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Welcome to Oxford,

Tours for genuine history lover

Our itineraries, created by historians and accredited guides, scratch below the surface of Oxford’s streets and iconic sites to inspire lasting memories and stimulating insights.

A range of introductory and niche historical tours are ready to book. Tailor-made tours are designed around your interests and may include privileged access to Oxford colleges.

Explore what we have to offer and when you are ready let us make it real.

Tours includes an orientation to the city with tips to help you find your kind of Oxford.

Discover useful and useless information on the blog or sign up for the free newsletter to keep up to date with seasonal events and special offers.

At the Oxford History Shop explore books selected to complement your Oxford experience.

“Exceptional”

Pick a theme or let us organise it all with you.

  • Private Historical Tours

    Historical tours by theme will take you deeper into an area of specific historical interest. Enjoy the specialist knowledge and insight of a qualified Green or Blue Badge guide, or published Oxford author. Let our experts bring history to life.

  • Tailor Made Tours

    Let me create a tour especially for you. We can mix and match the themes, colleges, and available guides.

    Or, ask me to create the experience you are looking for. I use my local knowledge to plan a bespoke visit tailored to your needs.

    Let me help you get the most out of what might be a ‘once in a lifetime’ visit to Oxford.

  • “Sophie was an outstanding guide for inside Christchurch college. She was most knowledgeable about the founding history of the college and having access to some of the interior sections was very interesting. Went to an Evensong service at the Christchurch Cathedral and afterward Sophie explained the stained glass windows. I would highly recommend her”.

    B. Hornbach, NYC, USA

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

    Steve, Munich, Germany

  • “Sophie has encyclopedic knowledge of Oxford and its university and colleges. She planned a tour focused entirely on the requests we specified. She responded to any question we asked with a complete explanation of the subject, its place in history, and its relevance to today. She was generous with her time, careful to acknowledge our physical limitations, and patient with our pace. In some 50 years of travel, she is one of the very best tour guides we have ever met, anywhere in the world”.

    R & A Coburn, 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

  • "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

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