Privéwandeling door Oxford: Ontdek geschiedenis en hogescholen

It's a pity that only 5 stars can be given; Renata and Tim deserve 10 for their expertise and availability. It feels like wandering through the city with an old friend who is in love with the place. Fantastic.

We took the Oxford tour with Renata from Contrada last Sunday as a gift for two Italian friends who came to visit me and my girlfriend for the weekend. It was their first time in the United Kingdom, while we had already been to Oxford twice before, but only with this tour can we say we truly experienced it. Renata, besides being extremely professional and well-prepared, tirelessly guided us in discovering the city and its history, with a contagious love for Oxford. The many anecdotes and interesting stories really helped us understand the soul of the city and how it has formed and evolved throughout history to become what it is today. Tour in Italian for our friends who couldn't speak a word of English 😂 Highly recommended :)

We had a fantastic private 2-hour tour guided by Eve-Marie, who was incredibly knowledgeable about every corner of the city. The tour was highly interactive and thoughtfully adjusted to our interests, which made the experience even more enjoyable and personal. We highly recommend Contrada Tours and would absolutely book another tour with them in the future.

We visited Oxford with reference to Tolkien. Tim was enough a prepared guide who involved us with his sweetness and passion. Super recommended

This tour company is an absolute MUST — especially if you love Tolkien even a little (or a lot, like me!). I booked directly through their website and arranged a private walking tour for my husband and father-in-law so we could fully customize our time in Oxford, and it exceeded every expectation. I’m a gigantic Tolkien nerd, so I wanted a meaningful blend of Tolkien history and the essential Oxford highlights, and Tim delivered beautifully. He was beyond delightful — incredibly knowledgeable, warm, and clearly so passionate about Oxford, its universities, and Tolkien’s time there. Hearing these stories while standing in the very places that inspired Middle-earth was honestly magical. I was slightly nervous about doing a walking tour in December, but even in the cold it was absolutely worth it. The beauty of Oxford in winter, combined with Tim’s storytelling and local insight, made the experience feel intimate and special — like stepping into history (and a little bit of fantasy). Seeing Oxford through the eyes of a local who truly loves it, and who understands how deeply Tolkien fans connect to this place, made this one of the highlights of our trip. I cannot recommend this tour highly enough — an unforgettable experience for Tolkien lovers and Oxford first-timers alike.

It was super interesting. Tim was a flexible tour guide and gave us a lot of extra information and had a very nice surprise for us

The tour was magical because Tim told us so many interesting anecdotes. Tim is very helpful and cheerful and above all passionate about his work and Oxford.

It was a delightful time we spent with Tim whose warm and friendly personality was evident throughout our tour. This combination along with his knowledge of Oxford and its wider historical context and his evident enjoyment of Oxford’s unique architecture made it a special afternoon. It passed all too quickly. Highly recommended.

Great tour with Tim, particularly of Christchurch. Seemingly encyclopedic knowledge, good humour, very responsive to participants' contributions. Thoroughly recommended.