The City of Dreaming Spires: Oxford Private Day Trip from London
Discover the beautiful, world-famous university city of Oxford dubbed the City of Dreaming Spires by the poet Matthew Arnold, on this private day trip from London where you can fully explore the city that gave us the Inklings: Tolkien, Lewis Carroll and C.S Lewis, Narnia, Middle Earth and Alice in Wonderland!
On your private Oxford day trip you will:
- See historic Oxford Castle and prison, and learn how King Charles I and the Royalists took over Oxford during the English Civil War;
- Visit Oxford University, one of the world’s best-known universities and explore the array of 37 colleges, including New College, Christchurch, Merton, Brasenose, Exeter, Oriel and Pembroke;
- Stroll down Cornmarket Street, explore the covered market and Carfax Tower;
- Marvel at the Radcliffe Camera, and take photos at the iconic Bridge of Sighs, the Bodleian Library and Sheldonian Theatre;
- Learn about some of the illustrious professors and former students of Oxford, hear about daily life as a student here and the formal ceremonies such as matriculation and graduation.
- Pop into some of the popular pubs for a cheeky pint, such as the Turf Tavern (where Bill Clinton didn’t inhale) or the Eagle and Child, where the Inklings met;
- See how it came to be the university town that inspired Lewis Carroll's Wonderland, Tolkien's Middle Earth, and Lewis's Narnia and is one of the most popular filming locations for TV series like Morse and Lewis, and iconic movies like Harry Potter.
On arriving in Oxford, your guide will spend the morning showing you around Oxford Castle and medieval prison, followed by an in-depth tour of one of the 37 colleges.
You’ll then be able to take a lunch break at one of the many delicious eateries or street food vendors at the Covered Market and enjoy a fully guided tour of the city afterwards.
You will learn about the town-gown riots of the medieval period as you pop into Blackwells - the student bookshop, and learn all about life as a student or don at Oxford.
You will also stop by the iconic Radcliffe Camera, the Bridge of Sighs and the Bodleian Library and hear about Matriculation at the Sheldonian Theatre, and wander into the nooks and crannies that would inspire the famous entrances to Narnia.
See colleges like All Souls and Magdalene, Oriel and Jesus and enjoy some peaceful green space as you wander along with the River Isis, through Christchurch Meadow and the Botanical Garden.
After a day spent absorbing the magic of Oxford, you’ll then enjoy a peaceful transfer back to London.
