Oxford Tours & Day Trips

The most beautiful thing in England

What our customers say about our Oxford tours

The Grandeur of Oxford

Wilde called it the most beautiful thing in England. Yeats said it's so pretty that one would expect its residents to sing instead of speak. Matthew Arnold called it that sweet city with her dreaming spires. Three writers, three centuries apart, and all of them struggling to find words adequate to the place. You'll understand why when you get there.

There's little we can write about tours of Oxford England that hasn't been said better by someone smarter than us. So rather than wax lyrical about the whole thing, we want to take you there to see it with your own eyes.

Whether it's dusted in snow, glowing in the late afternoon sun, or snuggling up to a cozy rainstorm, a day trip to Oxford is a dream. Wander the canal and you'll see more than ducks, dogs and beautiful scenery. You'll see locals who love where they live, you’ll lose yourself in the treasure-trove shops, and you’ll feel closer to history than you expected the moment you step inside one of Oxford's famous colleges. The only problem with Oxford is deciding where to start, and that's a problem most people are happy to have.

How far is Oxford from London?

Oxford sits around 60 miles northwest of London, roughly 90 minutes by road. It's one of the most popular day trips from London for exactly that reason, close enough for a comfortable full day out and far enough to feel like a proper escape from the city. And the drive through the Thames Valley is the kind that makes you put your phone away.

What is Oxford famous for?

Its university, mostly. Around 1,000 years old and made up of 38 independent colleges, it's one of the most prestigious in the world and the reason the whole city looks the way it does. Wilde, Tolkien, Lewis Carroll, and Stephen Hawking all spent time here. It's the kind of place that has a habit of producing remarkable people, and an even stronger habit of inspiring them.

What movies and TV shows were filmed in Oxford?

More than most people realise, and in more places than you’d think. The Bodleian Library doubled as Hogwarts in Harry Potter. His Dark Materials and A Discovery of Witches used Oxford’s colleges as their backdrop. Saltburn filmed at Magdalen and Brasenose. And Inspector Morse has been wandering these streets since 1987. Half the fun is spotting the locations. The other half is having someone point out the ones you’d never find on your own.

How long do you need in Oxford?

Most of our Oxford tours give you around two to three hours in the city, enough time to take in the colleges, wander the streets, and get a proper feel for what makes Oxford so hard to forget. The city rewards every visit differently, which is why so many of our guests find themselves booking again the following year.

What's the best time of year to visit Oxford?

Honestly, any of them. Spring brings blossom along the canal and the city at its most photogenic. Summer is busy but alive. Fall turns the gardens golden and thins the crowds. And winter in Oxford, with frost on the spires and log fires in the pubs, is one of the best-kept secrets in English travel. The dreaming spires do something particularly good in low light.

Can I combine Oxford with the Cotswolds on a day trip?

You can, and most people do. Several of our tours pair Oxford with the Cotswold villages, taking in Christ Church and the Bodleian, before heading out to Bibury and Burford in the afternoon. It's one of those days that tends to make people immediately start planning when they're coming back. Browse our Cotswolds tours to find the right one.