Oxford City ~ Backpacker Guide

Oxford is a city that has myriad stories to tell. You will pick up on those from recorded commentaries on your hop on, hop off bus, from students that converge in a Thai restaurant, or by simply admiring a spired building you come across while navigating its busy streets.

The city is well known for Oxford university, one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the world, and has been home and a seat of  learning to many great men and women in history.

Taken atop the hop-on, hop-off bus

Traveling by train to Oxford

The British have a great railway infrastructure. I boarded a train from Cardiff City to Oxford and it was quite easy to navigate my way there. The train cabins are cozy and warm which is a great comfort on super chilly days. If you book your tickets online, you can reserve a seat and select the type you want “forward facing, backward facing, with or without a table etc.”

I opted for a seat with table for the return trip, but the seat was taken anyway by a lady with the sweetest, guilty smile, this can happen during rush hour when seats as well as the aisles fill up quickly.

Seating is wide open during non-peak hours and on weekends. The trip took about two hours and I had to change platforms twice. The train ride was a great way to sightsee, however, it was quite pricey.

Taken atop the Carfax Tower

Hop on, hop off

My friend and I booked early morning tickets so that we could meet by noon and make the most of the afternoon. Both of us were clueless on how to get around Oxford so we figured we’d just do the hop-on, hop-off bus which turned out to be very convenient and cheap.

At the central railway station in Oxford we bought our City Sightseeing bus tickets which you may be able to buy at a slightly cheaper price online. The ticket is good for 2 days but we were allowed to use ours for 3 days since it was low-peak and the tour buses were always practically empty.

We didn’t use any other public transportation since the hop-on, hop-off bus route covered most points of interest. In fact, once we deposited our luggage at the b&b and began our open-top bus tour at the central station, we would realize 90 minutes later that we’ve pretty much seen all of Oxford.

Getting Around

We didn’t get off the tour bus on our first day, we decided to do that instead on our second day. By foot, it was quite easy to navigate Oxford. Public transportation were mostly buses and cabs, the railway appeared to be mainly for inter-city travelers like us as well as students who make up a large chunk of the city’s population. Many locals and students get around on bicycles.

Sightseeing at the Carfax Tower.

Points of Interest

Carfax Tower

Carfax  Tower was a part of St. Martin’s Church back in the 13th century. It was torn down to expand the road but the tower was saved and turned into an observation post for the public. The tower offers rewarding views of the city landscape.

Christ Church College

Christ Church College stands out among other more modern colleges in the city because of its awe-inspiring Romanesque and Gothic architecture.  The institute has produced 13 British Prime Ministers. It has also been used as a setting in the Harry Potter movie series.

High Street

High Street in Oxford has been ranked as one of the finest streets in the world according to our hop-on, hop-off  tour guide. Take a leisurely stroll here and enjoy the convivial and youthful vibe of the city.

St. Magdalene College

St. Magdalene’s College is another eye-catcher with its elaborate and animated architecture. Look closely and you’ll see the little gargoyles and Yoda like creatures on its towers and walls.

Sheldonian Theater

The Sheldonian Theater is used for many public events such as concerts, conferences or lectures and most importantly, it is the graduation venue for all Oxford students. It is open to the public when not in use.

Oxford Marty’s Monument

The beautifully sculpted Marty’s Monument is dedicated to the three bishops burnt at the stake by the order of Queen Mary of Tudor in the 15th century. They were accused of heresy.

The monument despite its sad past, is a powerful reminder of the importance of religious tolerance, openness, and compassion to fellow human beings.

Ashmolean Museum

The Ashmolean Museum is a vast museum that houses thousands of paintings, sculptures, and other artworks from many different eras. It also contains impressive collections of artifacts from ancient civilizations.

It may take you a whole day to see everything the museum has on display, actually that’s where we spent most of our last day in Oxford.

Oxford Castle

We came across Oxford Castle on our walk back to the b&b. It’s an interesting, medieval complex with a little hill by its side. We arrived there just as it was about to close so we didn’t have a chance to look around much. We didn’t get to ask the what the story behind the hill was, but the place is worth a peak.

Tourists gather for a walking tour in front of the Sheldonian Theater.

On the open top, hop-on, hop-off tour bus. 

There are many other colleges of interest in Oxford. There is an admission fee to enter if you’d like to go inside and see more of the school grounds. You can join paid and free walking tours which are advertised in flyers handed out in bus terminals or tourist desks. We were interested in the river tour, however, since it was winter, the tour wasn’t available.

Oxford overall offered a fascinating glimpse into Britain’s foremost center for learning. If you’re into history, culture, and scholastic adventures, then Oxford is a sure treat for you.