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A bit of help with Oxford plans

We will be arriving from an overnight flight to Oxford hopefully mid morning on a Saturday. I have requested an early check in at our hotel if it can be arranged. So the hope is we drop off our bags, get freshened up and get some lunch before sightseeing Oxford. Are there any good spots you would recommend for lunch?

We’ve lucked out on previous arrival days by having nice weather which has enabled us to stay outside to combat jet lag. I thought about booking a walking tour. There is a two hour option offered by the Bodleian Libraries at 1:30: Radcliffe’s Camera and the City of Oxford Walking Tour. Or, at 2:00, the City of Oxford Walking Tour (but this offers only exterior views of the Bodleian Library and Radcliffe Camera) Does anyone have thoughts on trying either of these on arrival day? I also wonder if we would be better served to just meander around and possibly go on a chauffeured punt ride?

If we chose not to do a guided tour on Saturday, there is the potential for a Sunday 90 Minute Tour to explore the Divinity School, Duke Humphrey’s Library and Radcliffe Camera interior. I would need to try to book this a month early and read that it can be challenging to get tickets. We head to Chipping Campden in the late afternoon on Sunday, so these are the only two days we have in Oxford.

I would love to hear feedback from anyone who has gone on any of these tours. How would they be affected by doing them on our first day? What would your plan be for a short stop off like this? Any great spots to eat?

Thank you all for your thoughts and advice!

Posted by
1909 posts

A fun place for a casual lunch would be the Covered Market. If you think that a walking tour might require too much focus, you could just take a stroll along part of the Canal Heritage Trail - just save enough energy for the return. Or just wander around the colleges and soak in the atmosphere. No need for structured activities on arrival day.

Posted by
29 posts

The Oxford Botanic Garden is really lovely and interesting and would be a good opening day event! It’s one of my favorites in all our travels! Make sure you make some time to walk along the river path too. It’s very beautiful! Head of the River is a fun pub with outdoor dining on the river.

Posted by
481 posts

I like the Turf Tavern for lunch - a quirky old pub where, supposedly, Bill Clinton didn’t inhale-which is near the Radcliffe Camera.

Outdoors at The Head of the River can be busy on nice days and it’s a good 10 mins walk from the old Bodlean etc but it is a nice place to go.

Posted by
3047 posts

I did the 90 Minute Tour to explore the Divinity School, Duke Humphrey’s Library and Radcliffe Camera interior a few years ago and it was excellent. Definitely worth doing if you can get a ticket.

Posted by
1017 posts

Thanks for the recommendations thus far. I think we will try to fill our half day on Saturday checking out some of those spots rather than joining a group tour. I don’t want to feel pressed to do anything and look forward to just easing into our stay.

wasleys, did you book that tour online or wait in the queue? I read on Reddit there has been difficulty obtaining tickets the month out from the date and time when using the online booking option. Some posted that if you are in line at the door of Weston Library at opening time, you might be better off as they hold a good chunk of tickets for in person ticket sales. Not sure if that is correct or not. I guess I can try to get up early for the month out and see if I can order and then if it doesn’t work, we’ll give the in person purchase a try.

Thanks again for the replies and suggestions!

Posted by
12433 posts

I will second Bill’s recommendation for the Turf Tavern. It’s a very historic building and very interesting with lots of turns and twists and nooks and crannies. And the food was very good. I enjoyed my lunch here very much.

Posted by
1486 posts

I would definitely do that 90 minute tour of the Bodleian library! We did it last year and it was great. However, tickets are hard to get so I wouldn’t want to risk missing it by booking it for the day I arrive. Plus I’d want to be awake for it (it’s one of the best things in Oxford in my opinion). You need to be online as soon as the tickets go on sale. At least when we went last year there were no tickets on the door, so unless that has changed that info is not correct. Turf Tavern is a great option- as is Kings Arms which is very old timey. Good luck with your trip.

Posted by
3047 posts

wasleys, did you book that tour online or wait in the queue?

I'd booked it well before I went.

Posted by
1017 posts

Thanks everyone! I’m glad I am an early riser. Maybe it will make things easier for trying to get tickets for that tour. I am already having flashbacks to when we tried for the Ceremony of the Keys tickets! Hopefully we will have luck on this attempt, too!