Editor's picks
A local's shortlist — the places worth your time first, each with a tip.
Port Meadow
Nature · North-west, along the Thames
Ancient common land that has never been ploughed, grazed by horses and cattle, flooding in winter and running down to the Thames and two riverside pubs.
Local tip: Walk out from Walton Well Road to the Perch at Binsey or on to the Trout at Wolvercote. In a hard winter the meadow floods and then freezes, and the whole city comes out to skate on it — an event nobody schedules and everybody hears about within an hour.
The Covered Market
Food · Between High Street and Market Street
A permanent indoor market trading since the eighteenth century — butchers, a pie shop, a cobbler, cafés and the famous cake maker, in a warren of narrow aisles.
Local tip: It is genuinely a working market rather than a food hall, and the butchers and greengrocers are cheaper than the supermarkets. Go on a weekday morning; on a Saturday it is impassable.
Cowley Road
Neighborhood · East Oxford, over Magdalen Bridge
A mile of independent restaurants, music venues, pound shops and grocers from every continent — the part of Oxford that is a city rather than a university.
Local tip: The best value eating in Oxford is on this road and nowhere near it. Start at the Plain end and work east; the further from Magdalen Bridge you get, the cheaper and better it becomes.
The Bodleian and the Radcliffe Camera
Landmark · City centre
One of the oldest libraries in Europe and its circular eighteenth-century reading room, at the centre of a square of medieval and Baroque university buildings.
Local tip: You cannot get into the Camera without a reader's card, but the Divinity School and the Duke Humfrey's Library are open on paid tours and are the better rooms anyway. The Weston Library next door is free and its exhibition gallery is consistently good.
Headington and South Park
Culture · East, up the hill
The hospital district, with the best view back over the whole city from South Park and a fibreglass shark embedded head-first in the roof of a terraced house.
Local tip: The Headington Shark has been there since 1986 after a long planning fight the owner eventually won. It is on New High Street, it is free, and it is a better story than most of what the tour buses stop at.
The Oxford Canal towpath to Wolvercote
Hidden gemNature · North, from Jericho
A narrow towpath running from Jericho out past moored narrowboats, allotments and Port Meadow to the edge of the city — flat, traffic-free and almost entirely used by locals.
Local tip: Start behind Jericho and walk or cycle north. Within fifteen minutes you are out of the city with the meadow on one side and the boats on the other, and you can carry on to Kidlington if you want to. Almost no visitor ever finds it.
Explore 134 places across Oxford
Museums, landmarks, monuments, heritage sites and parks — mapped, with photos. The most notable spots first.
Museums & galleries
(8)
MuseumAshmolean Museum
Museum in Oxford, England, UK
MuseumOxford University Museum of Natural History
Museum in Oxford, United Kingdom
MuseumPitt Rivers Museum
Museum in Oxford, England, UK
MuseumHistory of Science Museum
Museum in Oxford, UK
MuseumChrist Church Picture Gallery
Art gallery in Oxford, England, UK
Museum
MuseumOxford Bus Museum
Transport museum in Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom
The Kilns - CS Lewis's Home
Museum.
Landmarks & architecture
(19)
LandmarkOxford Castle
Castle in Oxford incorporated into a now closed prison
LandmarkBeaumont Palace
Former palace in Oxford, England
LandmarkRadcliffe Square
Public space in Oxford, UK
LandmarkFounders Tower
Grade I listed building in Oxford, United Kingdom
LandmarkFitzHarris Castle
Castle in the United Kingdom
Landmark
Landmark
Landmark
LandmarkFrideswide Square
Square in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
LandmarkGloucester Green
Square and area in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
Landmark
LandmarkPope's Tower Approximately 35 Metres South East Of Harcourt House
Grade I listed building in West Oxfordshire, England, UK
LandmarkC Wing Including The Round Tower
Building in Oxford, England, UK
LandmarkOxford Canal Tilting Bridge Approximately 650 Metres South East Of Duke's Cut
Bridge in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, UK
LandmarkOxford Canal Road Bridge (240)
Canal bridge in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, UK
Water Eaton Manor House
Historic manor.
Woodperry House
Historic manor.
Bletchingdon Park
Castle.
Shotover House
Wheatley
Historic manor in Wheatley.
Monuments & memorials
(7)
MonumentMartyrs' Memorial
Memorial in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, UK
MonumentHeadington Shark
Public artwork.
New Marston War Memorial
Memorial.
Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry War Memorial
Memorial.
Shelley Memorial
Public artwork.
Equation of Time
Public artwork.
Places of worship
(83)
ReligiousAll Saints Church
Church building in Oxford, UK
Religious
ReligiousOxford Oratory
Roman Catholic church in Oxford, England
ReligiousSt Martin's Church, Bladon
Church in Bladon near Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousSt Michael at the North Gate
Church in central Oxford, England
ReligiousOld All Saints Church, Nuneham Courtenay
Church in Nuneham Courtenay, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of All Saints, Cuddesdon
Church in South Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousOsney Abbey
House of Augustinian canons at Osney in Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousOxford Centre for Mission Studies
Grade I listed church in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousSt Clement's Church, Oxford
Church in Oxford, UK
ReligiousSt Giles' Church, Oxford
Grade I listed church in Oxford, UK
ReligiousSt Helen's Church, Abingdon
Church in Abingdon on Thames, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousSt Nicolas' Church
Church in Abingdon in the English District of Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousSt Peter-in-the-East, Oxford
Church in Oxford, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Peter-le-Bailey
Church building in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, UK
Religious
ReligiousSt Mary the Virgin, Iffley
Historic church in Iffley, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom
ReligiousSt Andrew's Church
Grade II* listed church in Headington, Oxford, UK
ReligiousSt Barnabas Church, Oxford
Church in Oxford, United Kingdom
ReligiousSt Bartholomew's Chapel, Oxford
Church in Oxford, UK
ReligiousSt John the Evangelist Church, Oxford
Church in Oxford, UK
ReligiousSt Mary Magdalen's Church, Oxford
Church of England parish church in Magdalen Street, Oxford, England
ReligiousSt Thomas the Martyr's Church, Oxford
Grade II listed church in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Michael and All Angels
Historic church in Clifton Hampden, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom
ReligiousChurch of St Lawrence
Church in North Hinksey, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Peter, Wolvercote
Church building in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousOur Lady and St Edmund's Church, Abingdon
Church in Abingdon-on-Thames, United Kingdom
ReligiousCity Church
Church in Oxford, England
ReligiousDurham College
Former college of the University of Oxford and daughter house of Durham Priory
ReligiousWesley Memorial Church
Church in Oxford, United Kingdom
ReligiousSt Margaret's Church, Oxford
Grade II listed church in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousSt Anthony of Padua, Oxford
Roman Catholic church in Headington, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
ReligiousChurch of St Mary and St Nicholas
Church in Littlemore, Oxford, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Mary
Church in Wheatley, Oxfordshire, England, UK
Religious
Religious
ReligiousSt Ebbe's Church
Parish church in central Oxford, England
Religious
ReligiousSt Giles' Church, Standlake
Church in Standlake, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousSt Nicholas' Church, Islip
Church in Islip, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Bartholomew
Church in Yarnton, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Mary, Kidlington
Historic church in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom
ReligiousChurch of St Mary the Virgin
Church in Charlton-on-Otmoor, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousSt Johns College, North Range Including Chapel And Hall
Grade I listed church building in Oxford, United Kingdom
ReligiousChurch of St Margaret
Church in Oxford, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Nicholas
Church in Oxford, UK
ReligiousChurch of the Holy Rood, Woodeaton
Church in South Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Mary
Historic church in Waterperry, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom
ReligiousChurch of St Bartholomew, Holton
Grade I listed church in South Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Church in Beckley, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St John the Baptist
Church in South Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Michael
Grade I listed church in Cumnor, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Denys
Church in Northmoor, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Peter and St Paul
Church in Church Hanborough, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Michael, Stanton Harcourt
Church in Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Peter
Church in Cassington, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Nicholas
Church in Fyfield, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Leonard
Church in Eynsham, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Mary
Church in Freeland, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Giles, Bletchingdon
Church in Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Mary
Church in Hampton Poyle, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Giles
Church in Hampton Gay, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Michael
Church in Begbroke, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Giles
Church in Noke, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Andrew
Church in Oddington, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St James
Church in Cowley, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Giles
Church in South Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Nicholas
Church in Forest Hill, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Andrew
Church in Sandford-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Peter
Church in Marsh Baldon, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Katherine
Church in Chiselhampton, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Lawrence
Church in South Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Mary
Church in Garsington, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Thomas A Beckett
Church in South Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Lawrence
Church in South Hinksey, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St James
Church in Radley, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of All Saints, Marcham
Church in Marcham, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Lawrence, Besselsleigh
Church in Besselsleigh, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Lawrence, Appleton
Church in Appleton, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Leonard
Church in Sunningwell, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Barnabas
Church building in Horton-cum-Studley, Cherwell, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St John the Evangelist
Church building in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ReligiousChurch of St Peter
Church building in Wootton, Vale of White Horse, Oxfordshire, England, UK
Heritage & archaeology
(4)Rewley Abbey
Historic ruins.
Site of Roman villa
Archaeological site.
Barrow Hills
Archaeological site.
Banjo Enclosure
Archaeological site.
Parks & nature
(9)
ParkUniversity of Oxford Botanic Garden
Botanical garden in Oxford, UK
ParkOxford University Parks
Parkland area northeast of the city centre in Oxford, England
Park
Park
Park
Park
ParkAlbert Park
Park in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England, UK
ParkCutteslowe Park
Public park in Oxford, England, UK
ParkShotover Country Park
Park in the United Kingdom
More to explore
(4)Grave of C. S. Lewis
Visitor attraction.
Site of the Morris Longwall Garage
Visitor attraction.
Jarn Mound
Visitor attraction.
Boathouse Corner
Viewpoint.
Data from Wikidata (CC0) & OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Images via Wikimedia Commons — see each credit. Listings are community-maintained and may be incomplete or out of date — verify hours and access before visiting.
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