

  3. Where to eat & drink coffee (pit stops for coffee, baked goods, lunch & dinner, pubs)

  4. Questions and history about Oxford (matriculation, graduation, exams)

  5. What to bring home (unique souvenir ideas)


Have more time on your trip? I recommend a visit to one of the beautiful villages in the Cotswolds, an easy train ride from Oxford. More on that soon.


How to Get Around

You can take the train from London (about 50 minutes) or take the bus (often cheaper but takes longer). To get to Oxford from London Heathrow or Gatwick I always took a bus from Megabus which was generally the cheapest. From Heathrow it takes about 1hr 50 minutes and from Gatwick about 2 hr 50 minutes.


Oxford is small enough that you can truly walk most places (and that's definitely part of the experience, looking up at the different colleges and seeing why it's called the "City of Spires").


The bus system is pretty well connected, however, most streets in the center of town are pedestrian only, so you will likely do some walking anyways between bus stops. Google Maps should show the next bus and how to connect between them quite accurately. You can tap with your credit or debit card and a single ride will cost about £1.10 (last updated May 2025).


I do not recommend biking around Oxford, as roads are tight and weaving between busses and tourists in torrential rain without a helmet was probably the most dangerous part of my year (sorry mom!).



What to See & Do

My Google Maps guide has all the following suggestions in one map (for all you visual folks!) and may be easier to navigate when planning how to spend your day(s):

OXFORD - What to See and Do · Josephine https://maps.app.goo.gl/NXRWxcvcfgBLcGHh7?g_st=i

Walking, Library & Boat Tours (to structure your time around)



Go inside one of Oxford's 39 colleges

I highly recommend going inside one of Oxford's beautiful 39 colleges. The University of Oxford has 36 colleges, three societies, and four permanent private halls (PPHs) of religious foundation. What are colleges you may ask? In simple terms, Oxford's colleges are small, multidisciplinary communities. Each one has students, academic staff and administrative staff. For most undergraduate students, their college will be where they live, eat, study and take classes in small tutor-style classes. Each college has a different flavor and reputation, with most students being extremely proud to be at their chosen college. For example, Christ Church is the most "Harry Potter" college because many scenes were filmed here and the dining room inspired the one in the films.


If you don't want to pay admission fee but just want to go inside a college's chapel (since most have one), you can attend a choral evensong. This is a religious Christian ceremony which is a traditional Anglican service of sung evening prayer. It is open to the general public but please be mindful that this is at the core a religious event.


You can find more information about visiting Oxford's colleges here: https://www.ox.ac.uk/visitors/visiting-oxford/visiting-the-colleges


These are some of the most popular to visit and definitely worth your time:

  1. Christ Church College

    • Entry by paid self-guided ticket, purchasable online one week in advance.

      • Tickets include cathedral and quadrangles

      • Guided tours of Christ Church also sold separately

    • Choral Evensong Wednesdays at 18:00

  2. Magdalen College

    • In my opinion, the most beautiful college with an incredible center quad (white hydrangeas are overflowing in the summer), deer park and path along the river to wander. This is also where you can see a lot of punting start on the River Cherwell.

    • Hours: Oct–Mar: 10:00–16:00, Apr–Jun: 10:00–17:00, Jul–Sep: 10:00–18:30

    • Admission cost: Adults ≈ £8

  3. All Souls College

    • This might be one of the most unique, but also beautiful colleges that only admits 2(!) research fellows each year who pass a grueling exam. I somehow found myself accidentally in an info session to take the test (got a free tour and wine tho!)

    • Hours: Weekdays & Sundays only, 14:00–16:00

    • Admission cost: Free entry

      Final evening sunlight on All Souls College, caught on my dad's Leica film camera
      Final evening sunlight on All Souls College, caught on my dad's Leica film camera

  4. Worcester College

    • Hours: Daily from 14:00 to 16:00

    • Admission cost: Free, just sign in at the Porters’ Lodge

  5. Trinity College

    • Hours: daily, typically from 10:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 17:00 during term time, with the afternoon session starting earlier at 13:00 outside of term

    • Admission cost: £7 for adults and £5 for concessions/students (free for under-12s)

  6. Balliol College

    • Hours: Usually open 10:00-17:00 or dusk (whichever is earlier)

    • Admission cost: £6 for adults and £3 for concessions/students

  7. New College

    • Hours: Spring and summer 10.00 am-5.00 pm (7 days a week)

    • Admission cost: Adults £12

    • Evensong: 18:15 on weekdays (not Wednesdays), Saturday evenings, and 17:45 on Sundays



Places to walk around (on a sunny day)

  • Botanical garden

  • Walk through Worcester College gardens

  • Walk through University Parks

  • Walk along the Thames by the boathouses

  • Walk around Magdalen College

  • Walk in Port Meadow at dusk with the horses


Museums to Visit

  1. Museum of Natural Science

    • Stunning neo-Gothic building with dinosaur skeletons and fossils

    • Home to the famous dodo remains

    • Excellent for science, evolution, and natural world enthusiasts

    • Entry cost: Free

  2. Pitt Rivers Museum

    • Dense, fascinating collection of global artifacts arranged by theme rather than geography

    • Great for anthropology, archaeology, and cultural history lovers

    • Entry cost: Free (donations welcome)

  3. Ashmolean Museum

    • World’s oldest public museum, with art and archaeology from across civilizations

    • Highlights include Egyptian mummies, Renaissance art, and ancient pottery

    • Well-curated and easy to spend hours exploring

    • Entry cost: Free (general admission)

  4. History of Science Museum

    • This is where Albert Einstein's handwriting on a blackboard is preserved

    • Showcases scientific instruments that shaped modern knowledge

    • Displays include Galileo’s telescope and Einstein’s blackboard

    • Perfect for science, physics, and innovation fans

    • Entry cost: Free (donations welcome)

  5. Museum of Oxford

    • Tells the story of Oxford and its people from medieval times to today

    • Focuses on local history, culture, and everyday life

    • Entry cost: £4 adult / £2 concession (students, young people), under-5s free

  6. The Story Museum

    • Immersive museum dedicated to stories, books, and imagination

    • Especially great for children and creative minds

    • Entry cost: Paid entry (prices vary by age)

  7. Bodleian Libraries Exhibitions & Weston Library

    • The Bodleian Libraries host major exhibitions of rare books, manuscripts, and historical objects in the Weston Library

    • Exhibitions rotate and are free or ticketed depending on the show

  8. Bate Collection of Musical Instruments

    1. a collection of historic musical instruments, mainly for Western classical music, from the Middle Ages onwards

    2. More than a thousand instruments by important English, French and German makers, are on display

    3. Since 2025 it is now housed in the Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities


Where to Eat & Drink Coffee

A Google Maps guide to all my favorite food and coffee places in Oxford:

OXFORD - Where to Eat & Drink Coffee · Josephine https://maps.app.goo.gl/Q1h1DuRA1fiyZWt68?g_st=i

Tip: add the Google Maps guide to your phone and then whenever you're hungry or in need of a coffee you can locate the nearest pin!



My personal top favorites for...

Coffee: The Missing Bean

Brunch: Handlebar Café

Scones: Vaults & Gardens

Dinner: The Punter

Pub: The King's Arms


Cafés for Coffee or Breakfast

  • Paper Boat Café next to Folly Bridge (super cute seating area down by the river)

  • Green smoothie from Tree Artisan Cafe (with delish chocolate cake)

  • Grabbing a coffee from the Weston Library Café and sitting out front, looking at the Sheldonian (I’d bring my laptop & work here a lot too)

  • Hot chocolate from the cafe inside Blackwell’s Bookstore (right next to the Weston Library)

  • On Turl Street, decaf cappuccino from the Missing Bean & Thursday morning pastries! jelly donuts

  • Oat milk matcha (oat milk doesn’t cost extra here!) @ the Independent Café with the coziest window nook to look out at Christ church gardens & watch the tourists (& get no school work done)

  • Coffee (and co-working) at Common Ground

  • Knoops (hot chocolate shop where you get to choose your % of chocolate for your hot chocolate, a very cool experience and perfect for a rainy day!)

  • Baked goods from Hamblin Bread + stop at vintage store by Magdalen Bridge

  • Brunch at Handlebar Café

  • Sunday roast at Head of the River - my favorite spot for sitting by the river, watching live sporting events (like Wimbledon!)



Restaurants

Inside the Covered Market (on Main Street) my favorite spots are:

  • Hamblin Bread

  • Sartorelli's Pizza

  • Ben’s cookies

  • Cardew's tea shop

  • Gulp Fiction


Lunch spots

  • Ramen at Ramen Kulture

    • Especially delicious on a rainy day (of which there are many!)

  • Ice cream at G&D’s across from Christ Church

  • Warm chocolate chip cookies from Ben’s Cookies 

  • Wood fired pizza at Sartorelli’s

  • Najar's Place for quick, yummy wraps that are affordable (cash only!) and you can go inside John's College to eat the wraps anytime after 1PM

  • Ramen Kulture for delicious ramen bowls on a gloomy day


For dinner

  • The Punter (a little bit outside of town but I LOVE their food) truffle fries, paneer curry dish

  • Fancy dinner at Gee’s in their backyard garden or beautiful glass dining room (get their lemon pie for dessert if it’s on the menu)

  • Cycle to the Perch to have a drink under the willow trees, or at the Medley with wood fire pizzas closer to Port Meadow

  • Tse Noodle is a family Chinese restaurant which is homey and delicious

  • Lula's Ethiopian and Eritrean Cuisine for the most delicious warm dinner on a rainy day next to the train station

  • Wine and jazz nights at Gulp Fiction bookstore in the Covered Market

  • The White Rabbit for pizza and drinks outside on a warm day



Pubs

  • King’s Arms

    • Fun to sit outside on one of the tables and look out at the Old Bod and Sheldonian on a nice day and take in the hustle & bustle of Oxford

  • Turf Tavern

    • Tucked away near the Bridge

  • Lamb & Flag

    • where Tolkien and C.S. Lewis used to meet & host their club


Questions and history about Oxford


What are students wearing in white and black running around campus?

During matriculation, exam period and graduation, students are required to wear an outfit called a "sub fusc" (from the Latin "sub fuscus" meaning very dark). This is the academic outfit that is required at these events and is black pants, black socks, black shoes, and a white button-up top. For matriculation, you add a specific cape and a tassle or bow around the neck. It all felt a bit silly but very special at the same time to be continuing traditions that have existed for hundreds of years.



Where do students take exams?

Once wearing the subfusc, exams are completed in the third trimester, called Trinity Term, all within the Examination Schools building. This building was completed in 1882 and since then all exams were conducted in this building. In Michaelmas Term, the Examination Schools are host to the university's Freshers' Fair where students get introduced to different clubs and sports committees. Most students have three exams, and for each day of those exams they wear a different colored carnation flower (white for the first exam day, pink for the second and red for the third and final day).The flower shop within the Covered Market specifically sells groups of three carnations during exam time. Some students would buy the flowers for their friends to wish them good luck which was very cute to see!



What was graduation like?

On May 31, 2025, almost half a year after I completed my Masters, I went back to Oxford with my family for my official graduation ceremony. At Oxford, you graduate with your college, not your program, thus, instead of graduating with my classmates from my MSc in Water Science, Policy and Management course, I graduated with a cohort from Mansfield College. All graduation and matriulation ceremonies occur in the Sheldonian Theater where I was allowed maximum two tickets automatically. Thankfully we were able to get one extra ticket for my sister to sit inside rather than watch the livestream.


The majority of the graduation ceremony is in Latin, following hundreds of years of traditions. We had a special lunch at Mansfield College before getting ready to walk to the Divinity School which led into the Sheldonian Theater. It was so special having my family there to celebrate with me.


What "formals" did you go to and which were your favorite?

Truly one of the most special and surreal parts of Oxford is dining at the different colleges (39 in total) for formal dinners.


College formals I went to (more photos below):

1. Mansfield College - probably 6 or 7 times, love the chapel and stained glass and Christmas dinner, loved when they pulled out the port at the end of dinner lol

2. Worcester College - big blue room, most different from any of the other colleges, really good food and sticky toffee pudding for dessert

3. Oriel College - this was probably the strangest formal, where you are barely allowed to take photos and are rushed to finish before they serve the normal dinner, however it was super special to eat in their rare books library while their dining room was being renovated

4. Merton College - best dessert and after dinner second dessert (yes this is a thing) and INCREDIBLE to listen to the massive organ

5. Wadham College - felt the silliest next to big portraits of medieval queens, best MCR hehe and parties

6. Linacre College - food is always 10/10 and had one of my favorite mains here

7. Keble College - favorite overall formal, food was amazing, vibes were 10/10, raspberry chocolate ganache for dessert and sneaking into the chapel to listen to the organ playing (see video of very intricate walls of chapel and organ music)

8. Lincoln College - this formal was honestly so much fun, beautiful vines around the college, good drinks for the second dessert (weird cheese bomb thing) and toured their most INCREDIBLE library I biked by everyday not knowing it was a library inside a church, this is what made the formals so special, getting an inside glimpse into other colleges

9. Magdalen College cheese & wine exchange - not actually a formal but an incredible array of wines and cheeses (you know when the organizing committee is French the cheeses are gonna be top-notch) in what I think is the most beautiful college at Oxford

10. St Antony College - my final!!!l formal with incredible food and many many drinks, delicious salad and I loved ending on a hot tea or coffee with chocolate


Interesting Facts about Oxford

  • Oldest teaching since 1096

  • 3 miles of shelving space in the Norrington Room (in Blackwell's Bookstore)

  • STEM undergraduate degrees are 4 years with the last year as a research year

  • Oriel College admitted women only in 1984

  • Rad Cam was built in 1784

  • Tolkien incentivized CS Lewis to include the lampposts in his story somehow and then they became an important part of Narnia

  • Thomas Bodley’s wife had the endowment from her first marriage for the Bodleian libraries which was made by the sardine business (fish money)

  • Thomas Bodley engravings on pipes along the old Bodleian (TB)

  • Bodlein has copyright status in 1610 which allows the university to get a copy of any book published in the UK

  • During the Reformation, 80% of the existing books were destroyed

  • Christopher Wren was a student at Wadham College before becoming a fellow at All Souls College


What to Bring Home (as a unique souvenir)

  1. Shortbread from M&S (not in boxes but in plastic wrapping which takes up less space in your suitcase!) usually around £1 and tastes the same, if not better!

  2. Tea from Cardew's Tea Store within the Covered Market

    • For example, the Oxford Breakfast Tea (which is their own blend similar to English Breakfast but slightly milder)

  3. Anything from Objects of Use, a home goods store with incredible high-quality home and garden objects that have a very specific use

    • I bought my dad a cleaning scrub for the grill and dishes here

  4. Oxford sweaters, notebooks etc.

    • Super cute Christmas tree ornaments at the gift shop by the Weston Library

  5. A Blackwell's library tote bag which you can get within the library (about 8 GBP)

    • And a book from Blackwell's! I love the book Babel which is fiction but based in Oxford and written by an Oxford alum


Mansfield College


All Souls College


Magdalen College


Lincoln College


Old Bodleian Library


Sheldonian Theater


Duke Humphrey's Library


Oriel College


Christ Church College's chapel and cafeteria


Port Meadow with the horses and the Medley restaurant


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