10 Reasons You Should Visit Oxford at Least Once in Your Lifetime

For the ultimate Oxford experience, take to the water and cruise down the river in a punt. It’s been an Oxbridge tradition since before the 1880s, so hire a punt, pack the essentials (strawberries and Champagne), head out on the river and pretend you’re the lead in a classic English rom-com.

Blackwell’s bookshop has to be seen to be believed. It’s the largest academic and specialist bookseller in the UK and home to the famed Norrington Room, featuring over three miles of book shelf space — the perfect place to get that hit of ‘real books’ smell. Oxford also has a rich literary history, from The Inklings (J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and co.) propping up the bar at The Eagle and Child pub to Thomas Hardy using the city as inspiration for the setting for Jude the Obscure, and Lewis Carroll writing Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, right here.

Oxonians appreciate the finer things in life, something backed up by the wealth of incredible cocktail bars in the city. For a seriously top-class cocktail experience, head to Raoul’s Bar, where you’ll be blown away by the creative cocktail menu and intimate surroundings. The Duke of Cambridge has been a stalwart on the Oxford bar scene since 1981, and is the place to go for delicious cocktails served by friendly staff. Cheers!

The architecture here is gobsmackingly beautiful. From the golden, stately university buildings to the atmospheric 13th-century pubs, wander through the cobbled streets of Oxford and let the beauty of the city sweep you away.

Oxford is a city with learning at its very heart; from the sight of students cycling past on their way to lectures or chilling out by the banks of the river, to the many illustrious college buildings that fill the landscape, the University and its legacy is everywhere. Each college has its own unique character, and with most open to visitors at certain times it’s well worth a look to see what lies inside these mysterious buildings.

Forget your multiplexes, if you want a cinematic experience you won’t forget check out Grand II listed The Ultimate Picture Palace on Cowley Road. Here you can watch recent releases from around the world, as well as old classics, in a beautiful Art Deco auditorium. There’s even a small bar at the back of the cinema, so you can enjoy a glass of wine while you watch the film. Sounds pretty good, right?

May Morning, celebrated on the 1st May each year, is an Oxford institution. This traditional celebration of the coming of spring kicks off at 6am, with the Magdalen College choir singing Hymnus Eucharisticus from the Great Tower. Soak up the atmosphere as the bells ring out across the city for 20 minutes, then immerse yourself in the fun that follows, with Morris Men dancing and live music.

Harry Potter fans should make the pilgrimage to the Great Hall inside Christ Church College, which was the inspiration for the Great Hall at Hogwarts in the films. The College, as well as the Bodleian Library, Duke Humphrey’s Library and New College were all used as locations in the Harry Potter films, and there are plenty of walking trails or tours you can follow to see for yourself.

There is a museum here for everything, almost. Whether you’re after an art fix – try the Museum of Modern Art – or want to come face to face with a dodo – that will be the Oxford Museum of Natural History – you’ll find it in this incredible city. Even if you think you’re not a museum kind of person, you really should check out Pitt River Museum, home to half a million objects from all over the world crammed into glass cabinets and filling any viable space on the walls and ceiling. Expect the weirdest and most wonderful collection of knick-knacks and oddities imaginable!

Step off the High Street into Britain’s oldest botanic garden and you’ll instantly be transported from city centre to an oasis of calm. This 17th-century stone-walled garden is a beautiful place to get away from it all, but if you’re after something a little less formal head to picturesque Port Meadow, the largest area of common land in Oxford. This beautiful open pasture features stretches of pretty meadowland teaming with wildlife.

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