Student Bloggers

When I first settled upon London as a study abroad location, I knew I’d be headed to a place with so many sights and sounds that I would constantly find new things to do or fun activities to try. At the same time, one of the best pieces of advice I got before coming to the city was to find a day to explore other places in England. People kept telling me I needed to see the University of Oxford and the surrounding town, with all of the pretty buildings and history everywhere. 

Heeding their advice to venture outside London, my friends and I decided to make the trip the Friday before classes started to give ourselves enough time to explore without a lot of schoolwork. We took a train out of Paddington Station in the middle of London, and it only took us about an hour to make it up to Oxford. It was absolutely worth it to visit, with plenty of things to do without the hustle and bustle of a big city.

After spending a day exploring all Oxford has to offer, here are some of my top recommendations for what to try if you make the trip:

Gloucester Green Outdoor Market:

Just a 10 minute walk from the Oxford train station, Gloucester Green Outdoor Market is the perfect place to stop for a quick lunch or dinner. There are plenty of tents with homemade goods and souvenirs to bring back home, but the real treat is the row of street food stalls. With several different types of cuisine and relatively low prices, it’s the perfect place to go with friends who might be craving a variety of foods. I personally stopped at an Italian place called Polentista I Gustosi and got the carbonara for £9. I can easily say it was some of the best pasta I’ve ever eaten and wish I could go back and try other places.

The Covered Market:

Situated on Market Street, the Covered Market is a neat indoor marketplace with lots of shops, restaurants, and dessert options. You can pick up a gift, grab some fresh ingredients, or indulge in some chocolate or ice cream. However, the coolest thing about the market is its Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland theme. There are various lanterns designed to look like the characters hanging from the ceiling throughout, with the Queen of Hearts and the Mad Hatter making an appearance. Make sure to both browse the shops and look up above if you visit to take in all the sights.

University of Oxford tour:

One of the primary things my friends and I wanted to explore while there was the University of Oxford. I’d only seen pictures before but knew I had to go in person. While you can sign up for official tours if you so desire, I opted to just walk around the campus and take everything in myself. Every inch of the university was stunning and worth the trip with so many beautiful buildings to look at. I’d highly recommend taking a picture in front of the Radcliffe Camera — it makes for an excellent backdrop. For Harry Potter fans, the university is also the site of some of the most famous locations in the movie, which gives an extra incentive to check out the campus.

Christ Church Meadow:

Positioned next to Christ Church, Christ Church Meadow is a great place to get a good taste of the countryside while in Oxford. They have beautiful flowers in bloom along the building walls that make for a great photo as well as several open pastures. The best part of the entire thing was the cows that came up along the fences. For anybody from a rural town like me who misses the farmland, it was a good glimpse of home.

Blackwell’s Booksellers:

For any bookstore fanatics like myself, Blackwell’s Booksellers is a must. There are multiple floors to explore with a little something for everyone. The one thing you have to see while you're there is the Norrington Room. It’s a warm and inviting space that looks like you’ve stepped into a library, all while being in the middle of a bookstore. The genres of the books nestled in the stacks span from different country topics to Shakespeare to philosophy. It truly is worth a look. They also have cute tote bags with the Blackwell’s building printed on the outside that make for a fun and functional souvenir. 

If you at all have the chance to get out of London and see Oxford, it’s absolutely worth the trip. There is so much to do and plenty of activities for a variety of interests, so I highly recommend checking it out for an easy and affordable day excursion.