LON Temperature | 4 - 17 °C |
---|
If weather is an important factor for your trip to Oxford, use this chart to help with planning. For those seeking warmer temperatures, July is the ideal time of year to visit, when temperatures reach an average of 17.0 C. Travellers hoping to avoid the cold should look outside of January, when temperatures are typically at their lowest (around 4.0 C).
The city of “dreaming spires” all honey-coloured stone, tall chimneys and lofty towers is home to the oldest university in the English-speaking world. Nestled in Oxfordshire and lying on the Thames (known as the Isis for its ten-mile stretch here) and the Cherwell rivers, the city is a perfect destination for all the family.
Younger visitors will know Oxford from Harry Potter books, older readers from Alice in Wonderland and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Oxford is packed with places for little ones to visit. Museums include Science Oxford Hands-On, The Oxford Story, The Ashmolean, The Pitt Rivers and Natural History Museum.
The city itself is compact and easy to get around. Climbing the 99 steps of the Carfax Tower, in the centre of the town, will give you fantastic views of the Oxford skyline.
The Covered Market, with its many stalls and colourful displays, dates back hundreds of years. There has been a market in Oxford for more than 1,000 years.
Oxford is well connected by coach to the London airports – Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted – and by rail to Birmingham and Southampton. Oxford flights – private and charters only – are only available to Kidlington Airport.
Although one of the driest cities in England, Oxford has rain year-round. Summers are warm with temperatures in the mid 20s (Celsius) and high humidity. Winters are chilly and damp with temperatures ranging from the low single digits to about 10, although it rarely snows.
It’s not just easy to walk through downtown Oxford, it’s recommended. Take a stroll down High Street to soak up the city’s academic atmosphere. You can take a guided walking tour of the colleges all year long, but tours will be somewhat restricted when school is in session. A great way to get to know the city is by riding one of the hop-on, hop-off buses. Oxford has two bus companies (public transport). Stagecoach buses offer a ticket for unlimited one-day travel in the city. The Oxford Bus Company will take you across the city, as well as to the airport, suburbs and four park-and-ride lots where you can leave your car.
Bikes are a very popular way to get around the city, especially with the Oxford’s level landscape, so it’s easy to rent a bike. There are bike paths all over the city and along the river and canal. If you need a taxi, you can get one from a taxi stand or call ahead. Taxis are reasonably priced, but they charge extra for luggage, extra passengers, holidays and late nights. For a change of pace, try punting down the river. You can either navigate the punt yourself or hire an expert to move you along.