Cambridge and Oxford Historic Colleges of Britain Day Trip
London, United Kingdom
Begin the day traveling across the Chiltern Hills to Oxford, the "City of Dreaming Spires", whose hushed courtyards and elegant, dignified timeworn buildings have inspired generations of scholars (including Bill Clinton in the 1970s) and writers, including Lewis Carroll who wrote "Alice in Wonderland" here.
Pop in your state-of-the-art Vox headphones as your tour starts and listen to your guide talking clearly about each site. If you want to wander aside and take photos of attractions, you won’t miss any of the commentary!
Find your own inspiration in the sense of tradition and intellectual curiosity that pervades this lovely City. You will visit Christchurch College, where Harry Potter scenes were filmed and where Albert Einstein studied. On your walking tour of Oxford you will see the Bodleian library and the picture-perfect College courtyards for which Oxford is justifiably famous.
Through scenic countryside to Cambridge, bridging centuries of scholarly rivalry between these two venerable institutions! Cambridge's stately Gothic style College buildings rise spectacularly from the greenery along the River Cam where students and visitors enjoy punting along the River.
You will visit the magnificent perpendicular chapel of King's College, founded in 1441, which is the finest and grandest example of late medieval Gothic architecture in England, and a fitting tribute to the great minds that have studied here. During your walking tour of the city filled with beautiful buildings and historical quirks, you'll visit the so-called "Bridge of Sighs", named after its look-a-like in Venice and several other Colleges that make up the University, each with their own stories to tell.
Loved this tour! The tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. Enjoyed the entire experience!
Review by: Vinicius R, November 2017
This day trip is great if you are interested in the educational legacy of Britain. We were very pleased with a very amusing, knowledgeable guide, who made the trip even more fun. Both cities are beautiful, with amazing buildings and things to see. A lot of history. Definitely worth the visit.
Review by: Farah A, October 2017
Really Good
Review by: Tracey D, October 2017
This was a fantastic tour. Our guide and bus driver were great. You visit Cambridge first and you are taken to the key sites and given plenty of information. You also have some time to wander around yourself a bit longer would have been better but not really possible if you are trying to visit both places in one day. You can view the rivers but no time for a boat trip. Oxford is the second place and it is just as amazing. We got to go in the great hall which isn't open every day so that was fantastic. Students were on holiday so crowds were low. Really loved this and would highly recommend this a day trip from London.
Review by: DOROTHY H, September 2017
This is an excellent tour for an impactful day trip out of London - a bit of a drive but even the drive was wonderful! Our guide was very well informed and knowledgeable in all aspects of each city's history. We loved seeing so many sights that we've only seen on TV in alot of British shows we get on PBS!
Review by: dphansen1, September 2017
Norma was a very good insightful tour guide. Glad I took this tour.
Review by: Ian M, August 2017
Friendly guide. A great way to cover both university towns in one day.
Review by: colettem602, July 2017
Our Tour last Sat 29/07 was excellent. Our Driver, Tom and Guide Leslie did everything to help. Only recommendation I would make - An earlier start as would give longer in each city. In saying so, I must add we were delayed getting out of London because of Cycle Race and closed roads. We had about 2 hours in each city which didn't allow any time to explore after our guided tour of selected highlights. Suffice to say, I look forward to a return visit. Thank You.
Review by: hodsonjohnj, July 2017
The guide Pete was an accomplished professional, who mmsnagef to share his vast breadth of knowledge and enthusiasm about the area and Shakespeare in an entertaining fashion, which has left me wanting to go back! FABULOUS tour, guide, and driver (Von). You will be impressed and longing for more!
Review by: Gina S, July 2017
Pleasant trip and knowledgeable guide. There was enough guided information and places along with a good amount of free time to explore, eat, and shop. The guide gave good advice for shopping and eating as well as must sees even if you just peeked in to say you saw it. The college was holding graduation classes when we visited and it was interesting to observe and compare customs. The guide really knew her stuff about every little corner and alley. The walks around campus' were at a normal pace. Great walking and exploring activity.
Review by: Patrick C M, June 2017
Great guide Emily and great driver. I believe we hit all the highlights of both cities.
Review by: Peter T, May 2017
This tour was amazing!
Review by: Maxie S, May 2017
Very interesting places to visit. Wasn't really fond of our tour guide, I couldn't understand a lot of what he was saying and I thought that he could have share more historic and relevant information of the places than what he was saying. It is a completely walking tour, you will only sit down at the bus so be prepared.
Review by: Joey H, February 2017
Well planned and great tour guide.
Review by: jfok0514, October 2016
Cambridge and Oxford are very pretty. Worth going. Our guide is good with lots of information and helpful.
Review by: Joan V, October 2016
This was a wonderful tour with a well informed, enthusiastic guide, named Anthony.
Review by: Jennifer H, September 2016
Excellent tour with very good guide and driver. Wish we could have spent a little longer in the two venues as they are both such fascinating places and two hours scarcely begins to scratch the surface. Nevertheless, a four plus for this tour.
Review by: Sangmi N, August 2016
Emily was a wonderful tour guide! She gave good descriptions of Cambridge, of Oxford, and of London on the way back. She also told a great story of Henry VIII!
Review by: jeannie, July 2016
It is a very nice trip. Guide are professional, bus is comfortable. Only time is not enough to have a better visit of the 2 colleges
Review by: hemakartik, June 2016
Nice trip . The guide and the driver were both good , very knowledgeable , professional and helpful .
Review by: Lyndell G, December 2015
Great tour - the tour guide was great and really made the day interesting and informative.
Review by: Diana S, August 2015
There is far too much travel time in this tour. We only got to spend 1.5 hours at each of the locations. It would be better to visit one college or the other instead of trying to do both in one day.
Review by: Tab55, August 2015
Very educational.
Review by: Kamlesh T, July 2015
We felt it was quite rushed with not enough time to explore on our own.
Review by: Laurel, July 2015
Trip was good. Tour guide was very knowledgable and did a great job on the trip. Only complaint was how dirty the bus was, didn't appear to have been cleaned up from the last tour.
Review by: Bishan H, July 2015
very good
Review by: Bruce A, June 2015
Although we knew it, this is a very tiring tour, mainly due to the bus travel which is over 6 hours of the 10 for the trip. It is still the best way to see both towns in one day. Suggest that the tour should leave at 8 am instead of 9am to allow a little more time at both places. Chrissie, our tour guide was marvellous as she had to get us to King's Chapel for the last tour of the morning, with only one minute to spare and we made it.
Review by: Kathlynn M, June 2015
The guide was difficult to hear as she walked. She was unaware of the size of the group and walked quickly leaving the group straggling behind. The transistors were cutting in and out as she walked so we missed much of the commentary.
Review by: Irene, June 2015
The 2 colleges if very beautiful. the guide is knowledgeable and telling us a lot of histories. good trip
Review by: Rishabh S, June 2015
The tour was fantastic. A little speedy though but definitely recommend. Special mention of tour guide Emily for personally taking care and ensuring each visitor was fully comfortable throughout trip.
Review by: Robert A, May 2015
Excellent tour! Guide was knowledgeable, informative, and very personable.
Review by: Alison B, September 2014
A great day out. Plenty of time in both cities. Friendly and informative commentary along the way from our guide Emily.
Review by: CHENGHSIN L, September 2014
Can be 1-2 hours longer would be perfect
Review by: CHI L, September 2014
The tour was just okay. I didn't like it ended at a place that we weren't familiar with. The tour guide rushed us off the bus somewhere in the city. We took a taxi back to the hotel. I expected that but still didn't like it. Maybe it was because I didn't like the tour guide. :(
Review by: ADRIANA P, August 2014
Cambridge a little disappointing, Oxford has much more to see. If interested in feeling the atmosphere of the most important colleges, don't go there in August as I did. You will spend at least 6 hours on the bus and less than 4 hours visiting the two towns. Worth doing only if you just want to have a very quick pick of Oxbridge and tell everyone you've been there.
Review by: cindyxkao, August 2014
The tour guy is very knowledgeable, humorous and funny. It's a very nice trip though it was a rainy day.
Review by: Deborah F, August 2014
Getting onto the coach at Victoria Coach Station was chaotic but once we got under way, it was a good tour. The tour guide Emily really made the trip as she was very knowledgeable and her presentation was lively. It is a good way to see both towns if you are pushed for time. It is a very brief overview as you are on the road for a long time, but you see the main sights.
Review by: dneikirk, August 2014
Our tour guide was excellent and gave us a good introduction to both universities. We really looked forward to seeing Oxford and Cambridge but didn't anticipate the density of the crowds in both towns. Photography was almost impossible. We are glad we took the tour but would like to spend more time in each place and at a less crowded season, if there is such a thing.
Review by: Javier Gustavo D, July 2014
It was all as expected. I suggest to take this day trip. Very good service. Great expierence!!!
Review by: Jennifer S, July 2014
I enjoyed the tour and was very impressed with both towns and the history, however, I felt with 52 people on the tour, it was a bit much for the tour guide to handle. There were tourists walking on the road in front of bikes and one family was 15 minutes late back when we had been given strict time frames to return to the bus. i think a group of 15 to 20 would have been much more viable for a successful tour.
Review by: mctirabassi, July 2014
This was a wonderful trip and Lesley was a fantastic tour guide who managed to share a vast amount of information about higher education in Great Britain with such clarity that people of widely varying backgrounds were engaged and excited. We saw a great deal and it made me want to return and spend a day in Cambridge and several days in Oxford.
Review by: Olga A, June 2014
This tour was really great, cuz we had a great tour guide. _br/_
Sadly we were in both cities for a little time, but now I know I'd like to go to Cambrige again.
Review by: Chung Man W, June 2014
Nice weather, nice university and nice trip
Review by: Milene S, June 2014
Although the weather was not good and clear, the experience of being on these schools were amazing! I loved it so much! The guide was someone how has already studied in Oxford, so he knew A LOT, and he was really helpful!
Review by: craig d, December 2013
excellent guide, driver great. Cambridge and Oxford great places see, worth the time.
Review by: Laura C, December 2013
First rate experience - guide and bus - but we had to chase info regarding the 45 minute delay leaving Victoria.
Review by: Kathleen T, October 2013
There is a lot of travelling on this trip, but I enjoyed it regardless. The guide was knowledgeable and pointed out sites of interest, Cambridge was picturesque and definitely worth a look. After the guided walk through there was time for a quick look in one or two of the other colleges. Oxford was also lovely but was much more structured, so less free time. Well worth seeing, and brilliant if you have limited time.
Review by: Shanna C, August 2013
Not what I was expecting. As a fan of Oxford literature and film settings, I was hoping to get a good tour that also included some discussions of literature such as C.S Lewis and Tolkien. Sadly, the tour guide didn't even know the name of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe." He did know his history of Cambridge and Oxford, but unless you're into who was head of this school and when, then you will be bored.
Review by: Rakela C, August 2013
This was a very interesting trip, with a great tour guide who told us all sorts of interesting information. We had just about the right amount of time to explore both Cambridge and Oxford on our own a bit, as well as to get some souvenir shopping done. I would recommend this trip.
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