Welcome to Oxfordshire 4 What’s on in Oxfordshire in 2018 7 Arriving in Oxfordshire 10 A Whirlwind Weekend in Oxford 14 A Journey through Oxford 16 Shopping and Dining in Oxford 18 Oxford Map 22 Beyond Oxford City Centre 26 Beyond Oxford. Cherwell: The Impressive North 30 Oxfordshire Ridgeway Trail: Wayland’s Smithy to Wallingford 36 Explore West Oxfordshire: Woodstock to Burford 40 Oxfordshire’s Foodie Favourites 44 Go Outdoors in Oxfordshire 48 River Rapids: Oxford to Henley-on-Thames 52 Oxfordshire’s Hidden History 56 Unmissable Arts and Events: What’s new for 2018? 60 5 Quirky Oxfordshire Traditions 63 Advice from the Oxfordshire Locals 67 Family Activities: Toddlers to Teenagers 70 Oxfordshire’s Screen & Literary Links 73 Places to stay in Oxfordshire 78 The top 10 attractions in Oxfordshire 84 Travelling to and around Oxfordshire 85 Oxfordshire Map OFFICIAL PARTNER /experienceoxfordshire /experienceoxfordshire /ExperienceOx 2 Experience Oxfordshire • Oxfordshire Visitor Guide 2018 www.experienceoxfordshire.org 3 JUNE 7 July: Alice’s Day What’s on in Oxfordshire 2018 June: Oxford Festival of the Arts Every year, Oxford at various venues in Oxford DECEMBER MAY comes together to Oxford Festival of the Arts is a two-week commemorate Lewis 1 December – 22 April 2018: celebration of culture and creativity in Carroll’s enchanting Designing English at the Weston venues throughout Oxford. tales of Alice in Library, Oxford www.artsfestivaloxford.org Wonderland. An The exhibition will illustrate the graphic important moment design of handwritten manuscripts and 14-17 June: ‘Nocturne Live’ Concerts in the Great Court at Blenheim for children’s literature and the city that inscriptions for the first thousand years of Palace. Nocturne Live returns to Blenheim inspired the stories, Oxford hosts a variety English, across the Middle Ages. Palace for another year of world-class of magically whimsical activities throughout www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/whatson concerts held within the magnificent Great the day. Court. www.storymuseum.org.uk/ February www.blenheimpalace.com about-us/what-we-do/alices-day 17 February: Chinese New Year 22-30 June: Offbeat Festival 4-8 July: Henley Royal Regatta at Blenheim Palace 1 May: May Morning Offbeat is a festival of new comedy, theatre, The Regatta attracts thousands of visitors Join Blenheim Palace for their first ever At 6am Oxford will be woken with the family shows, dance, spoken word and over a 5-day period. Spectators are thrilled Chinese New Year celebrations. Join in with choristers of Magdalen College choir singing music, taking place at the Old Fire Station by over 200 races of an international traditional Chinese dancing, enjoy Chinese Hymnus Eucharisticus from the Great Tower. and Oxford Playhouse. Keep an eye on standard, which includes both Olympians street food and discover the Great Hall Celebrations of the coming of Spring will flow offbeatoxford.co.uk to see the line-up as the and crews new to the event. transformed with a festoon of Chinese throughout the city, with Morris Men dancing festival approaches. www.hrr.co.uk/ lanterns. www.blenheimpalace.com in Radcliffe Square and other events and www.offbeatoxford.co.uk activities spread across the city. AUGUST www.oxford.gov.uk MARCH JULY 2-5 August: Countryfile Live at 17-25 March: Oxford 5-29 May: Oxfordshire Artweeks Blenheim Palace Literary Festival Festival See the nationwide famous BBC Countryfile Over 350 writers flock to the famous Meet hundreds of artists, craftspeople and Live at Blenheim Palace. university city to discuss affairs literary, designer-makers in a range of venues across www.countryfilelive.com political, historical, environmental and Oxfordshire during this unique festival that culinary. 2-5 August: Wilderness Festival celebrates art in Oxfordshire. www.oxfordliteraryfestival.org Wilderness Festival is the multi-award www.artweeks.org winning 4-day festival of live music, wild APRIL 26-27 May: Common People swimming, spectacle, late night revelry and Back for a third year, Common People dining experiences. 24 March - 8 www.wildernessfestival.com April: Easter returns to Oxford's South Park for another 1 July: Cowley Road Carnival year of exciting music! Join the buzzing crowds for another year Bunny Hunt 24-26 August: The Big Feastival www.oxford.commonpeople.net of the Cowley Road Carnival, celebrating Find the decorated Another year on Alex James’ Farm brings us community and culture in Oxford. bunnies that are hiding all around The Big Feastival 2018. For food, music and www.cowleyroadcarnival.co.uk Waterperry Gardens, with a prize for every family fun join Jamie Oliver and Alex James child as an after hunt treat! this August! uk.thebigfeastival.com www.waterperrygardens.co.uk 4 Experience Oxfordshire • Oxfordshire Visitor Guide 2018 www.experienceoxfordshire.org 5 SEPTEMBER NOVEMBER September: The Great 16 - 18 November Arriving in Oxfordshire British Bike Off Oxford Christmas Light Festival Whilst you’re in Oxfordshire keep up to date with all the latest news and information from A one day alternative, customised bike Celebrate everything Christmas with the rest around the county by checking our website, www.experienceoxfordshire.org, and following festival in the centre of Oxford which of Oxfordshire at this year’s Christmas Lights the social media channels listed below. Here you will find the latest events, competitions celebrates creativity, culture and of course… Festival. www.oxfordschristmas.com and announcements, as well as useful information on places to stay, transportation that cycling! will help you to make the most of your visit. www.greatbritishbikeoff.org DECEMBER Handy with social media? We’d love to hear from you! December: Oxford Christmas Follow us and send your messages to the below social Market media accounts; our friendly team are happy to answer any The city of dreaming spires will again be questions you have about visiting, and we love to see how filled with festive joy as the Oxford Christmas you’ve enjoyed your time here. Market returns to the heart of the city on beautiful and historic Broad Street. #ExperienceOx www.oxfordchristmasmarket.co.uk Tag us in your posts using the hashtag #ExperienceOx for retweets and regrams, and be sure to check in regularly for exclusive information on exciting competitions and special September: Oxford Open Doors offers. Oxford Preservation Trust and the University of Oxford organise the annual Oxford Open @ExperienceOx Doors event every September. It's a weekend when we celebrate the city - its places, Experience Oxfordshire Download the Bodleian Libraries App: spaces and, most of all, its people. heritagecities.com/stories/oxford www.oxfordpreservation.org.uk experienceoxfordshire 3-4 September: St Giles’ Fair The locally famous St Giles’ fair returns for another year with different rides and food WIN A WEEKEND BREAK IN OXFORDSHIRE stalls for the whole family to enjoy! Prize includes: www.oxford.gov.uk • 1 night stay at the Artist Residence To find out about what's on in Oxfordshire • 2 tickets to Blenheim Palace in 2018 visit www.experienceoxfordshire. OCTOBER org/whats-on/ • Lunch at the Ashmolean Museum October: Blenheim Palace • 2 tickets for an Oxford Official Walking tour Festival of Literature Film & Music ENTER ONLINE: Enjoy a full programme of events over four www.experienceoxfordshire.org/things-to-do/competitions days that bring together great speakers on a Classical Music SJE Arts host a wide range of events: range of literary and cultural themes. BY POST: choral, orchestral, opera, piano, chamber, http://blenheimpalaceliteraryfestival.com Name: Email: jazz, folk, pop, poetry reading at venues around the city throughout the year. Yes, I would like to receive Experience Oxfordshire's monthly newsletter. Closing date 31st December 2018. See website for full terms and conditions. www.sje-oxford.org Address: Visitor Guide Competition, 15-16 Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3AS 6 Experience Oxfordshire • Oxfordshire Visitor Guide 2018 www.experienceoxfordshire.org 7 8pm A Whirlwind Your tour will finish around 8pm at the Sheldonian Theatre. A short walk from here across town will take you to the Oxford Castle Quarter Weekend in Oxford which is home to a selection of restaurants including the 1855 wine bar. Oxford's prison used to be on this site, but is now a boutique Steeped in rich history and dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period, Oxford is a city world- Malmaison hotel which is a great place to stay the night in a converted renowned for its academic prestige and historic buildings, which have led to its name, prison cell! coined by English poet and Oxford academic Matthew Arnold, as the ‘City of Dreaming Spires’. Today, the majestic city attracts millions of visitors every year, and with so much Malmaison Oxford to see and do, we want to show you exactly how to make the most of your time in Oxford. Day Two Day One 10am Next door to the Malmaison is Oxford Castle Unlocked. Take a guided tour and let the characters reveal their fascinating 9:30am Kickstart your weekend in the heart of it all, with stories entrenched in the building's 1,000 year past while you explore breakfast at Cafe Creme on bustling Broad Street. After you’ve filled the Saxon St George's Tower and descend deep underground to the up, head further down the road to explore some of Oxford’s most 900 year old crypt. famous landmarks including the Sheldonian Theatre, the Weston Library, the Bodleian Library and Radcliffe Square. Head over to Folly Bridge and the River Thames. From here Punting on the River Thames 11am you can try out the quintessentially Oxford tradition of punting. Hire 10:45am Start your guided tour around more of Oxford’s a punt or be chauffeured by a professional and admire the views of iconic sites on an Oxford Official University and City Walking Tour Christ Church in the distance.