Oxford Travel Guide
Steeped in academia, literature and culture, Oxford and its “dreaming spires” are impossibly romantic. This is a city where past and present sit happily together.
Comfortably bearing the weight of eight centuries’ worth of academic history, Oxford’s honey-gold university buildings retain the power to overawe. Its roll call of associated characters (ranging from Lewis Carroll and Samuel Johnson to JRR Tolkien and Evelyn Waugh) is as celebrated now as it ever was.
Most visitors come to Oxford for the beautifully preserved college buildings scattered around the city. Thanks to their aesthetic appeal, many have provided inspiration for classic books such as Alice in Wonderland and The Wind in the Willows, while British TV’s love affair with Oxford shows no sign of abating – Downton Abbey is filmed in and around the city.
The vast student population ensures that Oxford maintains an impressive nightlife scene, with excellent live music options and a countless array of traditional English pubs serving award-winning ales throughout the city centre. The student area around Cowley Road is blessed with some superb eating options and a thriving independent shopping scene.
The wonderful Covered Market is the ideal place to stock up on treats before hiring a punt to take you along the city’s multitude of waterways. The Cherwell and Thames both flow through Oxford and each provide access to some of England’s most beautiful countryside.
Cultural highlights are plentiful.
The excellent Pitt Rivers Museum is home to some amazing, off–kilter natural history: you can even stroke the taxidermy. The Ashmolean, the world’s first public museum, offers treasures from ancient Greece, Rome, Egypt and much more.
Then there’s the Museum of Oxford, which recalls key events in the city’s history while you can relive the life of a Victorian prisoner or learn more about the legends of King Arthur at Oxford Castle. Today, part of the castle is home to a superb boutique hotel, the Malmaison. Modern Art Oxford has regular exhibitions of cutting edge sculpture and painting, while the Oxford Playhouse attracts the best touring productions.
Oxford’s long illustrious history is tied inextricably with its university. The 38 colleges, which today make up Oxford University have helped it become a place of global renown, its influence felt keenly wherever you turn within the city.
Prior to the first mentions of Oxford’s educational establishments in the 12th century, the town’s history is a relatively short one. First developed around a river crossing around 900AD, Oxford became a key frontier town between the old kingdoms of Mercia and Wessex, prior to the unification of England. Oxford was destroyed by the
Normans (
Website: www.en.wikipedia.org ) following the conquest of 1066.
In the wake of the Norman arrival, the construction of Oxford castle and its adjoining chapel brought with it monastic orders, who offered formal education. With the castle’s development, the seeds of the English speaking world’sThe university itself began life around a series of informal houses, before colleges ordered students to live in halls of residence. University College, Balliol College and Merton College were the first formal colleges in the city, created in the mid 13th century, with dozens more following as their reputation burgeoned.
Beyond university life, the city played a central role in the theological battles of the 16th century, with the execution of key scholars for heresy, before becoming the capital of Royalist England during the Civil War of the 1640s. Charles I held court in the city before being forced to flee.
With the arrival of canals and railways in the 18th and 19th century, Oxford’s population boomed, a trend which was to continue into the 20th century with the creation of Morris Motors. This huge car plant brought workers from across the UK and the globe to Oxford, helping it to become one of England’s most diverse cities.
Spared the attentions of German bombers during the WWII, Oxford remains a city steeped in history. A walk through its town centre, with dreaming spires and perfect quadrangles everywhere, is a reminder of its unique place in English history.
Roger Bannister ran the first four minute mile at Oxford’s Iffley Road running track in 1954.
26 British Prime Ministers were educated at Oxford.
Radiohead played their first ever gig at the city’s Jericho Tavern pub.
Oxford is a year-round destination, and the main attractions tend to be open in all seasons. The nature of
summer tourism means that visitor numbers are at their highest in June, July and August, but if you have the choice, you may want to visit at another time – the spires and courtyards (and pubs) of the city have a particular allure on fresh
winter days, for example. And it’s probably wise to pack an umbrella. no matter when you come.
Getting around Oxford
Most of Oxford’s main sites are within easy walking distance so many visitors to Oxford choose to cover the city centre and even the environs by foot. The local bus network is very comprehensive however, and it is relatively easy to get on a bus in all parts of the city.
The majority of local buses into Oxford city centre are run by the
Oxford Bus Company
Telephone: +44 1865 785 400
Website: www.oxfordbus.co.uk
Stagecoach
Telephone: +44 1865 772 250
Website: www.stagecoachbus.com Day passes cover all buses within the city.
Public transport in Oxford runs frequently throughout the day, but there are no night bus services. The city’s main bus and coach station is at Gloucester Green.
There are many taxi ranks throughout the city, and you can also hail taxis anywhere on the street. Recommended taxi companies include
001 Taxis
Telephone: +44 1865 240 000
ABC Radio Taxi
Telephone: +44 1865 770 077
Oxford City Cars
Telephone: +44 1865 703 030
A number of one-way systems and a lack of abundant parking means that driving (and especially parking) in Oxford isn’t always easy. It’s not impossible – the number of cars on the street is testament to that – but most locals recommend using the efficient Park & Ride system.
Bainton Bikes
Address: 78 Walton St, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 311 610
Website: www.baintonbikes.com offers bicycle hire against a deposit.
Summertown Cycles
Address: 202 Banbury Road.
Telephone: +44 1865 316 885
Website: www.summertowncycles.co.uk offers both short- and long-term bicycle hire.
BYKE Oxford Train Station
Address: Train Station, Park End St, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 7862 121 308
Website: www.bykeltd.co.uk
Although there are currently only a few stations, each with a handful of bikes. Most are outside the city centre however.
Things to see in Oxford
Attractions
Few cities are as synonymous with their university as Oxford. Dating to the early 12th century, it’s England’s oldest university and one of the most prestigious in the world. Alumni include everyone from Walter Raleigh and Stephen Hawking to Tony Blair and Aung San Suu Kyi. Its colleges display elegant architecture and trim lawns, while Bodleian Library is the oldest library in Europe, founded in 1320.
Address: Wellington Square, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 270 000
Opening times: Mon-Fri 10:00-17:00.
Website: www.ox.ac.uk
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
- Natural History Museum & Pitt Rivers Museum
Two corking attractions in one here. The Natural History Museum is a “cathedral to nature”, offering a vast collection of items from the natural world, with exhibits ranging from rocks and stones to dinosaurs and the remains of the extinct Mauritius dodo. Out the back, the rewards are even greater. In an atmospheric half-light, the extraordinary Pitt Rivers Museum has totem poles, shrunken heads and weapons.
Address: Parks Road, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 613 000
Opening times: Daily 10:00-17:00.
Website: www.oum.ox.ac.uk
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Oxford’s ‘hidden’ castle is a strange sight. Behind an enormous manmade motte, the walled site was a place of incarceration from 1071 until the closure of its prison in 1996. Now open to the public, its visitor centre shares secrets of the preaching, teaching, violence, executions and romantic episodes played out here from the Norman times.
Address: 44-46 Oxford Castle, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 260 666
Opening times: Daily 10:00-16:00.
Website: www.oxfordcastleunlocked.co.uk
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Magdalen College (pronounced mawd-lin) is another of Oxford’s big hitters. Its intricate bell tower dates from the 1500s and remains steeped in tradition – each May Day, the college choir still sing a Latin anthem at dawn here. Look out for Oscar Wilde’s room as you tour the corridors. To the rear, deer-filled water meadows offer picturesque walks and the chance to watch punters along the river.
Address: High Street, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 276 000
Opening times: Daily 13:00-18:00.
Website: www.magd.ox.ac.uk
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
The daddy of Oxford colleges, Christ Church has a distinguished history. Founded by Cardinal Wolsey in 1525, its glittering
pan-generational alumni includes Lewis Carroll and WH Auden, alongside a number of UK prime ministers. More recently,
it’s become famed for the fact that its Great Hall inspired the Hogwarts banquet hall in the Harry Potter films.
Address: St Aldate’s, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 276 150
Opening times: Mon-Sat 09:00-17:00, Sun 14:00-17:00.
Website: www.chch.ox.ac.uk
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Set in a startlingly handsome quarter of Oxford, Brasenose is surrounded by the spires, domes, libraries and cobbles of Radcliffe Square. Founded in the early 1500s, it retains a hugely evocative atmosphere in everything from its trio of quadrangles to its central hall. Famous alumni include Michael Palin and David Cameron.
Address: Radcliffe Square, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 277 830
Opening times: Daily 10:00-11:30 and 14:00-16:30.
Website: www.bnc.ox.ac.uk
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Established in 1683, the Ashmolean is the UK’s oldest public museum. It houses hugely impressive collections of art, archaeology and antiquities, together spanning the course of human history. A £61 million renovation has given the museum a facelift, doubling its exhibition space and creating a more modern feel. Its Ancient Egypt galleries are particularly strong.
Address: Beaumont Street, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 278 000
Opening times: Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00.
Website: www.ashmolean.org
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
With an exceptional programme of installations, exhibitions and education and community events, Modern Art Oxford has earned itself an international reputation. The visual art gallery has hosted major presentations by artists like Marina Abramovic, Yoko Ono, Ed Ruscha and Tracey Emin, and there are thought-provoking exhibitions are held constantly.
Address: 30 Pembroke Street, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 722 733
Opening times: Tue-Sat 11:00-18:00, Sun 12:00-17:00.
Website: www.modernartoxford.org.uk
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Oxford is where Narnia, Wonderland and Middle Earth were brought to life, so it is little wonder that the city has its own Story Museum. Set in a former telephone exchange, it opened in 2014 and is aimed largely at kids (and kids at heart). It includes all manner of quirky features, from fancy dress rooms and illustration displays to an “extreme reading” space.
Address: Rochester House, 42 Pembroke Street, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 790 050
Opening times: Tues-Sat 10:00-16:30.
Website: www.storymuseum.org.uk
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
- University of Oxford Botanic Garden
Founded in 1621, Britain’s oldest botanic garden is also one of the best. It offers 7,000 types of plant, covering just 2 hectares (5 acres). There are three sections: the Glasshouses, which contain climate-sensitive plants; the Walled Garden, laid out in 1884; and the area known as Outside The Walled Garden, which contains classic features such as a water garden.
Address: Rose Lane, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 286 690
Opening times: Daily 10:00-16:00.
Website: www.botanic-garden.ox.ac.uk
Admission Fees: Yes (except for disabled visitors).
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Tourist Offices
Address: 15-16 Broad Street, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 686 430
Opening times: Daily 10:30-17:00.
Website: www.visitoxfordandoxfordshire.com
Helpful staff here can offer advice on what to see and do, book accommodation, source tickets for shows and concerts, and get discounted entry to many local attractions. They also have plenty of maps and leaflets.
Things to do in Oxford
- Cycle like it’s the roaring 20s
Oxford is relatively flat so two wheel adventurers can easily zip around the city.
Cycle Tours Oxford
Telephone: +44 790 867 0105
Website: www.cycletoursoxford.com have a range of 1920-style bicycles that come complete with baskets
Climb aboard for a guided excursion between the spires or further afield to the likes of Blenheim Palace and the Cotswolds.
- Jump out of your skin with a ghost tour
When darkness cloaks Oxford, there is an eerie feeling to the city. It may just sodium light and ancient buildings or it could be a city of ghosts. To get spooked, there’s no guide better than
The Oxford Ghost Tour
Telephone: +44 1865 790 522
Website: www.theoxfordghosttour.co.uk it knows Oxford’s most haunted places and how to make you jump.
- Swing by some of the counties first-rate golf courses
Surrounded by the rolling green of the Cotswolds, the Oxford area is a great place for keen golfers to challenge their swing.
Frilford
Telephone: +44 1865 390 864
Website: www.frilfordheath.co.uk close to Abingdon boasts three courses (of which, red is a firm favourite) whilst.
Heythrop Park
Telephone: +44 1608 673 333
Website: www.heythropparkgolf.co.uk is charming for the vast country house estate that surrounds it.
First timer punters may be daunted by the level of skill involved but propelling boats along the rivers Cherwell and Isis, is easier than you think, and reveal Oxford’s wonderful skyline.
Salters Steamers Ltd
Telephone: +44 1865 24 3421
Website: www.saltersteamers.co.uk offers boat hire and for those still afraid to try their hand, scheduled passenger cruises too.
- Walk Britain’s oldest road
With spires, sandstone and cobbled streets, Oxford is a charming wander. The city is also surrounded by a multitude of fantastic walks. Why not tread history and stroll Britain’s oldest road? Just south of Oxford
The Ridgeway National Trail (
Website: www.nationaltrail.co.uk ) is clearly marked and takes in ancient woods, downland and valleys.
Oxford tours and excursions
Oxford tours
City Sightseeing Oxford operates one-hour, open-top bus tours of the city with hop-on hop-off stops at various attractions, including Christ Church College and Westgate Shopping Centre. The full tour takes around an hour and buses depart every 10 to 15 minutes over the summer (every 20 to 30 minutes in winter).
Telephone: +44 1865 790 522
Website: www.citysightseeingoxford.com
The standard historic tour of Oxford comes in various shapes and sizes, with a great number of themed walks available. The tourist board runs an official Inspector Morse Tour, in which participants can follow in the footsteps of the TV detective. Other options include ghost walks (Bill Spectre’s Ghost Trail is worth looking up), Harry Potter walks, Alice in Wonderland walks and architecture walks.
Website: www.visitoxford.org
Oxford excursions
Stratford-upon-Avon is a charming little town in south Warwickshire, some 49km (30 miles) north of Oxford. It was here that William Shakespeare, the greatest playwright in the English language, was born. Admirers of the Great Bard can visit Shakespeare’s birthplace as well as Hall’s Croft (the one-time home of his daughter, Susannah) and New Place, which stands on the site of an earlier house the playwright owned. Holy Trinity Church is also worth a visit, as Shakespeare was both baptised and buried here. The town is also home to the Royal Shakespeare Company, which performs at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and the adjacent Swan Theatre.
Website: www.visitstratforduponavon.co.uk
One word: wow. The gift of a grateful nation to the Duke of Marlborough following his quashing of the French at the Battle of Blenheim in 1704, Blenheim Palace stands today as one of the most magnificent attractions in the UK. The palace (also famed for being the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill) is surrounded by dramatic lakes and parkland landscaped by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, while its interior is full of the kind of lavish detail that English country piles do so well.
Telephone: +44 1993 810 530
Website: www.blenheimpalace.comShopping in Oxford
Oxford might be drenched in history, but opportunities for modern retail therapy are everywhere. As well as the identikit high street brands found across the UK, there are some quirky independent stores and strong markets. A fair amount of tourist tat, too.
Cornmarket and Queen Street along with the High and Magdalen Street are the main shopping streets in Oxford, with most high-street shops and brand names represented. These shops and brands can also be found in the Westgate and Clarendon Centre indoor malls.
Oxford is great for book lovers, offering some of the best book browsing opportunities in the land, whether in second-hand and antiquarian bookshops or in the modern bookstores. The main Blackwells bookstore at 53 Broad Street includes the Norrington Room, which houses the largest display of books for sale in one room anywhere in the world.
Little Clarendon Street, Turl Street, Golden Cross and Gloucester Green are smaller streets with many charming gift shops, boutiques, silver specialists, jewellers or other independent shops of character.
The Covered Market on High Street is full of small shops selling everything from hand-made hats and gifts to Oxford sausages and antiquarian books. Cafés, sandwich stalls, butchers, bakers, delicatessens, green grocers and florists are also available.
Gloucester Green has an open air market on Wednesday and an antiques and bric-a-brac market on Thursdays, plus a farmers’ market on the first Thursday of each month.
The most prominent mall is the Westgate Centre at the end of Queen Street. The usual clothing and electrical stores mean there’s not much to mark it out as different to any other British shopping centre, but if you know what you’re looking for, it’s handily located. It has later shopping hours (until 20:00) on Thursdays. The smaller Clarendon Centre, focused primarily on fashion, is located almost opposite the Westgate Centre.
Most shops open between from between 08:30 and 09:30 until between 17:30 and 19:00 in the evening.
University branded memorabilia, from clothes to stationery, is popular. As it anything to do with the Mini car, which is now manufactured in a plant in the city. There are also plenty of book shops.
Restaurants in Oxford
From the starched, white tablecloths of stuffy fine dining restaurants right through to late night kebab vans via great pub grub, the Oxford dining scene has something for every pocket and penchant. The Oxford restaurants below have been grouped into three pricing categories:
Expensive (over £40)
Moderate (£25 to £40)
Cheap (up to £25)
These prices are for a three-course meal for one, including half a bottle of house wine or equivalent, tax and service. A service charge of 12.5% will be added to your bill in most restaurants. If service is not included, 10% tipping is customary.
Expensive
Cuisine: Modern European
Opened as part of the Ashmolean Museum’s mass refurbishment, Oxford’s first rooftop restaurant remains one of the best dining venues in town. In keeping with the cosmopolitan feel of the museum, it draws its influences from a wide range of European culinary traditions and has a handpicked, 80-strong international wine list.
Address: Beaumont Street, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 553 823
Website: www.ashmoleandiningroom.com
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Gees is a bastion of good taste and the kind of place where students dine only when their parents – and their credit cards – are in town. The main dining area is in a Victorian greenhouse flooded with light where olive trees and big leafy plants nod to its former life as a florists and greengrocers. Today, it’s sleek and stylish with big leather banquettes to sink into and a daily changing menu of Mediterranean dishes to choose from. Ignore everything else and go for the braised octopus starter then the pappardelle duck ragu.
Address: 61-63 Banbury Rd, Park Town, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 553 540
Website: www.geesrestaurant.co.uk
Cuisine: Turkish
Antep Kitchen is almost always busy so book ahead. Its traditional hot and cold mezze, huge kebabs, thin and crispy pide (Turkish pizza) and sharing platters are bursting with flavour and served by super-friendly staff. There’s plenty of choice for vegetarians and generous portions, so come hungry.
Address: 228-230 Cowley Rd, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 247 555
Website: www.antepkitchen.co.uk
Moderate
Cuisine: Brasserie
Modern British cuisine and cocktails presented in cosy surrounds with sophisticated ambiance. No.1 Ship Street is a sleek and stylish brasserie serving modern British dishes with a Gallic twist. It’s the kind of place where everything feels carefully considered but without any hint of pretension. From the sophisticated decor to the consistently great food, you’ll feel like you’re somewhere quite special. Although the options for vegetarians are limited, if you’re a fan of fish, seafood or heavenly grilled meats, you’re in for a treat. Booking recommended.
Address: 1 Ship St, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 806 637
Website: www.no1shipstreet.com
Cuisine: Thai
Locals rarely stop raving about this out-of-the-way Thai joint, located a while from the centre but nicely placed just off the multicultural thrum of Cowley Road. The menu’s far from extensive, but what they do offer tends to be extremely high in quality. The aubergine curry is worth the journey alone.
Address: 38 Magdalen Road, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 790 223
Website: www.olisthai.com
Cuisine: British
Freshly renovated in 2015, this 17th-century thatched inn sits is in the pretty village of Binsey on the city outskirts. It’s one of the oldest pubs in the region, but food is a big focus – expect farmhouse-style meals with plenty of pies, puddings and casseroles. The devilled eggs are also recommended.
Address: Binsey Lane, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 728 891
Website: www.the-perch.co.uk
Cheap
Cuisine: Lebanese
Offering a great selection of traditional Lebanese dishes at very reasonable prices, Al-Shami on Walton Crescent remains one of Oxford’s most popular restaurants. Deservedly so too: the food here is really good, both the grilled meats and the vegetarian dishes, and its wine list has some wonderful Lebanese wines. Don’t miss the baklava.
Address: 25 Walton Crescent, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 310 066
Website: www.alshami.uk
Cuisine: Indian
Bhoomi Kitchen serves exquisitely made and delicately spiced Keralan dishes with vibrant flavour. Staff are adept at offering advice on a menu that champions regional delicacies with a choice of aromatic curries, plenty of options for vegetarians and vegans, and a range of sides that include soft but crisy appam and a heavenly, flaky parotta. Although prices are higher than your standard Cowley Road cookhouse, it’s well worth it.
Address: 70 London Rd, Headington, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 762 696
Website: www.bhoomikitchen.co.uk
Cuisine: Japanese
As authentic a Japanese restaurant as you’ll find outside of Japan, Edamame occupies a blink-and-you’d-miss-it spot on Holywell Street. Renowned for its eccentric schedule, sushi nights are Thursdays, while an alternative dinner menu comes into force on Fridays and Saturdays. Other than that, it’s open solely for lunch, except on Mondays and Tuesdays, when it’s shut all day. Got that?
Address: 15 Holywell Street, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 246 916
Website: www.edamame.co.ukOxford Nightlife
While it’s hardly going to rival London for diversity or liveliness, Oxford’s nightlife is well equipped enough to cater for most tastes. Venues tend to cater for either locals or students (“town or gown”, as the saying goes) but there’s always a fair amount going on. Check
In Oxford (
Website: www.inoxford.com ) for reliable info on what’s coming up.
Nightshift (
Website: www.nightshiftmag.co.uk ) for detailed music listings.
The likes of Supergrass, Radiohead, Foals and Ride are all products of the local music scene, which remains a fertile one.
Bars in Oxford
Welcome to Summertown Wine Bar, an independent wine bar in the wonderful North Oxford suburb. The bar was established by three friends with a passion for sharing great wine in a sophisticated yet relaxed setting. Whether you are exploring one of our many 300+ wines or just want to enjoy a beer or a cocktail, we have something for everyone with our carefully curated wine and drinks list. At Summertown Wine Bar, we are immensely proud of our extensive and diverse wine list. From prestigious houses and vineyards in Europe to unique finds from our friends at Grape Minds, our wine list is designed to satisfy every palate and every budget
Address: 267 Banbury Rd, Summertown, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 556 791
Website: www.summertownwinebar.co.uk
Our Oxford Cocktail Bar & Restaurant is unlike any other! At the Alchemist we believe that every experience should be life-enhancing. Whether it’s your first sip of one of our compelling cocktails or a morsel from our restaurant’s mouthwatering menu. That’s why we chose to set up our Oxford, one of the world’s most celebrated seats of learning. Here, amongst the historic dreaming spires, you’ll find us ensconced in the rather more contemporary Westgate centre.
Address: Westgate, Bonn Square, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 792 072
Website: www.thealchemistbars.com
Traditional pub dating from 1820 offering cask & keg beers, plus classic bar food. The Grapes enjoys a sterling reputation and was named Best UK Live Jazz venue a few years ago.
Address: 7 George St, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 745 182
Website: www.thegrapesoxford.co.uk
Clubs in Oxford
Glass-walled modern pub with a simple menu of international comfort food and outside seating. After splashing half a million on a refurb, Atik now has five rooms of late night naughtiness. Expect a 70s, 80s and 90s room; a chilled cocktail space; a Tiki bar; R & B and hip hop in the Curve room; plus chart tunes.
Address: Castle St, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 260 690
Website: www.jdwetherspoon.com
Two bars, three floors of music and a late license help attract a student crowd to The Bridge. Touring DJs like Dave Pearce, plus the odd live act à la Ms Dynamite, keep things fresh, else prepare for a night of R & B, hip hop, dance bangers, funk and soul, plus drink deals.
Address: 6-9 Hythe Bridge Street, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 242 526
Website: www.bridgeoxford.co.uk
Plush is a privately-owned and operated bar which was established in Oxford in 2010, and which has been solely run and directed by members of the LGBTQ+ community since its inception. Plush Bar & Club is Oxfordshire’s premier LGBTQ+ Nightclub, boasting two bars, a cocktail bar, luxurious seating & VIP areas, state of the art sound and lighting, and some of the UK’s best commercial DJ’s every night.
Address: Frewin Ct, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 247 966
Website: www.plushoxford.com
Live music in Oxford
Formerly the much-loved Zodiac, this illustrious venue is where the bigger names from the rock and indie worlds tend to set up shop. It attracts a very strong calibre of touring acts, and has three separate performance spaces for live events. It’s also within strolling distance of the Truck Store, Oxford’s independent record shop.
Address: 190 Cowley Road, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 813 500
Website: www.academymusicgroup.com
Holywell Music Room is a Concert hall Book the Holywell Music Room, Europe’s oldest custom built concert hall, built in 1748, for concerts, weddings, lectures and conferences. Take a look around with a virtual tour of the College site, including the Holywell Music Room. Wadham College is a registered charity. All of the revenue from hiring the Holywell Music Room is used to run, maintain and improve this historic venue. However, this revenue does not fully cover these costs and we rely on generous donations to help support this historic venue.
Address: Holywell St, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 276 125
Website: www.events.wadham.ox.ac.uk
Renowned as the place where On A Friday and The Jennifers were first discovered (that’s Radiohead and Supergrass to you and me), the Jericho Tavern has been given a new lease of life as a place for live indie rock music after it fell into obscurity in the late 1990s. Expect performances from both local and touring bands as well as a good selection of real ales.
Address: 56 Walton Street, Oxford.
Telephone: +44 1865 311 775
Website: www.thejerichooxford.co.ukOxford Food And Drink
Food In Oxford
Visit David John Butchers in the Covered Market for some locally-made Oxford sausages (if your housing has a place to cook them; if not, seek some out in a restaurant instead).
Oxford Blue Cheese is a soft, creamy full bodied blue with a deep, rich flavour. This cheese has a good length so its taste lingers in your mouth.
Marmalade (from the Portuguese marmelada) is a fruit preserve made from the juice and peel of citrus fruits boiled with sugar and water. The Original Oxford Marmalade is directly descended from Sarah Jane Coopers 1874 Recipe, made using Seville oranges to deliver a robust coarse cut marmalade
Handmade using local ingredients, freshly baked and delivered from the Cotswolds to your door. Choose from our vegan friendly classic. Lardy cake, also known as lardy bread, lardy Johns, dough cake and fourses cake, is a traditional spiced bread enriched with lard and found in several
Game pie is a form of meat pie featuring game. The dish dates from Roman times when the main ingredients were wild birds and animals such as partridge. The large square pie, which was one of her son’s favorite dishes, contains a variety of game birds and their livers, veal, pork, truffles, aspic, and much else, in puff pastry. It is described in the classic encyclopedia of gastronomy, the Larousse Gastronomique.
Drink In oxford
Alcoholic Lime Margarita with Tequila and Sea Salt.
Simple and classic, the Martini continues to be…
The Moscow Mule continues to be a favorite with [+]
dangerously drinkable with a good slog of liquor, this coffee cocktail is made with espresso coffee, vodka and Kahlua!
Classic cocktail that was invented in Louisville, KY. You can make it with bourbon, rye, or a blended whiskey.
Cool off with this easy
mojito recipe! Made with rum, lime juice, simple syrup, and fresh mint, this refreshing Cuban cocktail is perfect for summer.
Cocktail shaker filled with vodka, rum, gin, tequila, triple sec and sour.
Meet Spritz Society, your new favorite sparkling cocktail. Made with 100% real wine, real flavors, and real ingredients, each 8.4 oz. can is gluten free.