Car Hire Oxford - Mini guide to Oxford

Oxford is a cultural and compact city, the delights of which can be enjoyed comfortably on foot with rickshaw taxis available for those seeking a more exotic form of transportation. Being quite flat, the city is also very cycle friendly and there are numerous places to hire them from.

The Museum of Modern Art houses a collection of 20th century works. Two other museums, the Oxford Story and the Museum of Oxford tell the history of the city and university.

Christ Church College, birthplace of Alice in Wonderland, has recently been the setting for Hogwarts Hall in the Harry Potter films. Nearby, The Ashmoleum Museum contains manuscripts and exhibits which clearly show us Oxford’s 800 years as a seat of learning.

Oxord, as a university, is a bit of an anomaly, since it’s a collective term for a number of prestigious colleges, that are loosely associated. Among the best known are Corpus Christi, Balliol, Christ Church, Jesus, Merton New College and

Magdalen. Many of the buildings and quiet courtyards are over 500 years old and grant limited access to the public.

The Bodleian Library is one of the county’s most historic and import, houses in a Samuel Pepys creation. There’s a good view of the ‘city of the dreaming spires’ from the Cafax tower, and the Saxon Tower of St Michael at the North Gate is worth seeking out.

Oxford has plenty of quiet tranquil backwaters to relax in, including the River Thames bordering Port Meadow; many within walking distance of the CBD . The Cherwell Boat House is a popular hangout for locals and visitors alike to try out their punting skills.

For food lovers, the city centre market has a great range of food stalls selling game, seafood, home baked bread, spices and other delights. There’s also no shortage of places to eat: from the gourmet to the street side café.

The major suburbs in Oxford are: Blackbird Leys, Donnington, Headington, Iffley, Marston, Norham Manor, Risinghurst, Sunnymead and Wolvercote.