Top Oxford How to Get Around in 2026

This charming Cotswolds tour of Downton Abbey locations is the perfect way to see both filming locations from the hit TV series and some of the most beautiful parts of the internationally renowned Cotswolds. Led by one of our highly experienced and very friendly Oxford Guild of Tour Guides guide, they will make your tour a day to remember by revealing a range of stories about the local area, details about the filming of the phenomenally successful series, and hints and tips about how to make the most of your time in the UK.

This tour offers something few others do: the chance to experience Oxford both on foot and from the water, all in one visit. Enjoy a full Oxford experience by combining our 90-minute student- or graduate-led college walking tour with a 30-minute chauffeured punting tour—a perfect way to take in the city’s history and beauty. The tour is outdoors. If selected when booking, AFTER THE WALKING TOUR ENDS, your experience can be enriched with a self-guided visit to New College, one of the university’s most historic and picturesque colleges. Then, without needing to plan a separate activity, you’ll step into a traditional punt and be taken along Oxford’s quieter, greener side. As you glide past the Botanic Gardens, Christ Church Meadows, and the banks where Lewis Carroll once walked, you’ll see a view of the city that most walking tours simply don’t reach. It’s a well-balanced way to enjoy both Oxford’s rich academic tradition and its peaceful riverside setting—all in a single experience.

Hosted by Simon, a Chipping Norton local with a farming background and inside knowledge of the area, this is a relaxed, personal way to discover the places connected with Clarkson’s Farm. With a maximum of seven guests travelling in a luxury Mercedes V-Class, this is a friendly small-group tour, not a coach trip. There’s time for conversation, local stories, photos and enjoying the places we visit without feeling rushed. This is a friendly small-group tour, not a coach trip. You’ll see the places from the show you expect — and some you won’t. I deliberately don’t advertise every filming location and local stop in advance, so part of the fun is discovering them on the day. Join as strangers, leave as friends. Spend the day like a local.

Head off on a scavenger hunt around Reading with an interactive smartphone app. Aim to find nearly 120 objects across the city, taking a photo of each one to score points. With varying points based on the difficulty of locating the object and a leadership board built into the app, you’ll be able to unleash your competitive spirit while also rapidly getting to know Reading.

Walk around Oxford while trying to survive the zombie apocalypse with Zombie Scavengers! On an app, you'll be given a list of items to find (in any order you choose) to help you survive a zombie apocalypse. You'll get points for finding these items, as well as completing some zombie themed challenges. Figure out the best game plan to get the most points in order to survive. A remote host will chat with you during the game if you have any questions. Prove you can survive the zombie apocalypse in Oxford for bragging rights with all your friends!

Using an app on your smartphone, you'll be given nearly 120 objects to find during your scavenger hunt. You'll then wander throughout the downtown area searching for the items. Once you've found the object, you'll send a photo in to score points. Along the way, you will perform challenges for even more points. You'll have 13 categories of objects you can find in this city walk, with each object varying in points depending on the difficulty. Don't worry, you won't be alone. You'll have a remote guide that will be texting you during your game if you need help or have a question. They will also encourage you and give you hints along the way! The objective of the game is to have fun, rank #1 on the leaderboard, and try to get as many points as possible by finding all of the objects!

Zombie Scavengers tests your ability to survive after a Zombie Apocalypse. The game leads you through the city, where you will have 60 minutes to collect survival items for your colony. The Setting: Small colonies of the living are doing all they can to survive. You and your team have been tasked with scavenging for survival supplies for your colony. You’ll only have 60 minutes to figure out which items you'll need and find as many items on the list as you can. Your Mission: With 1 hour and your team of up to 10 people, you will use your smartphone to search the area for much needed food, supplies, and shelter. Along the way, you will be asked to do some challenges or answer some trivia questions. The goal is to score at least 4000 points in 1 hour in order to survive the zombie apocalypse! PS. Our game is family friendly, no actual zombies are involved in the scavenger hunt.

Test your skills and see if you can survive the zombie apocalypse and experience Reading in a different way with this private, interactive scavenger hunt. Download the app to your phone, and gain points as you find survival items around the city or perform zombie-themed challenges. Includes access to a remote host for assistance during your 1-hour adventure.

Learn about Oxford’s long history and its world-famous university on this private walking tour with a Blue Badge-certified guide. Go beyond the guidebooks to get the inside scoop on life in the city, and hear anecdotes you won't hear elsewhere. Listen to fascinating stories as you walk around the city and colleges, admire landmarks such as Radcliffe Camera and the Bodleian Library, and enjoy guaranteed skip-the-line entry to Christ Church College.

Please be aware this tour is not available on Tuesday or Wednesday as Windsor Castle is closed on those days. Private tours beneift from a more individual approach to touring. Access to your tour guide for the entire day. A flexible schedule that can be change on the day should you wish. A hands on and personal approach to touring. Visit Oxford & The Cotswolds, all in a single day. The complete day taken care of, picked up and dropped off at your hotel. Learn and enjoy the history of these two fascinating destinations.

Join an exciting 60-minute walking journey through Oxford. Learn all the key facts about the city, dive into the local lifestyle, and feel its unique culture. From Tom Tower, Christ Church to Magdalen College, get to discover the city's most defining landmarks. Your Local will also share insider tips on the best cafes, restaurants, and lively bars in Oxford to ensure you get the most out of your stay. • See Oxford through a local's eyes, uncovering the city's true essence. • Discover Oxford's dreaming spires, showcasing its scholarly charm. • Get top local tips on the best bars, cafes, and restaurants to visit. • Maximize your time, discovering more of Oxford in less time. • Enjoy the intimacy of a small group, with a maximum of 8 travellers.

On this self-guided walking tour, you'll uncover centuries of executions, riots, and murders that shaped this seemingly genteel city. You'll also hear how religious persecution, medieval street violence, and courtroom curses left their mark on streets still walked today. The tour starts close to where three Protestant bishops – Latimer, Ridley, and Cranmer – were burned at the stake on the orders of Queen Mary I. You'll pass the History of Science Museum, now on the site of the world's first public museum, where fresh corpses from the town gallows were once delivered for dissection. Winding through Brasenose Lane and along Cornmarket Street, you'll hear about a fatal midnight brawl between tailors and drapers, the city's extraordinary medieval murder rate, and the 1355 St Scholastica's Day Riot, which lasted three days and left dozens dead. The tour ends at Oxford Castle, where a condemned servant named Anne Greene was hanged in 1650 – and somehow survived.

Wander. Discover. Explore Reading at your own pace on a 1.8-mile (3 km) circular self-guided trail through the town's historic streets, fascinating landmarks and unexpected details. With 21 stops to explore, questions and things to spot encourage you to see Reading differently and notice details you might otherwise miss. Allow around 2 hours, but there's no fixed timetable. Take your time and customize your experience — stop to explore, pause for a coffee or drink, skip a stop if you're short on time, or return to the trail later. At the end, use the answers you've collected to tackle one final challenge. Accessible with caution: please note there are curbs, uneven paths and cobbles due to the historic nature of some areas. Users follow the route at their own risk. Perfect for curious travelers, couples, families and friends looking for a different way to experience Reading, without a guide or fixed timetable.

Explore the rich history of Oxford, the renowned "City of Dreaming Spires," with a SELF-GUIDED AUDIO WALK that reveals the stories behind its iconic landmarks. This two-and-a-half-mile route covers eighteen notable stops, including Christ Church College, the Bodleian Library, and the Ashmolean Museum, allowing you to discover the city at your own pace. With insights from a Chartered Geographer, enjoy tales of Saxon origins, ghost stories, and architectural wonders while strolling through college quads and medieval streets. Ideal for history buffs and solo travelers, this flexible tour offers a unique way to immerse yourself in Oxford’s scholarly charm. - Wander through 18 historic sites at your own pace - Learn about Oxford’s rich history from a Chartered Geographer - Visit iconic locations like the Radcliffe Camera and the Bridge of Sighs - Enjoy flexibility with an audio guide on your phone that you can pause and resume at any time

Discover Oxford and the Cotswolds with our self-guided tour, exploring 9 centuries of academic brilliance and enchanting English countryside at your own pace. Begin among the dreaming spires of Oxford — the oldest English-speaking university city — where college quads, Gothic libraries, and dining halls that inspired the Harry Potter films stand alongside markets. Gaze up at the Radcliffe Camera dome, walk Christ Church College where Lewis Carroll first told Alice's adventures, and cross Hertford Bridge — Oxford's Bridge of Sighs. Then venture into the Cotswold Hills, where time stands still in villages of warm honey-coloured limestone. Wade through the River Windrush at Bourton-on-the-Water, photograph the medieval cottages at Bibury's Arlington Row, and climb Broadway Tower for views across 16 counties. From Blenheim Palace to the ancient squares of Stow-on-the-Wold and Chipping Campden, this tour weaves heritage and pastoral beauty across one of England's most treasured landscapes.

Explore the charming market town of Burford at your own pace on this self-guided walking tour, where every cobblestone has a story to tell. Nestled in the heart of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Burford boasts ancient streets lined with honey-colored cottages, quaint shops, and cozy pubs. Starting at Tolsey Museum, you’ll learn about its medieval role in law enforcement before strolling past landmarks like the Lamb Inn, Burford Priory, and St John the Baptist Church. Along the way, hear tales of ghosts, Civil War conflicts, and infamous residents like Lord and Lady Tanfield. You’ll also discover hidden gems, from the oldest pharmacy in England to a mansion tied to Parliament. Narrated by experienced guide Ian Grover, this 75-minute tour brings Burford’s past to life, offering fascinating stories, stunning architecture, and a true taste of Cotswold charm.

Walk eight centuries of Oxford science and medicine with a DPhil scientist, from Boyle's Law on the High Street to where the penicillin story began. Each place comes to life through printed historical images you hold in your hands. Story-led and small-group, with no science background needed. This is an exterior walking tour: we explore the colleges and gardens from the outside, so there are no admission tickets to buy and nothing extra to pay on the day.

Step beyond the veil of reality and discover the hidden Oxford that birthed the world's greatest fantasy epics. On this whimsical and nostalgic redthread tour, you'll trace the footsteps of Lewis Carroll, J.K. Rowling's cinematic wizards, and Philip Pullman's parallel universes. From a 15th-century sweet shop to the gritty canals of Jericho, we'll reveal how ancient academia, gothic architecture, and overlooked local spaces transformed into Wonderland, Hogwarts, and Lyra's Oxford. Join us to find the magic hiding in plain sight. - A 3.9 km self-guided tour with 7 stops over 120 min - Ideal for travelers interested in Pop Culture & Media Landscapes and Art, Design & Aesthetics - Immersively told in a podcast style by experts and locals - Matching audio content, AI guide and navigation through the app

Welcome to the Secret Oxford Walking tour, where you’ll take roads less travelled and see some of the city’s surprising features, along with its highlights. On this walking tour of the city, you’ll tread in the footsteps of some of Oxford’s most famous names, while sound effects and music enhance the sense of being transported back over a thousand years. Starting from Oxford Railway Station, you’ll hear about the city’s Anglo-Saxon origins whilst making your way through modern streets to its peaceful canal. I’ll share stories about dramatic escapes from Oxford Castle, clashes with Vikings, and how residents have fought for their independence over the centuries.

For centuries, Europe’s finest wool came from the Cotswolds, much of which was traded at the bustling marketplace that fueled the growth of Chippy, as the locals affectionately call Chipping Norton. On this self-guided walking tour of this ‘wool town’, made rich by the trade of sheep and their fleeces, you’ll hear about Chipping Norton’s history and lesser-known quirks, like how Lord William Fitzalan’s hilltop manor ended up forcing the whole town to move up the hill. You’ll go on to explore St Mary the Virgin Church, one of the finest churches in the Cotswolds, with its origins in the 10th century. You’ll find the Theatre Chipping Norton, a charming establishment that is celebrated for its productions today, but was hugely controversial when it was first built. On the high street, you’ll find out how, as the town grew, it became the backdrop for an alarming number of riots, reflecting changes in social history.

Oxford is a city where real and fictional worlds collide in Philip Pullman’s beloved fantasy series. On this self-guided audio tour, you'll explore the real Oxford locations that inspired Jordan College, discover filming spots from The Golden Compass and BBC’s His Dark Materials adaptation, and step into scenes straight from the pages of Pullman’s novels. From ancient college quadrangles to atmospheric lanes, you’ll experience Oxford through the eyes of Lyra Belacqua and her daemon Pan. The tour starts at Exeter College on Broad Street, the real-world inspiration for Lyra’s Jordan College. You’ll pass through the Covered Market where Roger would buy vegetables for Jordan College kitchens. You’ll also visit the magnificent Bodleian Library where the alethiometer is kept in Lyra’s world, and pass under the photogenic Hertford Bridge where Lyra and Roger were filmed fleeing from Gyptian children. You’ll see where many scenes from the adaptations were filmed.

Step into a world where intellect is carved into stone. This immersive journey through Oxford reveals the hidden narratives behind its world-famous skyline. You will discover how bloody street riots birthed the iconic collegiate quadrangles, why a classical master faked a medieval tower, and how the 'city of dreaming spires' became a battleground for architectural supremacy. Join us to decode the magnificent, the romantic, and the fiercely contested built environment of one of the world's greatest universities. - A 1.7 km self-guided tour with 8 stops over 96 min - Ideal for travelers interested in History & Memory and Art, Design & Aesthetics - Immersively told in a podcast style by experts and locals - Matching audio content, AI guide and navigation through the app

Explore Oxford’s iconic sights, uncover rich history, and embark on the ultimate academic adventure! Perfect for exam takers and curious travelers alike - celebrate your success and start your journey here. The world awaits! Solve puzzles, explore the city, and find hidden gems at your own pace. Try a new type of experience with your smartphone, the perfect mix between a walking tour, sightseeing, and a scavenger hunt.

The Oxford Beyond the Dreaming Spires Walking Tour takes you away from the well-trodden tourist routes and into the city’s hidden heart. Whether this is your first visit or you’ve already explored Oxford’s famous sights, this tour reveals a side of the city that many visitors never experience. Venture north of the historic centre, where many of the University’s colleges are found, including the pioneering colleges that opened higher education to women. Explore the striking architecture and innovation of the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, wander through the characterful streets of Jericho, and uncover the places where Oxford’s academic, cultural, and social life truly thrives. Along the way, you’ll step into lively neighbourhoods filled with independent cafés, historic pubs, acclaimed restaurants, and hidden corners loved by generations of scholars, writers, scientists, artists, and entrepreneurs. This is Oxford beyond the postcards. Beyond the clichés. Beyond the dreaming spires.