Oxford

About

Famed throughout the world for its beautiful University and College buildings and 5 world class museums, (all free), Oxford is everyone's 'must visit'. With its own ice rink, open air pool (with free kiddie splash park), punting, river cruiser and steamer trips, Oxford offers a huge variety of things to do for all ages, all year round.



The City Sightseeing bus will take you on a tour of the city - it starts at the rail station - very handy if you arrive by train.
Harry Potter fans will want to visit Christ Church (whose Great Tudor Hall was the inspiration for Hogwarts') and where some scenes were filmed, New College and the Bodleian Library (Duke Humfrey's Library served as Hogwarts' library) whose Divinity School was Hogwarts' sick bay.



Probably the best way to explore Oxford is on foot with an Official Blue/Green badge guide, booked through the Tourist Information Centre on Broad Street. Official Walking Tours are offered morning and afternoon throughout the year (except 25/12).
You can hire a bike (on Broad Steet)or use shanks' pony to get around - almost all the sights are within a square mile. The Botanic Garden, designed as Britain's first 'physic garden' of medicinal plants, is a haven of tranquillity where you can watch punts drift by on the River Cherwell or listen to the crack of the cricket ball from the playing fields opposite.




Oxford's a foodie's heaven, the Covered Market crammed with individual shops providing specialist everything - from coffees to cheeses, from organic meat to sausages. Pubs, hotels and eateries abound, many offering locally sourced food, freshly prepared. Oxfords' a great place to relax with a drink and watch the world go by.



Oxford Playhouse offers drama, the New Theatre offers the 'big names' while the Pegasus Theatre hosts more unusual performers. Summer brings a mix of outdoor productions - from Shakespeare in the college gardens to a potted version of the Bible in a disused church. Music is Oxford's speciality - whether performed by the three choir schools at New, Magdalen or Christ Church colleges, or in the imposing Sheldonian Theatre, or by national and local bands at the O2 or Regal. There's always live music to listen to - somewhere.



There's accommodation to suit all tastes, from the 5-star MacDonald Randolph Hotel down to the comfy and convenient YHA next to the rail station.




Oxford's an excellent base to explore the countryside and attractions round about - from the Cotswolds to the Chiltern Hills, from the Ridgeway to the Ironstone Hills. Unspoilt countryside surrounds Oxford - excellent for walking, cycling, canoeing and horse riding trips.