See Inside Oxford’s Colleges

Visit one of Oxford University’s colleges

Each undergraduate student in Oxford belongs to a college. Most will spend at least a year living within the typically lavish yet monastic home away from home they provide.

Going inside a college is an experience that shouldn’t be missed while you are visiting the city.

Below are the Oxford colleges that Oxford History Tour can organise a visit to for you. Each has different rules do please send an emails with details of when and why you would like to visit and we will suggest an itinerary for you.

College visits can also be included in your selected historical theme tour or provided as an independent experience.

Tell us which college you would like to visit.

If you do not see a tour advertised for the time and date you would like, send an enquiry.

I will reply promptly with a reservation link to our secure payment platform.

Seven day’s notice can be required for reservations.

This may be because Green Badge guides have exclusive access to some of Oxford’s colleges and tours are these opportunities are by arrangement only or it may be because some of Oxford’s sites are so popular that entry tickets must be reserved in advance.

However if you have a last minute situation it is always worth asking.

Can’t find what you are looking for? Let’s talk about your tour.

  • "The tour was well thought out and Sophie was an engaging guide with a mine of interesting information, much of it new to me even as someone who's lived in Oxford for the past 30 years. Definitely recommended."

    J Willams, Oxford

  • "Sophie offered us a tailor-made tour that perfectly met our expectations."

    Steve, Munich, Germany

  • "Wonderful tour about Oxford, very knowledgeable guide. We enjoyed every minute of it."

    Maria, USA

  • "Sophie is a congenial host with vast knowledge of the colleges and general Oxford area. Good communication and instruction for meet up. Would highly recommend her tour!"

    Andrew, New York, USA

  • "Fascinating tour by a wonderful guide!"

    Michael, USA

  • "Sophie is so knowledgeable! Oxford is a city of history, and she knows it so well. Her recommendation for our dinner after the tour was perfect! She also took care of me beforehand in suggesting other things to do before her tour. She’s the best. A pro’s pro!"

    Kori, USA

  • "My history tour with Sophie was informative and entertaining. The horror was made funny and the ridiculous serious. I was surprised by how much I didn't know and went away with new insights into, not only the university's history and traditions, but the history of England generally. I also got some good ideas for the rest of my stay in Oxford. Thank you!"

    James, UK

  • "This tour was a lovely introduction to Oxford University. As a recent transplant from the US, it was a great way to get my bearings of the area, visit a college, and learn about some fascinating local history. Whether we were gazing at gargoyles or admiring beautiful stained glass, Sophie was a true delight – very knowledgeable, thoughtful, and well-articulated. I highly recommend this experience!"

    Megan, USA

  • "Fascinating, thoughtfully constructed tour of Oxford University encompassing a thousand years of history. I've lived in Oxford for thirty years, yet in this tour learned new and intriguing nuggets about the city, discovered hidden gems in ancient stone buildings that I've been strolling past all these years."

    Maria, Oxford, UK

  • "Sophie is a superb, experienced and enriching guide. We are a retired US professional couple. We've hired individual local guides throughout Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and Sophie tops our list! She spent hours with us in advance, curating our day in Oxford, then filled our tour with history, architecture, art, education, culture…and fun. The day was perfectly paced and suited to our needs. It was a graduation day, so like the happy students, we too tossed our hats in celebration. Brava Sophie!"

    K & A Krupsky, Chicago, USA