Harry Potter Oxford tour: Christ Church & Bodleian film sites

Christ Church doesn't allow guides inside, so the final hour is yours alone with an audio guide and guaranteed entry.

A private guided walking tour of Oxford's Harry Potter film sites, starting at 9:30am and running three hours, with a live guide who introduces the colleges and heritage of the city. Entry to Christ Church (worth £18) and the Divinity School at the Bodleian Library (worth £3) are included in your ticket. The tour is guided for the first two hours as you walk past the Bridge of Sighs, Radcliffe Camera, Balliol, Trinity and All Souls colleges, then you finish the final hour self-guided inside Christ Church using an audio guide.

Step-by-step itinerary

Harry Potter and Oxford heritage tour

• Pass by Bridge of Sighs
• See Shakespeare references and Anglo Saxon tower
• Visit Divinity School film site or New College
• Pass by Radcliffe Camera
• Pass by Balliol College
• Pass by Trinity College
• Pass by All Souls College
• Pass by other famous Oxford sights
• Visit Oxford Covered Market
• Self guided tour of Christ Church with audio guide

The Experience

The tour starts with your guide walking you through Oxford's medieval streets and college courtyards, pointing out the filming locations and explaining how the university inspired the Harry Potter films. You'll pass the Bridge of Sighs, see where scenes were filmed at the Bodleian Library's Divinity School (where the infirmary and dance scenes were shot), and walk past Radcliffe Camera, Balliol College, Trinity College and All Souls College. Your guide also weaves in Oxford's own history—the colleges, the architecture, the traditions that shaped the university long before the films arrived.

After two hours of guided walking, you arrive at Christ Church College. Because the college doesn't permit guides to lead groups inside, you'll explore the remaining hour on your own using a pre-recorded audio guide. Your entry ticket is pre-booked and waiting, so you walk straight in without queuing. The audio guide takes you through the spaces used in the films—the dining hall, the cloisters, the staircases—and you move at your own pace. When you're done, the tour ends there.

The Divinity School entry is included whenever it's open; on dates when it's closed for maintenance, the operator substitutes entry to another college instead. Christ Church entry is guaranteed and pre-paid as part of your ticket. Arrive five minutes early at the meeting point—these tours start on time because entry slots are pre-booked and fixed. The tour runs every day except Sundays.

What’s included

• Pre-paid entry to Christ Church College (worth £18 per person).
• entry to the Divinity School at the Bodleian Library when open (worth £3), or entry to an alternative college if the Divinity School is closed.
• a pre-recorded audio guide for the self-guided hour inside Christ Church.
• a live guide in your chosen language for the first two hours of walking.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Visit Oxford Tours

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see the actual Christ Church filming locations and have time to explore them at your own pace—the self-guided final hour means you're not rushed through the spaces the films made famous. The fixed 9:30am start and pre-booked entry slots mean you don't arrive to find the college full or entry sold out, which matters on busy days.

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Top questions

What happens inside Christ Church on this tour?

Christ Church College doesn't allow guides to lead groups through the building, so you explore it independently during the final hour using a pre-recorded audio guide. Your entry is pre-booked, so you skip the queue and move through the dining hall, cloisters and staircases at your own pace.

Is the Divinity School at the Bodleian Library included?

The Divinity School entry is included in your ticket when it's open—this is where the infirmary and dance scenes were filmed. If it's closed on your date, the operator substitutes entry to another college instead. Entry is pre-booked, so you don't queue.

How much walking is involved in the first two hours?

The first two hours are guided walking through Oxford's streets and college courtyards, covering the main Harry Potter film locations and introducing Oxford's colleges and heritage. The final hour is spent inside Christ Church, so the walking portion is the first half of the tour.

What languages is the guide available in?

The tour is available in English, Spanish, Italian, French and several other languages. You choose your preferred language when you book.

What time does the tour start and when does it end?

The tour starts at 9:30am and runs for three hours, ending at Christ Church where you finish exploring independently with the audio guide. Arrive five minutes early at the meeting point, as these tours start on time due to pre-booked entry slots.

Can I bring children or use a stroller?

The tour is suitable for all ages and fitness levels. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, and the tour is wheelchair accessible. Service animals are allowed.