Just because Oxford is relatively small, that does not mean the city is boring so do not underestimate it! Through our time here, we have discovered a lot of fun places, tried some things for the first time in our life and most importantly made some lifelong memories with the wonderful people we met here. Our names are Sonja and Ebi, and we are both studying our second year of IB diploma at St Clare’s. Moving to Oxford has had quite an impact on us therefore we would like to share the best bits of this student-friendly city.
Sonja recommends: Educational Academics and Historical Heritage
Oxford is a famous student-oriented city, and everything related to academics and historical heritage is always around the corner and easily accessible through various websites and through a useful academic newsletter which is provided by St Clare’s careers team every Friday. Being in a student-oriented city, you can attend lectures by Oxford professors which are organised every weekend and sometimes even during the week, and they offer interesting talks about topics related to every popular university course subjects such as Law, Politics, Medicine, Engineering, Business and Management, Economics and many more! Make sure you pay attention to key details, such as lectures which are held online or some requiring you to register to attend but the best part is that most of them are free and open to public. The lectures that are held in person are the best in my opinion, because they are hosted in real classrooms in old and historically famous Oxford University buildings in the city centre. Besides university lectures, Oxford has some fantastic museums you can explore, my personal favourite is the Natural History Museum which is completely free and open to the public where they have a fantastic collection of natural phenomena: raw minerals and crystals, displayed skeletons of different animals on display and much more on the following floors (check out the weapons floor if you are interested in history as they have a wonderful collection). If you are interested in classical arts and cultures across the world, I would recommend visiting the Ashmolean Museum as they offer huge displays of classical arts, Greek and Roman sculptures, Chinese and Japanese pottery and much more which is definitely worth seeing on a Sunday morning with a friend and cup of your hot drink of choice.
Sonja recommends: Coffee shops and Dining Places
I am a huge coffee lover, and I usually spend my weekend mornings in different coffee shops sipping my hot drink and studying. During last year, I have been to many different coffee shops and most of them are study-friendly environments, very peaceful and quiet places. My recommendation for coffee lovers would be Gails and Colombia Coffee Roasters in Summertown, or Pret and Costa which can be found in any part of Oxford, and they are known for their good quality hot drinks of many sorts.
For lunches and dinners, the city centre is full of different restaurants which serve many cuisines from all over the world. Westgate, Oxford’s shopping mall, has several restaurants on its rooftop where you can enjoy delicious food with a fantastic view of Oxford. My personal recommendation is Victors if you are looking for a good pizza night with your friends. If you are a fan of French cuisine, you must visit the Cote Brassiere and the Ivy Brassiere. They have fantastic French food and Ivy’s interior is something else when it comes to aesthetic (I recommend the French onion soup, it is an absolute must if you go there!).
If you don’t like dressing fancy and sitting at a restaurant, Oxford offers many street food options, and the most popular one is kebab. There are many kebab vans around the whole town, where you can get a fantastic meal for a great price. I do not have any special recommendations of but I think the one in Summertown is pretty amazing and it offers far more than just kebabs so you should definitely check it out. I have to warn you though, the line is sometimes very long as everyone likes their food.
Ebi recommends: Outdoor Adventures
Being an active person, Oxford has definitely been the ideal place for me to live in, thanks to all the activities this city offers. For those like me who enjoy running I would highly suggest a run through University Park where every Saturday morning everyone is welcomed to come for a 5km jog, each at their own pace around the beautiful landscape the park offers. However, if you don’t consider yourself to be a professional runner don’t worry as this is not a marathon but more of a great chance to connect with the community through our hobbies. Even if you are not very active a fun outing would be to gather a group of friends, rent a punt from the many boathouses along the River Cherwell, and spend a sunny afternoon punting, an outdoor activity you can only do in Oxford and Cambridge. As you move along the river, you will be mesmerised by the University’s buildings and parks. It’s also a great way to bond with friends and I would highly suggest grabbing some snacks for the trip. If you’re new to punting, don’t worry! You can always hire a chauffeur to navigate while you sit back and relax.
Just a short walk from the city centre and you can find yourself in Port Meadow, a vast expanse of open land ideal for taking a walk or having a picnic while enjoying the amazing views of the river and other surroundings, or even better you may be one of the lucky ones and get to see the cows.
Ebi recommends: Charming Neighbourhoods
After a long day of walking and visiting Oxford with all its historical buildings allocating a significant amount of time to explore its diverse neighbourhoods would be essential, where each area has its own charm. Just North of the city centre, you can find Jericho which is a vibrant neighbourhood filled with independent shops, cafés and lively pubs. It’s a great place to grab a coffee or brunch on a Sunday morning.
A bit further up North, there is Summertown, which offers a more suburban feel as it is a mix of cafes, shops and restaurants. The area offers reasonable amount of parking spaces located right next to all the independent shops which can be quite useful to some people. Also don’t forget to visit the farmers market on Sunday morning where you can find freshly baked bread and homemade jam. For a taste of Oxford’s multicultural vibe there is no better place to visit other than Cowley Road. This lively and somewhat busy street is lined with international restaurants, quirky shops and lively bars. It’s a fantastic spot to sample cuisines from around the world, whether you’re in the mood for Middle Eastern or Indian fare.
To conclude, this charming city offers many different things to do during the weekend. Just remember; do the things you enjoy with your friends and plan your weekends carefully with your free time and studies. We would highly encourage you to visit all of these places we recommended, but also do not forget to explore the city yourself and find the activities you like!
Written by Ebi and Sonja – IB25 students