Visiting Oxford

I was asked via a comment, what I recommend to do in Oxford and I was a little embarrassed at the realisation that I have seen very little of all that Oxford has to offer. When I have the opportunity of a day out, I usually go further a field yet there is so much history right here on my doorstep. While I was a school, I visited various museums and a couple of colleges, but I have only visited one museum in recent years.

To see Oxford, there is an Open Top Bus Tour and there are many Walking Tours, you can find more information about these here.

Two museums I highly recommend are the Ashmolean – Museum of Art and Archaeology and The Pitt Rivers Museum of Anthropology and World Archaeology. (I remember the fascination of seeing shrunken heads, medieval instruments and totem poles when I was child.)

There are far too many colleges to name. During term time their doors are closed to the public but during the summer many are open to visitors. Top of my list to visit would be Christ Church, not least because of the Cathedral

If you are near Carfax Tower linger a while to watch the quarterboys hammer out the quarter hour and (if you are feeling fit) climb the tower for spectacular views over the City.

There are so many places to eat around the City. Many of the museums have cafes; Gloucester Green and the recently redeveloped Castle Complex both have a variety of restaurants. Within the remains of the Castle itself a new exhibition, Oxford Castle Unlocked, has recently opened.

People from all over the world make special trips to see the City I live so close to. Perhaps next time I go out for the day, I should be a tourist in Oxford.