Where to Stay in Oxford

people walking in front of a building

The Best Areas to Stay in Oxford

Undoubtedly, Oxford is one of the most fantastical cities on the planet. Not only is it surreal knowing that you can wander through the same renowned streets as so many individuals who changed the world, but everywhere feels vaguely recognizable thanks to the city`s starring part in numerous film and TV classics – most famously, Inspector Morse and Harry Potter. Another otherworldly attribute of the city is its situation, wedged between two picturesque rivers, the stream known as the Cherwell and the river often called the Thames (but better known locally as the Isis), and several other tributaries and waterways. Roaming the meadowlands, plains, and parks adjacent to the waterways is one of the city`s great delights.

The central area dominated by the University of Oxford attracts most visitors to see prominent sights including academic institutions fantastically depicted as Hogwarts School in films. The Bodleian Libraries and Christ Church College sufficiently qualify on these counts as indispensable places within short city visits. Additional noteworthy colleges locally or historically include Magdalen (articulated `Maud-lin`), Merton, Queen`s, Balliol, New, Exeter, and Trinity among many. The University holds a scenic Botanic Garden & Arborterm; a church, St Mary the Virgin, with highest city perspectives from its spire; and the famed Sheldonian Theatre cupola compelling ascendance. Additional spots encompass Oxford Castle & Prison, partially dating to the 11th century, and the Covered Market, finding quality eats, coffee, quaint artisanal makers, and indigenous produce.

Just north of Oxford`s city center are the neighborhoods of Jericho and the University`s Science Area, which hold some of the city`s most famous attractions: the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology, the Pitt Rivers Museum, and the Museum of Natural History. A visit to any of these museums, all run by the University, is truly amazing. They are among the finest museums in Britain, and the Ashmolean and Pitt Rivers have unparalleled collections worldwide. Jericho borders the canal and leads north to the endless skyline of Port Meadow by the River Thames, while the Science Area proudly features the vast University Parks recreation ground on the River Cherwell.

This neighborhood lies northward to the genteel community of Summertown, famously home to one of the city`s best known individuals, JRR Tolkien (whose final resting place is just north of here in Wolvercote). Its main street offers a fine assortment of upscale boutiques and eateries alongside discount stores and places to search for a bargain. Various bed and breakfasts are scattered throughout, some providing more space than counterparts in the city center (as well as improved chances of parking), rendering it a suitable place to lodge if staying for an extended time or with children. It`s an easy 15-minute bus ride to the prominent museums and a brief walk to the River Thames and Port Meadow or the River Cherwell.

Leading southeast from the City Center is Cowley Road, well known for its many restaurants serving world foods, bars, and stores selling unique food items. However, Oxford’s soaring rents have made the streets in this area – just a short walk from Magdalen College – a very undesirable option, and this gentrification is swiftly modifying the mixture in this once diverse part of town. Nevertheless, it’s a great place to head to if you’re unsure what type of cuisine you want: within a few minutes on foot, you’ll pass excellent choices from every corner of the globe. Thanks to this assortment, this neighborhood makes a great remedy as a base if the impossible beauty of Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds is getting a bit too much for you. Alternatively, if you can’t get enough of Oxford’s fairytale feel, Cowley Road remains a great base as you’re near enough to the fantastic punting around Magdalen College and lovely river walks where the Cherwell and Thames intersect below Christ Church Meadow.

The Best Places to Stay in Oxford

a wooden bench sitting in the middle of a garden

Best Areas in Oxford for…

  • Best Region in Oxford for Sightseeing: City Center
    The city`s unusual perimeter, sandwiched between two rivers and protruding outward at the borders, causes the City Center to truly be the focal point of everything. The town emerged around its prestigious University of Oxford, which remains a primary attraction for most visitors to the town. There are such a variety of colleges and academic buildings that the entire City Center essentially functions as one large campus – it`s impossible to not see a great deal of it while ambulating around – but you`ll want to enter at minimum a few to observe their magnificent architecture, antiquities collections, graceful quads, and pastoral grounds. Most renowned are Christ Church college and the Old Bodleian Library, which not only represent some of the earliest and most beautiful of the university`s structures, but also feature prominently in a specific cinematic series about a young wizard. To the east of the center, don`t neglect Magdalen and Merton colleges; in pleasant weather, the Botanic Garden & Arboretum is delightful too. Most individuals will want to stroll down Broad Street, past the Sheldonian Theatre, the Museum of the History of Science, and the epic bookstore, Blackwell’s. On the city center’s western edge, head for the Castle Quarter. And in the middle of it all, you’ll find the Covered Market – a neat place to refuel and regain one`s strength.
  • Prime Location in Oxford for Nightlife: Jericho & Science Area
    Oxford isn`t renowned for its wild nightlife: don`t expect a great nightclub scene. However, as a student town, there’s plenty of theater, music, and trivia nights, and as a British country town, Oxford more than meets the minimum requirement for historic pubs. There’s a bit of everything in the City Center, and trendy Jericho and the nearby Science Area are great for a pub crawl to live like a local for the evening. The most noteworthy pubs to visit include: the Eagle and Child, a favorite of CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien; the Lamb and Flag opposite, with its wood paneling and open fire; and the Old Bookbinders, which has low ceilings, curios covering every surface, and surprisingly great food.
  • Top Area in Oxford for Cuisine and Eateries: City Center
    Oxford presents wonderfully for food lovers, partly because it is very walkable and partly because thanks to the large student population, it is reasonably priced. While exceptional eats can be found around the perimeter, the City Center has something for everyone. For street snacks and gourmet produce daily, head to the Covered Market. Terrific food stalls also populate Gloucester Green`s changing markets from Wednesday to Saturday. Two cafes sit opposite each other on the High Street, both claiming longest-running coffee shop in England (or Europe); fine dining exists at Quod, The Ivy, or No. 1 Ship Street; and maybe the best pub grub like the pies at The Head of the River, which also looks over the river from its patio like The Folly nearly across. Sushi and ramen too qualify among great Japanese alternatives in the City Center like the branch of admired tonkatsu ramen shop Shoryu and Edamamé for superb sushi.
  • Best Family-Friendly Area in Oxford: Summertown
    Summertown is a great option not only because there are plenty of accommodation options available, but also because they tend to be somewhat more spacious than elsewhere and usually have a garden and parking. It’s a family-oriented area and the main strip has many decent food places; thrift stores full of toys, books, and games; as well as a cute ceramics cafe and other spots aimed at kids. It’s an enjoyable 10 to 15-minute ride on a double-decker bus from Summertown to museums as well as the City Center, and the neighborhood is a brief walk from both of the rivers, Port Meadow, and University Parks. While the City Center will undoubtedly be where you’ll want to spend a lot of your time, you’ll be grateful to retreat to a more tranquil part of town to recharge.
  • Prime Area in Oxford for Novice Visitors: City Center
    For first-time visitors to Oxford University, focusing exploration on the historic City Center makes the most sense. Home to renowned colleges like Christ Church as well as the esteemed Bodleian Libraries, this area encapsulates Oxford`s academic roots. Additionally, many landmarks memorialized in television and film call this neighborhood home. Gastronomy and nightlife options abound here as well. Wandering streets lined with architecture both centuries-old and eccentric presents a lively sensory experience, like stepping onto a film set. Just north lie the world-renowned Ashmolean Museum and Pitt Rivers Museum, rounding out any tourist`s itinerary in this charming English city and its famed university. a large building with a clock on it
  • Most Romantic Area in Oxford: Amid the “dreaming spires”
    Numerous individuals have tried to capture the University of Oxford`s aesthetic appeal in words over the years. One that has stuck in our shared imagination was Victorian poet Matthew Arnold`s evocative idea of the city`s “dreaming spires”. To best appreciate them, take to the skies with your date. Whether you ascend the steps of the University Church`s tower, climb the Castle, shimmy around the Sheldonian, or go for a sundowner at the Varsity Club`s rooftop bar, you`ll be able to value the pleasing uniformity of Oxford`s honey-colored stone, its impressively carved cupolas, and the balance between man-made and nature that has been the backdrop to the formation of some of the world`s greatest minds.
  • The best part of Oxford for a local atmosphere is anywhere outside the city center.
    The neighborhoods of Cowley Road, Jericho, and Summertown are some of the most popular areas to spend time in after the city center, allowing one to experience local life. Cowley Road extends southeast from High Street past Magdalen College and heads toward The Plain roundabout. It is especially renowned for its variety of international cuisine restaurants. Jericho`s old worker cottages were modernized long ago, but the neighborhood situated between the major road leaving town northward and the canal has maintained its separation from the main tourist trail despite being just north of the Ashmolean Museum. It represents the ideal place in the city to embark on a pub crawl. One may be led to believe that all inhabitants of the upscale suburb Summertown have ample opportunity to savor a fine meal, coffee, or beverage, judging by the number of elegant restaurants, bars, and cafes located there. However, spending more time in the area reveals there are also many thrift stores, community centers, and other activities occurring indicating that Oxford`s population is more diverse than initially meets the eye.
  • Best Areas in Oxford for Walking: The city’s green spaces and waterways
    Gratitude to the University`s maintenance of its open areas, Oxford is one of the minimum city-like cities on the planet, with pieces of countryside and parkland running directly into its core. The vast majority of individuals who visit Christ Church will wander through its meadow, but take time to inspect the adjacent Botanic Garden & Arboretum. Opposite the Botanic Garden, Magdalen College`s facade conceals a lush wonderland within where the River Cherwell cuts through the college`s expansive grounds (it’s a superb place to go punting), which incorporate forested zones and a deer recreation area. If you’re interested in the additional reaches of the town, be sure to go to University Parks on the River Cherwell or Port Meadow on the River Thames. The former is an attractive landscaped park, the latter is common grazing land whose eerie flatness and lack of trees can play tricks with your sense of viewpoint. Follow the waterways in and out of the city for idyllic cottages, people out on their boats, and university students racing in rowboats. And pray for good weather.
  • Safety in Oxford
    Oxford is generally quite risk-free for visitors. The greatest threat, as in most European cities, stems from pickpockets or muggings, but the likelihood of either is low as long as valuables aren`t flaunted and surroundings are monitored.

The 8 Best Neighborhoods in Oxford for Tourists

a large brick building with a large window

1. Bodleian Libraries & Around

The Bodleian Libraries is comprised of the Old Bodleian Library and the modern Weston Library, and it forms the second largest library in Britain after the British Library. The Old Library contains several smaller sections, most famously the eye-catching circular Radcliffe Camera, but also the intriguingly named Divinity School and the 15th-century Duke Humfrey’s Library, both of which were featured locations in the Harry Potter films. You must take a guided tour to see inside. Meanwhile, at the Weston on Broad Street, there’s an exhibition dedicated to highlighting some of the Bodleian’s most famous books and scholars who have studied at the library. Be sure to also check out the library’s Clarendon Building which was originally designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor, a pupil of Christopher Wren, as the official entrance to the University. Additional sights of interest nestled amongst the library buildings include the publicly accessible tower at the University Church of St Mary the Virgin that provides the highest vista over Oxford, as well as Hertford Bridge, better known as the Bridge of Sighs, opposite the library on Catte Street. It connects the two halves of Hertford College and resembles the famous Rialto Bridge in Venice.

2. Broad Street to Gloucester Green

The Bodleian Library buildings mark the eastern end of Broad Street, one of the city’s most noteworthy routes. Further down this portion of “The Broad”, as it is known locally, is the Sheldonian Theatre, where the University’s commencement ceremonies are held. The primary attractions of touring the 17th-century construction include Christopher Wren’s ingenious engineering, the enormous ceiling mural, and the panoramic urban views from the Cupola. Next door, do not overlook the Museum of the History of Science, which highlights numerous beautiful antiquities as well as more modern curios such as a blackboard used by Einstein when he presented a lecture at the university and the original penicillin culture specimen. Across is Blackwell’s, a bookshop saturated in history, whose Norrington Room long held the worldwide record as the single largest room globally selling books – it’s quite a sight. Likewise along this street (or nearby) are Balliol, Exeter, and Trinity colleges, as well as the Oxfordshire Tourist Information Office and a bunch of charming stores and cafes. At the westernmost end, wind your way behind the stores to locate Gloucester Green, a modern square that now hosts lively markets Wednesday-Saturday.

3. Christ Church College & Around

Of all the colleges, Christ Church is considered the crown jewel for visitors. Not only is it one of the most open to the public, with an art gallery, cathedral, meadow, and the Great Hall, famously featured as Hogwarts` dining room in the Harry Potter films. Those interested in Renaissance art will appreciate the Picture Gallery`s collection including works by Tintoretto and Michelangelo. The college`s main entrance on St Aldate`s leads down to the picturesque Folly Bridge over the River Thames. Along the same street is the Museum of Oxford, run by the local government displaying a people`s history of the city, while the Bate Collection of Musical Instruments contains over 1,000 rare instruments crafted by distinguished makers.

4. The High Street

The graceful winding High Street is packed with University colleges, like Brasenose, St Edmund Hall, All-Souls, Queen’s, and the confusingly called University College, but the top choice for most will be the beautiful 15th-century Magdalen College (said `Maud-lin`), whose gorgeous grounds, which consist of a deer park, should be taken advantage of in fair weather. Opposite the college is the University’s lush Botanic Garden & Arboretum – it’s the oldest in the UK and houses more than 6,000 different plants across 130 hectares. Don’t miss the cluster of fairytale cobbled lanes simply south of the High Street with names like Magpie Lane and Logic Lane. They lead to Merton College, one of the original three colleges that made up the University (along with Balliol and University colleges) in the 13th century. Features to look out for include its quaint Mob Quad and chapel, the grotesques adorning some of the buildings, and Merton Field behind the college that leads to Christ Church Meadow.

5. Ashmolean,Jericho, & Port Meadow

If you only visit one museum in Oxford, it should be the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology, located north of the City Center. It effortlessly bears the distinction of being Britain’s first public museum, thanks to its awe-inspiring collection of treasures from around the world, including Ancient Egypt, China, Japan, and the Middle East, as well as stunning works of art from famous names like Goya, Manet, Michaelangelo, Raphael, Turner, and others. Don’t miss its upscale rooftop restaurant. If you wander northeast of the museum, you’ll come to the neighborhood of Jericho, whose Little Clarendon and Walton streets are pleasant to explore for the local atmosphere, with cute cafes, pubs, and eateries. This area was originally Oxford’s industrial section, so it makes sense that the world-renowned Oxford University Press, which has been printing books since the 16th century, is situated here. It has a fascinating museum for those interested in books, typography, or Alice in Wonderland (by arrangement only). One of Oxford’s strongest attributes is that it can balance an urban environment with a rural feel. Nowhere exemplifies this blending better than as Jericho ends and Port Meadow begins. The 440-acre plain remains communal grazing land, and you will see equines, cattle, and sheep as you stroll along the River Thames. A big attraction is that you can begin or conclude a walk here at The Trout or The Perch – historic inns with heavenly riverside terraces.

6. Pitt Rivers Museum & Museum of Natural History

North of Broad Street is the area of the city known for scientific research and education, home to two highly respected museums appealing to both children and grown-ups. The Pitt Rivers Museum is undoubtedly one of the best worldwide collections dedicated to understanding humanity via grouped displays from diverse eras and cultures classified by application, such as medical paraphernalia, farming implements, warrior apparel, or body alteration devices covering practically every corner of the planet. At the same time, neighboring indoors, the Museum of Natural History highlights an ‘evolutionary parade’ of mammals throughout ages, as well some of the most intact remaining remains of the extinct dodo, dinosaur bones located in Oxfordshire, fossils, preserved wildlife, gems, and more. An eating area overlooking it all provides nourishment too, in the impressive central atrium.

7. University Parks & the River Cherwell

North Oxford’s layout has been shaped by its rivers and the University, which has stubbornly held onto open land and parks in spite of the ever-growing population. University Parks, northeast of the City Center, stands as one of the city’s most pleasurable parks. In the 19th century, the University transformed it into a landscaped green space aimed at accommodating both “town” and “gown” – locals as well as students. There are numerous areas worthy of exploration, but one of the loveliest is the riverside walk along the River Cherwell (pronounced ‘charwell’), one of the largest tributaries feeding into the River Thames. JRR Tolkien resided not far north of University Parks, near the river in Summertown, and this likely influenced his descriptions of waterways in his Lord of the Rings series. The Cherwell Boathouse makes a superb destination for a romantic riverside meal.

8. Oxford Castle Quarter & Westgate Mall

To the western part of the City Center is the rebranded Castle Quarter region, whose major attraction is the Oxford Castle & Prison museum/experience which covers several historically significant locations: the Saxon-era St. George’s Tower, one of the oldest structures in Oxford that provides 360-degree views; a 900-year-old crypt; an 18th-century correctional facility; an 11th-century Motte-and-Bailey fortress; and lots of folklore and local history throughout. Nearby is the new Westgate shopping center which promises to regenerate this often overlooked section of the city by attracting crowds to its sleek passageways filled with culturally diverse and international retailers.

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Welcome to my travel website! I’m Mary Howard, an American who has been exploring the world full-time for 8 years.

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