Oxford is the best place to get to know English traditions.The city is located in Oxfordshire, 80 km from London, stands on the Thames and Cherwell rivers and is known primarily as an educational center.It is the oldest university city in England, the citadel of education in the country and just a very beautiful place with characteristic "British" architecture.Oxford University is one of the first higher education institutions in Europe.It is the second ranked (after Cambridge) in Great Britain, about 50 Nobel laureates were its graduates.
Ancient architecture and vibrant modern life created by students, light industry and new technology, surrounded by picturesque countryside, make Oxford a place worth visiting even if you don't plan to study there.
WEATHER
Like all of Misty Albion, Oxford is immersed in eternal boredom.The amount of precipitation and rainy days is higher here, "than the average for the hospital" (read - in Europe).It is driest in April, February and September-October, warm - in summer, especially in July-August.By the way, at this time, students leave for vacation, and there are concerts one after another in the parks.
Day-night temperature differences are very noticeable, so for an evening walk you should take a light windbreaker and, of course, an umbrella.
In winter, the temperature almost never drops below zero, if it snows - a whole event, because it rarely happens.
HOW TO GET
Most tourists arrive in Oxford from London.There are direct buses from Heathrow Airport to it (stops at terminals 1, 2, 3, 5).Oxford Bus Company buses (official site in English) run around the clock, at night with an interval of 2 hours, during the day - at 20-30 minutes.There are National Express buses from terminals 2 and 3 to Oxford (official website in English).Travel time with both carriers is about 1.5 hours, the final stop is Gloucester Green in the center of Oxford.Tickets can be ordered online, via the app or bought from the driver.
Buying tickets online in advance and immediately in both directions is several times cheaper.
All Heathrow terminals have access to the subway.It takes about an hour to get to the center, tickets are sold in machines.To get to Victoria Coach Station, you need to take the blue Piccadilly Line from the airport to Hammersmith Station, change to the green District Line and get off at Victoria Station.Double-decker and single-decker buses of the Oxford Tube (Off. Site), National Express and Megabus (Off. Site) companies leave for Oxford every 15-20 minutes from morning to evening.The trip will take from two hours.
You can also reach Heathrow by train.Nationalrail's warehouses depart from terminals 2, 3 and 4, it will take about 2.5 hours to admire the surroundings under the clatter of wheels.Tickets - at the box office and at the office.company website.
From the famous Paddington station in London, trains to Oxford leave at intervals of 10-15 minutes, the travel time is two hours.
A taxi ride from the airport will cost an average of 110 GBP.
TRANSPORT
The historic center of Oxford is very small and convenient for walking, especially since a large part of it is a pedestrian zone and all attractions are nearby.The only thing to be afraid of is inattentive cyclists who skip pedestrian crossings and cut corners.
Buses run through the city, the fare is charged at the exit and depends on the distance.If you plan to make more than two trips a day, it is better to buy a day pass - it will be cheaper.
It is strongly not recommended to drive a car in Oxford - there are many pedestrian zones, complex traffic patterns, there are few parking lots and all of them are paid.
Taxis can be ordered through a mobile app, however, such a service can make the trip more expensive by a couple of pounds.And you can catch it on the road with a wave of the hand.If the taxi is free, its checkers are lit yellow.You can also take a car at the station, in the area of bus stops on St. Oldest, Gloucester Green, St. Gilles and others.
Oxford taxi drivers are real pedants, you should not be surprised that a true gentleman will be behind the wheel of a sparkling clean car.And he must have a license.
The cost of a trip around the city is from 30 GBP.The tariff increases at night and on holidays.Tips are not required, but they are welcome.
Bicycle for rent
Cruising around the city on a two-wheeled vehicle is a common thing for a student town.Many of Oxford's stations offer bike hire, some for free.There are cycle paths here, but much less than, say, in York - you often have to share the roadway with motorists.Riding a bicycle here is much safer than it seems at first glance, because all the drivers are already used to it, but the first time it is better to follow the locals - they are more experienced in this matter.Signal lights should be used in the dark, the police may fine you for their absence.
There are many bicycle parking lots in the city, but it is worth checking in the fortress of your castle - thefts also flourish here.
HOTELS
Ancient on the outside, modern on the inside - that's how most Oxford hotels are.They are ready to give shelter to guests both on the outskirts, such as Cowley, and in the very center of the city.Prices, by the way, are quite democratic: even furnished with royal chic, "the best of the best" Macdonald Randolph 5 * asks for only 220 GBP per night.What can we say about hostels and hotels of category 2-3 *.For the first, 20 GBP is enough, for the second - 65 GBP.
The view outside the window and the level of "antiqueness" of the building can be varied.Scott House (located on one of the Oxford University campuses) invites you to feel like a student.
The ancient Richmond Hotel (25 Walton Cres, Oxford OX1 2JG) awaits those who want to relax in the rooms where English lords had their best dreams in the 18th and 19th centuries.In some of his rooms, the atmosphere reminiscent of the good old England is still preserved
EDUCATION
Oxford University is the blue dream of many schoolchildren and students.But you cannot take this "fortress" from the jump, you should prepare for its "assault" in advance.For admission, Russians need proof of the required level of English proficiency (IELTS certificate from 7 points or TOEFL from 100) and certificates of additional training - A-Levels or IB (International Baccalaureate).
A-Levels - a purely British program for entrants to local universities, involves studying 3-4 subjects in a private or public school.IB is international, has accredited institutions in many cities, 6 subjects are studied.The average study period for IB and A-Levels is two years, and you need to prepare for admission for another year.
Before submitting documents to Oxford, you should decide on the direction: international law, modern history, languages, medicine, country studies, philosophy and a dozen other faculties, then by October 15 through the unified British student admission system UCAS (official site in English) Submit an application .It is cheaper to choose several directions at once, but indicate the priority one first.You will also need to add a certificate of your high grades, a letter of motivation and recommendations from teachers.
University commissions will check the data until mid-December, then they will be invited to an interview, based on the results of which they will make a decision on enrollment.
There are also short language programs on the basis of Oxford: courses for young people and adults, summer courses for children, business school.
ENTERTAINMENT AND SIGHTS
You can start getting to know the sights of the city from the intersection of Holywell Street and Cutt Street.Here rises the building of the university and one of the main medieval masterpieces of Oxford - the Bodleian Library.The object impresses with its exterior, interior, and collection of books: in terms of their number, Bodle is second only to the national British Library.
The most beautiful building of the library is the chamber (or rotunda) of Radcliffe, a round building decorated with columns and balustrades.Similar to it, but slightly more modest in execution - the premises of the Sheldon Theatre, Broad St, Oxford OX1 3AZ. Performances are not given there, however, the theater is intended for solemn events of the university.
Further up Cutt Street is St Mary the Virgin, built in the 13th century and the largest in Oxford.It attracts with carved naves and statues, colorful stained glass windows, and an ancient organ.Excellent panoramic pictures come out of its tower.Perhaps only Christ Church Cathedral (St Aldate's, Oxford OX1 1DP) can compete with the church in terms of beauty.
Of the 38 colleges of the University of Oxford, the most notable are Christ Church (Harry Potter was filmed here), Magdalen (famous for its choristers, organists, deer park and a graduate named Oscar Wilde) and Merton (its students included a host of famous politicians, scientists , who later became Nobel laureates, and even the Japanese prince and princess).Near Merton and Magdalen is the Oxford Botanical Garden with an interesting collection of typical European and exotic plants.
The oldest and rather primitive buildings are located a little west of the center: Oxford Castle - on Oxfordshire Castle, Carfax Tower - on Queen Street.From the latter, along Cornmarket Street and Magdalen Street, there is a direct road to the Martyrs' Memorial, which was erected in memory of those who burned in the fire of the English Inquisition.Outside the city, tourists can meet the Blenheim Palace - the ancestral "nest" of the Dukes of Marlborough.
Oxford Museums
Museums in Oxford are an order of magnitude less than all kinds of architectural curiosities, so it is quite possible to have time to look at them all.The first and main one is the Museum of Natural History (official website in English).In it, children squeal with delight after seeing giant skeletons of dinosaurs, prehistoric fish and other fossils, and adults admire the collections of insects and birds, where it seems that all existing specimens on the planet are presented.
From this museum, it is easy to get to another one - the Museum of Pitt Rivers - a baron, general, archaeologist and ethnographer who collected a fantastic collection of costumes, sculptures, weapons, musical instruments and jewelry of a few peoples of Africa, North America, and the islands of the Pacific Ocean.
Exhibits from the times of Ancient Egypt and Rome, priceless ceramics and coins, equipment of Japanese samurai and paintings from the middle of the last millennium are exhibited in its halls by the Ashmole Museum (official website in English).The Museum of the History of Science organizes thematic exhibitions where visitors can see who made the greatest scientific discoveries in history, how and with what tools.
The picture gallery is open in the largest of Oxford's colleges - Christ Church.Drawings by Leonardo da Vinci and Albrecht Dürer, canvases by Caracci and Tintoretto, sculptures and other works of human hands are available not only to students, but also to tourists.
WHAT TO BRING
The most desired "souvenir" from Oxford is a university graduation diploma.But you can't buy it for any money.But you can stock up on keychains, notebooks, pens, hoodies and t-shirts with Oxy symbols almost at every step.Including - at the popular Flaggs store at 18 Broad St, Oxford OX1 3AS, which is also considered the main place to "hunt" for souvenirs with the symbolism of the Harry Potter films.
You can run through the boutiques of famous brands both in the city (shops are crowded on the High Street, Queen Street, South Lamar and in the famous covered market on Market St., Oxford OX1 3DZ), and outside it - in the largest outlet of Bicester Village at 50 Pingle Dr, Bicester OX26 6WD.
It is necessary to take clothes and accessories of local designers, handmade jewelry.Special attention is given to Twinings English tea, English china, gin and ale, Paddington Bear and the ubiquitous British red telephone boxes and Big Bens.
CAFES AND RESTAURANTS
Oxford is too close to the capital of England to have any original cuisine.And in general, all these "masterpieces" are not loved in the country.A good steak, roast potatoes or stewed vegetables, a piece of pie and a mug of ale - such a perfect, from a British point of view, lunch or dinner.It will cost 35 GBP for two.But the English breakfast is a brand, although its set is extremely simple: scrambled eggs, fried tomatoes and mushrooms, beans, sausages, bacon, toast with butter and a mug of tea.Its price is up to 20 GBP per pair.They charge £7 for a slice of pie and a cup of coffee.
The lowest prices are on the outskirts of Oxford, in the market and in small cafes near the universities.
The cuisines of different nations are also represented here in abundance.So fans of French, Spanish, Italian, Indian or Chinese dishes will not feel deprived.Prices for dinner for two with alcohol start from £55.
The true taste and spirit of England can be felt in any of Oxford's many pubs.The most famous is Eagle and Child on 49 St.Giles, Oxford, OX1, where J. R. R. Tolkien and J. Rowling.
