7 hours in Oxford, England 🇬🇧

How to spend a day in Oxford and leave wanting more.

Jun 26, 2023

1. Book a guided tour with the Bodleian Libraries

The Bodleian Libraries date back to 1488 and are a must-visit in Oxford, however the interior is only accessible with a Library Guided Tour. Choose the 90-minute tour (£20), as it includes access to the iconic Radcliffe Camera (available Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays). The tours are incredibly popular, so it’s advisable to book well in advance (even before booking your train tickets to Oxford!).

If you’re eager to learn more, the City of Oxford Walking Tours (£20) will give you an insight into the city of Oxford itself, how the University and colleges came to be as well as highlighting small easy-to-miss details all over the city. If you can, I recommend you ask for Dave ahead of booking (he usually guides the 11 am tour but sometimes does the 2 pm one instead). He’s an incredibly charismatic Mancunian who’s called Oxford home for over 50 years. He brings wit into his retelling of the city’s history and will have you chuckling while learning all sorts of interesting facts.

“The world isn't in your books and maps, it's out there.”
— J.R.R. Tolkien

2. Visit the Ashmolean Museum

“The Ashmolean is the University of Oxford’s museum of art and archaeology, founded in 1683. Our world famous collections range from Egyptian mummies to contemporary art, telling human stories across cultures and across time.”1

The museum is open every day and free to visit. Granted the collection is vast and impossible to cover in a one-day trip, however, there are two things I recommend seeing:

The Musical Instruments Collection - If you are a classical music fan you can visit the oldest surviving violin, made in 1564 by Andrea Amati in Cremona, Italy. I strongly recommend you read Helena Attlee’s book Lev’s Violin (Penguin, 2022) before you visit, it’ll completely elevate the experience, and you might even shed a tear as I did!
The Still-Life Paintings Gallery - If you are a fan of florals and still-life paintings this gallery is unmissable. The room features ninety 17th-century Dutch and Flemish still-life paintings displaying outstanding craft and skill.

A still-life painting in the Ashmolean Museum. The dark-on-dark (dark subject against a dark backdrop) studies are one of my favourites.

3. Stop by a few shops…

A day trip is not complete without perusing around some shops, especially if they’re independent ones.

Sanders of Oxford - for 17th to 19th-century maps, antique and modern prints.
Objects of Use - “A modern-day hardware store”2, expect to find items that are as beautiful as they are functional. I walked away with a grooming brush for my cats.
Blackwell’s Bookshop - for all your literary needs. Find specialist, rare and first editions. Founded in 1879 (the year that Thomas Edison created the first lightbulb), “it’s the largest academic and specialist bookseller in the UK”. 3 Don’t forget to visit the downstairs section too!

4. A quick bite to eat and maybe a coffee too…

Ramen Kulture - is an independent Japanese restaurant offering small plates, ramen, and rice dishes at very reasonable prices at a stone’s throw from the Ashmolean Museum. Think Katsu Curry, Tonkotsu Ramen and much more.
Colombia Coffee Roasters - is situated within the Covered Market, which is home to a plethora of shops, cafes, and takeaway spots. Perfect for a quick and light bite to eat followed by a coffee and a sweet treat. The menu is an “all-day breakfast” type, featuring eggs, and avocado on toast with a selection of add-ons.
Taylors Oxford - is a family-owned gourmet sandwich and deli company (located right next to Colombia Coffee Roasters inside the Covered Market and other locations spread across the city of Oxford). Perfect for takeaway, and lunch on the go.
Pieminster - for a meal that’ll keep you going until it’s time to head back home. Think proper English pies with sides to choose from like mash, mushy peas, gravy, crispy onions, and cheese. (Also located in the Covered Market)