Things to Do in Oxford by Ian Shipsey

A personal selection of favorite things to see and do in Oxford by Ian Shipsey

Just a subset of my favorites, far from a complete list of good things * indicates what I would pick if there is only time to do one.

Unless you are staying on after wokrshop you will not have much free time except in the evenings when the museums, colleges and parks are closed but the pubs and restaurants will be open.

Museums:

• Ashmolean *
• Natural History
• Pitt Rivers
• Museum of the History of Science
• Christchurch Picture Gallery

Colleges: (All the 38+ colleges are beautiful)

• Magdalen *
• Christ Church
• Brasenose
• New

Churches:

• Christ Church Cathedral (in Christ Church College) *
• New College Chapel

Libraries:

• Bodleian (take the tour) *
• Weston (see the Treasury and Special Exhibition room which has the amazing "Shakespeare Dead" at the moment)

Walks in open spaces:

• Christ Church Meadow *
• Botanic Garden
• Magdalen Deer Park
• University Parks
• Thames Foot Path from Abingdon Road to Isis Farmhouse
• Port Meadow from Jericho to the Trout (Thames footpath)

Best view:

• Varsity Club Roof Top Bar *
• Cupola of the Sheldonian

Some of the Best Pubs: (good beer and good food)

• Turf Tavern *
• King’s Arms
• Lamb and Flag
• Eagle and Child
• Head of the River (for the location)
• Isis Farmhouse
• Bookbinder’s Arms (Jericho)

Shops:

• The Covered Market (traditional shops from about 1780) *

Guides to Oxford

• https://www.dailyinfo.co.uk/oxford/guide/introduction

What's on in Oxford today

• http://www.dailyinfo.co.uk

Locals Guide to Oxford (from the Guardian)

• https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/jan/19/locals-guide-to-oxford

Walking tours of the City and University

• http://www.footprints-tours.com/oxford-walking-tours/

Best restaurants in the city centre (10 minutes)

• No.1 Ship Street (both the name of the restaurant and its address) British cuisine
• Quod (High Street) British/European & superb collection of modern art on walls
• Turl Street Kitchen (excellent local food and run not for profit by students) located in Turl Street (which it is claimed was the inspiration for Diagon Alley in Harry Potter)
• Edamame (Japanese) Holywell Street (tiny and with unusual opening hours check website to avoid disappointment)
• Marco’s (Italian) High Street in a building dating to 1680

Restaurants close to Astrophysics and Particle Physics (that local physicists frequent)

• Pierre Victoire (French) Little Clarendon Street
• Branca (Italian) Walton Street
• Eli’s (Lebanese) Little Clarendon Street (for lunch)
• Oxford Cheese Company, St Giles (for lunch)
• Old Parsonage (opposite Particle Physics and Astrophysics) British/European
• Brasserie Blanc (French) Walton Street
• The Standard (Indian) Walton Street
• Al Jazeeb (Indian) North Parade
• Jericho Café Walton Street
• So Jo (Chinese) Hythe Bridge Street
• White Rabbit (Pizza) Friar’s Entry
• Cherwell Boat House (French) (on the Cherwell River)
• Shanghai 30’s (Chinese) St. Aldates
• Chiang Mai Kitchen (Thai) Kemp Hall Passage (building dates from 1630)

There are many franchise restaurants in the City Center on George Street

There are many good ethnic restaurants in the student quarter along the Cowley Road a couple of examples:

• Kadai and Nan (Nepalese and Indian)
• Le Kesh (Middle Eastern)
• Yeti (Nepalese)