Ever wondered what secrets lie beneath the cobbled streets and bustling colleges of Cambridge? Well, you're in for a treat!...
"Not your usual boring tour - a perfect blend of history and humour."
Oxford isn't just a city of dreaming spires and dusty libraries. It's also a place where you can peer into a cabinet of curiosities containing shrunken heads, spend a night in a former public loo, and hear tales of ghostly scholars that'll make you glad you're still breathing. I've spent years guiding people through the cobbled lanes and hidden corners of this honey-coloured city, and I can tell you that the best things to do in Oxford are the ones you won't find on a standard tourist map.
Whether you're here for a day trip or a longer stay, you'll find plenty that is properly funny, properly dark, and properly strange. For a guided experience that combines the city's darkest tales with a wry smile, check out Terrible Tours of Oxford - choose from our Odd Oxford history tour with a twist, or our infamous Ominous Oxford Ghost tours.
You can't visit Oxford without stepping inside at least one college. But trust me, not all colleges are created equal. Some are stunning, some are smug, and a few have genuinely sinister tales attached to them. The honey-coloured stone and manicured quads are beautiful, sure, but the real magic lies in the stories of the people who lived, studied, and sometimes met grisly ends within these walls.
Among the most famous are Christ Church, which served as inspiration for the Great Hall in Harry Potter films, and Magdalen College, with its riverside deer park and 15th-century tower. But don't overlook the smaller, weirder colleges. Try New College, where you can see part of the original city wall and a cloister that oozes medieval menace. For a self-guided wander, check out TripAdvisor's top attractions for opening details.
The Bodleian Library is one of the oldest in Europe, and it holds millions of books that most people will never be allowed to touch. You can take a guided tour that shows you the medieval reading rooms, the Duke Humfrey's Library (also used as a Hogwarts library set), and the stunning Radcliffe Camera. The Camera is that iconic circular building you've seen in every photo of Oxford, and it's even more impressive when you're standing beneath its dome knowing that students are still studying inside.
If you prefer your literature with a side of dark history, ask your guide about the chained books, the secret tunnels, and the scholars who may have been poisoned by their own manuscripts. For more on library tours, Lonely Planet lists this as a must-do.
Right in the heart of the city centre, St Mary the Virgin Church offers one of the best views in Oxford. Climb the 127 steps to the top of the tower and you'll get a panoramic vista of the Radcliffe Camera, the dreaming spires, and the green meadows beyond. On a clear day you can see for miles. The climb is narrow and not for the claustrophobic, but the payoff is worth it.
There's also the matter of the church's history. It's where the Oxford Martyrs were tried before being burned at the stake in the infamous Heresy Trials of 1555. If that doesn't give you pause as you sip your takeaway coffee, nothing will.
Two museums, one building, and a world of wonder. The Oxford University Museum of Natural History houses dinosaur skeletons, a giant moa bird skeleton, and a cast of a dodo. But the real draw for dark history fans is the Pitt Rivers Museum upstairs. This is a museum of anthropology and archaeology, and it's nothing short of a cabinet of curiosities. You'll find shrunken heads from the Amazon, a witch in a bottle, a cursed mummy, and a collection of 2,000-year-old Egyptian artefacts that look like they belong in a horror film.
Best of all, both museums are free. According to Helena Bradbury's guide to free Oxford activities, the Pitt Rivers is a highlight that shouldn't be missed. Just don't go alone if you're easily spooked.
The Ashmolean is Britain's oldest public museum, opened in 1683. It's free to enter and packed with art and artefacts from across the world and across millennia. You'll find mummies, Greek pottery, Michelangelo drawings, and a collection of astrolabes that look like alien technology. The building itself is gorgeous, with a rooftop restaurant that offers excellent views over the city.
But the Ashmolean also has its share of oddities. Look out for the "dancing faun" statue, the cursed rings, and the display cases that once held the contents of Oxford's original cabinet of curiosities. It's a museum that rewards those who wander slowly and read the small labels.
Punting is the classic Oxford activity that every visitor should try at least once. You can hire a punt and navigate the River Cherwell yourself (expect some comedy wobbles and near-misses with willow branches) or book a guided punting tour with a student in a boater hat who will tell you the history while doing all the hard work. The route takes you past Christ Church Meadow, the Botanic Garden, and the college backs.
For the best experience, go in the late afternoon when the light is golden and the crowds are thinner. If you happen to fall in, consider it an authentic Oxford initiation rite. Check Condé Nast Traveller's guide for punting company recommendations.
Tucked away between the High Street and Market Street, the Covered Market has been operating since the 1770s. It's a warren of independent butchers, bakers, cheesemongers, florists, and quirky gift shops. It's also a great place to grab a cheap lunch, a coffee, or a slice of cake the size of your head. The atmosphere is buzzy, especially on Saturday mornings.
But there's a darker side. The market was once the site of public executions, and some traders swear they've seen a ghostly woman in white wandering the corridors after closing time. If you're on a Terrible Tours walk, I'll point out exactly where the bodies were buried.
Yes, you read that correctly. Oxford has converted a disused public lavatory on St Michael's Street into a boutique hotel room. It's called The Loo, and while it's not exactly the Ritz, it's certainly a conversation starter. You get a double bed, a small kitchenette, and the knowledge that you are sleeping where generations of Oxford residents once did their business. It's a uniquely terrible and wonderful experience.
If you prefer your accommodation to be less flush-related, there are plenty of other quirky options in the city, but none quite as memorable as this. For more on this oddity, see this CN Traveller article.
This is where things get properly interesting. Instead of a dry lecture on Gothic arch analyses and exact dates, why not let us show you the weird, the grisly, and the laugh-out-loud strange side of Oxford? Our Odd Oxford walking tour is a daytime ramble through the city's most eccentric history, think cursed objects, eccentric professors, and the pub where a poet was killed by his own girlfriend. Our Ominous Oxford tour, meanwhile, is strictly for after dark: ghost stories, graves, and tales of the undead that will have you checking over your shoulder.
Both tours are delivered with dark humour and genuine historical detail. We've been called "history with a twist," and we take that as a compliment. You'll leave with laughs and a healthy dose of mild unease. Book your tour here, I promise you won't regret it, even if you scream a little.
Just a short bus ride from Oxford city centre, Blenheim Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the birthplace of Winston Churchill. The palace is enormous, the grounds are breathtaking, and the history is tangled with politics, war, and personal tragedy. You can explore the state rooms, stroll through the formal gardens, and visit the butterfly house. It's a full day out, and well worth the trip if you have time.
But even Blenheim has its dark corners. Look up the story of the 9th Duke and his American heiress wife, or the ghost of a servant who allegedly still walks the halls. For more on Blenheim's opening times, consult TripAdvisor's Oxford page.
Below you will find answers to common queries about the best things to do in Oxford, covering unusual attractions, dark history tours, and practical tips for your visit.
Oxford is home to several eccentric and lesser-known sights. The Pitt Rivers Museum displays an extraordinary collection of anthropological artefacts, including shrunken heads and amulets. The Oxford University Museum of Natural History houses a dodo skeleton and the famous Oxfordshire dinosaurs. For something truly odd, seek out the Alice's Shop on St Aldate's, which inspired Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland.
Yes, Terrible Tours offers two distinctive walking experiences: Odd Oxford and Ominous Oxford. Odd Oxford explores bizarre and eccentric stories from the city's past, while Ominous Oxford delves into tales of murder, execution, and supernatural encounters. Both tours last approximately 90 minutes and are led by knowledgeable guides.
Several pubs and buildings are reputedly haunted. The Turf Tavern, a historic alehouse hidden down a narrow alley, is said to have ghostly patrons. The Bear Inn, one of Oxford's oldest pubs, claims a spectral figure in the cellars. The Ashmolean Museum and the Bodleian Library also have reported ghost sightings, often attributed to former scholars and staff.
A day exploring Oxford's best things to do might start with a morning visit to the Bodleian Library and Radcliffe Camera, followed by lunch at the Covered Market. In the afternoon, tour the Ashmolean Museum or the Pitt Rivers Museum. Late afternoon, join the Odd Oxford walking tour, and finish with a pint
Start with a walking tour of a college and the Bodleian Library in the morning. Visit the Pitt Rivers Museum for free after lunch, then go punting on the River Cherwell. Finish with a pint in a historic pub and, if you're brave, an Ominous Oxford tour after dark.
The Ashmolean Museum, the Museum of Natural History, and the Pitt Rivers Museum are all free. You can also wander into some college quads for free (though Christ Church usually charges entry), stroll through Christ Church Meadow, and explore the Covered Market without spending a penny.
The Old Bodleian Library's Divinity School is stunning, and the Botanic Garden offers a peaceful escape. For something truly odd, visit the Pitt Rivers Museum's collection of amulets and curses, or find the "Bridge of Sighs" at Hertford College. Our Odd Oxford tour uncovers plenty more secrets.
Oxford is generally safe for solo travellers, especially in the city centre during the day. Take the usual precautions at night, stick to well-lit streets, and you'll be fine. Join a guided walking tour for company and local knowledge, our Ominous Oxford Ghost Tour is a great way to explore after dark in a group.
So there you have it, the best things to do in Oxford, from the weird to the wonderful, the free to the faintly terrifying. Whether you're here for the dreaming spires or the nightmare fuel, this city will leave its mark on you. And if you want to see it through the eyes of someone who loves its dark side, come find us at Terrible Tours of Oxford. I'll be the one in the dark coat telling you about the headless ghost that haunts Broad Street.
Main photo by Artem Zhukov on Pexels
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