Oxford Official Walking Tours
Published on: 03/07/23
Sometimes even the most dedicated Let’s Go Outer needs to take a break from adrenaline-filled activity, and where better than Oxford, the city of dreaming spires? Summer is a great time to visit, as out of university term, those in the know can gain unique access to many usually-restricted quads, gardens and halls of the colleges.
And there’s no tour company more steeped in the city and its secrets than Oxford Official Walking Tours. Follow your knowledgeable and friendly guide as they bring the hidden history of the city to life, including a window into student life, famous Oxford alumni and inhabitants, as well as filming locations for Harry Potter and Inspector Morse, and fantastical inspiration for Oxford writers Philip Pullman, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. Groups are limited to small numbers, so that you can enjoy a relaxing tour experience with your expert guide. Step this way to see what’s on offer:
Oxford University & City Walking Tour
Book NowThe best way to explore Oxford is on foot, amongst stunning architecture, glorious gardens, university quadrangles and hidden interconnecting alleyways, as your friendly guide shares stories about the compelling history of this beautiful city. This award-winning 2-hour tour will take you into Radcliffe Square and the Bodleian Libraries, hearing key stories about the city’s often troubled past and the most famous characters, real and fictional, who worked or studied here!
Oxford Ghost Tour
Book NowSoak up the atmosphere and meet the ghosts of Oxford on this spooky evening tour! From heart-stopping accounts of apparitions, manifestations and related supernatural phenomena to stories about first-hand encounters with ghouls, you’ll thrill to the spookiest tales from around the city and its most famous spirits.
C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien Tour
Book NowNarnia or Middle-Earth, my Precious? Explore the origins of both on the ultimate specialist Oxford Official Walking Tours for all fans of C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien. Explore their work and key Oxford locations with an enthusiastic guide. Visit the central Oxford locations where they lived, taught and worked, perfect in this 50th anniversary year of Tolkien’s death (1892-1973).
Inspector Morse Tour Oxford
Book NowJoin the Inspector Morse, Lewis, and Endeavour Tour for a fun look at all the Oxford locations for these popular TV detective series. A hugely entertaining way to look round Oxford and get glimpses into the old world of academia, as described in Colin Dexter’s gripping novels. Your guide will show you down the cobbled lanes and alleyways where the many old pubs frequented by Morse himself can be found and visited after your tour!
Harry Potter Highlights Tour
Book NowFor all fans of Harry Potter, this is the ultimate family Oxford walking tour, taking in the key locations from the outside that inspired the Harry Potter Stories. See why magnificent Christ Church Dining Hall was the inspiration for Hogwarts Great Hall. Your guide will show you movie secrets, including how CGI was used to ‘magically’ alter reality to create the famous staircase and cloisters. Visiting multiple selfie-perfect locations, your guide will also advise on further Potter-tastic sites to visit after the tour, ensuring the magic continues!
Philip Pullman’s Oxford Tour
Book NowExperience the places and stories that inspired Philip Pullman’s best-selling books on this specialist tour, endorsed by the author himself! Step into the world of His Dark Materials as your professional guide shows you many of the key locations from Lyra’s Oxford, including the Bodley’s Library, The Covered Market, Jordan College and the Pitt Rivers Museum.
Group & Private Tours
Book NowPerfect for families, groups and parties, explore Oxford’s history with your own private guide, on an award-winning, personalised, tailor-made tour. Suggested themes to get you inspired include: Alice in Wonderland locations, Literary Greats, Oxford Film Locations, Oxford past & present, Oxford Castle, Prison and Museums, Religion or Science at Oxford- or of course, the team look forward to fulfilling your own requests.
Tours extending beyond Oxford can also be incorporated, such as nearby Downton Abbey film locations, Pubs & Inns of Oxford, River Cruises, Cream Tea, Mindfulness or Photography Tours. They can even be offered in French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish, great if you’ve got visitors to entertain and impress. Altogether now: Wunderbar!