Private Tour

Private Half-Day Guided Tour in Oxford

Overview

Available languages

English

4 hours

Mobile ticket

Spend half a day with an award-winning guide who knows and loves Oxford, to get a thorough overview of its extraordinary history, architecture, and stories. Whether you are interested in the city's ancient origins, the rise of the university, the many fascinating personalities who have studied here, or its famous film locations, this bespoke tour will take you off the beaten track, guide you amongst the dreaming spires, and give you the inside story of this beautiful and eccentric city. You will see inside one of Oxford's most fascinating colleges, including its chapel and dining hall. You will visit the oldest classroom in the world and learn not just about the ancient university but how it works today. And you will hear many stories about the city's famous - and infamous – inhabitants, including its connections with Tolkien, CS Lewis, Alice in Wonderland, Harry Potter and Wonka. The timings include a coffee break and walking times between stops.

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

Transportation options are wheelchair accessible

All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

All Fees and Taxes

Guide and Language In-person: English

Entrance tickets to Divinity School and a college (£5-£10 per person)

What To Expect

Martyrs' Memorial

A reminder of one of the darkest episodes in Oxford's history.

5 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

St. Michael At The North Gate

A 1000-year old tower and the town gaol where bishops were imprisoned, on the ancient market street of Cornmarket

5 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Options

Private Half-Day Guided Tour in Oxford

Reviews

5.00

9 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

An Oxford Experience
james s,
Aug 30, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Jess was our guide for our 4-hour tour of Oxford. She was prompt, friendly, incredibly knowledgeable, and patient. We saw a number of the Oxford highlights and gave helpful suggestions to other things we should see while we are here. She gave wonderfully colorful histories and patiently answered our questions. I would recommend her highly and if and when we return, I would definitely ask for her to help us discover other wonders of Oxford.
Perfect 4 hour City Tour
Thomas R,
Aug 12, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Jess was our city tour guide and she was just amazing. The history she shared was so incredible and never boring. Super attentive to our needs and friendly! Would highly recommend her
rebeccamY1647PT,
Jul 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Jess took us on a "Rebels and Radicals" private tour of Oxford where we learned about different institutions and characters in Oxford's history which may have caused a bit of a stir in their time! It was such a fun and insightful tour which opened up some interesting conversations and really got us looking at the city in a different light. Jess is a brilliant tour guide - this tour had exactly the right balance of information and fun and I hope I get to go on another tour led by her in the future! Thanks Jess :)
One of the best tours I’ve ever taken!
Road640947,
Jul 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Jess is, quite simply, an exquisite tour guide. Her depth of knowledge, engaging presentation and very friendly demeanor contribute to a thoroughly enjoyable tour.
Private walking Oxford Tour
nandasekhon,
Jul 3, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Great private tour with family of Oxford. Guide was very knowledgeable and we had a fun time walking through town and Christchurch. Highly recommend.
Highly recommended and great experience
Diana G,
Jun 28, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Great experience Jess was very knowledgeable, very helpful and friendly She was able to do a great tour and able to engage my son and keeping his attention We really enjoyed the experience and learn a lot from the visit
Learnt about a city I thought I knew well (as did the kids!)
Bennet S,
Nov 1, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Fabulous tour with Jess. As an Oxford graduate I thought I knew the city... but in a couple of hours we learnt so much, and Jess kept the kids engaged throughout. She has a real passion for the city and it shows. Would thoroughly recommend!
A GREAT Tour of Oxford with Jess of Lady Gargoyle Oxford Tours
RobsLassie,
Jul 17, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had a fantastic tour with Jess, which we had booked through Tours by Locals. She worked with us online to set up a tour tailored to our interests. Everything went so well. She picked us up right on time at our hotel and took us through the city with a focus on the best colleges to visit. Jess was friendly, knowledgeable, and fun. And she went above and beyond by extending the time of our tour so that we could see everything we had hoped to see.
A great tour
joemI7673GR,
Jul 13, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
I went on the rebels and radicals tour and really enjoyed it. So many things I didn't know about the history of Oxford colleges. Jess really brought the history to life for me.