Holiday rentals in Oxfordshire

Located in Southeast England, about an hour and a half from London, Oxfordshire is mainly known for being home to the city of Oxford, but throughout the region you’ll find charming villages dotted with stone cottages carved from Cotswold stone, the rolling Chiltern Hills, and old-growth woodlands to explore. The winding River Cherwell and River Thames flow through the county, and visitors are drawn to the water for river cruises and punting — a time-honoured Oxford pastime.

The world-famous Oxford University was founded in the 13th century, making it one of the oldest continuously operating universities in the world. If you’re staying in the modern-day city that surrounds it, you’ll find plenty of cosmopolitan places to explore: art galleries, sophisticated restaurants, live music, and trendy bars. Oxfordshire is also known for the bunting-strewn town of Henley-on-Thames, where you can picnic by the river or spend an afternoon in a tearoom. Near Oxford is an area known as the Vale of White Horse because of a gigantic white chalk horse that prehistoric Britons carved into the hill.

To the west, the Cotswolds draws people from all over the world to walk along the Cotswolds Way, a 102-mile footpath that runs along the Cotswold Edge escarpment of the Cotswold Hills, often passing old churches and elegant stone mansions. The Cotswolds region is also home to Cheltenham, which is famous for its spas, and the towering limestone cathedral of Gloucester.

Although the weather in south-central England can be cold and rainy, it’s quite temperate and doesn’t tend to get too hot or too cold. The best time to visit Oxfordshire is summer, as the days are very long, and the weather is usually lovely. Autumn is a great time to stay in an apartment or log cabin in Oxfordshire, particularly if you’re attending the annual Winchcombe Cotswolds Walking Festival, which features guided walks around the area. Winter can be dark and cold, with frequent rains, but it's also a good time to enjoy annual events like the Turl Street Arts Festival or the Literary Festival, both in Oxford. Spring brings blooming flowers and there’s also the annual Cheltenham Festival horse racing event in March and the Stow Horse Fair in May.

Blenheim Palace

One of England's largest houses, the 18th-century Blenheim Palace, which is located 10 kilometres northwest of Oxford, is the ancestral home of one of Britain’s best-known prime ministers. The palace, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the seat of the dukes of Marlborough. The palace, park, and gardens are open to the public and often host contemporary art exhibits via the Blenheim Art Foundation.

Ashmolean Museum

Britain's first public museum, this Oxford institution was established in 1683. The main museum contains large collections of fine art — including one of the best collections of English silver, majolica pottery, and Pre-Raphaelite paintings in the world — as well as antiquities from Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece and Minoan pottery. If you’re curious about which special exhibitions are on display during your visit, check the museum’s website.

Batsford Arboretum

Located just outside the town of Moreton-in-Marsh, this 23-hectare arboretum features beautiful plantings year round. The snowdrops of late winter presage the daffodils that bloom in early spring. At the height of summer, the meadows erupt in beautiful wildflowers, and the Japanese maples take on spectacular colours in autumn. Not only can you wander around the arboretum, you can also practice archery or enjoy locally sourced food at the café.