Oxford University Tour by Alumni™ with optional New College
Description
This is the original Alumni Tour™ — the first of its kind and the most professional experience in the city. Our tours are led by Oxford students and graduates who combine genuine personal experience with a deep knowledge of the city’s history and architecture. The 90-minute tour includes iconic landmarks like the Sheldonian Theatre, Radcliffe Square, and the Bridge of Sighs. The tour is entirely outdoors, focusing on Oxford’s historic streets, squares, and college exteriors. If selected when booking, your experience can be enriched after the walking tour ends with a self-guided visit to New College, one of the university’s most historic and picturesque colleges. You’ll pass through quiet college lanes and meadows where Lewis Carroll imagined Alice in Wonderland, C.S. Lewis envisioned the gateway to Narnia, and where Tolkien and J.K. Rowling found world-famous inspiration. Available in English, 中文, and Español upon request.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Meet the guide OUTSIDE the address, not inside. The location is not part of our business. The meeting point is the RED PILLAR MAILBOX in front of 11 Broad Street. Your guide wears a royal blue item of clothing with a heraldic shield—this may be a jacket, cap, beanie, scarf, or polo shirt.
Gain an overview of one of the oldest universities in the world while admiring the first of many architecturally grand buildings.
Take a look into some of the strange traditions that come with an old and prestigious university. From pranks to tortoises, student life certainly isn’t boring here!
Learn about the 13 busts visible atop the pillars, and get an insiders’ correction of a common misconception.
Hear about the intricacies of the Oxford graduation ceremony, and, if possible, take a look inside the Divinity School which was famously used in the Harry Potter films.
A library with a long history, find out about some of the treasures kept among the 12 million books here.
A dome that is famous for being one of the Oxford Dreaming Spires, and a Camera which has nothing to do with photography? Contradictions abound here, and your guide will make sure you don’t get lost in them!
All Souls is a very prestigious college which requires an incredibly stringent examination to be completed by all prospective students. Your guide can give you examples of past questions; how do you think you would fare?
The University Church is a great location to understand some of the tensions between so called ‘Town and Gown’, and of course is a stunning building to appreciate!
A controversial piece of university history, learn why there have been protests against honouring one of the main funders of the College.
One of the most famous sites in Oxford, there are many powerful figures associated with this college!
##IMPORTANT: This option is available only if selected at the time of booking. Access times for New College – Spring/Summer 2025 (10th March to 14th October): Open daily from 10:30 am to 5:00 pm. Last entry at 4:30 pm. All visitors must leave the premises by 5:00 pm. The self-guided visit to New College takes place at the end of the walking tour. Access involves a short walk to the entrance on Holywell Street. Please keep these timings in mind when booking this option.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- ##IMPORTANT: Before booking New College, please note the following timings: Spring/Summer 2025 (10th March to 14th October): Open daily from 10:30 am to 5:00 pm Last entry at 4:30 pm All visitors must leave the premises by 5:00 pm If you have any doubts or questions, feel free to contact us.
- New College is generally 10 to 15 minutes away from the tour’s end point. Please keep this in mind before booking.
- Wheelchair users are welcome on the tour. Please note that one small area is inaccessible, though it only accounts for a few minutes of the route. Some parts of New College may also be difficult to access. We advise caution due to uneven surfaces, curbs, and potential trip hazards. Please also be mindful of vehicles and bicycles, particularly in busy areas.
- Not recommended for travellers who cannot complete a 90-minute walk
Reviews(359)
It was very cool and the pathing was nice and it didn’t feel like we were just wandering aimlessly at any points “Sushi” was good
Oxford was one of our favorite stops during our week in England. It started with a tour conducted by an alumni with a focus on pointing out the various sights and inspirations for Harry Potter. But more so, I am inspired by the atmosphere of academia. Our guide explained the college and department structures and shared his own experiences as a student of Oxford University. We also stayed in a lovely 8 room hotel which accommodated our family with small extras that felt like home. Things like a private entrance to the back yard (and first floor rooms) to toys and activities for outdoor play.
John F. was very informative, spoke clearly so all could hear, considerately kept us in the shade as much as possible on a vert hot afternoon. Would highly recommend John F. as a tour guide. He really knew his subject.
Sushi ( not sure of spelling ) led our tour on 22nd June 1pm . She was absolutely excellent. Lovely presentation. Lots of information. Good timekeeping.
Beautiful experience, it would not have been the same if we had done it alone. Kai, our guide, was excellent, very capable, told us many facts, and made us feel part of the history. Thank you very much
Very informative tour. Enjoyed the punten tour with Patrick as well
Roderick the guide was very knowledgeable and numerous. He took us to places we probably wouldn’t have found on our own.
The planned route was enjoyable, the group was not overcrowded (around 10 people), and Oxford was easy and pleasant to explore on foot. However, the guide seemed quite new to the job and lacked experience. The entire group was patient while listening to his explanations, but a few people left before the end because the commentary was not particularly engaging or informative. The guide clearly put a lot of effort into the tour, but the main issue was his command of the language. He was not fully fluent, which made the tour feel slow, repetitive, and at times rather tiring. I saw other groups with different guides who appeared much more dynamic and engaging. Overall, the tour itself is well designed, but the company should ensure that guides have both strong language skills and the ability to create an enjoyable experience for participants. At £35, this was the most expensive activity I did in Oxford, so it was disappointing that the value for money felt so poor. I had high expectations for the tour, but unfortunately they were not met.
Thank you for your honest feedback. We are glad you enjoyed the route and group size, but we are very sorry to hear that the guide's language barrier and delivery didn't meet your expectations—especially given the price of the tour. Please get back to us via info@alumni.tours so we can resolve this incident for you. When you write to us, please include your booking number, as well as the day and time of your tour. Regarding the presentation style, some of our guides can be a bit more shy or less outgoing depending entirely on their personality. However, we completely understand how this can feel frustrating during a tour, and we would be happy to discuss this further and get back to you via email. We look forward to hearing from you. Best regards
The tour was great and the tour guide (Tejas Sanjay Dongare) was extremely knowledgeable and very friendly.
We had the most wonderful morning learning about Oxford and walking around the town with our lovely tour guide. I cannot remember her name but she was from New Delhi. She explained the university system and all the colleges while pointing out local landmarks and fun stories about school rivalries. We bought the New College tour but forgot to use it! She was so enthusiastic about showing us everything she could she happily went past our time allotment and we so appreciated it.
