Walking Tours of Oxford Takes Us on a Memorable Stroll

Last Updated on February 12, 2024 by Travelationship

One of our favorite walking tours to date! Walking Tours of Oxford had us captivated from beginning to end. It helps that Oxford is one of the most beautiful & historic locations in the world. Throw in a fun guide and a few famous Harry Potter and Narnia settings, and you’ve got yourself a fucking brilliant (said in a proper English accent) tour!

Let the Walking Tour of Oxford Begin!

Mathew, an Oxford graduate, was our tour guide. His knowledge and first-hand reminiscing of the campus were delightful. He told us stories and showed us little details that only students or longtime locals would know. The day we visited, it was quite cold, and even in the cold, the two hours flew by in no time. It was the first tour I didn’t get bored or space out and start playing with my phone.

Heather and Mathew, Our guide.
Heather and Mathew, Our guide.

The tour is also a great way to get a lay of the campus and town. If you only have a short time in Oxford, it can be overwhelming to decide what to see and what to skip. As Mathew walked us around, he made recommendations for places to eat & drink, and places to visit that weren’t part of the tour, and emphasized, which locations were worth a revisit. After the tour, we stopped in at every place he mentioned, and every place was spot on and worth our time.

 

The Radcliffe Camera in Oxford.
The Radcliffe Camera in Oxford.

Oxford Highlights

We took the Bodleian Library & Oxford City Tour, which consists of about 30 locations. The 2 hours is not filled with constant walking or any distances too far. The streets are flat, and the only part you may exert yourself is to climb the tower in the University Church of St. Mary the Virgin after the tour. The longest single stretch of walking was to Christ Church College, roughly a .5mile/.8 km distance.

The Christ Church courtyard in Oxford.
The Christ Church courtyard in Oxford.

I won’t detail or name every location we viewed, but I will tell you that the historical stories and the architecture of many of the places will leave you in awe. A few of our favorite facets were learning about the different colleges within Oxford. Each college catered to a particular type of student based on their sex, religion, upbringing, wealth, etc. Each college had a place of worship within the dorm area, and each was more intricate and captivating than the next. The details & the meanings behind the details inside each college and church/cathedral were astonishing.

Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford.
Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford.

More Oxford Highlights

The Bodleian Library is one of the main stops of the tour, and for a good reason. Here you will visit the Divinity School, built between 1427-1483. The room was originally built for the use of theological teachings but is currently used for special events. The room is spectacular, and if it looks at all familiar, it’s because you may recognize it as the dance hall in the movie Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Other famous locations include the inspiration for Alice in Wonderland, the twin towers in Lord of the Rings, and a few different Harry Potter locations. Plus a few spots & stories of famous people such as Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, Felicity Jones, TS Eliot, Hugh Grant & many more who have galavanted around campus.

Extra Tip: It’s not part of the tour, but if you get a chance, go back after the tour to see Duke Humfrey’s Reading Room. We didn’t make it back and have regretted it ever since.

Divinity School, Oxford.
Divinity School, Oxford.

Heather’s Favorite Location in Oxford

My favorite location of the tour was easily the door and lamppost, which inspired the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I wasn’t aware of this part of the tour, and when we stepped into the alley, it was the entrance to Narnia.

The Chronicles of Narnia door in Oxford.
The Chronicles of Narnia door in Oxford.

Matt’s Favorite Locations in Oxford

I am a huge Harry Potter fan, so the dining hall at Christ Church College brought me the closest to a real-life Harry Potter moment. A feeling hits you as you emerge into the hall, and you don’t need to know any information before entering. Otherwise, there wasn’t a single destination on the tour that I didn’t like.

Wall of portraits inside the Christ Church College Dining Hall.
Wall of portraits inside the Christ Church College Dining Hall.

Oxford Tour Extras

Two of the places Mathew showed us but did not take us in were the Blackwell Oxford Book Shop and the Museum of History of Science. These are two places you should make sure to return to after the tour. The Blackwell Book Shop is the largest bookstore in the U.K. You don’t need to spend a lot of time (unless you want to), but it’s definitely worth the walk around to get a feel of the enormity of the bookstore.

Blackwell Oxford Book Shop.
Blackwell Oxford Book Shop.

The Museum of the History of Science is a smaller-sized museum packed full of scientific gadgets. The museum’s coolest masterpiece is a chalkboard with a scientific equation written by Albert Einstein on 16 May 1931 during one of his lectures given at the University of Oxford.

The Einstein chalkboard at The Museum of the History of Science.
The Einstein chalkboard at The Museum of the History of Science.

Suppose you are headed to Oxford and have 2 hours to spare. If you would like to be entertained and educated as you learn the city streets, then absolutely sign up for a walking tour.

The Two Towers, from Lord of the Rings inspiration at Oxford.
The Two Towers, from Lord of the Rings inspiration at Oxford.

What to Bring on Your Oxford Tour

  • Good walking shoes
  • Water
  • Camera
  • Hat, jacket, umbrella – check the weather
  • Great attitude
  • Cash for tip
A glimpse of some of the inspiration for Alice in Wonderland.
A glimpse of some of the inspiration for Alice in Wonderland.

Travelasics

WebsiteOxford University Walking Tour With University Alumni Guide

Price – $28.18

How to get there – 5 Broad St, Oxford OX1 3AJ, UK. It will be outside Fudge Kitchen – look for guides in bright green jackets.

Travelationship Rating

4.5 out of 5 Travelationship High Fives. The history of Oxford is endless. At the end of the tour, we were left wanting more, which isn’t the tour’s fault. You have to be interested in history, architecture, or famous locations to get the most out of this tour. For the traveler who likes – adventure, romance, historical, bucket lister, famous places, architecture

Oxford Walking Tours 16

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13 thoughts on “Walking Tours of Oxford Takes Us on a Memorable Stroll”

  1. If you are going to travel blog, please at least try out honest traders who sell ticketed tours. Dont you realise that by choosing to join and then write about so called ‘free’ tours, what you are doing is helping to promote tax avoiders who don’t pay insurance and who undercut their competitors?

    Reply
  2. If I were to study in such a university, perhaps I would never want to graduate and get out of here 🙂 It’s such an iconic place!! Reminded me of harry potter sets as well. Such a beautiful university.

    Reply
  3. Everything looks spectacular, royal and magnificent in Oxford! I loved the courtyards and the interior of the cathedral! The walking tour of Oxford is an amazing idea.

    Reply
  4. What a lovely place..Your pictures are just amazing. I kept flipping around to see them again and again. This looks like monument more than an university. It is just fabulous.

    Reply
  5. Oxford has such a long and important history. So many world leaders, famed scientists, and other influential people have come through Oxford. And whoa is it gorgeous. This is definitely a tour that we’d like to take. Thanks for introducing it.

    Reply
  6. Oxford is one our favourite places in England. We have a couple of friends to attended the university and got married in one of the college chapels! Love your ‘f***ing brilliant’ tour comment – being English ourselves we totally appreciate that. It looks like you had a wonderful time on the tour and in Oxford generally.

    Reply

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