I live and work in Oxford, up until five years ago I worked in a retail environment, answering all sorts of questions from foreign tourists and visitors from elsewhere in the UK. I’d almost forgotten about some of the strange and unusual questions I’d been asked until I was recently stopped in the street by a tourist. This post is inspired by some of the bizarre questions and statements I have received over the years. So before you consider a trip, here are 7 things you should know before visiting Oxford.

7 Things You Should Know Before Visiting Oxford

Are Oxford and Cambridge Near Each Other?

The simple answer is no. Cambridge University was founded after a group of Oxford scholars ran away during the Town and Gown riots of 1209 and formed a second University. 

Today the two cities are approximately 85 miles apart. If you want to travel by coach you can do so in around 3hr30 for as little as £9.00 or a train where the journey (via London) takes just under 3hrs and can cost as little is £14.00 (depending on the time)

Where is the Entrance to the University?

Oxford isn’t like a lot of Universities, there isn’t a single campus site. The University of Oxford is made up of 38 individual colleges and 5 halls, all of these are spread out across the city.

Do people Actually Live in Oxford?

This may seem like a bizarre question but I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve been asked whether people can live and work in the city without a connection to the University.

Oxford is just like any city (except expensive) where people live and work. You don’t have to be or have been a student to be a resident.

Where Can I Watch the Students Study?

I’ll admit that I’ve only ever been asked this question once, but it was so unusual that I had to include it in this post.

The answer is you can’t. Oxford may be visited by thousands of tourists and visitors every year, but it is an educational institution, it is not a zoo.

Where Can I Find Lonsdale College?

Lonsdale College was one of the most well known locations featured in the Inspector Morse series of books (and TV series) created by Colin Dexter. Unfortunately, when real places are used as settings the line between fact and fiction can become blurred, which results in confused tourists looking for buildings and roads that just don’t exist.

If you’re interested Brasenose College was predominately used as the location for the fictitious college.

Does everyone cycle?

No. Cycling is a slightly contentious subject in Oxford. Yes, there are a lot of people who cycle through the city, and there’s definitely a romanticised notion of students on bikes pedalling through the beautiful historic streets. However, the roads are also busy with buses, cars, taxis, and pedestrians. 

If you have a burning desire to cycle during your visit in Oxford, make sure you obey the traffic laws, wear a helmet and stay off the pavements. 

Is It an Easy City to Navigate?

Oxford is a really easy city to navigate, the centre of town is small enough to walk around in one day, and the public transport systems are almost always reliable enough to visit other areas of the city and surrounding areas. 

What else would you like to ask about Oxford?

Let me know in the comments.