Oxford’s Best Half-Day Tours: Top 5 Picks

Oxford, so famously nicknamed “The City of Dreaming Spires,” too it’s almost a fantastic spot for, like, short visits. It’s crammed with history, that has gorgeous buildings, and a real special atmosphere. If you’re just there for a bit, yet these half-day tours are, in a way, brilliant for getting a good look around without using up all your time. We’ve looked at loads, and put together our top five picks for you, actually.

1. Oxford University and City Walking Tour

Arguably, you just can’t go to Oxford and not have a walk around the University. This tour, a little, is generally a big hit ’cause it gets you right inside some of the most well-known colleges. Typically, you will see places like Christ Church College (very famous, you know, for the Great Hall from the first Harry Potter movie), that includes New College and Magdalen College. The guides usually, are ex-students, as a matter of fact, or really clued-up locals who bring the stories of the place alive. They go through a little bit of the university’s history, tell fun stories, and show you the spots students love. Usually, these tours will cover the Bodleian Library (from the outside, still), too, it’s almost one of the most established libraries around, and the Sheldonian Theatre, actually, where loads of important university dos go on. A tip for you, check if the college entry fees are part of the tour price, just a little, before booking. Very typically, you can book this in advance as you will want to consider capacity for these type of tours.

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2. Inspector Morse, Lewis, and Endeavour Filming Locations Tour

Did you know, or that, that Oxford, sort of, is very well-known as the place where they shot Inspector Morse and its spin-offs, Lewis and Endeavour? If you’re into the shows, it could be a super thrill, still, to go to, like, the actual spots you’ve seen on screen. Clearly, this tour brings you, very, to loads of these places, alright like, the pubs where Morse enjoyed a pint, the colleges where he sorted mysteries, and, you know, very, the roads he cruised in his Jaguar. As I was saying, these tours can be awesome as they’ve often got, like, bits of behind-the-scenes knowledge and, umm, actually bits of show trivia, still. Basically, it’s all kinds of fun to match the on-screen Oxford with the, well, very, real-life place. Typically, you should prepare yourself with good walking shoes and clothing as weather can change frequently in the UK!

Read our full review: Inspector Morse Tour Oxford Full Review and Details

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3. Oxford River Cruise

If you want, you know, a less speedy kind of view of Oxford, it’s almost possible for you to hop on a river cruise on the Thames. So, these cruises typically, give you totally gorgeous views of the university buildings, the Botanic Garden, and the Christ Church Meadow from a totally different, well, extremely, viewpoint. Obviously, some cruises are narrated, really, telling you a little about the history of the city and the river, still. As a matter of fact, you can even get cruises with, well, pretty, afternoon tea or, okay, even champagne, right, if you’re up for that, or that. Right, that being said, a river cruise might be really brilliant if, well, almost you’re a bit worn-out from walking or want something relaxing. Remember your seasickness bands, should you, just, require these, okay?

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4. Ashmolean Museum Highlights Tour

Apparently, the Ashmolean, in a way, is an awesome museum, now it’s got tons of art and artefacts from all over the, literally, world. Obviously, if you have never visited, a highlights tour, you know, sort of, is, alright, awesome for seeing the best bits without getting lost. Well, I mean, typically, these tours hit up the must-sees, I am saying things that can, I guess, go, by example, Egyptian mummies, super Greek sculptures, and art from way back. These will cover a number of artefacts, alright. Seriously, the guides tend to bring it to life with interesting stories and, just, that bit of extra information, to be honest. Anyway, and what is that, entry, honestly, to the Ashmolean usually is totally free, which is absolutely great.

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5. Christ Church College Tour

It is one of Oxford’s most popular colleges to tour with great appeal! This College is one of the grandest, you know, you go, right, into its main grounds. We are talking alright great architecture, so to speak, from around the, I mean, well, virtually, 1500’s all the way to the current time. So there’s plenty to witness, actually. We will, sort of, say its popularity lies in, it kind of being a filming site for Harry Potter. Clearly, that means visitors can actually walk down the Great Hall steps that remind us of Hogwarts and get plenty of those must have photographs, that that College hall brings. This is one site not to be, right, missed and must have pre-booking, sort of, before you travel. Well, I mean, why is that? The number of, actually, walk-up places you can book is now super reduced and the, well, umm, time slots sell like, warm cakes!

Read our full review: Christ Church College Tour Full Review and Details

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