Classic Oxford Bike Tour

Explore the historic heart of Oxford

A bike tour offering you an unmissable excursion through Oxford, taking you to the icons of the 'City of Learning', from the Radcliffe Camera and Bodleian Library, to Port Meadow and the River Thames. Your knowledgeable tour guide is on-hand every pedal of the way to explain the traditions, history, and culture surrounding the oldest university in the English-speaking world.

Starting in the city center, push off towards Oxford’s proudest architectural icons. The magnificent Radcliffe Camera – instantly recognizable for its curved shape and Neoclassical style – is often considered the ‘heart’ of Oxford. Facing this emblem on the four sides of Radcliffe Square are some of the most resplendent builds in England – the ‘dreaming spires’ of All Souls College, Brasenose College, St. Mary’s Church, and the renowned Bodleian Library, where some of the world's most famous scientists, novelists, mathematicians, and historians have opened their books to study.

Behind the Bodleian is the Sheldonian Theatre, where students matriculate and graduate. Cycle past the mounted stone heads which peer down at passers-by as you make your way to the romantic Bridge of Sighs and spectacular Clarendon Building. If you’re lucky enough to take your bicycle tour on a ceremony day, the streets and square will be bustling with students wearing gowns, mortarboards, and ribbons – what the university calls ‘sub fusc’.

Oxford is a university city, and as such, picturesque colleges are nestled in its heart and even further out towards Oxford’s parks, meadow, and suburbs. Every college is unique in looks and legacy, but united in the quest for world-leading excellence.

Beauty doesn’t just lie in Oxford’s center. Your day tour takes you for a refreshing ride through the Jericho neighborhood and out to the wide expanse of Port Meadow, a picturesque landscape dotted with cows and horses in the summer, and a natural ice rink in the winter. Following the Thames River path, you’ll bike past the many houseboats that dock along the waterway also used by the university’s rowing teams. The scenery here is calming and beautiful, inspiring many the young poet, whose works are celebrated in the cozy country pub tucked away in the willow trees.

Cycle the city of learning and let the ‘dreaming spires’ inspire you!