Radcliffe Square

Explore Oxford, the city of Dreaming Spires, on a walking tour with an expert guide from the city’s tourism board. Be shown the city’s most famous sights, uncover its hidden history, and enjoy all the astonishing stories about Oxford's key characters- real and fictional. Meet your guide at the grand and very old Broad Street (once the city's ditch) let them know where you come from and any special Oxford interests you may have and they will do their best to incorporate those.  Go to Martyrs' Memorial, the scene of terrible religious retributions in medieval times, and on to the oldest tower at St Michael of the Northgate built in Saxon times. Then, make your way to the very heart of the University and the inspiration behind Harry Potter's Hogwarts School. Pass by the pubs where the Inklings used to meet to discuss their writing as well as the pubs where Inspector Morse was filmed and the most popular student drinking holes in days of old. Discover the city that is home to several of Britain's most famous literary characters - both fictional and real - such as JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis, Philip Pullman, and Colin Dexter as well as some of their most famous creations like Lyra and Will, and Inspector Morse. Admire Oxford's stupendous architecture, gargoyles and grotesques, so wonderfully preserved from every historical period and style, and take a stroll through the breathtaking Radcliffe Square. Cross the whimsical Bridge of Sighs as it's fondly known, just like the ones in Venice and Cambridge. See the Bodleian Libraries from the outside in the splendid Old Schools Quadrangle. Learn about the city’s famous museums including the Museum of the History of Science, containing Einstein's blackboard, The Pitt Rivers, once home to shrunken heads, and the fabulous Ashmolean, which was one of the very first ever museums in the world. If time allows, walk as far as to the beautiful Christ Church Meadows, where punting happens and cattle graze; a truly pastoral and quintessential English scene.

Our guides, Cambridge alumni or students, blend personal experiences with a passion for the city's history and architecture. Our 90-minute tour covers highlights like Balliol College, Trinity College, Sheldonian Theatre, Bridge of Sighs, Old Bodleian Library, Radcliffe Square, All Souls College, St Mary’s Church, Merton College, Christ Church College Meadows and South Wall. Take a fascinating walk through Oxford, where pivotal moments in history come alive. Explore landmarks like the lamp-post that inspired Narnia and the architecture that influenced His Dark Materials. Visit the meadows where Lewis Carroll first told the story of Alice in Wonderland, and marvel at some of the world's finest Gothic and Baroque architecture. Oxford is a city brimming with intriguing stories waiting to be discovered. Add the option of a self-guided visit of New College at the end of the tour to if you want to admire one of the most beautiful colleges in Oxford. Oxford's vibrant student life adds a unique touch to our tours. Our guides are either Oxford alumni or current students who blend their personal experiences with their passion for the city's history and architecture. They offer insights into student life, from BOPS to secret societies, and reveal which colleges are the oldest, the poshest, and the most quirky. Experience the true essence of Oxford in the words of its brilliant students. This shared walking tour is takes place outdoors. **Indoor access to structures is not included unless specifically booked as an additional option.** For possible entry to specific colleges, we recommend arranging this in advance.

Developed by the University of Oxford’s central library, the Bodleian Libraries, in partnership with the Oxford Guild of Tour Guides, our popular city of Oxford walking tour will take you on an engaging journey that will reveal the secrets of this historic city. Starting and ending at the Weston Library, you will see beyond the remarkable spaces of the Bodleian Library in this walking tour; taking in the historic streets of Oxford and following in the footsteps of famous authors, scientists, politicians and film stars. As part of the tour you will see inside the oldest teaching room in the University: The Divinity School; as well as the exterior of the Bodleian Library, the Radcliffe Camera and the streets surrounding the central Bodleian site. All our walking tours are conducted by accredited, qualified guides.

Discover all the key haunted places in and around Oxford on a nighttime walking tour loosely based on the book 'Haunted Oxford' by local author Rob Walters, just one of the experienced and talented Guides. Experience the best way to 'see' Oxford’s ghosts on a route that takes you around the heart of central Oxford and its University. Meet your guide and get whisked away into the night, starting on the corner of Turl Street and Broad Street, which was once the city ditch and site of terrible murders and religious persecution. Learn about the history of Oxford and hear many splendidly spooky stories dating back to Danish Viking times. Walk past Oxford University, Radcliffe Square, and peer into the Old Schools Quadrangle - of Harry Potter fame. Admire the gorgeous and imposing architecture of Oxford and feel the history in the walls, which are well preserved and represent every period of architecture from Medieval through Classical to modern.  Look up at the Bridge of Sighs, so-called as it is reminiscent of the one at Venice which led prisoners to their doom. Wind down the ancient walled lane to New College, built in the late 1300s, and see its dark gates against the gloom.

Meet your guide outside Oxford's famous Ashmolean Museum with its fine collections of art and artefacts and start your walking tour. Pass by the Martyr's Memorial, dedicated to the Oxford Martyrs, and sop in Broad Street, close to where the old city wall used to be. From here you begin to expand your knowledge about the history of the University.  Get a chance to visit a typical college of the university with its quaint quadrangles and see how the students live and work. Continue your tour and pass by the Sheldonian Theatre, the University's ceremonial hall and then head to the quaint Bridge of Sighs.  Enjoy some time for a photo in front of the bridge and before visiting the Old Schools Quadrangle of the Bodleian Library, where Harry Potter was filmed.  Stop at charming Radcliffe Square with its cobblestones and the splendid Radcliffe Camera. See several colleges in this area before the tour continues to Christ Church Meadows. Marvel at the location of Christ Church College, where Alice in Wonderland was inspired and Harry Potter was filmed.  Walk back towards the Carfax Crossroads, the very centre of the city and have a chance to window-shop as you walk through Oxford's Victorian Covered Market. Your tour finishes in the Cornmarket, giving you an opportunity to enjoy lunch in one of Oxford's pubs, cafes or restaurants or to explore the shops in the Covered Market or the modern Westgate Centre.

Overview The Classical Historical and Architectural Highlights Tour explores Oxford's iconic landmarks and hidden gems while uncovering the history and personalities of the oldest English speaking university in the world. This tour will introduce you to over 1,000 years of traditions and change on a gripping and agreeably informative stroll through the city centre. Led by an Institute of Tourist Guiding professional and Guild of Guides member, you’ll explore: The city's origins from Anglo-Saxon times Stunning architecture, libraries, and student life today Oxford's history through stories of patrons, artists, politicians, saints, scholars, rebels, and martyrs This tour meets and finishes in the heart of the city and includes practical tips to enhance your stay in Oxford. The route also passes famous film and television locations, and literary landmarks. It offers surprising insights into: How the University is organized The waves of history that shaped Oxford University life, past and present Highlights include: Martyrs memorial University Church of St Mary the Virgin CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien in Oxford Bodleian Old Schools Quad Sir Christopher Wren’s Sheldonian Theatre 15th Century Divinity School Anglo-Saxon Tower - the Bocado Gaol Radcliffe Square Colleges around every corner

This thrilling 3-hour Oxford top 10 highlights walking tour takes a journey through 1,100 years of history and visits the city’s must-see highlights. Starting from the heart of Oxfords historical centre, home to almost 40 colleges, your expert local guide offers a wonderful engaging tour through the vibrant historical streets of Oxford visiting both well-known sites and hidden gems where visitors can see, and experience so much more, than they could on their own. Included will be a visit to the 14th Radcliffe Square containing the most memorable of Oxford’s buildings such as the Old Schools Quadrangle, the Bodleian Library in addition to the magnificent 15th-Divinity School as well as the Tower of the Five Orders. Following in the footsteps of an expert award-winning local guide will lead you on an intriguing interactive tour experience peppered with great stories and insights as well visits to unique locations such as Halley’s House where the world-famous Astronomer, Edmund Halley had his observatory where he discovered the comet that now bears his name. Tour participants on this truly unique top-rated tour will also have a chance to take memorable photos as they explore the historical streets of Oxford. This tour will also visit Merton Street where guests will step back in time and pass not only some of England’s oldest colleges but also take a phot outside the most famous Examinations Schools where students take their final exams. The tour finishes in the perfect city centre location to continue your extraordinary visit to one of the most famous University locations in the world

Discover the history of Oxford, the collegiate system, and the famous alumni who studied and taught at the university. There are 38 colleges at Oxford University, but the tour will be focused on Exeter College, which continues to welcome students of the fine arts nowadays. Learn from your local guide interesting facts about Pre-Raphaelite artists. The group sought a return to the abundant detail, intense colors, and complex compositions of Quattrocento Italian art. Also, discover the history of two artists that were part of this movement, William Morris and Edward Burne Jones. This tour includes special access not normally open to the public otherwise, to see inside the Victorian library at the Oxford Union. This venue is where our famous artists created Arthurian legend frescoes, when they were amateurs. Finally, as and when open, we will visit Exeter College with its chapel and the Magi tapestry. A passageway from the Front Quadrangle leads through to the college's Fellows' Garden. Enjoy the best views of Oxford and spot Radcliffe Square, including All Souls College and the Radcliffe Camera. Notice: if Exeter college is closed, I will forewarn you before the tour. However, there are alternative venues we could replace entry to a college of the university of Oxford, such as Keble college.

I am new to Get Your Guide, but have been a tour guide in Oxford for the past 5 years and have many 5 star reviews on a different website. Oxford’s city centre has, within a relatively small area, hundreds of years of history which we will be experiencing by walking for a couple of hours. We will tour the famous sights and learn about the culture, reasons and history behind what we see. We will hear about the famous Oxford personalities, who shaped the world and learn about their world. We will also discover more hidden places, the ones tourists (and many locals) don’t know about. I will point out the locations of world famous films and the stunning hidden architecture. This is a tour for very small groups as I want you to feel comfortable and able to ask questions. If there is any particular requirement, just ask and I will do my best to accommodate you. We will meet outside the Randolph Hotel, on Beaumont Street, opposite the Ashmolean Museum and start our adventure from there. We will talk about the history that shaped this amazing city and most of the Western world. Admire the Ashmolean, Martyrs' memorial, Saxon Tower, St Michael at the North Gate. We will step back in time and learn about the Castle and Prison. Be transported back to times when Carfax was part of a church and the Covered Market was opened. We will admire Radcliffe Square with its Camera, St Mary the Virgin and Bodleian Library. And of course we will visit Hertford Bridge, the Turf Tavern, see the City Walls, Bath Place, Clarendon Building, Sheldonian Theatre, Blackwells and many other amazing sights and will finish very near the starting point.

N.B. Despite being new on this site, I have been living in Oxford for several decades and I have been a tourist guide in Oxford for more than five years. If you want to Legere Review on my tour, you can find them on Airbnb Experiences. The center of Oxford has everything you can want for a trip. Within an area not particularly large, we find hundreds of years of history that we will explore walking for a couple of hours. We will see the monuments and buildings that have made Oxford famous all over the world and we will immerse ourselves in culture and history that have forged what you will see. We will talk about the famous personalities who have influenced our world and discuss their curious details of their world. Not only do I will show you places where very famous films have been shot, but I will also make you discover hidden specimens of architecture. This tour is ideal for small groups, because I want you to feel comfortable and you can ask me all the questions you want. Let me know if you have special requests and be the best of my best to accommodate you. During our walk we will admire the Ashmolean Museum and that of the history of science, we will visit the church of San Michael at the North Gate and talk about its tower, visit the castle and learn its history, we will immerse ourselves in the most beautiful square, Radcliffe Square , and we will know his monuments. We will admire the University Library, the Sheldonian Theater and the Edicifio Clarendon, as well as pass alongside the Sassoni walls and visit the magnificent covered market.