The indispensable Oxford Information Center is inside the Old School behind the bus bays in Gloucester Green. From the train station or any part of the city center, you can follow black and gold pedestrian signposts to the Tourist Information Office. Inside you will find a wealth of maps, tour possibilities, and guides to the area.
You can buy tickets for town tours and excursions farther afield—especially useful to train travelers who don’t have the freedom of a car. You can find out what concerts and plays are in area theaters, Oxford gets touring companies of many West End Plays. They also have a local hotel booking service and a Book-A-Bed-Ahead service.
To really enjoy your time in Oxford keep a few things in mind:
- It is best to arrange lodging before you arrive.
- This is a university town; expect building closings and inaccessibility of certain portions of the colleges.
- Most pubs in the university area have a student clientele; they can get rowdy of an evening. If you are not student-aged, it may be difficult to engage pub-crawlers in conversation.
- Expect to pay premium prices to stay in the city center.
- Take more film that you think you will need—Oxford is
incredibly photogenic. - Start at the St. Michael’s Saxon Tower.
Above all, save some time to savor. Dedicate part of your Oxford stay to wandering through the intricate maze of buildings down to the banks of the lazy river. You will understand why so many poets and dreamers have been nurtured by this small city.
