Day one: start around Radcliffe Square
Begin on Broad Street, look into the Bodleian’s public courtyard where access permits, and continue to Radcliffe Square. This short sequence makes the university’s buildings easier to understand than chasing colleges across town. Place your booked library tour here, then leave time afterwards to look again at the exterior.
Day one: make the market your lunch stop
Head to the Covered Market for Sartorelli’s Pizza. Its wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas make a useful substantial lunch, with a vegan option available. The market lists it on Avenue 1; check the trader’s own hours, especially on Monday, rather than assuming every stall opens with the building.
Mobile data for your trip. Check what your current plan includes for roaming. If you need another option for maps, messages and booking details, compare NXTL eSIM coverage and rates. Check that your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked, and check coverage for every stop. Download important maps and confirmations for offline use too.
Day one: slow down on Merton Street
After lunch, return through the High Street towards Merton Street. Look at the college fronts and the change from busy shopping streets to quieter stone-lined lanes. Stay on public paths: an open-looking college gate is not permission to wander into private grounds. Keep an optional college visit separate from this walk.
Day two: choose the collection that interests you
Choose the Ashmolean for art and archaeology, or the Natural History Museum and adjoining Pitt Rivers for specimens and objects from around the world. General entry is free at these museums, but exhibitions, group arrangements and opening patterns differ. Pick one main cluster so the morning has time for looking rather than walking between collections.
Day two: finish outside if the weather allows
Use Christ Church Meadow’s public paths for the afternoon, entering from St Aldate’s or the Merton Lane side. Follow a maintained path towards the river and return before the gates close for the evening. In sustained rain, stay with the museum instead; a meadow walk is a pleasant ending, not a task to complete in any conditions.
Check before you go
Opening arrangements and visitor rules can change. Check the official information before your trip.
- Oxford University: places to visit
- Bodleian Libraries: current tour choices
- Oxford Covered Market: Sartorelli’s Pizza
- The Infatuation: Sartorelli’s Pizza review
- Ashmolean: plan your visit
- Oxford University Museum of Natural History: visit
- Pitt Rivers Museum: visit and entrance
- Christ Church: visiting the Meadow
