Oxford, England – 1 day Itinerary

Oxford is the only city in the county of Oxfordshire. Whenever I think of a day trip from London, Oxford is a recurring option on the list. The city is popular thanks to its university, which is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. Oxford University is also one of the best universities in the world; one of those universities everyone has heard about. Since we spent a day in Oxford, England, my 1 day itinerary explores everything we got up to.

8 Things to do in a day in Oxford, England

It was Bobo’s half term and as always, Mr E drove us from London to Oxford. As I always say, a day trip is not the time to do and see everything. With day trips, you have to pace yourself. As with Bath, most of what we did was free and I will mention where we paid anything and how much it cost. It is important to remember that Oxford is a university town. Every nook and cranny is a college or a bold reminder of what the city represents.

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1. Hertford Bridge aka Bridge of Sighs

Hertford Bridge is one of the most popular landmarks in Oxford. It is a skyway, which was completed in 1914, and connects Hereford College and New College Lane. It got its pseudonym due to its similarities to Venice’s Ponte dei Sospiri aka Bridge of Sighs. However, if you ask me, it is more similar to the Rialto Bridge than the Bridge of sighs lol. Hertford Bridge is still in use by students going from one college to the other. Today, it is a notable photo spot where you will find couples having a little “under the bridge” kiss for everlasting love!

2. The University Church of St Mary the Virgin

St Mary the Virgin has been the official church of the university since the 1200s. Talk about history! That is what you get with Oxford. It is steeped in so much history that you feel like you have been transported back to anglo-saxon times! St Mary the Virgin is a stunning Church. It has a baroque porch and an unmissable spire, which historians believe is the most beautiful in England. The Church’s interior is breath-taking; from the altar to the gothic Metzler organ to the pews, it is all too exquisite.

We went up the university church of St Mary the Virgin for a skyline view of the city. I had seen some pictures of the view but as one who is scared of heights, I was not keen. However, when it started to rain on our way back from Bodleian Library, we ran into the church. As we sat waiting, I decided to conquer my fears. We bought tickets at £5 per person and started to walk up the 127 steps! Going up the stairs was so claustrophobic but the view we met at the end made it worth it.

3. The Radcliffe Camera

The Radcliffe camera is a striking building built in the 1700s. It is positioned just in the centre of Oxford, which makes it a focal point of the university. The Radcliffe Camera is actually an academic library, that houses the Radcliffe Science Library.

4. The Bodleian Library

The Bodleian Library is the main library in Oxford University and of course, one of the oldest libraries in England. With Oxford, every structure falls into the “oldest” categories. It is also the 2nd largest library in Britain after the British Library in London. The Bodleian Library houses some of the earliest manuscripts and books such as the Gutenberg Bible from around 1455 and Shakespeare’s First Folio from 1623!

5. Kings Arms Pub

Built in 1607, King’s Arms is the oldest pub in Oxford and a popular one with the scholars, professors and tourists. King Arms is located just at the corner between Parks road and Hollywell street. It also claims to be the “brainiest pub in Oxford”, known for having the highest IQ per square foot! How was this even measured? LOL!

6. Contrasting buildings Old vs New

Just where the Kings Arms Pub is located is the most perfect juxtapose you will find in Oxford. Standing across from the pub, to your left is the pink building, which looks modern. To the right is the typical, Oxford honey coloured building. These two contrasting buildings stand out, as they are right in the middle of the city, across the Bodleian Library. I remember standing there and just being mesmerised and confused tbh. If the King Arms was built in 1607, why does the building look quite new? Was it changed as the years went by? Did it look like the honey coloured building to my right? So many questions I’d like answers to one day!

7. St Michael at the North Gate

The oldest church tower in Oxford from 1040 AD is also Oxford’s oldest building. Yes, you read that right. It is a saxon-style architectural masterpiece and the tower allows for panoramic views of Oxford’s spires. I wanted to go up but I thought one tower was enough for one day.

8. Blackwell Bookshop

What else is there to do in a university town? Visit a bookshop of course! Oxford has so many bookshops dotted all around so finding one to get lost in is not difficult. We stopped at Blackwell as I had seen Barack Obama’s A Promised Land mock up set in the window. The top half of the building also reminded me of the Bruges city center. I went in and was greeted by a friendly book-keeper. We went around for about 15 minutes and as usual, I made a note of new books to buy.

Blackwell bookshop is also one of the largest bookshops in the world. It was built in 1879 and there are over 150,000 books on the shelves.

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Oxford University Colleges

Oxford University has 39 colleges dating all the way back to the 1200s. A day trip to Oxford is not enough to explore all 39 and they were not open to the public when we went. Although it is amazing to explore the UK now, a few things are being closed off due to the pandemic. Therefore, this is one I have saved for my next trip. I will most likely get a private tour just so I can ask all the burning questions I have lol!

Oxford, England – 1 day Itinerary: Where To Eat

Oxford has so many spots to eat and numerous tearooms as well.

The first thing we actually did when we got in was to find a spot to have an early lunch. The journey was just over 2 hours and we had left London without breakfast so the hunger was intense.

The Ivy Brasserie – The first spot we saw was The Ivy! I always joke that if there is an Ivy franchise in the area, it will find me haha! I had a burger; Mr E and Bobo had steak. There is a familiar feeling in the Ivy and you know what to always expect..

Vaults and Gardens – The plan was to actually stop here for brunch. I had seen it online and since we were going to start wandering from the Church of St Mary, it made sense. Vaults and Gardens is literally next to the church but we soon realised they were not serving lunch. We went back later in the day for some sandwiches for our drive back home.

“Whatever you do, do not leave Oxford without visiting The Grand Café”

The Grand Café – The Grand Café is on the site of the oldest coffee house in England. It is said to have been there since 1650! We went in for hot chocolate, coffee and cakes! One thing you will always find in English countryside is an abundance of tearooms.

Oxford, England – 1 day Itinerary: My exact route

We parked our car at Oxpens car park and walked to the city center. Our first stop was The Ivy for an early lunch. Then, we walked to the church of St Mary the Virgin. Behind the church is Radcliffe Camera. As we were unable to go inside, we went to Bridge of sighs. From Bridge of Sighs, we walked to the Bodleian Library, King’s Arms and the contrasting buildings. A few steps away was Blackwell’s bookshop. We walked from the bookshop to St Michael at the North Gate and from there we went back to the Church of St Mary!

Aside from driving from London to Oxford, there are options to go by train and bus. The trains run from Paddington or Marylebone all the way to Oxford!

Oxford, England – 1 day Itinerary: To visit Oxford or Not?

100% yes! Oxford is the perfect day trip from London. I also think it is one of those cities where you can see everything in a day. Well, except you are trying to see all the colleges. Otherwise, I highly recommend for a day trip. Oxford is an easy one to walk around and enjoy. You literally park your car or hop off the train and spend your day walking. Everything is in and around each other so you really don’t need a bus to take you anywhere. This is especially if you are looking at a 1 day itinerary and wish to maximise your time.

Our day trip to Oxford reminded me of our day trip to Bath. There is a mélange of the historic and new which makes the city just that extra special. I’m definitely going to be visiting the city in the future once everything opens up again. Until then, I’ll be making some more day trips from London!

Bisous, Bugo x