Should You Visit Oxford or Cambridge as a Day Trip From London
Debating whether you should visit Oxford or Cambridge as a day trip from London? You're not alone! It's a question many tourists ask and have a difficult time deciding between. Learn which will be best for you and why!
On one of my visits to London, I had a free day and knew I wanted to use it for a day trip to one of the famous university towns — Oxford and Cambridge. I went back and forth, searched endlessly online, and never found a straight answer about which was better from a tourist's perspective.
As luck would have it, my plans changed and I ended up doing both back-to-back. So if you're wrestling with the same debate, Oxford or Cambridge as a day trip from London, I'm here to give you an honest answer.
The good news is that both cities are easy to reach from London, with travel times under an hour and tickets running $15–$20 each way (as long as you book in advance).
As you might expect, both are university towns steeped in history, with long lists of famous professors and alumni to their names. Guided tours (often led by current students) will take you through the most iconic colleges, chapels, and libraries.
You’ll find beautiful architecture and that “scholarly” vibe on a visit to either city.
But to answer the pressing question of which is best to visit — Cambridge or Oxford — my answer is hands down Cambridge. This is purely from a tourist perspective and assuming it's a day trip from London. In this post, I'll discuss why I believe most tourists will prefer Cambridge, as well as who might better appreciate Oxford.
Cambridge - Should You Visit Oxford or Cambridge as a Day Trip From London
Cambridge - Should You Visit Oxford or Cambridge
Cambridge - Should You Visit Oxford or Cambridge
Should I visit both if I can’t decide between Oxford or Cambridge?
Before we get started on why I prefer Cambridge, let’s discuss one of the most common questions that comes up when discussing whether you should visit Cambridge or Oxford.
Should I visit both if I’m not crunched for time?
The short answer is no — unless you're spending a month or more in England.
For the average visit to England, there really is no reason to visit both university towns. They are very similar, and it would seem redundant to tour both. The only counterargument would be if you’re a history/literary buff intent on seeing where famous alumni and professors attended/taught classes.
Cambridge and Oxford have a long list of prominent alumni. Charles Darwin and Sir Isaac Newton hail from Cambridge. Albert Einstein, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Oscar Wilde studied at Oxford. They also share a few famous names. Stephen Hawking and C.S. Lewis attended both universities.
If seeing the hallowed halls where your favorite scientists, economists, authors, and politicians studied is of utmost importance to you, then it may be worth it to visit both Cambridge and Oxford.
Cambridge - Should You Visit Oxford or Cambridge as a Day Trip From London
Cambridge
Cambridge - Should You Visit Oxford or Cambridge as a Day Trip From London
Why Cambridge wins the Oxford or Cambridge debate
Cambridge wins the Cambridge vs Oxford debate primarily because it’s more picturesque and compact. It’s exactly what you imagine when you think of a quintessential English university town.
Picturesque cobble-stoned streets, peaceful green space and botanical gardens, students riding bikes to and from class, a skyline filled with Gothic spires, and cozy cafes.
Cambridge is compact, making everywhere worth going reachable by foot in twenty minutes or less.
Oxford is far more sprawling. It’s still doable by foot, but walking around is not nearly as scenic as Cambridge is.
Cambridge feels like a small, charming college town/village. Oxford has more of an urban vibe.
You’ll find photo opportunities around every corner and down almost every street in Cambridge. Oxford has its stately buildings and picturesque spots, but as a whole, it's not as picturesque as Cambridge.
Punting in Cambridge - Should You Visit Oxford or Cambridge as a Day Trip From London
Cambridge is also the perfect place for a punting experience. Think of punting as the British equivalent of a gondola ride in Venice, minus the singing, exorbitant cost, and overall tourist rip-off vibe.
It's a memorable experience to book a punt tour and take in the views, especially if the weather is nice.
Punt rides go around what is called the “backs”, which is quite literally, the backs of the colleges. It’s peaceful, calm, green, and a great way to see the different buildings and bridges of Cambridge.
Oxford also offers punt rides, but Cambridge, again, is a bit more picturesque.
Read A DAY TRIP TO CAMBRIDGE FROM LONDON for a complete guide on how to get there, what to do, and how to plan your time.
Oxford - Should You Visit Oxford or Cambridge as a Day Trip From London
Reasons to visit Oxford instead of Cambridge
There are several specific reasons why I would recommend visiting Oxford over Cambridge. The biggest factor is whether you want to fit in several stops on your day trip from London.
There really isn’t much around Cambridge and it’s not on the way to anywhere a typical tourist might be going.
Oxford, on the other hand, is in the vicinity and on the way to several popular destinations. A quick stop in Oxford is actually often combined with Bath, the Cotswolds, Stonehenge, or Stratford-upon-Avon with tour companies.
Popular tours that include Oxford:
Christ Church College Great Hall (Oxford) - Should You Visit Oxford or Cambridge as a Day Trip From London
Oxford wins the Oxford vs Cambridge debate for Harry Potter fans
Should serious Harry Potter fans visit Oxford or Cambridge? Oxford is the clear winner when it comes to Harry Potter filming locations and inspiration.
The Great Hall in Christ Church College served as inspiration for the Great Hall in Harry Potter. The steps that lead up to the hall were used in several scenes, as were the surrounding hallways.
The Divinity School at Bodleian Library was Hogwarts' hospital wing. Duke Humphrey’s Library (also at Bodleian Library) stood in for the Hogwarts Library in the first film.
Lastly, the scene where Mad-Eye Moody turned Draco Malfoy into a ferret was filmed at the New College Cloisters.
While Cambridge may remind you of many Harry Potter scenes, the only college that was used was Oxford.
Join a tour to take you to all the Harry Potter filming sites:
- Oxford Harry Potter Insights entry to Divinity School PUBLIC Tour - 1.5 to 2 hours with a max of 20 people.
- Harry Potter PUBLIC Tour + Self Guided Christ church Daily 12.45 - 3 hours with a max of 20 people.
- Extended: Oxford University & City Tour With Christ Church - 3 hours with a max of 19 people.
Radcliffe Camera, Oxford - Should You Visit Oxford or Cambridge as a Day Trip From London
A summary of whether you should visit Oxford or Cambridge
If you're looking for the more picturesque, compact, charming, and quintessentially English university town, Cambridge wins the Oxford vs Cambridge debate. It's simply the more scenic of the two.
It's also my personal pick if you want to spend your day trip fully immersed in one place rather than visiting several places. Unlike Oxford, Cambridge doesn't have much nearby that would easily fit into a day trip itinerary.
Oxford wins if you're planning to see more than one place on your day trip from London. It sits conveniently close to some of England's most popular destinations — Bath, Stratford-upon-Avon, and the Cotswolds — and many multi-stop tours include Oxford along the way.
And if you're a Harry Potter fan, Oxford wins hands down. Several key filming locations are scattered throughout the city, making it worth the visit for serious fans.
I hope this post answered whether you should visit Oxford or Cambridge as a day trip from London. Either way, you'll have a memorable time as both are wonderful destinations filled with history and character.
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Should You Visit Oxford or Cambridge as a Day Trip From London
Thank you!!!
Another factor to consider in the reasons to visit Oxford is that it is pretty close to Heathrow Airport, with direct bus service to Gatwick and LHR. This means it isn’t a bad option if you are about to leave the UK but want something in close proximity to see.
A very good point! Thanks for sharing Jay!