Oxford
Travel Advice for Seniors: Oxford
We took a day trip out of London to primarily take a look at Stonehenge, which included a stop through the well-known university town of Oxford. The city has a population of 165,000, about one fourth of which are students.
The City of Oxford revolves around it’s world-famous university of the same name, the oldest university in the English-speaking part of the world, with a history spanning over 1000 years. The small city itself is quaint and rustic and for those interested, with plenty of Harry Potter filming locations!
The university itself has well-preserved medieval architecture and is steeped in tradition. Established in the 12th century, it is home to 38 autonomous colleges and curriculum, heavy into philosophy, politics and economics. In fact, many British prime ministers attended.
So which is better, Cambridge or Oxford? Both have deep history and their share of Nobel Laureates. Oxford is well known for their studies in humanities, while Cambridge is stronger in mathematics, engineering and sciences. So it depends on what you want to study, however, I’m sure if you ask anyone who has been to either school you will hear more strident opinions!
We had the opportunity to visit with one of the students staying over the break and they were kind enough to talk to us about the exclusivity and curriculum. Unlike US universities, you must be invited and work with a specific mentor. Top grades are required as are rigorous entry exams and extensive interviews prior to acceptance into any program. The upside: You get to study with some of the premier educators in the world! Not to mention that it looks pretty good on your resume!
Besides the ancient beauty of the college itself, some of the must-see sights are Christ Church College, the Radcliffe Camera ad the ancient and iconic Bodleian Library. Also within the city are the UK’s oldest museum, the Ashmoloean Museum, plus several other interesting museums and a great covered market. Literary buffs should stop by the massive Blackwell’s Bookshop. To really get into the vibe, hire a boat to punt you along the river Cherwell!
For those Harry Potter aficionados, you can easily recognize the main hall in the Christ Church College as the inspiration for the same in the Harry Potter movies. Also, the giant Holm Oak in the courtyard plays a part as well as the Bodleian Library, the Divinity School and the New College Cloisters.
Outside the beautiful and interesting university part of Oxford,what we liked best was walking down the ancient high street and taking in the architecturally and historically interesting odd ball shops. Of course there was a lot of Harry Potter paraphernalia but there was also a series of eclectic shops including my fav, the Laird Hatters, a well-known hat shop frequented by celebrities!
Not sure that I would put Oxford on my must-see stops in England, but it was an interesting place to have a wander! And of course a “must” for Harry Potter fans!
Where we stayed: Mercure Earls Court. Comfortable, easy access to Tube stop, breakfast included. Centrally located. Fully accessible.
How we got there: Bus day trip out of London in combination with a stop in Oxford This was a pre-trip before commencing a 15-day small group tour through Scotland and Ireland.
General Accessibility Information: The college is mostly accessible, however, some of the older buildings may not be due to steep steps and uneven surfaces. Same for walking around in the town, the older parts of town will have uneven surfaces. Call in advance to verify and make specialty arrangements. See our sections on specialty apps and accessible travel for more on accessibility assistance.
