Holiday rentals in Oxford

History lives, breathes, eats, drinks, shops, celebrates, and gets its degree in Oxford, a university city where the halls of learning are temples to Gothic architecture, and the streets you shop in can be traced back 1,000 years. Oxford has Saxon towers and a Norman castle, medieval pubs, and a host of atmospheric libraries, churches, museums, and modern art galleries. But nothing beats the romantic spires and magnificent exteriors of the ancient colleges that dominate the city’s skyline. Step into their courtyards and you’ll find acres of hidden green lawns and gardens, while the banks of the River Cherwell are lined with meadows and parks. For all its bustle, there are plenty of places to find peace in Oxford, and its location between the Cotswolds and the Chiltern hills makes it a great place from which to explore some stunning English countryside.

Summer gets the best weather and therefore the highest number of visitors flocking to the city’s holiday lets, though during July and August, most of the students have gone home, which evens it out. Oxford is a very floral city and springtime can be particularly lovely, while autumn is a delightful time for crisp walks among the changing colours. May can be busy for the academic community. It begins with May Morning, when students gather at Magdalen Bridge to salute the dawn and street festivities follow to celebrate the coming of spring. For the rest of the month, students in gowns flap along the street to their exams, and celebrate their conclusion with any number of balls and festivities; there’s usually lots of outdoor theatre to enjoy too. But this is a city of unceasing culture, whose playhouses, cinemas, and music venues are busy year round.

Worcester College

At only 300 years old, Worcester is a comparatively young college, but the 19th-century landscaping of its grounds make it one of the most breathtaking. With 26 acres of lawns, gardens, and playing fields, it’s a gorgeous retreat in the very centre of town, and even has its own orchard and lake — not to mention a picturesque cricket pavilion.

The Covered Market

Filled with independent traders, the stalls of this market have been serving Oxford with fresh produce, clothing, and other goods for nearly 250 years. It’s a great place to browse alongside the locals, pick up a coffee, stop for a bite, or just duck in for some shelter if it’s raining.

Port Meadow

Just a short walk from the train station, this 86-acre flood plain beside the River Thames is a huge open space to the north of the city centre great for walking, cycling, picnicking, and even swimming. Whatever you come for, you’re bound to encounter plenty of wildlife, be it the cattle that graze here, the migrating birds and wildfowl that are regular visitors, or its very own clan of wild ponies.