Oxford Links
Holywell B & B, 14 Holywell Street.
01865 721880.
www.holywellbedandbreakfast.com
The best B&B in town, run by husband and wife team Carrie and Stuart, although expensive at £85. Fabulous location just down from Broad Street and one of the few places with secure parking, which is somewhat akin to gold dust. However, gets booked up months in advance, but you could check for a cancellation.
Edamame, Japanese Restaurant, 15 Holywell Street.
01865 246916.
www.edamame.co.uk
Unusual, petite, family-run, Japanese home cooking and sushi. Highly recommended in the press. Freshly prepared, unusual opening hours, no reservations. Take-outs available.
Lunch:- Wed-Sat 11.30am-2.30pm, Sun 12.00pm-3.30pm.
Sushi night:- Thurs only 5.00pm-8.30pm.
Dinner:- Fri and Sat only 5.00pm-8.30pm.
Closed Mon and Tues.
The Alternative Tuck Shop, 24 Holywell Street.
Open Mon-Sat 8.15am-6.00pm, Sun 10.00am-5.30pm.
Best sandwich take-away in town, with absolutely huge choice of breads and fillings, all made fresh daily. Choose your own creation. If you see a queue, no need to worry, as these guys have it all sewn up and all 5 work together like a well-oiled machine. You're in and out before you can say "Chicken avocado ciabatta, extra salad". Don't confuse it with 'The Tuck Shop' at the beginning of the street, it's the one half way down that you want.
The Turf Tavern, Bath Place, (off Holywell).
01865 243235.
www.theturftavern.co.uk
A rambling maze of tiny indoor rooms combined with several separate outdoor seating spaces. All oak beams and atmosphere. As in 'Brideshead Revisited' and haunt of Inspector Morse. 12 cask ales, eg Stonehenge Head Stone or Blacksheep. Exceptional pub food, eg Hand-battered Haddock and Chips £8.99. At weekends, standing room only.
Stay in a College, (online booking only).
www.oxfordrooms.co.uk
Has all the information you need to stay in a college. The greatest thing about colleges is their central location, the worst thing is, most have no parking (only 5, out of 24). More rooms available from 19th June to end September. Check if they have TV or Wi-Fi! Basic £33, to sumptuous £195. Handy hover feature for quick date check.
Blackwell's Books.
01865 792792.
www.blackwell.co.uk
Blackwell's Music 01865 333580.
Blackwell's Art & Poster Shop 01865 333641.
All on Broad Street. Open: 9.00am-6.30pm.
Vintage Oxford, hours of happy browsing. The main book store has many levels. Take your book and give it the once-over at the coffee shop on the first floor, land of the laptop, complete with walls lined with artwork.
Balliol College Grounds, Broad Street.
01865 277777.
www.balliol.ox.ac.uk
£2 admission.
Open 10.00am-5.00pm.
Serene oasis right in the heart of the bustling city. You would never even know it was there. Take your lunch from the Alternative Tuck Shop and sit under a spreading chestnut tree in the grounds. Top up with a beer or a coffee at the Buttery there and chill.
University Parks.
Soak up the sunshine by the river.
Approach through the Keble Gate in Parks Road, (opposite Keble Road) or North Lodge Gate at the corner of Parks Road and Norham Gardens or South Lodge Gate at the corner of St Cross Road and South Parks Road, where the road bends at the pedestrian crossing.
The Eagle & Child Pub, St Giles.
01865 302925.
www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk/theeagleandchildoxford
Characterful pub, founded in the 1600's, where JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis were once regulars. Cask ales and beers of the world. Hot food from 11.00am-9.00pm Mon-Sat (but sandwiches finish at 5pm on Sat), 12.00pm-9.00pm Sun.
Christ Church Cathedral and College, St Aldates.
Lodge: 01865 276150 Info: 01865 286573.
www.chch.ox.ac.uk
Open: Mon-Sat 9.30am-4.30pm Sun 2.30pm-4.30pm (Great Dining Hall often not open on Sat)
Price: £8.50 for adults.
Very amazing Great Dining Hall (but watch out for the opening times as they tend to be very picky, as a result, afternoons are your best bet, after 2.30pm, except Sat). There are beautiful stained glass windows in the cathedral and awe-inspiring Tom Quad, where in 2012, special concerts will be held in June for the Jubilee.
A Picturesque Walk, from St Aldates.
Start from the Town Hall in St Aldates, walk downhill, past the main entrance to Christ Church College and turn left through the large black iron gates. Straight ahead, along the path towards the CCC building. However, turn right, opposite the building, into a beautiful tree-lined walk alongside a field of longhorn cattle. At the end is the Thames and a further towpath walk to discover, alongside the river. Go right for a pub or left for more walking. The walk from the Town Hall, to the Thames, takes about half an hour there and back.
Café Loco, The Old Palace, St Aldates.
01865 200959.
www.goingloco.com
Open Mon-Fri 7.30am-6.00pm Sat 9.00am-6.00pm Sun 9.30am-6.00pm
Beautifully cooked food, with fresh, home-made dishes. Look out for the daily specials on the blackboard. It gets very busy at peak times. The odd cosy nook to be grabbed, along with about 15 tables. Good views of Christ Church Cathedral. If you are out for the whole day, why not combine a visit to CCC, with the picturesque walk and a meal at café Loco.
Marks and Spencer Café Revive, Queen Street.
01865 248075.
www.marksandspencer.com/gp/store-locator
Open Mon-Sat 8.00am-6.30pm, Sun 11.00am-4.30pm (note that the rest of the store closes half an hour later).
On the first floor of the M&S store, very well placed in the middle of town. Useful when you are just too tired to shop anymore. Excellent coffee and toasted sandwiches, if you don't mind sacrificing atmosphere for convenience in the functional, no-frills room that can seat 50 people. Handy food hall downstairs, as well.
Ashmolean Museum, Beaumont Street (round the corner from the smaller Odeon).
01865 278015.
www.ashmolean.org
Closed Mondays. Open: Tues-Sun 10.00am-6.00pm. Free.
This is an unusual building. From the outside it's all imposing columns and statues, on the inside there are the most innovative galleries ever seen. It's clever because from the two staircases you can see all the levels through glass walls and floors. With its low lighting and intriguing layouts, the building is as much fun as the exhibits. Useful locker space downstairs, (£1 returnable) and also noisy café.
Wednesday Outdoor Market, Gloucester Green.
Every Wednesday 9.00am-3.00pm
Open air market, offering a wide range of general produce.
Thursday Outdoor Market, Gloucester Green.
1st and 3rd Thursday of every month. 9.00am-3.00pm.
Offering produce including food, such as bread stalls, beer stalls and spit-roasted-pig.
Antiques and Craft Market, Gloucester Green.
Open air, every 2nd and 4th Thursday, 9.00am-3.00pm.
Covered Market, High Street & Market Street.
www.oxford-covered-market.co.uk
Open: Mon-Sat 8.30am-4.00pm Sun 10.00am-4.00pm (only half stalls open).
Unusual shopping area with 60 odd stalls, from newspapers to jewellery and everything inbetween, not to mention Moo Moos, with 100 flavours of milkshake.
Look Out For:
Oxford Literary Festival - March.
Jazz Festival - April.
Oxford Dance Festival - May.
Art Weeks - May.
Country Dance Music Festival.
Free Weekly Concerts.
Oxford Shakespeare Festival - May/June.
The Blenheim Palace Triathlon - June.
Cowley Road Carnival - July.
Museum Events.
The Tree of Light - July.
Alice's Day 150th Anniversary - July 2012.
Yearly Fair - September.
