Oxford

Alpha Bar

One of the healthier options inside the Covered Market, Alpha Bar serves up organic, fair-trade food. Sandwiches are reasonably priced, at around £3.50, and you can choose from their many interesting fillings, including baked tofu, seaweed and roasted vegetables. Their salads are priced by the pound and you can fill your recyclable container with good-for-you grains. A favourite among students for lunch, but make sure you get there early — they tend to run out of the more popular ingredients by around 3:30PM.

9AM–5PM(ish)

Angel and Greyhound

Popular with Friday evening after-work crowd, letting their hair down. In quieter moments good for board games. Food is average.

Angrid Thai

An inexpensive Thai fast-food establishment right in the centre of Oxford that offers great value dishes and a casual atmosphere. Recommended to try are the panang curries and the prawn crackers with a helping of sweet chilli sauce. A 15% student discount is available.

11:30AM-11PM

Ashmolean Museum

Vast, impressive, and has undergone major redevelopment, the Ashmolean is Britain's oldest public museum, having been founded in 1683. The museum displays ancient art from Egypt, the Near East, Greece and Rome, a fine collection of Western art and artifacts and a sizeable Eastern Art collection. Highlights include the Amarna Princess Fresco and the Alfred Jewel. A restaurant and gift store also feature.

Daily 10AM–5PM·Free

Atik

previously 'LavaIgnite'

Nightclub frequented by students and locals. Come here to drink heavily and dance to uninspired pop tunes. £1-5 cover, £3 pints, £3 mixed drinks (some nightly drink specials). Monday is Brookes student night, Wednesday is OUSU student night (many bottled drinks £1.50). Student ID required for both.

Mon–Wed 9PM–2AM; Thu–Sat 9:30PM–3AM

Bate Collection of Musical Instruments

Museum with a collection of 2000 instruments, run by the University of Oxford. The collection focuses on orchestral instruments.

Mon-Fri 2-5PM·Free

Ben's Cookies

Great little shop right in the centre of Oxford, and much better quality than some of the other, over-priced coffee shops. Also notable for being the first store in what would later become an international chain. Popular with Oxford University students!

Mon-Sat 9:15AM-5:30PM; Sun 10AM-4PM

Big Society

A modern bar with minimalistic decor and an emphasis on murals. Serves a US-inspired diner menu complete with burgers, fries and milkshakes (along with excellent Southern-fried chicken). Has free Wi-Fi with a password that rotates on a daily basis and plenty of entertainment activities including pool, table tennis and an upright arcade machine with a plethora of classic titles.

Noon-midnight

Blackwell's Books

Founded in 1879, Blackwell's main Oxford shop is a veritable tourist attraction in itself, the vast 10,000-square-foot Norrington Room excavated beneath Trinity College Gardens laying claim to being the largest space dedicated to book sales in Europe. Another 9 speciality branches of this Oxford institution dot the city.

Bodleian Library

The main research library of the University of Oxford, the Bodleian is one of the oldest libraries in Europe (opened in 1602, based on the collection of Thomas Bodley), and in the UK is second in size only to London's British Library. The Bodleian now possesses numerous branches throughout the university; visiting bibliophiles will be most keen to peruse the central site, which includes Duke Humfrey's Library above the Divinity School, the Old Schools Quadrangle with its Great Gate and Tower, the Radcliffe Camera, Britain’s first circular library, and the Clarendon Building.

Botley Retail Park

Has a Currys/PC World, Argos, Pets at Home, Hobbycraft and other large stores.

Brasserie Blanc

Raymond Blanc’s French brasserie is intimate and full of charm. Considering the quality of the food, prices are extremely reasonable – a rack of lamb, potatoes and cabbage will set you back £17.50, and for vegetarians the grilled Crottin goats’ cheese and beetroot tart is an exquisite choice. A great place for a date or to bring your mother.

11AM – 11PM

Brew Coffee Shop

Serving up some of Oxford's best coffee in all its forms from espresso, to pourover. Brew also stocks coffee to buy from all over the world as well as everything you need to make the perfect cup at home. Run by friendly coffee experts and frequented by locals and students who enjoy its intimate atmosphere, delicious treats and excellent caffeinated beverages!

Mon-Fri 7:30AM-6PM; Sat Sun 8:30AM-5:30PM

Brothers and Georgina's

Georgina’s is tucked away on the upper floor of the Covered Market, and this small café has a fairly groovy, hippy-ish décor and atmosphere. You’ll pay more for your sandwiches and wraps here than you would at other places, but portions are huge and, for the most part, healthy. An exception to the latter is their loaded potato skins, which are slightly spiced and come with a heaping of sour cream. Delicious!

Mon–Fri 8:30AM–5PM·£

Burton Taylor Theatre

Tickets sold at the Box Office of the Oxford Playhouse (see above)

Mon-Sat 8AM-1:30PM

Byron's

Part of a chain. An upmarket diner experience offering burgers, fries and milkshakes. Recommended to try are the "hard shakes" which add a shot of liquor (such as rum or Bailey's) to any milkshake.

Christ Church

The college of Brideshead Revisited fame, Christ Church is an Early Modern period college founded in 1525 by Cardinal Wolsey as "Cardinal College". Noted for associations with Lewis Carroll (Alice in Wonderland) and was a location for the filming of the first Harry Potter film. Although not used for the actual filming, its Great Hall served as the inspiration for the design of the Great Hall of Hogwarts set in the Harry Potter film series. The Christ Church Meadows south of the college is a beautiful green space offering nice views of the spires and quiet corners to relax.

Adults £16-19; seniors, children and students £15-18

Christ Church Picture Gallery

Houses an internationally renowned collection of Old Master paintings and drawings – some 300 paintings and almost 2000 drawings. The paintings include works by Carracci, Tintoretto, Filippino Lippi, Van Dyck and Frans Hals. Christ Church’s collection of Old Masters drawings is one of the most important in the country and includes work by major artists such as Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, Durer and Rubens. For reasons of space and conservation, it is not possible to show the entire collection but a selection of drawings is always on view.

£3/£2

Clarendon Centre

Small shopping centre located on the southern Cornmarket with modern shops for clothes, electronics and food.

Mon-Sat 8:30AM-6PM; Sun 10:30AM-5PM

Costa Coffee

Costa Coffee has been named best chain coffee shop in UK, friendly staff & wide range of hot & cold drinks, sandwiches and cakes.

Covered Market

High Street. Oxford has the oldest covered market in England. Unusual small shops, including a chocolate shop, cake shop, fine butchers, hat shop, florists, glassware, and charming cafes.

Mon-Sat 8:30AM-5:30PM; Sun 10AM-4PM

Dosa Park

Tiny South Indian restaurant/café/takeaway next to City Centre bus stands and train station, whose appearance belies its quality — some of the most mouth-watering authentic South Indian food out there, and dirt cheap too! Well worth a stop if travelling through Oxford Station and needing a snack or meal.

Mon-Sat 11AM-10:30PM, Sun noon-10PM·£

Freud

This bar and restaurant occupy a grand neo-classical church building producing a unique, slightly austere atmosphere. When buzzing with people, this becomes a great place for an evening out; the restaurant area is cleared to become a dance floor later in the evening. They serve a range of cocktails from about £3 upwards.

G&D’s (George and Davis)

The original G&D’s was opened in Little Clarendon Street by an Oxford University student and soon became an Oxford institution. No other ice-cream themed shop has survived long in Oxford due to the fierce loyalty of G&D’s customers. Popular flavours include ‘Oxford Blue’ (blueberry), Crunchie bar, Turkish delight and InLight Delight (white chocolate with chocolate chip cookie dough). G&D’s also offers bagels, salads and baked goods, all extremely reasonably priced and extremely tasty. Has a minimum of £5 spending for debit and credit cards.

8AM–midnight·£

Gees Restaurant

Gees

Gee's is an Oxford restaurant serving traditional British food with an emphasis on seasonal food, simple, good cooking and value for money

Godstow Abbey

Godstow Nunnery

A nunnery dissolved during the Dissolution of the Monasteries and eventually abandoned during the English Civil War. A beautiful place to explore, as it is completely open and able to be wandered through. It was the final resting place of a mistress of Henry II.

Half Moon

Ignore the plastic faux-Irish outlets in the city centre and head out along the High St and over Magdalen Bridge and enjoy the relaxed vibe in this small, friendly pub.

Head of the River

Perfectly located, right on the Thames. This place buzzes on summer evenings, when the large garden gets extremely busy. Food is mediocre.

Mon-Sat 11AM-11PM; Sun noon-10:30PM

Hertford Bridge

Bridge of Sighs

A quaint pedestrian bridge for the students of Hertford College which has popularly become known as the "Bridge of Sighs" of Oxford.

Jacobs' Inn

Tucked away in the affluent village of Wolvercote lies the Jacobs' Inn.