This tour brought me so much joy! I originally wanted to do the cs Lewis/jrr Tolkien tour but I…read morewasn't in Oxford on the right day for that. I signed up for the literary tour and I turned out to be the only one on the tour. So My guide took me by so many places that were relevant to Lewis/Tolkien. What an unexpected delight! There was plenty of other literary history too! It was the highlight of my trip to England!

This tour is definitely worth it! Our guide actually went to Oxford, so his understanding is an…read moreinsiders'. I won't tell you all the things I learned and spoil it for you, but I can't keep quiet about two of them: First, students are NOT primarily lectured to as in most American universities. Instead, they have maybe one lecture a week on a topic. The rest of the week they spend discussing with a professor in their college (Oxford is comprised of 38 colleges). Is it any wonder most students leave there with knowledge firmly in their heads, rather than "I forgot. I learned it for the test and then forgot it"? Second, why is the grass in the courtyards so amazing? Because only professors are allowed to walk on it! Can you imagine what would happen if we told American students that they were not allowed to walk on the grass, but their professors were?!

I am so glad I found this tour! Lisa was an amazing tour guide! She was very friendly and funny…read more She took our group around Oxford and told us so many historical stories, showed us some excellent views and even gave us suggestions about where to eat/drink, and how much it costs to get into local museums and colleges. She certainly knew a lot about the area and can answer your questions. I cannot believe that this 2-hour walking tour was FREE! Yes, you heard that right. Lisa operates solely off of tips (aka what you think it was worth). I wish I had more money on me since she was so excellent. There is just so much to see and learn in Oxford. Since my group was smaller (about 11 people versus the max of 20), we were able to get into Balliol College to view (it was discounted since we went as a group). It was absolutely stunning! Make sure you bring comfy walking shoes since there is quite a bit of walking (all flat), and have coins handy in case of admissions to places (several pounds works). Also have your camera handy since you will want to forever capture the moments. I think young children would probably be bored on this tour, since it is very historical-based. As long as you don't mind moderate walking, viewing some amazing architecture and listening to stories about World War II, college rivalries, etc., this is the tour for you!

A great tour of the Oxford Castle & Prison…read more The tour was a fantastic experience. Packed with history, storytelling with a fun tour guide that all ages could appreciate. Well worth the time and money. The demonstration of a real pillory was icing on the cake.

This is a must-see if you visit Oxford. The guided tour takes you through the vestiges of the…read morecastle to view its architecture and give you an idea of its original use as a fortress. The moderate climb to the tower is worthwhile as you get a nice panoramic view of the city. As the tour transitions to the use of the castle in more recent times as a prison, there is an interesting display concerning that era highlighting criminal justice practices over the past couple of centuries. The "mug shots" of prisoners held there were fascinating and often poignant. This was particularly true for those stories of the children incarcerated for things like petty theft, acts they committed just to survive. The instruments of "correction" such as stocks were also described in detail. Notorious prisoners held at the castle prison were highlighted and their tales were intriguing. The stories of Mary Blandy and the Black Panther were especially memorable. Our guide did a fabulous job of informing us about the history and significance of the structure in a very engaging manner. The Castle Mound at the front of the grounds is also worth climbing as the views are terrific. This is definitely worth the time and price of admission if you are in Oxford.

We had a great time exploring the Pitt Rivers Museum! There is SO much on display it's almost hard…read moreto take it all in. If you're an anthropology buff, this is your place. So many neat things to see and everything you can imagine, too many to list. From clothing to masks to weapons to toys all from different cultures and different times. We even saw a Totem Pole! Overall a fascinating place to visit, just wish we'd had more time to explore!

What you think of Oxford's Pitt Rivers Museum likely depends on how you like your museums. With…read moremore than 500,000 objects on display, Pitt Rivers is ripe for exploration. There's multi-level display cases everywhere, each seemingly containing more than the last. And don't get me started on the drawers; they're everywhere too, and when you pull them out you'll find hundreds more items in each. So if you like your museums with a few paintings on each wall this might not be your jam but you'll still probably be happy you went. You've likely never seen anything like this. A young woman in a shop mentioned, several days before my visit, that she particularly liked this museum and the way she described the entrance intrigued me. As it should: the entrance to this museum is found when you're already inside another museum (The Museum of Natural History; both are free of charge). Officially, the Pitt Rivers Museum displays both the archeological and anthropological collections of the University of Oxford. But unofficially, it's like entering someone's giant garage, very well organized but also packed to the rafters. One could spend months in here and only skim the surface.

Great merchandise and even better staff. A must see in Oxford if your in town. Would come againread more

It is a tiny store, but there is quite a bit in there. I found some things in store that the online…read morestore said was out of stock, so that worked out. However, some things were a bit pricey. It is really neat to visit just for the history if you like Alice in Wonderland.

Amazing contemporary art, great atmosphere and a good time altogether. I had gone there for a…read moreprivate party and the basement was done up so well with the lights, music and everything.

The gist: Art gallery with a range of exhibitions, talks, events, workshops and films…read more Who's it for? Mainly the local community, although it's well worth visiting if you're a tourist as well. What's so great about it? Variety, and it's free (donation recommended)! If you don't like the art they're displaying, it changes every couple of months. Will the kids like it? They cater for children. 2-4pm at weekends with exhibitions, there's a 'modern art trolley' with activity sheets. They also have family guides, family days and artist-led workshops for children. See the website for more details. I'm just hungrycan I eat there? Yep, like all the best places there's a cafe. What's the catch? Well, modern art's not for everyone

The Ashmolean was a wonderful surprise during our stay in Oxford. I had heard of the museum and did…read morea little research so I knew what to focus on, but it far surpassed my expectations. There's archeological artifacts, art, and so much more from so many varying parts of the world and times. Best of all, it's FREE! If you're planning a visit to Oxford, carve out some time and be sure to visit the museum. (Great rooftop restaurant to boot)

We were visiting Oxford as part of a tour and had several hours of free time to explore on our own…read more My wife convinced me to that we should visit the Ashmolesn Museum and she wasn't wrong. As with most of the museums we visited in Britain, this one was also FREE. The Ashmolean was fantastic. In some respects it reminded me of the British Museum but it was a much more manageable (enjoyable) size. The exhibits were superb yet not overwhelming. We enjoyed the 2 hours we had to spend here and were sorry we didn't have more time.

On our first day in London, my friend and I booked a "The Heart of The City Food Tour" and it was…read morethe perfect choice. "The City" is the oldest part of London and we really enjoyed walking through it with Kaffe our tour guide. Some of the time we were eating delicious food and drinking British classics, other times we were learning about the area and its rich history. We left stuffed and with an understanding of early London history. Thank you Kaffe for a memorable first day in London. You set the bar high for the coming week.

We had David "Dave" as our guide and he kept us entertained the whole time with witty speech and…read morefantastic facts about many landmarks and restaurants in London. We visited multiple places and he was able to skip the line by calling ahead and we had first class service everywhere we went. The tour obliterated London's reputation for bland food. The cuisine and sights were wonderful facets of this tour, but Dave's personality and creative vocabulary made us feel like we had access to the coolest person in the East End for the day. He was an absolute delight! I highly recommend!