Oxford: 90 minute Architectural & Historical Highlights Tour

4.9
(22 reviews)

1 hour 30 minutes (approximately)
Pickup offered
Offered in: English and 1 more

Experience Oxford's rich history on a 90-minute walking tour led by an Institute of Tourist Guiding professional and Guild of Guides member. Explore the city's origins from Anglo-Saxon times, the evolution of the university, its stunning architecture, libraries, and the vibrant student life of today. Oxford History tours offer real history for genuine history lovers.

Stroll through Oxford's iconic sites, including:

Radcliffe Camera
Divinity School
Bridge of Sighs
Bodleian Library
Christopher Wren’s Sheldonian Theatre
Medieval Colleges around every corner

Discover stories of patrons, artists, politicians, saints, scholars, rebels, and martyrs who shaped over 1,000 years of Oxford's history. This tour also includes practical tips to enhance your stay in Oxford.

The route passes famous film, television locations and literary legend.

What's Included

Advice to help explore and eat after the tour
Entrance fee to a medieval college
Guided tour led by an experienced, licensed guide
Complimentary map and guidebook

Meeting and pickup

Pickup points
You can choose a pickup location at checkout (multiple pickup locations are available).
OR
Meeting point

In front of the Clarendon Building on Broad Street, Oxford

End point

Itinerary

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes (approximately)
  • 1

    Important Victorian monument to the Protestant martyrs of the 16th century.

    3 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 2

    This Anglo Saxon Tower was part of the Medieval city gate and is probably the surviving oldest building in Oxford today. Many stories over the centuries

    4 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 3
    Exeter College

    Exeter's chapel was inspired by the Oxford Movement and modelled on Paris' St Chapelle. Graduates include Philip Pullman, JR Tolkien and Alan Bennett.

    4 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 4
    Lincoln College

    Lincoln College's original face onto Turn Street tells a story about the University's origins and its relationship with the city. Lincoln College recently got it first Priminister Rushi Sunak, and was also home to the ~Methodist Wesley Brothers

    3 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 5
    University Church of St. Mary the Virgin

    The University Church was the University's first building. It is listed in the Doomsday Book. Ot is possible to climb its magnificent spire. Today we will admire its famous stained glass and learn how it inspired CS Lewis.

    7 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 6
    Oriel College

    Oriel college is one of the Universities oldest Colleges and today famous for rowing. Its front Quad with Oriel windows is stunning. It is neighbours with Corpus Christi who famously host the annual tortoise race.

    5 minutes Admission ticket free
  • Christ Church (Pass by)

    We pass east of Christchurch. Visitors might like to go back and enjoy the fabulous Christchurch Picture gallery tucked behind the imposing Eastern entry to the college.

    Admission ticket free
  • 7

    Corpus Christi's early 16th century architecture contains many moving and beautiful figures of animals, including a pious pelican. Corpus Christi is set upon a cobbled street which is listed as a national treasure.

    3 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 8
    Merton College

    Merton is Oxford's third College. The original and beautiful 15th century frieze over the gatehouse is one of my favourite creations in the whole of Oxford and tells the tale of the founding of colleges in the universities earlier days. The flying buttresses of the chapel are richly decorated. Thomas Bodley, founder of the Bodleian Library, was a graduate from Merton college. Merton College's library is the oldest continuously surviving library in Oxford.

    5 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 9

    Oxford University had its first written exam in the early 19th century. This Victorian extravaganza of Jacobean and Tudor architectural styles was the height of modernity in the 1870's. Inspired by an egalitarian spirit of making g education more widely .available to the masses.

    5 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 10

    Queen's college is Alma Mater to rowan Atkinson from the celebrity world. It was founded for poor scholars from the North of England , one of whose became so wealthy that a donation from him funded an 18th century rebuilding of the college with designs contributed by Christopher Wren and Nicholas Hawksmoor. The High Street was the road to `London and has transformed over the years. Frank Cooper's Marmalade was first made here. It went on to become a world wide Fad. It is also the site of England's first coffee house founded when Jewish people were welcomes back into the UK having been banned in the thirteenth century during Oliver Cromwell's Republic.

    5 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 11
    New College

    New college's wonderful gates house tells the tale of its foundation after the plagues of the fourteenth century. Its charming setting has been used in many film sets.

    3 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 12
    Bridge of Sighs

    Oxford's iconic bridge belonging to Hertford College. Although it looks like an old Venetian Bridge, it was built in the twentieth century! It is also next to the house of Edmund Halley who had the comet named after him.

    3 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 13
    Sheldonian Theatre

    We will admire this 17th century home to the ceremonies of Oxford University. It is believed to be the first building by Christopher Wren. The architect of St Paul's Cathedral in London was also Astronomer of Photography at Oxford University.

    6 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 14

    Built on top of the exquisite medieval perpendicular Divinity School the Duke Humphrey Library was built in fifteenth century to house a gift of over 200 books from the `King's brother. Both of these rooms were selected by JK Rowling to be used for Harry Potter scenes.

    4 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 15
    Bodleian Library

    Today the Bodlein Library has over 13 million books. We will admire the 17th century buildings and learn about the origins go the library and how it still works today.

    5 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 16
    Radcliffe Camera

    Oxford's first science Library. Learn about one of Oxford's most eccentric and generous benefactors, the Royal Physician sir John Radcliffe

    5 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 17
    Balliol College

    undergraduates started to have access to the University and its colleges.

    15 minutes Admission ticket not included

Additional info

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Supplied by Oxford History Tours

Tags

Cultural Tours
Historical Tours
Walking Tours

Cancellation Policy

All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.

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4.9 Based on 22 22 reviews
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