Top Oxford Culture

Enjoy the iconic Oxford experience of punting on the River Cherwell without doing the hard work on this private tour led by an Oxford University student. Relax and take in views of key landmarks, colleges, and literary inspirations as you glide along the river with your student guide directing the punt.

Squeeze all of Oxford's most popular sights into one day with this small-group, full-day tour. Explore the oldest Colleges in Oxford with the knowledge of your Oxford student tour guide and step inside Oxford's largest College with its own deer park. Then, continue your tour with a trip back in time at England's most iconic library. Harry Potter fan? Upgrade your ticket to include access to Christ Church, the famed college.

Get an overview of the City of the Dreaming Spires on this guided, small-group walking tour. Pass by some of the key attractions around this historic university town, including Carfax Tower, Christ Church College, Queen’s College, The Bridge of Sighs, Radcliffe Camera, the Bodleian Library and more. Learn about the city’s long and rich history from your guide.

Explore Oxford University’s famous regatta course on this Thames River sightseeing cruise. Hop aboard your sightseeing boat in the heart of Oxford and cruise out onto the famous waterway. Learn more about the city’s rich history from your guide, and discover local landmarks such as Folly Bridge, Christchurch College, the Oxford University boathouses and the Meadows.

Follow in the footsteps of famous former residents like J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis—and discover many of Oxford’s top landmarks in just a couple hours—on this introductory walking tour. Meet your group in central Oxford, and set off on foot. You’ll see key attractions like the Bodleian Library and Sheldonian Theatre, will explore the university area, and you will see many of the elegant colleges from the outside. Note: book an afternoon tour to tour inside the colleges (subject to availability).

Discover the Harry Potter movie locations of Oxford on this walking tour. Visit the famous Bodleian Library to see the hall used as Hogwarts’ Infirmary in many movies, and view other locations in one or two of Oxford’s oldest colleges. As you walk, enjoy a fun Harry Potter quiz, and learn about Oxford University and other famous children’s books written in the city. Entrance fees to the Bodleian and select colleges are included.

See more of the picturesque Cotswolds than you could on your own on this full-day trip from Moreton-in-Marsh or Stratford-upon-Avon. Showcasing the region's must-see villages that can be tricky to find on your own, this excursion visits Bourton-on-the-Water, Chipping Camden, and lesser-known sights that many Cotswolds tourists miss. You have ample free time to explore, along with commentary and tips for places to eat or see through the day.

Learn about the long and rich history of Oxford University with this private walking tour for a group of up to 15 people. Hear more about the university from your professional guide, as you walk around and pass by several of the colleges, including Balliol, Exeter, Corpus Christi, Merton, Magdalen, and more.

Begin in Oxford’s historic heart, cycling past iconic landmarks like the Radcliffe Camera, Bodleian Library, and Bridge of Sighs. Hear stories of the city’s famous figures, from world leaders to writers like C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. Leave the center for peaceful riverside paths along the Thames, where rowing boats and tree-lined banks reveal a quieter side of Oxford. Continue to the charming village of Iffley, home to stone cottages and a beautiful Norman church. Ride onward to Port Meadow, an ancient landscape of grazing horses and open skies. With the ease of an e-bike, explore far beyond a walking tour at a relaxed pace. All sites are viewed externally.

Join a tour that dissects the long history of medical research and practice in Oxford! The history of medicine is always a bit uncomfortable. This tour walks you through medical history in the city from medieval plagues, to the founding of the medical school, and the first trials of penicillin. Far from a straightforward linear progression, Oxford’s medical history is a complicated conversation about health equity, medical ethics, and continued clashes over the control of the body. All our tours are led by university researchers who have completed our official Uncomfortable Oxford training programme. Our guides combine expert knowledge and performance, ensuring each tour is a fun and educational experience.

Discover Oxford’s highlights on foot and two wheels on this walking and bicycle tour. Set out by foot to visit the Bodleian Library, Christ Church, and other colleges as you learn about their history and former luminaries. Then, ride a bike to see the Radcliffe Camera, Magdalen College, places linked to Oxford’s literary heritage, and other sights. Includes entrance fees and bike usage during your tour.

The Cotswolds' prettiest villages are spread across narrow country lanes that coaches can't reach. This private tour puts in a luxury Mercedes-Benz handles the back roads with ease, delivering you to stops like Bourton-on-the-Water, Bibury, and Stow-on-the-Wold. Your itinerary is designed around your interests, with optional pauses at farm shops and village bakeries.

Learn about the making of Harry Potter at Oxford with this private walking tour. Visit filming locations in the Divinity School and the secondary film site at the Bodleian Library, with entry to another college if the Divinity School or Christ Church is closed on certain dates. Includes entry to Christ Church College, which you can explore independently with a self-guided audio tour.

Get some steps in while exploring the charm of Oxford at the same time with the help of a guide on this private walking tour through the city. See the top attractions in town through the eyes of a local, and delve into what sets Oxford apart and discover the town's rich history. See picturesque green spaces and diverse architecture alike—so there's something for everyone.

Make the most of your sightseeing by visiting three of England's top destinations in one day on this private tour from London. With hotel pickup and drop-off included, getting to the English countryside is easy. You'll see two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the ancient Stonehenge and Bath, famous for its Roman ruins and Georgian buildings (admission to the sights is at your own expense). Afterward, stroll through the charming Cotswolds village of Castle Combe before heading back to the city. * Avoid the stress of driving and let someone else handle all the transportation for you. * Experience several UNESCO World Heritage sites up close. * This private tour lets you avoid the crowds and enjoy a more personal experience. * Save time while exploring on this day trip from London.

Explore the ‘uncomfortable’ side of the Ashmolean Museum. This tour highlights the contentious histories within museum spaces, bringing forward discussions about colonial origins, object transferal networks, and requests for repatriation. It encourages critical thinking and engagement with the Ashmolean Museum, its collections, and its displays. Delving into the intricate layers of history behind the exhibits, this tour will provide insight into the imperial connections that led to the development of the first public museum in England. Through the questioning of labels, displays, and exhibits, this tour asks participants: What is the purpose of a museum? All our tours are led by university researchers who have completed our official Uncomfortable Oxford training programme. Our guides combine expert knowledge and performance, ensuring each tour is a fun and educational experience. The tour has been developed in collaboration with the Ashmolean Museum staff and curators.

Explore the university city of Oxford on a tour that showcases its highlights in just a couple of hours. The walking tour introduces you to many of Oxford's famous colleges and university buildings as you stroll around the city with a guide. Get recommendations for things to do and see in the city in your own time, and hear insider tips for Oxford's many restaurants.

The minute we watched "A Discovery of Witches", we fell in love with the characters, the setting, and the story. We already loved Oxford, the city of dreaming spires, and we rushed out to buy the whole trilogy of books in the series. From this, our "A Discovery of Witches"/All Souls Trilogy tour was born. Our "A Discovery of Witches"/ All Souls Trilogy Tour takes the hassle out of discovering the best locations from the hit TV series and the books. Our guide, who is a qualified member of the Oxford Guild of Tour Guides, will show you Matthew and Diana's Oxford and explain how Deborah Harkness created the book series from her experience of visiting Oxford and studying at Keble College. During the tour, we will explain the history of the locations you visit, detail any unique points of interest, and explain how these locations relate to both the books and TV series.

Explore the highlights of Oxford's two major art collections, at the Ashmolean Museum and Christ Church Picture Gallery, with an art historian and Sotheby’s specialist. Join me on a rich and entertaining journey through the history of European art, from Ancient Greece to French Impressionism. On the way, you’ll discover masterpieces ranging from Uccello's Hunt in the Forest, to Monet’s Sunset at Sea. Half way through, we’ll have a coffee break at Ashmolean’s Rooftop café. We’ll then walk to Christ Church Picture Gallery, part of Christ Church, one Oxford’s most famous colleges, to see masterpieces from their collection of mainly Italian paintings and drawings, including Botticelli's paintings of the Sybils, and Head of Young Woman by Verrocchio, one of the most beautiful drawings that remains from the Florentine Renaissance. During the experience, you'll be introduced to specialist skills, including spotting painting restorations and identifying 15th century paper.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Blenheim Palace is home to the 12th Duke and Duchess of Marlborough and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. Set in over 2,000 acres of beautiful Parkland landscaped by ‘Capability’ Brown, the exquisite 18th century Baroque Palace is surrounded by sweeping lawns, formal gardens and the magnificent lake. Discover over 300 years of history, architecture and artefacts Stroll around the majestic Formal Gardens and 10 other gardens Explore the Butterfly House and Stables Exhibition

There's more than open days to learning about studying at Oxford. Prospective students can get to know the different colleges and the application process on this private tour followed by a Q&A session with an Oxford or Cambridge graduate. The typical walking tour includes an overview of around 10 colleges from outside. When colleges are open to the public, you'll get to see inside two (please note: restrictions apply).

All aboard the Hogwarts Express! From the gates of Trinity College, embark on an enchanting Harry Potter experience with your witch or wizard guide. Receive your wands, and be sorted into Hogwarts Houses, before a visit to Oxford's own Flourish & Blotts. Enter the Bodleian Library Divinity School, where Harry was visited by Dumbledore in The Philosopher’s Stone. Wander through the medieval corridors of New College (founded in 1379), following the footsteps of Hogwarts students in the films. See the oldest dining hall in Oxford, where students have been eating in gowns for almost 650 years. Stand under the tree where Draco Malfoy tried to curse Harry Potter—but ended up transfigured into a ferret! Gaze at the windows of the Restricted Section of Hogwarts, where real-life books were also chained to the shelves. Dance where Professor McGonagall taught Ron Weasley how to waltz in The Goblet of Fire. Test your knowledge in our Harry Potter quiz along the way!

Explore Oxford’s historic town center and ivy-strewn university buildings on this bike tour. Cycle through the City of Dreaming Spires alongside a guide, and learn about the city’s history as you take in University of Oxford buildings where the likes of Oscar Wilde, J. R. R. Tolkien, and several British prime ministers have studied. This bike tour allows you to cover more ground than you would on a walking tour, as well as access pedestrianized areas inaccessible to tour buses.