What to do in Oxford

A personal selection of favorite things (other than this conference/workshop) to see and do in Oxford by Ian Shipsey (Updated Summer, 2018)

Just a subset of my favorites, far from a complete list of good things * indicates what I would pick if there is only time to do one.

Unless you are staying on after conference/workshop you will not have much free time except in the evenings when the museums, colleges and parks are closed but the pubs and restaurants (for any night when dinner is not provided) will be open.

Museums

Ashmolean (*)
Natural History
Pitt Rivers
Museum of the History of Science
Christ Church Picture Gallery

Colleges: (All the 38+ colleges are beautiful)

Magdalen (*)
Christ Church
Brasenose
New

Churches

Christ Church Cathedral (in Christ Church College) *
New College Chapel

Libraries

Bodleian (take the tour) *
Weston (see the Treasury and Special Exhibition room which has thought provoking exhibitions such as the amazing “Shakespeare Dead” that got a lot of physicists very excited)

Walks in open spaces

Christ Church Meadow *
Botanic Garden
Magdalen Deer Park
University Parks
Thames Foot Path from Abingdon Road to Isis Farmhouse
Port Meadow from Jericho to the Trout (Thames footpath)

Best view

Varsity Club Roof Top Bar *
Cupola of the Sheldonian

Some of the Best Pubs: (good beer and good food)

Turf Tavern *
King’s Arms
Lamb and Flag Historically supported students (as per wiki)
Head of the River (for the location)
Isis Farmhouse (beautiful country pub)
Bookbinder’s Arms (Jericho)

Shops

The Covered Market (traditional shops i.e. butchers, greengrocers, fishmongers from about 1780) *

Guides to Oxford

https://www.dailyinfo.co.uk/oxford/guide/introduction

Click here

What's on in Oxford today

http://www.dailyinfo.co.uk

Click here

Locals Guide to Oxford (from the Guardian)

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/jan/19/locals-guide-to-oxford

Click here

Walking tours of the City and University

http://www.footprints-tours.com/oxford-walking-tours/

Click here

Best restaurants in the city centre (10 minutes)

No.1 Ship Street (both the name of the restaurant and its address) British cuisine
Quod (High Street) British/European & superb collection of modern art on walls
Edamame (Japanese) Holywell Street (tiny and with unusual opening hours check website to avoid disappointment)
Marco’s (Italian) High Street in a building dating to 1680
Cuttlefish (fish) in St. Clements just across Magdelen Bridge

Restaurants close to Astrophysics and Particle Physics (that local physicists frequent)

Pierre Victoire (French) Little Clarendon Street
Branca (Italian) Walton Street
Eli’s (Lebanese) Little Clarendon Street (for lunch)
Oxford Cheese Company, St Giles (for lunch)
Old Parsonage (opposite Particle Physics and Astrophysics) British/European
Brasserie Blanc (French) Walton Street
The Standard (Indian) Walton Street
Al Jazeeb (Indian) North Parade

Restaurants close to Astrophysics and Particle Physics (that local physicists frequent)

Jericho Café Walton Street
White Rabbit (Pizza) Friar’s Entry
Cherwell Boat House (French) (on the Cherwell River)
Shanghai 30’s (Chinese) St. Aldates
Chiang Mai Kitchen (Thai) Kemp Hall Passage (building dates from 1630)

Many other restaurants

There are many franchise restaurants in the City Center on George Street

There are many good ethnic restaurants in the student quarter along the Cowley Road a couple of examples:

Kadai and Nan (Nepalese and Indian)
Le Kesh (Middle Eastern)
Yeti (Nepalese)

What to do in Oxford

Things to Do in Oxford by Ian Shipsey

Museums

Colleges: (All the 38+ colleges are beautiful)

Churches

Libraries

Walks in open spaces

Best view

Some of the Best Pubs: (good beer and good food)

Shops

Guides to Oxford

What's on in Oxford today

Locals Guide to Oxford (from the Guardian)

Walking tours of the City and University

Best restaurants in the city centre (10 minutes)

Restaurants close to Astrophysics and Particle Physics (that local physicists frequent)

Restaurants close to Astrophysics and Particle Physics (that local physicists frequent)

Many other restaurants