Oxford Private Tour: Discover Rich English History with Expert Guides

Immerse yourself in the rich English history of Oxford on a private walking tour. Explore the city, university, and colleges with expert guides and discover hidden gems along the way.

Duration: 2 hours, 15 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Weston Library - Begin your journey at the Weston Library, a part of the Bodleian Library, located in the heart of the University. The Weston Library boasts excellent facilities, a high-end café, and free exhibitions.
    Adjacent to it is Blackwell’s, a world-renowned bookshop and an iconic part of Oxford. It features an extensive collection of books…
What's Included
  • Private Tour, exclusively for you, your family, colleagues and friends
  • Designated meeting point. Plus we offer hotel pick ups (central Oxford only)
  • Entrance fees to colleges and University as applicable
Additional Information

Led by an Oxford MSc Historian, Tours of Oxford, recognized as the best bespoke European walking tour operator, provides private 5-star TA rated walking tours of Oxford.
Located in the Old University Quarter among Oxford’s iconic dreaming spires, the tour covers all the major sites and landmarks that make Oxford renowned worldwide.
The tour also includes…

Location
Weston Library
The Weston Library is situated on Broad Street opposite The Sheldonian Theatre and The Clarendon Building in the heart of the Old University Quarter. Look for a Tours of Oxford sign with your name(s) on it - your guide will be attached.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(55 Ratings)
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David_b
Jan 6, 2025
Wonderful tour - Tom was excellent in all respects. So knowledgeable yet attentive to the various ages of our kids. Felt like an ‘insider’s’ tour of Oxford.
Review provided by Viator
Angela_g
Jan 5, 2025
The most interesting tour we’ve ever had of Oxford. Don’t miss it! - Chris is an absolute gem of a guide. Having attended Oxford himself, along with his impressive background in religion, architecture and British history it was an unforgettable experience. Equal parts personal, humor and historical we were all mesmerized by Chris stories and highlights that I guarantee you won’t get on any other tour. We traveled with our 11 and 13 year old sons and they were equally engaged as Chris made the experience relevant to us as much as them. He was also kind enough to point out places to have lunch before we arrived and other sites to see in Oxford. A treasured experience we will never forget. Thank you Chris!
Review provided by Viator
Tomco2454lu
Dec 26, 2024
Enlightening the Discerning - Chris Peters met us as scheduled at the front entrance to an Oxford landmark. Our tour was thorough but unhurried. We had been to the city briefly many years before, and yet we saw both the town and the University with new eyes. Chris attended Oxford and decided to become a guide for folks like us after his retirement. This meant that he knew a lot of things in depth. Further, as an Alumnus, he was able to show us a few things that would not have been open to us otherwise. Chris was a fountain of information, including many quirky, offbeat or even bizarre bits of wisdom. These included the admission and operation of All Souls College, which has no students (!), or a bookstore what has 5km of shelves in a single underground room, which is not all directly underneath the store. From architecture to theology, from ingredients in the mix of factors that created the Renaissance to Harry Potter film locations, two Yanks got an education at Oxford! (And the tuition was quite reasonable, given Oxford's normal rates...) One piece of advice: You will learn much more if you don't just listen. Listen, discuss, and ask questions. Chris is up for it...
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Travellhound
Dec 1, 2024
Excellent, both interesting and enjoyable! - We met Chris on what is probably one of the coldest days of 2024 and we asked for a tour with insight into how the university came to be how it is today. Chris was fantastic; engaging and entertaining in equal measure and, despite the very cold temperatures, we thoroughly enjoyed our time with him, learning loads in the process. Even my husband, who is an alumnus himself, learnt plenty of interesting facts and information. Chris managed to explain the history of how the colleges formed, interweaving history, religion, culture and architecture - fascinating! Would highly recommend if you are in Oxford.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lisap387
Oct 22, 2024
Loved our Oxford Walking Tour with Chris Peters! - Chris Peters led our group of 6 friends on an amazing 2+ hour tour of Oxford. Chris has an incredible knowledge of and passion for the the art, the architecture and the history of Oxford. He set the pace and focus of our tour based on what we were most interested in seeing and learning. Chris was extremely engaging throughout the tour, sharing stories and his intimate knowledge of university. The combination of Chris' humor, knowledge, and passion really made the history feel so accessible. Our only disappointment was that we didn't have more time! If you want to get the most out of your tour of Oxford, you need Chris Peters as your guide! Thank you, Chris!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mark_h
Oct 13, 2024
Knowledgeable and Welcoming tour - Chris was an excellent guide. He was very knowledgeable, welcomed questions and didn't get lost in too much detail. He brought to life the history of the colleges at Oxford and shared some of the broader history of Oxford.
Review provided by Viator
X1821tpsandrap
Oct 8, 2024
The most amazing tour by a true local - We loved meeting Chris and exploring the city with him as our guide. We traveled from Mexico to discover more about the english culture and Oxford was a surprise. I enjoyed hearing about the bookstores, Oxford University and somo of the colleges, the most famous writers, including C.S. Lewis and J.R.R Tolkien. Another thing that I loved was that Chris shared with us his personal experience in Oxford, studiying and living there. He is a jem! We had the best time. Thank you Chris!! Hope we met again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Diana_j
Aug 30, 2024
My 18 year old daughter... - My 18 year old daughter and I took the walking city tour in the morning and then the private tour with Chris Peters in the afternoon. The first tour gave us a broad overview of Oxford university. But Chris was able to take us inside one of the Colleges, and answered all the historical and cultural questions going back to the Saxons, Anglican - Catholic split, and the Reformation. Chris was able to also elaborate on the lasting influence of the Oxford university, and he showed us some very special sites.
Review provided by Viator
696hughb
Mar 6, 2024
Excellent walking tour of Oxford - Excellent and interesting tour with pleasant and knowledgeable guide who showed us many things we would have otherwise missed. The history and anecdotes were fantastic and my group of 8 really enjoyed! the afternoon. Thanks!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Catherinebond
Oct 19, 2023
Chris was the perfect Oxford Guide! - We are two couples in our 60s who wanted a proper historical tour of Oxford (without Harry Potter stuff!) Chris was a mine of information. He explained the origins of Oxford and why it became the leading centre of teaching. We adored our trip around the Bodleian, Trinity and New College - without a guide we would never have found all the treasures. We would all recommend Chris highly!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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