Oxford

Renowned for its prestigious university, Oxford has a wonderful character and fascinating history. There is a wide diversity of cultures and attractions with many important historical buildings located here. It is very easy to get around Oxford and visit all of the sights.

The epitome of the city is, of course, its famous university. Oxford, as a university, is a collective term for a number of colleges. These include Corpus Christi, Balliol, Christ Church, Jesus, Merton New College and Magdalen. The university buildings themselves are some of the most impressive architectural structures in Britain. There are two museums dedicated to telling the story of the university and city, the Oxford Story and the Museum of Oxford.

Two other museums worth a visit are the Museum of Modern Art and the Ashmolean Museum. Christ Church College has become a popular destination since its use as the setting for Hogwarts Hall in the Harry Potter films. The Bodleian Library is an important historical landmark, and both the Carfax Tower and Saxon Tower have excellent views of the city.

The city centre market has a wide variety of dining options to choose from. Restaurants catering to all sorts of tastes are in abundance. There is much to do in the evenings as it is a university city and therefore full of students looking for entertainment.

Oxford has numerous pubs, clubs, bars and cafés to enjoy, many of which have live music, comedy clubs and other entertainment. Alternatively, there is drama, dance, ballet, opera and musical shows to attend at numerous locations throughout the city.

There is much to see in the area surrounding Oxford. For those who hire a car, there is a plethora of attractions on offer. The River Thames has many pleasant picnic spots, Cotswold Wildlife Park is an excellent family day out, and throughout the county of Oxfordshire you will find some remarkable structures. These include Blenheim Palace, the home of Winston Churchill, and Sulgrave Manor - the home of George Washington’s ancestors.

There is no main airport in Oxford, so most visiting the city fly into Birmingham Airport, London Heathrow or London Gatwick. All three airports offer hire car facilities as Oxford is any easy drive from all three airports. It can also be reached by rail or bus.