Top Things to do in Oxfordshire
Top Hotels in Oxfordshire
- 1. George Street Hotel
- 2. The Holt Hotel
- 3. Malmaison Oxford Castle
- 4. voco Oxford Spires, an IHG Hotel
- 5. Courtyard by Marriott Oxford City Centre
- 6. The Randolph Hotel, by Graduate Hotels
- 7. voco Oxford Spires, an IHG Hotel
- 8. Jurys Inn Oxford
- 9. voco Oxford Thames, an IHG Hotel
- 10. Mercure Oxford Eastgate Hotel
Countries
Things to do in Oxfordshire, England: The Best Gardens
Discover the best top things to do in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom including Bridewell Organic Gardens, Corpus Christi College, St John's College, Upton House & Gardens, War Memorial Garden, Exeter College, University of Oxford Botanic Garden, Rousham House & Garden, Broughton Grange Garden, Abbey Gardens.
Restaurants in Oxfordshire
1. Bridewell Organic Gardens
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 5 reviews
Reviewed By 759tashav - Oxford, United Kingdom
This is a beautifully kept garden, with welcoming staff. For peace and tranquility, you can certainly see how it would be ideal for those recovering with mental health issues. It is quite secluded, so hopefully they will get more publicity for people to be made aware of it, but this secluded area means little noise, such as traffic. They also sell jams, wine, plants and soaps. There is a great mixture of plants, fruits and veg, the gardeners have done a fantastic job, highly recommend a visit.
2. Corpus Christi College
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 25 reviews
Founded in 1517 by Richard Fox, then Bishop of Winchester, this is the smallest Oxford college with approximately 350 undergraduate and graduate students.
3. St John's College
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 48 reviews
Founded in 1555 and named after St. John the Baptist, patron saint of tailors, this Oxford college is best known for its Canterbury Quad with its impressive classical architecture.
Reviewed By stephencamburn - Chinon, France
I am a graduate alumnus of St. John's College Oxford and although I came down from Oxford with a doctorate as long ago as 1982, I have remained very much in contact with the college. St John's is one of the most beautiful colleges in the University of Oxford which is studded with buildings of great architectural beauty and historical significance. St. John's has recently recovered from major building works to provide the college with a beautiful and greatly needed new library to augment the oold library that was founded by a previous President of the college, Archbishop Laud who lost his head on Tower Hill in the early seventeenth century. Like all Oxford colleges, St. John's is only open to the public at certain times of the day in term-time and you should always check on these hours in advance. As you step into the college (and it is easy to trip over the step in the wooden door, so be careful) what you see is the oldest part of college, dating back to the sixteenth century, certain parts of it even going back to the late middle ages. Walk straight ahead under an arch into Canternbury Quad, one of the most beautiful seveteenth century architectural environments in England. It is laid out in the Italian style of Inigo Jones with sprung arches and bronze statues of King Charles I and his Queen by Hubert Le Seuer over each porch. Continue walking straight into the garden which was originally laid out by 'Capability' Brown in the eighteenth century and currently recovering from the redevelopment necessary for the new library. Retrace your steps and from the Front Quad enter the porch which leads to the Chapel on your right and the Dining-Hall on your left. The Chapel should be open and is worth seeing as a jewel-box of seventeenth century ecclesiastical art from the eagle pulpit to the statuary and ancient inscriptions on the walls. The organ has recently been restored and if you are lucky the organ scholar might be playing the organ during your visit. From the Chapel, the passage way will take you into North Quad which is mainly nineteenth century in construction but with the seventeenth century classical building of the dons' senior common room on your right. Further along the quad on the right are modern 1960s buildings called the Bee-Hive (because that's what they resesmble) which were cutting-edge in their time but no longer to all tastes. In the far corner of the North Quad there is a short passage leading out onto the Sir Thomas White Building which is now nearly forty-five years old and a good example of modern architecture adapting well to the needs of modern undergraduates and research scholars. I lived there very happily, once upon a time!
4. Upton House & Gardens
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,197 reviews
Come and see how Lord & Lady Bearsted made Upton House and Gardens the perfect country retreat for their family in the 1930s. You can also discover Lord Bearsted's famous art collection including works by Bosch, Stubbs and Canaletto. We have a stunning collection of porcelain too; so if you are visiting us for the first time you may wish to expect your visit to the house to last a minimum of an hour. Viewings of the house available by timed ticket from 11:00am with last entry to the house at 15:30 before closing at 16:00; the gardens, shop and cafe close at 17:00. Please bear in mind that the car park is 300 yards from the house.
Reviewed By srablair - Lytham St Anne's, United Kingdom
This is a wonderful property with a lot to see so allow plenty of time. We spent around 4 hours here including a nice visit to the cafe. Access to the house is by timed appointment and there is a choice of 3 tours to do at timed appointments too, so I would advise getting these scheduled in As soon as you arrive. There is a large garden to visit with a few surprises along the way and a good kitchen garden which I found inspirational. The house dated back to 17th Century although it was extensively redesigned in 1921. The redesign is interesting in its own right and the main draw is the house contents including spectacular art collection including paintings tapestries and Chinaware. We were interested in the history of the house and it's owners over the years which provide a glimpse into the past. Quite fascinating. There is a temporary natural science exhibition of portraits of scientists and environmental contributors which is very interesting. Is a tribute to the work of people from a range of backgrounds from Darwin to David Attenburgh via Chris Packham and Vivien Westwood! Nice little exhibition which is worth 20 minutes look if you are here anyway. The cafe was doing a roaring trade and we enjoyed tea/coffee ,scone and jam and very nice shortbread. We we were pleased to see that the clotted cream for the cream tea was served in a reusable pot which is much more sensible than the standard foil sealed type pot. Very good visit.
5. War Memorial Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 30 reviews
This peaceful garden was created in 1925 in tribute to all residents of Oxford and the University who lost their lives during World War I.
Reviewed By panda762 - Colchester, United Kingdom
Stunned and delighted to come across such a beautiful memorial garden in the centre of Oxford, away from the hustle and bustle of the crowded shops. An absolutely gorgeous space to simply take a few minutes to reflect as you wander through.
6. Exeter College
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 142 reviews
Reviewed By JeffTheChairman - Exeter, United Kingdom
During a few days sightseeing in Oxford we fell in love with the place, the people and the buildings We managed a free tour of EXETER College and we were really amazed The gardens the buildings and the church or is it a cathedral If visiting Oxford don’t miss a walk around EXETER
7. University of Oxford Botanic Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 992 reviews
The Oxford Botanic Garden is the oldest in the UK and with nearly 5,000 different types of plant, the Garden is a year-round oasis of biodiversity, right in the heart of the city. For winter opening hours please visit our website.
Reviewed By X8085XIalanf - Bournemouth, United Kingdom
These gardens are an absolute delight. The greenhouse plants are a marvel especially the pitcher plants and giant lilies. Outside the walled garden the Merton borders are an example of sustainable horticultural development and are a complete joy. It’s difficult to say how wonderful these gardens are. To fully appreciate them you need a good 1 to 2 hours. Perfection.
8. Rousham House & Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 160 reviews
Reviewed By ra1000000 - Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
Had a beautiful visit here. The house looked beautiful, but the real charm was in exploring the sections of the garden which each had a different feel. The lovely open vistas contrasted with the shady wooded areas and walled knot garden. Walking along the river, through trees and arches in hedges, there were interesting features everywhere. Lovely to see the bantams in the hedges, the old trees, rows of dahlias, and statues and follies. There were plenty of benches around and we had a picnic as suggested. The were toilet facilities and the place was quiet and peaceful.
9. Broughton Grange Garden
10. Abbey Gardens
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 79 reviews
Reviewed By morganb13194 - Oxford, United Kingdom
It's a lovely walk just by the town centre. The Abbey gardens are well kept, ever so beautiful and always worth a visit. There are plaques around the gardens to describe the history of the Abbey or the garden itself and even an outline of where the Abbey used to be. During the summer especially I loved walking through here whenever I had the excuse. If you like pleasant walks through beautiful, clean and well tended gardens - this is worth a visit.
