ABOUT OXFORD Oxford is known as The City of Dreaming Spires and has been a home to royalty and scholars for over 800 years, although people have lived in the area for thousands of years.
ACCOMMODATION IN OXFORD There is a wide range of places to stay available in Oxford, from self-catering and bed & breakfast guest houses to top class Oxford hotels. Founded in 1683, Oxford University's Ashmolean Museum of art and archaeology is filled with treasures from many places and all ages. The University, with its 38 colleges and a 900-year history, is the oldest in the English-speaking world. University tours will take you to places like the Bodleian Library where five kings and 40 Nobel prize-winners have studied. Christ Church College is another landmark of note, the reputed inspiration for Hogwart's Hall in the Harry Potter saga.
Before you depart, a punt trip along the River Cherwell or a boat trip on the Isis is a lovely way to appreciate Oxford's splendors and natural beauty.
Nowadays, the old is mixed with the new as high tech businesses and shopping centres mingle with historic buildings and architecture. Whether you’re visiting Oxford for business or pleasure, there is a hotel, guest house or selfcatering accommodation to suit every pocket.
OXFORD TOURIST ATTRACTIONS BLENHEIM PALACE Step inside Britain’s finest palace and you’ll see the State Rooms, filled with exquisite examples of superb craftsmanship and priceless treasures collected over three centuries. Outside, the beauty and tranquility of Capability Brown’s landscaped parkland from the 1760s and the more recent Formal Gardens are unrivalled anywhere in Britain. The Pleasure Gardens welcome young visitors and families with special activities throughout the season. To round off your visit, there’s delicious food and a shop full of beautiful gifts too.
RETAIL THERAPY There’s nothing quite like a little retail therapy to make your stay away special. Maybe you’re shopping for a bargain or a really exclusive label, or perhaps you’re after a nice souvenir or a gift for the family. From big cities like London and Manchester, to little villages in the Cotswolds or the Highlands, exploring high streets, retail villages, independent shops and markets are all part of a stay with us.
THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD Oxford University is perhaps the best known feature of Oxford. It is the second oldest university in the world and the oldest in the English speaking world.
Twenty six British prime ministers have studied here, including William Gladstone, Harold Macmillan, Harold Wilson, Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair and David Cameron.
It is also the setting for a number of works of fiction, including Canterbury Tales, Brideshead Revisited and the trilogy His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, which features an alternate-reality version of the university.
THE PLAYHOUSE Theatre lovers will applaud our rich programme of dance, drama, music, musical theatre and children’s theatre. Were very keen on innovation so you’ll see plenty of new work being commissioned and produced at the Playhouse. Romantics will love our Burton Taylor Theatre, an intimate 50-seater studio named after two of theatres greatest actors and lovers.