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Home » Europe

An American in Oxford: The Perfect Day Trip

By: Claire  On: August 19, 2015  Updated: January 23, 2025   2 Comments

A Day Trip to Oxford

While planning my trip to London, I thought about adding on a relaxing visit to Bath or possibly a day in Cambridge, but I settled on Oxford, both because it’s one of the most well known universities in the world, and because I had just read the All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness (which is now one of my favorite book series of all time).

If you’re visiting London, I highly encourage you to plan a day trip (or two!) to nearby cities. The English countryside is unparalleled in its beauty, and you’ll be able to discover all sorts of new things about the English culture that you might not get to see if you only stay in London

A Day Trip to Oxford

Getting There

I was shocked at how easy it was to get from London to Oxford. There are a number of different bus and train systems that will take you to Oxford, but I used the Oxford Tube. With coaches coming every 10 minutes, 24 hours a day, its timetable will fit perfectly to your schedule. You can buy your tickets online or from the bus driver, and a round-trip ticket costs only 14£!
A Day Trip to Oxford

Things to Do in Oxford

Oxford is one of the most beautiful towns, and I couldn’t stop smiling that entire time I was there. Although it’s a smaller college town, you’ll still want to stop by the tourist center to pick up a free map. I’d also recommend booking a tour of the Bodleian Library. A standard tour costs only 7£ and lasts about an hour (but go directly to the library to book for a specific tour because they fill up fast).
A Day Trip to Oxford A Day Trip to Oxford

To be perfectly honest, I didn’t even look into what the Bodleian Library tour would cover. All I knew was 1) it’s an old library and 2) I love books. Unfortunately, you can’t take photos inside the library because it’s still used by students, but Duke Humphrey’s reading room alone should be your number one reason for wanting to visit (it inspired the Hogwarts library in Harry Potter).A Day Trip to Oxford A Day Trip to Oxford

After touring the library, I started my trip around to all of the colleges. Oxford University is made up of various colleges. Unlike your typical American university where students from different colleges share various buildings, students at Oxford live and study in the same college building or quad. Visitors are able to go into the quads of each college and take a peek into the different college chapels and living areas. However, not all colleges are open every day and others have a small fee for visiting (anywhere from 1 to 5£ depending on the college’s size).
A Day Trip to Oxford

My favorite college to visit was Christ Church. If you’ve ever googled “Oxford University,” you’ve probably seen pictures of Christ Church College. One of the oldest colleges of Oxford (originally founded under Cardinal Wosely in 1524), Christ Church is also the most beautiful college. The building itself is stunning, and the park area surrounding it is a great place to have a picnic and enjoy the English sunshine.

As the name would suggest, Christ Church College is home to the Christ Church Chapel, which is simply beautiful. For all of you Harry Potter fans out there, the Great Hall was replicated in film studios to be used as the Hogwarts dining hall, and many scenes from the first Harry Potter film were shot in the hallways of Christ Church College.
A Day Trip to Oxford A Day Trip to OxfordA Day Trip to Oxford

Oxford has many boutiques and museums to visit as well, and I enjoyed my brief visit to the Museum of Natural History. By the time I got there, I only had one hour until closing, so I wasn’t able to explore it as much as I would have liked. Oxford is also home to the Ashmolean Museum, the oldest museum in the UK. I didn’t have time to visit, but I guess that just means I’ll have to go back. 
A Day Trip to Oxford

Where to Eat

There are plenty of mom and pop restaurants in Oxford, but if you’re looking for inexpensive, delicious food then a visit to the covered market is a must. The covered market is a collection of small stores and cafes, and I found the most amazing meat pie shop while I was there called the Pieminister. My venison pie made for a delightful lunch, and I ate in the Christ Church meadow while watching the cattle grazing. Talk about a picturesque English afternoon!A Day Trip to Oxford A Day Trip to Oxford A Day Trip to Oxford

Visiting Oxford just made me realize how much I want to go back to England to see more of the countryside. Have you visited cities in England other than London? What did you think of them? Let me know what I should add to my bucket list!

Signing off,

Claire

posted in: England, Europe, Oxford

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Written by Claire

Hiya! I'm the writer and photographer behind Tall Girl Big World. After being laid off from my corporate editorial job in NYC, I spent a year building up my freelance writing business before moving to Berlin, Germany in 2019. As of 2025, I've just received my permanent residence permit and can now officially call Berlin home. I've traveled extensively throughout Germany and share my top tips and recommendations in my detailed travel guides. I also write guides to my favorite European destinations (when my freelance schedule allows, that is!). Meet Claire.

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Maddy says

    August 19, 2015

    Bath definitely would have been my first choice, but after reading this post, I’m not so sure! Oxford looks so pretty and seems like there’s so much history to uncover! And I’m the biggest HP nerd on the planet so I need to visit here…and all of the other places that it was filmed.
    We’re in the process of planning a couple of Europe trips, and I think London will be the first stop next summer. It looks like Oxford might have to be included since it’s so easy to get there! You didn’t mention how long the Tube takes to get to and from Oxford though?!?? Great info and post!
    -Maddy
    http://www.travelalphas.com

    Reply
    • claire says

      August 19, 2015

      It really is worth a visit! And the the Oxford Tube takes about 90 minutes, assuming traffic isn’t too bad. There are a few stops along the way, but the ride overall goes by quickly. 🙂

      Reply

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Claire - Author of Tall Girl Big World.

Hiya, I'm Claire!

After being laid off from my corporate job in NYC, I packed up my bags and moved to Berlin in 2019. Tall Girl Big World is where I share my adventures in Berlin and beyond. You'll find detailed guides on my favorite European cities as well as my top tips and resources for living abroad.

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