Date spot in Oxford
Punting on the Cherwell
Hire a punt and take turns pushing each other along the Cherwell, past the Botanic Garden and Christ Church Meadow or up through the parks to the north.
Magdalen Bridge Boathouse, High Street, or the Cherwell Boathouse, North Oxford
Address: Magdalen Bridge Boathouse, High Street, Oxford OX1 4AU- Activity
- Outdoors
- Mid-price
- Best in Spring, Summer
- Romantic
Why it's a good date: Wobbly, funny and very Oxford, and it's fine to be terrible at it. Bring a picnic and a bottle, and if neither of you fancies the pole, book a chauffeured punt instead.
Photo: Peter Trimming, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized)
More from our Oxford guide
Radcliffe Square and the University Church tower
Radcliffe Square and the High Street
Address: University Church of St Mary the Virgin, High Street, Oxford OX1 4BJ- Culture
- Outdoors
- Cheap and cheerful
- Romantic
Stand in Radcliffe Square under the great dome of the Radcliffe Camera, then climb the tower of the University Church next door for a view over the spires.
Why it's a good date: The best view in Oxford for the price of a coffee, looking straight down on the Radcliffe Camera and across the colleges. The steps are narrow, so take it slowly.
Photo: Julian Herzog (Website), CC BY 4.0 (cropped and resized)
A tour of the Bodleian
Broad Street, by the Sheldonian Theatre
Address: Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3BG- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Mid-price
Join a guided tour of the Bodleian Library, starting in the fan-vaulted Divinity School and, on the longer tours, going up into Duke Humfrey's medieval reading room.
Why it's a good date: You get to see rooms that most visitors never do, with plenty of stories along the way. Tours sell out, so book ahead.
Photo: Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped and resized)
The Ashmolean
Beaumont Street, city centre
Address: Beaumont Street, Oxford OX1 2PH- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Free
Browse Britain's oldest public museum, free to get in, from Egyptian mummies to paintings by Turner and Pissarro, then have a drink at the rooftop restaurant.
Why it's a good date: Free, beautiful and big enough to get pleasantly lost in. Pick a gallery each and show each other your favourite thing.
Photo: Julian Herzog (Website), CC BY 4.0 (resized)
