What's so great about Oxford?

I'm British, and I don't know the answer to your question, as I don't find Oxford charming, unlike Cambridge. Perhaps some visitors have a different experience, and will be along soon!

Nowhere is a must visit location. That equally applies to London and Bath.

You will no doubt get a number of responses from people who say that Oxford is wonderful, that there is much more than the university to see and that you must go there. But equally, all of us could also name a large number of other towns and cities with equally good claims.

You don't have to go there if you don't want to, no matter what others say. If you give us some idea of what particularly interests you and how long your trip will be, we can all offer advice on what would be the most interesting places to visit.

Thanks @Johnew52
We are spending 3 nights in Bath. We can do a day trip from here as I don't think we'll need more than a day and a half in Bath. I was here over 30 years ago but remember loving it.

We are also visiting York for 2 nights. We could extend an additional night here for one less night in London and do a day trip.

We are ending in London for 6 nights. We plan to do visit Hampton Court and could probably do another day trip from here.

We like to shop, visit pubs, see beautiful scenery, charming towns, visit historical sights, and to just wander. We aren't big on spending all day in museums.

I believe I did visit Oxford when I was last in England which as I mentioned was over 30 years ago, but it didn't leave as big of an impression on me as York, Bath, and London did.

I know nowhere is a must do, but I was just wondering if there was something I was missing about Oxford since the people that recommended it seems so passionate about it. I suppose I should have asked them why at the time. Ha ha!

We enjoyed our time in Oxford very much but I would take that day and add to York. We spent three nights in York and felt like it wasn't enough. I would certainly want at least 3 nights.

I, too, prefer Cambridge, but they are similar in that the university is not a singular entity on a campus. It comprises separate colleges dotted across the city, plus museums and grounds pertaining to the colleges and faculties.

On a must-see list, I’d put Oxford after London, Bath and York. But, unlike Bath and York (in my view ), Oxford and Cambridge are quite doable as day trips from London. Many of the “university buildings “ in both places are colleges which are complete living places for students - rooms, dining hall, library, chapel and, often, a garden. In Oxford, these are typically built of attractive cream-coloured stone. It’s worth visiting one or two.

Oxford has 3 museums, the university-wide Bodlean library (best parts can only be seen on a tour) and many quirky buildings and features. I know less about Cambridge but I am sure others can sing its praises, but the river Cam flowing along the “backs” of the colleges is very beautiful.

It depends on what really interests you and how much time you have, but I think you’ll find a day in Oxford well spent.

Tourism in Oxford got a boost from the tv series Morse, followed by Lewis. The old colleges are lovely as are their grounds. There are some riverside pubs, a large market, a museum/art gallery. The Pitt Rivers is a unique museum. I personally preferred Cambridge of the two university towns. I would not give up a day in Bath to visit Oxford but it does make a good base to stay if visiting some of the surrounding area, for instance Blenheim Palace.

BethFL, do you mind sharing your 3-night York itinerary? I was feeling like it may not be enough time, but also when I'm planning what we want to see, it seems like it can be done in 2 days (we would take a later train to London on the last day).

Look at things to do in Oxford to see if anything calls out to you. I’m a firm believer in going someplace because there’s something of interest to you and not because someone says you have to visit.

We visited Cambridge a couple years ago as a day trip from London and will soon go to Oxford as a day trip. If should be a fun day away from the big city.

Edited: being Morse, Lewis, and Endeavor fans, we’ll visit some pubs and buildings seen in the shows. Since it is December we’re just hoping for decent weather.

jaimeelsabio, yes I did look and didn't see anything really that seemed like a must do for us. I guess I was looking to see if people had comments like "It's a stunningly beautiful city" or "It's like nothing you have seen before" or "The town center is fabulous and you must see it" or "It is amazing to just wander around the town". I guess I have my answer. :)

I'll probably start another post and just ask for some itinerary advice. Thinking Oxford probably isn't for us.

We went to Oxford as a day trip years ago because my husband had done a semester abroad there. Yes, he was an English major. So we revisited some of his haunts. But what really surprised him and me was the Pitt Rivers Museum. He hadn't been there before. It's like Grandma's Attic on steroids. Everything from all over when the sun never set on the British Empire. Skipping it and Oxford is fine if museums aren't your thing. I actually preferred Oxford over Bath but that's just me.

and we have had several people tell us to visit Oxford.

So, did we ask the several people why they think you should visit Oxford? Someone is telling you, that you should visit a place, but why? do their interest and yours intersect? I think that should be a key question.

I went to Oxford on a day trip. My only interest was to visit the Ashmolean to see three specific artifacts.

You say, “We like to shop, visit pubs, see beautiful scenery, charming towns, visit historical sights, and to just wander. We aren't big on spending all day in museums.”

Sounds like you’d adore Oxford.

Except you’ve obviously dismissed it for some reason so, hey! Just give it a miss. Hundreds of thousands of other people who find it charming, amazing, historic, enchanting, magical, and repeat-visit-worthy are probably just wrong, amirite? ;-)

Except you’ve obviously dismissed it for some reason so, hey! Just give it a miss. Hundreds of thousands of other people who find it charming, amazing, historic, enchanting, magical, and repeat-visit-worthy are probably just wrong, amirite? ;-)

Well, that is exactly what I was asking about. I never said they were wrong, nor do I think I implied that! Someone suggested I look at the attractions, which I of course already did, and they didn't seem to interest us much. So that just led me to say that maybe that was my answer. My point of the post was that I'm wondering if just the vibe of the city itself, attractions aside, is worth seeing and trying to understand why people love it so much.

as a local perhaps I'm biased, but I'll spend time in Oxford over both York and Bath - neither of them have all going on that is in Oxford and surrounds, but that's me.

And, for what its worth, I'll go to Cambridge in a New York minute over Oxford. In fact I do around once a week, whereas I'm in Oxford only half a dozen times a year.

I've been to York overnight only three times and I'm never in Bath for more than a couple of hours, but I have been there several times.