Oxford Walking Tour: University & College Access
Oxford's colleges open their gates on this tour: most visitors only see them from the street.
A private 2-hour walking tour of Oxford led by a live English-speaking guide, with entry into a college or university building included. You'll walk past the Sheldonian Theatre, Radcliffe Camera and Bodleian Library, visit the chapel, dining hall, gardens and cloisters of a working college, and learn how the university functions alongside the town itself.
Step-by-step itinerary
Oxford University walking tour
- Visit Sheldonian Theatre
- View Radcliffe Camera outside
- See church inside and outside
- Enter college and visit chapel
- View 19th century monument
- Visit Bodleian exhibition building
- See Bodleian Library outside
- Sheldonian Theatre 3m
- Radcliffe Camera 4m
- University Church of St. Mary the Virgin 10m
- New College Entry included 30m
- Martyrs' Memorial 4m
- Weston Library 10m
- Bodleian Library 15m
What’s included
- Entry into a college or university building with access to the chapel, dining hall, gardens and cloisters.
- live guide in English throughout the 2-hour tour.
- pickup included.
- Every day 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00
Information
Private 2-hour walking tour of Oxford with entry into a college or university building, led by a live guide through 900 years of architecture, history and green spaces.
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The experience
The tour moves through Oxford on foot, starting at landmarks designed centuries apart. You'll see the Sheldonian Theatre, built by Christopher Wren in 1669 as the ceremonial heart where Oxford students graduate, then pass the Radcliffe Camera and view the Bodleian Library from outside, though your guide can help arrange a separate visit if you want to go in. The walk includes a church you can enter, with an optional tower climb for an extra fee.
The core of the tour is entry into a working college or university building, depending on what's open that day. Inside you'll see the chapel, dining hall, gardens and cloisters: spaces most Oxford visitors never reach. Your guide shares the history of the university itself, how it operates, and the traditions and stories that make Oxford distinct. The route also takes in green spaces and the varied architecture that spans from medieval to modern.
Two hours covers the walking and the stops. The guide is with you throughout in English. Service animals are welcome, and public transport is nearby if you need it. The tour assumes a moderate level of fitness for the walking involved.
Top questions
Can I be picked up at my hotel?
You can choose: pickup at your hotel, or go straight to the meeting point. When you book, you choose your hotel from 20 pickup locations; if yours isn’t listed, you arrange it with the operator after booking. Pickup is about 15 minutes before departure.
Can I actually go inside a college at Oxford on this tour?
Yes, entry into either a college or another university building is included, depending on availability that day. You'll see the chapel, dining hall, gardens and cloisters: the spaces where students live and study.
What is the Sheldonian Theatre used for?
The Sheldonian Theatre, designed by Christopher Wren in 1669, is where Oxford University holds its graduation ceremonies. It's the ceremonial building for the university's most formal occasions.
Will I get to go inside the Bodleian Library?
The library is viewed from outside during the tour, but your guide can help you arrange a separate visit to go in if you'd like to see the reading rooms and exhibitions.
How much walking is involved in this tour?
The remaining time after stops is spent walking through Oxford. You'll need at least a moderate level of fitness for the route, which covers the university buildings, green spaces and varied architecture across the city center.
What makes Oxford's history unusual?
Oxford has a long and varied history spanning 900 years of university life alongside the town itself. Your guide shares the amusing stories and strange traditions that have developed over that time, and explains what makes the university's structure and operations unique.
Operated by Field Trips Oxford. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.
Prices and times updated 6 days ago
Oxford Walking Tour: University & College Access
2h · EN
from £ 180 per group
≈ US$ 242 in your currency
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