Oxford is a city in South East England. The city is dominated by Oxford University, which is considered to be the oldest and most prestigious university in the world. Tourists come here in their thousands each year to snap a sight of the pupils in their gowns and appreciate the marvelous architecture of Oxford.
In fact it is possible to see examples of every style of English architecture in Oxford since the arrivals of the Saxons in Britain. Other attractions are the annual boat race which takes place every spring, although it fact it goes from Mortlake to Putney.
Oxford Mini Guide
The ‘dreaming spires’ of Oxford have long been home to England’s academic elite.
Because of the large university population in the city, Oxford operates a park and ride policy where you park for free and take a bus into the town centre. This is a good way of preserving the beautiful cobbled streets which make Oxford so charming. Car hire is a great way to experience this beautiful and famous part of England.
There are five park and rides to be found on the outskirts of Oxford. If you are driving along the M40 the best value of these are Thornhill Park and Ride to the east and Water Eaton Park and Ride to the north. They offer free parking and a maximum stay of three days as long as you buy a return bus ticket.
If you do drive into Oxford take care where you park as traffic wardens are particularly officious there. If you are coming from the south you can get to the Westgate multi-storey car park on Oxpens Road near the city centre without too much trouble.
While you are in Oxford you should take the time to look around the colleges which are all unforgettably beautiful in their own ways. Also take a look at the world’s foremost library, the Bodleian, which reputedly has a copy of every book ever published. One good way to see the college in its entirety is to climb one of the spires and you get a great view of the lay out of Oxford, the river and the surrounding countryside.
The town has many wonderful pubs, and it is also possible to take a punt (small boat) down the river on a summer’s day. Another event in Oxford which is worth seeing is the annual boat race between Oxford and their great rivals Cambridge. This is one of England’s oldest and most prestigious sporting events.
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