A Day Trip to Oxford: The Perfect One Day Itinerary

Planning a day trip to Oxford and want to know what the very best things to do are that you simply cannot miss? This Oxford day trip itinerary shares what to do in Oxford in just 24 hours.

Oxford is one of the UK’s most beautiful cities and it’s the perfect city to visit as a day trip from London. One day in Oxford is just enough time to get a flavour of what this wonderful city has to offer. There’s a great food scene, stunning architecture, and lots of places to explore on an Oxford day trip.

Some things to do in Oxford include visiting the “Harry Potter” college, drinking at J R R Tolkien’s old haunt, exploring the Natural History Museum and more. If you’ve only got 24 hours in Oxford, make sure to check out these top Oxford attractions first.

I’ve also included advice on how to get to Oxford at the very end of this post so make sure to scroll to the bottom before planning your Oxford day trip.

Now let me tell you how to spend one day in Oxford!

Oxford Day Trip Itinerary

Breakfast at The Handle Bar Cafe & Kitchen

The first thing to do on an Oxford day trip is grab a filling breakfast. If you’re coming to Oxford on a day trip from London then you’ll either be coming from Gloucester Green bus station or the train station.

The Handle Bar is in the centre of Oxford, just a few minutes away from the bus station and less than ten minutes from the train station. It’s on your way to all the good stuff so it’s the perfect place to start the day.

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The Handle Bar is one of my favourite brunch locations in Oxford and where you’ll find the best avocado on toast in the city.

A slice of sourdough bread is topped with a healthy dollop of smashed avocado as well as feta cheese, paprika and chilli. It’s so damn good!

The name hints at this cafe’s unique decor and inside you’ll find a number of bikes hanging from the ceiling as decor. It’s located above a bike shop in a bright, airy space that is a lovely place to start the day.

RELATED: The Best Cafes in Oxford

Address: 28-32, St Michael’s Street, Oxford, OX1 2EB
Opening Hours: 8am – 6pm Monday and Tuesday
8am – 11pm Wednesday to Friday
9am – 11pm Saturday
9am – 5pm Sunday
Website: www.handlebaroxford.co.uk

Climb University Church of St Mary the Virgin

Now that you’ve fuelled up, it’s time to see just what Oxford is all about. And what better place to see the dreaming spires of Oxford than from the skies?

No, unfortunately, you won’t be going up in a hot air balloon (though Virgin do offer hot air balloon rides over the city!), instead, you’ll be climbing the narrow, windy steps of the University Church of St Mary the Virgin.

That probably doesn’t sound quite so appealing but you’ll thank me when you get to the top and see the amazing view over Oxford. Given that the University Church of St Mary the Virgin is on one side of Radcliffe Square you’ll get a wonderful view of the iconic Radcliffe Camera and the city of dreaming spires from the top.

With only one day in Oxford, you sadly won’t manage to zip around the entire town so a trip up here is a great way to get a wide look at the city.

To your right, you’ll see right into All Souls College, one of Oxford University’s most elusive colleges with only around 10 post-graduate students each year.

Address: High Street, Oxford, OX1 4BJ
Opening Hours: 9:30am – 5pm Monday to Saturday; 12pm – 5pm Sunday
Price: £5
Website: www.universitychurch.ox.ac.uk/content/opening-times

Admire the Radcliffe Camera

You’ve seen the Radcliffe Camera from the top, now it’s time to get up close and personal. From Radcliffe Square, you’ll be able to walk around this rotund library and appreciate the sheer size of this structure.

It was built in the middle of the eighteenth century and has a neo-classical design. This sandy-coloured stone is iconic of Oxford as most of the university’s buildings are this colour.

The square surrounding it is paved with cobblestones, another typical feature of Oxford, though it’s rather uncomfortable to walk across!

Inside, the library is usually packed with Oxford University students and there are a whopping 600,000 books inside. Impressive stuff!

The only way for tourists to visit the inside is on a 90-minute guided tour and it’s well worth adding this to your Oxford day trip itinerary. More on the Bodleian Library tours below.

This is probably the most popular photo spot in Oxford so make sure you get lots of good pics here!

RELATED: Where to Get the Best Views of the Radcliffe Camera

Address: Radcliffe Square, Oxford, OX1 3BG

Take pictures of the Bridge of Sighs

Less than a minute from the Radcliffe Camera is another iconic Oxford landmark – The Bridge of Sighs. This is a floating passage joining two parts of Hertford College and is named after the Bridge of Sighs in Venice.

Whilst it looks like something from times gone by, this structure is actually much newer than a lot of other parts of Oxford as it was completed in 1914.

Taking pictures of the Bridge of Sighs is an absolute must on any Oxford day trip and if you’re really lucky you might snap a shot of a student cycling through underneath too!

Address: Bridge of Sighs, New College Ln, Oxford OX1 3BL

Go on a tour of the Bodleian Library

Not only are the libraries of Oxford stunning on the outside, but they’re also all stunning on the inside. Whilst the Radcliffe Camera is the iconic symbol of Oxford, the Bodleian Library is actually a group of libraries that are spread across the city.

For a glimpse inside some of the historic reading rooms, you’ll need to book yourself a guided tour. These are very popular and sell out quick so make sure to book this in advance of your day trip to Oxford!

RELATED: Inside 8 of Oxford University’s Most Beautiful Libraries

There are a number of different options available with a 30, 60 and 90-minute tour.

As a book lover, I will, of course, recommend the full 90-minute tour. This includes Radcliffe Camera, Divinity School, Convocation House, Chancellors Court and Duke Humfrey’s Library.

If you’re only here for Oxford’s Harry Potter filming locations then the 30-minute tour will suffice.

This consists of just the Divinity School and Duke Humfrey’s Library. The former served as the hospital wing at Hogwarts and the latter was the restricted section of Hogwarts library.

RELATED: A Guide to Harry Potter in Oxford

Address: Broad Street, Oxford, OX1 3BG
Price: £6-15
Website: https://visit.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/tours/tours-for-individuals

Grab a Bite to Eat

If you’re visiting Oxford in the summer then the Vaults & Garden is the perfect place for lunch as they have outdoor seating with amazing views of the Radcliffe Camera. You can order your food inside then bring it out on a cute, floral tray to enjoy your meal in the sunshine.

The menu is short and sweet and varies on a day-to-day basis since the ingredients are delivered fresh each day. There’s slow-roasted lamb shoulder or Oxford cheese rarebit, for example. It’s also vegetarian and vegan-friendly. Check out the menu for yourself here.

RELATED: Things to Do in Oxford in the Summer

Address: University Church, 1 Radcliffe Square, Oxford, OX1 4AH
Opening Hours: 8am – 6pm every day
Website: www.thevaultsandgarden.com

If you’re visiting in the winter then I’d recommend visiting Quod instead. It’s just a few minutes away on the main high street and is one of Oxford’s more luxurious restaurants.

However, on weekdays you can enjoy a set course at this wonderful restaurant for just £19.95 for 2 courses or £23.95 for 3 courses.

No 1 Ship Street is also close by with a lunch set menu from Monday to Saturday.

For something more casual, pop back to the Covered Market for a variety of different sit-down and takeaway food options.

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It’s quite a large space but it is also very popular with students and locals alike so you may find that it’s quite busy at lunchtime. Fortunately, you can easily book a table online via Open Table.

Address: 16-17 Turl Street, Oxford, OX1 3DH
Opening Hours: 8am – 4pm every day

Browse the Covered Market

After lunch, have a wander through Oxford’s covered market. It’s full of small, independent shops and you may find a cool souvenir or two. It’s a labyrinth of shops and you never know what you might find so just explore!

With a local florist, butchers, fruitmongers and more, the Oxford Covered Market feels like a slice of time gone by. You’ll also find leather crafts, homemade cakes and other trinkets worth browsing.

And if you’ve still got room after lunch, pick up a gloriously gooey cookie from Ben’s Cookies or a super sweet milkshake from MooMoo’s Milkshake, also in the covered market.

Address: Market Street, Oxford, OX1 3DZ
Opening Hours: 8am-5:30pm Monday to Friday; 8am-6pm Saturday; 10am-5pm Sunday
Website: oxford-coveredmarket.co.uk

Visit Christ Church, Oxford

Now it’s time to go on a tour of one of the best Oxford colleges. Christ Church is one of the most famous colleges and is very popular with tourists because it’s home to a number of Harry Potter filming locations. The Great Hall in the Harry Potter films was modelled on the Great Hall at Christ Church, where students dine every evening.

What’s more, the steps leading up to said dining hall were used in the first Harry Potter film. You may remember that McGonagall stands tapping her fingers at the top of a flight of stone stairs whilst she awaits the arrival of the new students. That’s these very stairs!

Check out my free self-guided Harry Potter Oxford tour for more information on these filming locations.

However, there’s more to Christ Church than Harry Potter. For book lovers, this college is also where Lewis Carroll first met the real-life Alice in Wonderland.

There’s also Oxford’s (only) cathedral hidden away in this college. The front quad is one of the largest quadrangles in Europe. You’ll have to visit to find out all the secrets of Christ Church!

RELATED: The Best and Most Beautiful Oxford Colleges

If you’ve got time, check out Christ Church Meadow too. It’s a huge patch of green taking you all the way down to the river and makes for a wonderful walk. If you’re lucky, you may even see some Oxford rowers out on the water!

Address: St Aldates, Oxford, OX1 1DP
Price: £15
Opening Hours: 10am – 5pm Monday to Saturday, 2pm – 5pm Sundays
Website: https://www.chch.ox.ac.uk/plan-your-visit/

Explore the Museum of Natural History

The Ashmolean is an amazing museum, no doubt about it. But if you’re only in Oxford for one day, then my personal recommendation would be to visit the Oxford University Museum of Natural History instead. It’s much smaller but full of intriguing exhibits.

It’s a beautiful neo-gothic building but if you think the outside is impressive, just wait until you step inside!

The skeleton parade is eerily beautiful and one of my favourite photo spots in Oxford. This a small but fascinating collection of animal skeletons which are displayed along the length of the museum.

Another one of my favourite things to see here is the Dodo. Yes, that mythical bird from Alice in Wonderland was once real.

In fact, the specimen here supposedly has just enough matter on it for scientists to be able to one day recreate the Dodo and maybe bring it back from extinction! Pretty cool, huh?

RELATED: A Guide to Alice in Wonderland in Oxford

If you head towards the back of the museum, you’ll find that there’s actually another museum hidden inside the museum.

This is the Pitt Rivers Museum, which has to be one of the unique places to see in Oxford. There are over 600,000 objects in this space, which come from just about every corner of the world! Look out for the shrunken heads.

Yes, the shrunken heads.

RELATED: The Best Free Things to Do in Oxford

Address: Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PW
Price: FREE
Opening hours: 10am-5pm every day
Website: www.oumnh.ox.ac.uk

Have Dinner at The Rickety Press

The Rickety Press is one of my favourite places to eat in Oxford and I always try to pop in for either brunch, lunch or dinner when I’m in this city. It’s the place to go for pizzas and burgers in Oxford.

The burgers are oh so juicy and you can get an enormous portion of fries on the side. As for the pizzas, the dough is just amazing. I always buy the dip for £1 extra just for the dough.

There’s a range of seating from intimate booths to tables for two or even a large table for groups. No matter who you’re dining with, the Rickety Press is a great option in Oxford.

There’s usually a great atmosphere inside in the evenings with lots of drinks on offer and the staff are great too.

What’s more, there are some great offers here throughout the week. On Mondays, there are half-price burgers all day and the pizzas are half price at lunchtime from Tuesday to Friday! Dreamy.

Looking for something a little fancier? Head to Gee’s instead.

Address: 67 Cranham St, Oxford, OX2 6DE
Opening Hours: 9am – 11pm every day (12am Friday/Saturday)
Website: dodopubs.com/locations/the-rickety-press

Grab a pint at a traditional Oxford pub

Normally I’d recommend the historic Eagle & Child pub without reservation. But unfortunately, that pub is temporarily closed as it seeks to raise funds for a refurbishment.

Instead, check out The Bear, a tiny, cosy little pub nestled behind Christ Church, Turf Tavern, a favourite amongst film crews who have graced Oxford, or the King’s Arms, for both indoor and outdoor seating. If cocktails are more your thing, I’d recommend House Bar behind Christ Church.

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More about the Eagle & Child:

There are so many wonderful pubs in Oxford. Almost as many as there are cafes in Oxford. However, one of my favourites will always be the Eagle & Child on St Giles’ because of its literary history.

You may have heard of authors Lewis Caroll and J R R Tolkien. They were part of a literary circle called “The Inklings” where they would share their work with like-minded individuals and critique each others’ writing.  

In fact, it was at one of these meetings that C S Lewis first handed out the proofs for The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe!

The Inklings used to gather at the Eagle & Child on Tuesdays at midday but I’d recommend saving this stop for the end of your Oxford day trip. You deserve a pint after all that exploring and can really sit back and relax!

This pub is only a 7-minute walk from Gloucester Green bus station and a 14-minute walk from Oxford train station so you’re well placed to make the journey home after a jam-packed day trip to Oxford!

RELATED: Things to do in Oxford in the Evening

Address: 49 St Giles’, Oxford OX1 3LU
Opening Hours: 11am – 11pm every day (closes 10:30pm Sundays)
Website: www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk

I hope you find my Oxford day trip itinerary helpful and you have a wonderful day in the city of dreaming spires! If you’d prefer to explore the city on a guided tour then you can go on a walking tour of Oxford, such as one of the below.

How to get to Oxford from London

Getting from London to Oxford couldn’t be easier and either the train, bus or car are all very convenient routes.

By Train 

There are regular trains from London Paddington to Oxford. The station is a little way out of the city centre but you can then take a bus or walk into town. Book via the Trainline for the cheapest tickets.

By Bus

The Oxford Tube is a super convenient and cheap bus service that’ll take you from the centre of London straight into the heart of Oxford. If you’re taking this route, I’d recommend getting off at the High Street so that you can walk to Radcliffe Square in just 3 minutes. 

By Car

Oxford is only an hour / hour and a half drive from the centre of London. It’s a very easy drive down via the M4, M25, M40 and A roads.

Best Time to Visit Oxford

Oxford is a university town and is therefore much busier during term times. Oxford University terms are very short and only last eight weeks.

The autumn term, known as Michaelmas, usually stretches from early October to early December. The spring term, known as Hilary, usually stretches from mid-January to mid-March. The summer term, known as Trinity, usually stretches from the end of April to mid-June.

If you want to visit Oxford when it is quieter, you may wish to avoid going on an Oxford day trip during Oxford University term times. You may also find that more things are open whilst the students aren’t there as some sites may have restricted hours for tourists during term time.

That said, if you are keen to catch glimpses of Oxford University student life, you may prefer to visit whilst the city is filled with students. If you manage to figure out what dates matriculation or graduation are on, you may even spot the students wandering around in their big black gowns.

Personally, I would visit when the students aren’t around, but it’s really up to you!

In terms of which season to visit Oxford in, as with most of England, the summers are much, much more pleasant. Summers in Oxford are glorious with freshly mown lawns, sunny outdoor spaces and the option to go punting.

Where to Stay in Oxford

Booking.com

If you liked this post, check out these:
Best Brunch in Oxford
Coffeeshops and Cafes in Oxford
Free Things to Do in Oxford
Things to Do in Summer in Oxford
Things to Do in the Evening in Oxford
Bookshops in Oxford
Best Oxford Colleges to Visit
Harry Potter in Oxford
Alice in Wonderland in Oxford
Saltburn Filming Locations in Oxford

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