Luxury holidays in Oxford

When to go

As students go on break, from June to August, tourists fill the historic colleges and crowd the river with punts. The wise traveller opts for May or September, enjoying sunny days without the bustling crowds.

Getting there

• Planes

  Heathrow and Gatwick airports are your go-to gateways for Oxford. Catch a train from Heathrow via London or from Gatwick via Reading. Alternatively, it takes 90 minutes from Heathrow and just over two hours from Gatwick on the airline bus.

• Trains

  Frequent train services run direct to Oxford from London Paddington or Marylebone. For those arriving from further north, connect via Birmingham New Street; from the south or west, you’ll need to stop at Reading or Didcot. From the station, the city centre is a five-minute stroll away.

• Automobiles

  The City of Dreaming Spires has limited, expensive parking, so it’s best explored on foot or via the city’s waterways.