Things to do/see in Oxford? Good place for a 2 night break?

[freelions]

Looking at destinations for a 2 night UK city break, would prefer to go somewhere I haven't been before and Oxford has been suggested

Can anyone suggests touristy things to do see in the city and also recommendations for good places to stay and eat out?

Likely to be travelling by train so suggestions within the city which don't require a car please

You could try staying at Mal Maison which is a nice walk from the train station and close to restaurants and bars. Definitely go to the Ashmolean Museum and Christ Church meadow, the Botanic Gardens. One of those red tourist buses might be good as well.

The Old Parsonage hotel is lovely and very central. Oxford is great for a short break.

You can stay pretty much anywhere - the bus will get you most places. We've even done short breaks where we've stayed in Woodstock and just taken the fast bus in and out.

Great place for a weekend. Wander around the covered market; visit Christ church (Hogwarts great hall); walk the canal out to the trout or perch for lunch; go to the Bodleian exhibition; lose am entire afternoon in Blackwell's bookshop. Not sure what college visiting arrangements are just now, but even just wandering around is atmospheric and lovely.

Zhang in Jericho does great food; George and Davis in little Clarendon Street is an institution. Food in the turf isn't great but it's a good place for a pint. I like the white horse in broad Street - it's tiny but feels like a real pub.

If you get sick of the city, take the bus out of Oxford to Woodstock and visit Blenheim palace.

If money is no object Malmaison is good but expensive.

To be honest I wouldn’t choose now to visit Oxford. Colleges are proceeding with extreme care - certainly not welcoming non-members with open arms. Even Christ Church Picture Gallery (arguably the loveliest and most peaceful place in the whole city) is closed until further notice.

And there are no undergrads around. So you really wouldn’t get much of the flavour of the place. Unless you’re specifically going to show an A’ Level candidate around, I’d give it a miss until things are just a bit closer to normal. Unless you’re satisfied with just architecture?

Thanks all, I hadn't really thought about access the the University buildings, agree it would be a shame to miss out @Edmontine if they aren't open to the public (we are looking at coming in about 3 weeks)

Other potential destinations are Stratford upon Avon and Newcastle

We are in West Yorkshire and happy to travel about 3 hours max via car or train

Already done London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Bath, Manchester, Chester, York, Harrogate, Lincoln

I live just south of Oxford and would probaby say to give it a miss for a while due to Covid - there has just been a spike in infections in the city and a lot of us local people are staying away.

But...when things are a bit better, I'd recommend the Mal Maison or the Museum Hotel - we've stayed at both.

As for places to visit: the Ashmolean Museum is good, Botanic Gardens, walks around Christchurch Meadows, Sheldonian Theatre, Radcliffe Camera, Bodleian Library, University Parks, etc.

I've not been into Oxford since February 2020, just before 1st lockdown, so I'm not 100% sure of what's open or not right now.

No one's mentioned the gardens at Magdalen College yet. Staggeringly beautiful and it's just across the road from the Botanic Gardens so you can do a double garden trip. If you don't come to Oxford around now you could make a trip in the spring for the Magdalen fritillaries. It's worth it! Museum of the History of Science is a real gem too, and often forgotten about. Likewise the Pitt Rivers (at the back of the Natural History Museum). Lots of lovely cafes and cake shops in Jericho. It's a great city.

Oxford is amazing. Download a city walking tour*, get (free) tickets to the Ashmolean and Natural History museums, buy sandwiches in the covered market and take them down for a lovely picnic by the college boathouses.

*there is so much to see outside the colleges, libraries, theatres and old pubs that it really doesn't matter that you can't go inside.

Thank you for the recommendations @RoseAndGeranium and @MyFloorIsLava