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Merton College

Merton College: Our most recommended tours and activities

Oxford: University and City Walking Tour with Alumni Guide

1. Oxford: University and City Walking Tour with Alumni Guide

Step inside Oxford University and explore the grounds on a guided walking tour. Admire the iconic architecture and learn about university life from your student guide. Visit one of the university’s oldest colleges and the Bodleian Library. Learn about the history of the university colleges, including All Souls College, Trinity College, Oriel College, Hertford College, and Merton College, the Radcliffe Camera, and the University Church of St. Mary. Get an equally in-depth history of the town. Hear about ceremonies at Oxford, famous graduates, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and also how the most powerful Archbishop of Canterbury was burned at the stake in Oxford.

Oxford: Christ Church Harry Potter Film Locations Tour

2. Oxford: Christ Church Harry Potter Film Locations Tour

Enjoy a walking tour introducing the making of Harry Potter in Oxford and an audio-guided tour inside Christ Church College. See and hear about both Harry Potter and Lewis Carroll’s legendary characters, such as Alice and the Mad Hatter.  First, admire the views of Christ Church Meadows. Take in the borders of the rivers of Cherwell and Isis. Next, see longhorn cattle graze and the dreamy spires of Merton College and Corpus Christi. Then, see the Bodleian Library, one of the oldest libraries in Europe. See Christ Church's cloisters and staircase that were used as inspiration for the Great Hall, or visit New College. Also enjoy entry to either the Divinity School or the New College film site.

Oxford: Complete University Tour with optional Christ Church

3. Oxford: Complete University Tour with optional Christ Church

You will begin in central Oxford, with a brief and engaging introduction which will lay the foundation for the vast periods of history to be covered! Then the tour will enter a college renowned for having the most beautiful lawns in Oxford along with an iconic dispute with its neighbour - resulting in a supposed theft of the College tortoise (Oxford Annual Tortoise Race explanation included!). Then the group will visit the Sheldonian Theatre, where students experience the most iconic ceremony at Oxford University. You can hear from your student guide how the experience was for them. Next you will enter a historic museum -complete with a chalkboard used by Einstein in Oxford - and visit the Weston Library, a great example of a hybrid historic and modern interior. This tour will then cover sites that none of our other tours do! Including Rhodes House, the Museum of Natural History and the Pitt Rivers Museum. The latter is known to have one of the most exceptional collections in England, including Victorian shrunken heads. The tour stops for lunch at the Eagle and Child pub, a second home to J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis while they were members of the Inklings. After lunch, you can get a photo under the Bridge of Sighs before gazing up at the first round library in England, where your Oxford student guide will give you rare insights into the labyrinth of underground tunnels students. Not to be forgotten, All Souls College. With entrance exams as complex as they are bizarre, this site will highlight how exclusive a College can be and how influential its members are. Heading down to the southern part of Oxford, we visit a hidden door depicting the most famous characters in C. S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia. Before entering the largest College at Oxford, Home to Oscar Wilde and C. S. Lewis, and its own deer park. Explore the iconic grounds which have been home to Oxford’s most influential writers, complete with medieval cloisters. The tour will head over to Merton College, home of Tolkien, to discuss not only its literary importance, but it’s multi million pound kitchen, funded by the current Emperor of Japan! The tour will then go to Christ Church College, exploring the unique meadows - such a stunning expanse of land incredibly rare in a medieval city. Here you will learn about its close connection to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland - along with its decision to be held to a different time zone than the rest of Oxford. Those who have selected the option to enter Christ Church will then have their pre arranged tickets given to them, and they will be free to explore the college at their own pace. The guide will be at hand before entering to offer further advice and guidance. Please note - the structure on the day may differ.

Oxford Treasure Hunt: The Mystery of the Bullingdon Burglar

4. Oxford Treasure Hunt: The Mystery of the Bullingdon Burglar

The legendary Oxford mystery... unsolved for 50 years... until now. Start your adventure at the historic Chequers tavern, and embark on a quest to unravel Oxford's unsolved mystery of The Bullingdon Burglar! In 1972, Oxford’s annual Town Vs Gown cricket cup ended in disaster, when a mysterious burglar broke into the clubhouse and snatched the golden trophy… Was it an act of revenge? Nobody knew... But the villain left a trail of clues and this is where you come in. The pages of your Mystery Guide™ take you on an exciting puzzle adventure through the heart of historic Oxford, as you follow the maps, unlock the clues, and unravel the epic tale. Your challenge is to track down hidden objects, decode symbols, and uncover hidden messages, as you eliminate suspects and gradually unpick the crime. And an exciting twist awaits… Make it to the end and you'll be struck by an amazing ‘wow’ moment when the case is solved and the villain is revealed before your eyes! Simply grab your Mystery Guide™, head to the start, and set off at a time that suits you. Don’t let the villain get away... Your time to start is now!

Oxford's Literary Legends and Landmarks" A Self-Guided Tour

5. Oxford's Literary Legends and Landmarks" A Self-Guided Tour

From the Chronicles of Narnia and Alice in Wonderland to Lord of the Rings and His Dark Materials, what is it about Oxford that has inspired several fantasy fiction classics? On this walking tour, Hears stories about how Oxford itself nurtured the minds of these fantasy literature giants. See where the famous wordsmiths behind these titles lived, worked and played, and some of their favourite haunts. You’ll be amazed at the sheer breadth of talent and imagination that’s concentrated in one city. Starting in front of Carfax Tower, you’ll wander through the city centre and along the Board Walk, along the way you’ll hear about Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration behind Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. I’ll show you the locations where JK Rowling’s Harry Potter was filmed, with the University of Oxford adapted to become Hogwarts. We’ll step into the world of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials, where you’ll follow in the footsteps of Will and Lyra and make your way around Radcliffe Square to the Bodleian Library. After wandering through different parts of the university, your tour reaches the end in front of the Eagle and Child pub, a popular hangout for the Inklings, an informal literary club in the early to mid-1900s. Whether you’re a fan of fantasy fiction, classic literature, a newcomer to Oxford, or just plain curious, this tour offers a fascinating glimpse into another world – that of the imagination!

From London: Oxford Highlights Private Half-Day Guided Tour

6. From London: Oxford Highlights Private Half-Day Guided Tour

"Take advantage of a 5-Star Guide and private transportation and visit to beautiful English destinations in only one day. Explore the must-see sights and hidden gems of Oxford and enhance your experience with sightseeing in the fairytale Cotswolds when you choose the extended option. Fall in love with the charms of representative towns and villages of England. Choose the 6-hour option to travel from London to Oxford for a private tour of the city. It is known as home of one of the world's most prestigious and elite university, the legendary Oxford Univerity. At almost 800 years old, it is the oldest university in the country. It boasts an impressive list of alumni that includes Prime Miniters and international leaders like Bill Clinton, scientists like Stephen Hawking, literary figures like Oscar Wilde and many more. Your Expert Guide will share all these interesting facts as you explore Oxford and its over 38 colleges, libraries and faculty buildings! Admire the remarkable Bodleian Library, the Radcliffe Camera, the Trinity College and the Merton College, known to be one of the three oldest colleges in Oxford. Pass by the All Souls College, Hertford Collage and the Oriel College, which houses one most controversial statue in Oxford. Marvel at the impressive architetcure of the University Church of St. Mary the Virgin and see other popular spots like the Divinity School, where many Hollywood films were filmed! Choose the 9-hour option to also discover the wonders of Cotswolds. During this extended tour yor Private Guide can share more interesting stories and folkflore. Experience the quaint atmosphere of a tranquil English countryside with beautiful green landscapes and honey-colored stone cottages. Visit the charming Bibury village, known as the prettiest village in all of England. See the iconic weavers cottages and hang around the Arlington Row. Another highlight will be Burford, also known as the ‘Gateway to the Cotswolds’, which is almost unchanged from medieval times. In addition to sightseeing, you will have free time to do souvenir shopping or have lunch at a traditional English restaurant (at your own expense)."

Other Sightseeing Options in Merton College

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What people are saying about Merton College

Overall rating

4.8 / 5

based on 1,565 reviews

We really enjoyed the walking tour of the University and city as our tour guide was really informative but at the same time made the tour fun. We would highly recommend the tour to friends, family or anyone visiting Oxford that would like to learn more about University and it’s history.

We enjoyed ourselves and the two hours went by very quickly. Fred gave us both historical background and current info that we wouldn’t have known if we hadn’t gone on the tour.

Highly recommend this tour, guide was great and enjoyed the commentary. Tour gives context to the buildings and bring the Oxford university story to life.

Enthusiastic guide who looks she has genuinely enjoyed her study in Oxford. A lot of insider stories. We had enjoyed our time.

Guide was extremely well informed and very articulate.