Go around 9-10am, especially on a Saturday, for a quiet browse before the lunch rush, which peaks between 12 and 2pm with queues at the popular food counters.
Discover Authentic Oxford: A Local Travel Guide by Mercure
At Mercure, we believe you shouldn't need a guidebook to feel like you belong somewhere. That's the idea behind Discover Local: since 1973, every Mercure hotel has been built around its neighbourhood, not just dropped into it — from the décor on the walls to the flavours on the menu. Step into any Mercure and our teams are on hand with the kind of tips you won't find in a guidebook: the market stall locals queue for, the bar where nobody speaks English, the walk that skips the crowds. They live here. They know. Discover Local isn't a generic city guide — it's a short, honest list of the restaurants, markets and neighbourhoods our own hotel teams actually recommend to guests, updated as the city changes around us. Below, you'll find our picks for Oxford, an interactive map to help you find your way, and answers to the questions travellers ask us most. So — where will Discover Local take you?
Our map pins local favourites such as the Pitt Rivers Museum, the Botanic Garden and The Grand Café, alongside our Mercure hotel.
Top 5 Things to Do in Oxford
Oxford Covered Market
A warren of independent stalls dating back to the 18th century, this is where Oxford actually eats lunch. Brown's Café, the market's original 1920s spot, bakes fresh Pasteis de Nata each morning, best around 9:30am while they're still warm.
Ben's Cookies
This is the very first Ben's Cookies shop, in the original unit where the chain started, still turning out warm, thick cookies from the same corner of the Covered Market. Turn up before 11am and there's a chance of a discounted box of yesterday's batch.
Bodleian Library
One of the oldest libraries in Europe, founded in 1602, with over 11 million works in its collections and a reading room straight out of a film set. Book a tour in advance if you want to see beyond the courtyard.
University Parks
A genuinely local spot rather than a tourist stop, this stretch of green along the River Cherwell is where Oxford students go to escape the tourist crush of the city centre. It's free to enter and a good spot for a slow afternoon.
Oxford Botanic Garden
Britain's oldest botanic garden, founded in 1621, holds over 8,000 plant species in a compact, walkable space by the river. It's one of the most diverse plant collections anywhere, and rarely crowded even in summer.
Explore Oxford's Best Local Spots with Our Interactive Map
What's on the map in Oxford
We've mapped local spots in Oxford, from college quads to England's first coffee house.
University & museums
University of Oxford walking tour
A 90-minute guided tour behind the scenes of the oldest colleges – including New College, founded in 1379 – through quads, cloisters, halls and chapels. You'll also learn how the famous tutorial system works.
City centre · Guided tour · Perfect for first-time visitors
Harry Potter tour
Led by a local Oxford graduate, a tour of the three film locations: the Divinity School, New College and Christ Church. Wands optional.
City centre · Guided tour · Made for Harry Potter fans
Pitt Rivers Museum
A cabinet of curiosities from around the world, packed floor to ceiling – look out for the Ainu carved libation sticks from Japan and Russia.
Parks Road · Museum · Great for curious minds
Gardens, river & tea
Oxford Botanic Garden and Arboretum
The UK's oldest botanic garden: plants from around the world, giant waterlilies and tropical glasshouses. A green pause off the High Street.
High Street · Botanic garden · Ideal for a peaceful stroll
Salter's Steamers on the Thames
For more than 160 years, family firm Salter's Steamers has hired out punts and rowing boats and run trips on the Thames – known here as the Isis. Fancy trying a punt?
Folly Bridge · Boat hire and trips · Perfect for a summer afternoon
The Grand Café
Said to be the site of England's first coffee house, serving tea, coffee and pastries from the Covered Market in an elegant setting.
High Street · Café · Great for afternoon tea
Freud
Cocktails beneath soaring arches and stained glass, in a neoclassical church turned bar in 1988.
Jericho · Bar · Made for drinks
The Folly
Modern European dining with views over the Thames, near the Westgate Centre. Ask for a table by the water.
Riverside · Restaurant · Perfect for lunch
FAQ
You can see the courtyard freely, but visiting the historic reading rooms usually requires a booked tour, so plan ahead if that's a priority.
It's about an 11-minute taxi ride, or a walkable 20-25 minutes if you'd rather stretch your legs through the city centre on arrival.
The Divinity School, New College and Christ Church, visited on guided Harry Potter tours.
Yes. Salter's Steamers at Folly Bridge hires punts and rowing boats and runs trips on the Thames.
The Oxford Botanic Garden, on the High Street.
Where to Sleep in Oxford
See Mercure hotels in Oxford, all within reach of these picks.