Oxford City Centre

Acc72

Hi All,

Thanks to this site I have booked 2 nights in Oxford City Centre for £15 / night with Travelodge.

I will be staying there on 30 / 31 December.

I would be really gratefull if anybody could recommend any decent restaurants plus suggest places of interest etc.

bendabomb

They have recently re-opened the old jail as a museum. Well worth a visit, they tell you about the history of the jail and some of its prisoners; good view from Castle Hill too. The Ashmolean Museum gets good reviews. I am told that the open top bus trip is worth doing, but it might be a bit brisk in December! There is a good botanical garden just next to Magdelen bridge. Oxford is compact enough to wander around, and you can download or buy a street map showing locations of colleges etc.
Can't really advise on the restaurants, but we always get a good meal wherever we eat. There is a good Thai restaurant on hythe bridge street, but as with any city there is a great choice of different ethnic restaurants.
Enjoy your visit.

Tuesnightspecial

Hunt down the Chaing Mai Kitchen if you like Thai. Fantastic place, rumoured to be a favourite of the Thai embassy staff! Make sure you book in advance though.

If museums are your thing, hunt out the Oxford Uni Natural History + Pitt Rivers museum or see if you can find Guy Fawkes lamp in the Ashmolean.

The Turf Tavern is always a fun one to try and find. Start by finding the "entrance" near the Bridge of Sighs.

Lots to do, but definitely get as many recommendations as you can as it is just as easy to have a rubbish time as there are plenty of commercial dull places vying for your attention.

ajhemingway

Very jealous. Lived there for three years, Oxford's a great place. I wrote a guidebook about the city while I was a student there.

First of all, be aware the Travelodge isn't in the city centre. It's about four miles away, assuming you're at the Peartree Travelodge. The Park and Ride bus goes from around the corner, roughly £1.50 each way.

Things to see:

Personally wouldn't go on the open top bus. Cold, and not the best way to see the city. IMO of course.

University Museum is great, as is the Pitt Rivers Museum (hidden at the back of the University Museum).

Go and see a college. I'd say New College, but then I'm biased. It is far quieter and more beautiful than Christ Church (where everyone else goes).

Climbing the steeple of the University Church on the High Street is worth it for the view.

If you like walking, a wander through Christ Church meadow is lovely. You can tie this in with a visit to the botanical gardens if that floats your boat.

The Covered Market is worth a look (between High Street and Cornmarket).

Food: where do I start?

The Thai on Hythe Bridge Street is lovely (Bangkok House) but I'd say the Chiang Mai Kitchen on High Street edges it. Just.

Lebanese - the Al Shami (in Jericho, on Walton Street) is off the beaten track but one of my favourites. In fact, Jericho is worth a look - loads of interesting shops, cafes and restaurants. And the icecream in G&Ds is legendary. And the Happy Hour cocktails at the Duke of Cambridge as well... although get there early, it gets busy.

Gees for a pricey but memorable meal.

The best restaurant of all... Edamame on Holywell Street. Tiny Japanese place, brilliant. Lunch only except for Thursday - Saturday evenings. Cheap, excellent Japanese home cooking.

If you give me more ideas of what you'd like to do / what you like to eat I can elaborate.

RichyRich

Magdalene College is nice. And has a deerpark!

Rich

Acc72

Thanks to everybody for their ideas :j