Oxford's Historic Pubs: A Self-Guided Walking Tour
- 1.5–2 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Oxford’s historical streets are full of interesting and unusual pubs, some of which have been providing refreshment for over 700 years. On this self-guided walking tour, you’ll visit a few of the oldest and quirkiest pubs the city has to offer. Starting at the Head of the River pub near Folly Bridge, you’ll wind through cobbled lanes and hidden passages to discover ten of Paul Coyne favourite pubs, each with a story to tell. The audio guide will lead you through the ancient streets where students and townspeople have all enjoyed an ’Education in Intoxication’. You’ll see where a Tuesday afternoon pub brawl took 600 years to be finally reconciled, and learn which pub had a camel. You'll also see a few historical landmarks like Hertford Bridge, Carfax Tower, and Radcliffe Square. By the end of the tour, in front of the Grapes on George Street, you’ll have learnt the differences between an alehouse, a tavern, and an inn.
Inclusions
What's included
- Lifetime access to this tour in English before your booking date and after it
- Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata
- App for Android and iOS
- Flexibility to explore at your own pace with a self-guided GPS tour
- Directions to the starting point so that when you’re in the right place, the tour will start
What's not
- Smartphone and headphones
- Food and drinks
- Transportation
- Personal expenses for attractions not included during the tour
Itinerary
The start of the Oxford Historic Pub Tour, with a lovely riverside garden. Learn about the Oxford University eights races & how the pub got it's name.
Discover if The Bear is truly the oldest pub in Oxford dating from 1262. Learn more about The Bear's collection of over 4,500 snipped neckties.
Learn about the St. Scholastica Day riot which started with a pub brawl at the Swindlestock Tavern.
William Shakespeare was a frequent visitor to the The Crown Inn and it's alleged that he became very friendly with the landlord's wife.
A hidden gem of Oxford that can be difficult to find, but our clear audio directions will lead you right there. The Turf has many stories of celebrity drinking exploits.
Learn about the Kings Arms' reputation of having the "highest IQ per square foot of any pub in the world". A very atmospheric pub with back rooms and a real log fire in the winter.
Trading since 1774 the Covered Market has modernised in recent years with many craft ale bars and shops. Well worth a visit to soak up the historic atmosphere and perhaps have a craft ale & some food.
Probably the smallest pub in Oxford and has appeared in Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse series many times.
Hertford Bridge links two parts of Hertford college in Oxford. It's commonly known as 'The Bridge of Sighs' and is a great place for picturesque photos when touring Oxford.
The last pub on the Oxford Historic Pub Tour, a time to reflect on the ten pubs you will have visited. A Victorian pub in style with over 40 keg & 8 cask ales to enjoy.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
5.0
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Ratings come from 5 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- This tour starts outside the Head of the River Pub on St. Aldates. Before arrival, please install the mobile app and use the code provided on your confirmation ticket. Detailed starting point instructions are available after downloading.
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operated by
- VoiceMap Audio Tours
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How it compares in Oxford
- Its from-price is 89% below the median of the 267 experiences we list in Oxford.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- By number of reviews it ranks 115 of 267.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Oxford
Oxford is England's famous university city, with honey-coloured colleges, libraries, museums and river meadows beside the Thames and the Cherwell.
Oxford has been a university town since the 12th century, and its dreaming spires belong to colleges that stand shoulder to shoulder around quadrangles and gardens. The Radcliffe Camera, a round domed library, the Bodleian Library, the Sheldonian Theatre and Christ Church, whose dining hall inspired scenes in the Harry Potter films, are the best known. The Hertford Bridge, a covered footbridge nicknamed the Bridge of Sighs, links two parts of one college.
Top-ranked sights in Oxford: Bodleian Library, Radcliffe Camera, Trinity College .
Special offers in Oxford
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
