Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide
Page 25
Vegetarian options available. Entrees £8-£10. Open M-Th 9:30am-10pm, F-Sa 9:30am-10:30pm, Su 9:30am-9pm. Last orders taken 30min. before close.
NIGHTLIFE
The main clubbing area in Oxford is near the train station, on Park End Street and Hythe Bridge Street. Maybe they figured that there was enough noise already with the trains going by, so a little bit of blasting music couldn’t hurt. Both of these streets split off from Botley Road (the train station’s home). From the center of town, George St. turns into Hythe Bridge St. as you head eastward, and New Rd. likewise becomes Park End.
Carfax
THE BRIDGE
6-9 Hythe Bridge St.
CLUB
01865 242 526 www.bridgeoxford.co.uk
This mainstream club is very popular with Oxford’s crowds of students, English or foreign, especially for their frequent student nights (Student nights on M and Th; international student night W). Come prepared for R and B and the biggest pop hits of the month.
Down the road from the bus station. No shorts, no hats, no ripped jeans, no white sneakers. Cover £3-8. Open M 10pm-2am, W 10pm-2am, Th-Sa 10pm-3am.
THIRST
7-8 Park End St.
BAR, CLUB
01865 242 044 www.thirstbar.com
This lounge bar is hopping all nights of the week because of its blasting DJs, free cover on weeknights, and spacious outdoor garden, where those who are so inclined can share a hookah (better known as shisha here) to complement their cocktails. Not classy, but not trashy either.
Down the road from the bus station. Cover Th-Su £3. Open M-W 7:30pm-2am, Th-Sa 7:30pm-3am, Su 7:30pm-2am.
LAVA AND IGNITE
Cantay House, Park End St.
CLUB
01865 250 181 www.lavaignite.com/oxford
Perhaps the most popular club in Oxford, the space is newly refurbished and packed with partying packs of patrons. There are three separate and distinct dance floors, plus a separate “chill-out” space for sitting, drinking and talking (three plus one equals four bars), so if you get tired of the scenery, feel free to rotate. Call ahead to be put on the guest list and skip the lines on weekends.
Across the street from Thirst and Central Backpackers. Student nights M and W. Covers £3-8. Open W 9:30pm-2am, Th-Sa 10pm-3am.
Jericho
THE EAGLE AND CHILD
49 St. Giles
PUB
01865 302 925
This brick-and-wood pub might be a stop on Oxford’s literary trail, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be on your pub crawl as well. Around as a public house since 1650, this was a former playhouse for Royalist soldiers during the English Civil War and then, four centuries later, a favorite watering hole of JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis and the group of writers who dubbed themselves the “Inklings.” Have a drink in what used to be the back room (before the garden area was incorporated into the pub), the Rabbit Room, where the group had what Lewis referred to as “golden sessions” with drinks in hand and philosophy and literary genius spilling from mouths.
Down St. Giles, north of the Ashmolean Museum. Entrees £6.45-10. Open M-Th 11am-11pm, F-Sa 11am-11:30pm, Su midnight-10:30pm.
JERICHO TAVERN
56 Walton St.
TAVERN
01865 311 775 www.thejerichooxford.co.uk
Radiohead first made its debut here back in 1984; since then, it has been sold and bought, remodeled, rebranded, but thankfully the Jericho Tavern remains a good place to find live music in Oxford. The heated outdoor beer garden is also a plus—especially if you get a Fruli Strawberry Beer (£3.50) to enjoy out there—the spacious inside is good for big groups of friends, and there are board games for your entertainment on nights without music. Live acoustic on Sunday nights from 8pm. Check out the music listings on the tavern’s website.
Near the Phoenix cinema. Entrees £6.50-11. Open daily noon-midnight. Kitchen open noon-10pm.
ARTS AND CULTURE
Theater
NEW THEATRE
George St.
CARFAX
01865 320 760, 0844 847 1588 for booking www.newtheatreoxford.org.uk
It’s showtime. Formerly known as the Apollo Theater, this is the main commercial theater in Oxford. The Art Deco building is home to many visiting concerts, musicals, and dramas.
From the bus station, follow Hythe Bridge St. to Worcester St. Make a right and follow down George St. Tickets £17.50-42.50. Concessions sometimes for weekday showings. Occasionally £11 student standbys on day of performance. Inquire at box office. Box office open M-W 10am-5pm; Th 10am-5:30pm; F non-per formance days 10am-6pm; performance days 10am-3min. before curtain; Sa 10am-5pm.
OXFORD PLAYHOUSE
11-12 Beaumont St.
CARFAX
01865 305 305 www.oxfordplayhouse.com
Oxford’s independent theater, better known to locals as simply “The Playhouse,” puts on British and international drama, family shows, contemporary dance and music, student and amateur shows, comedy, lectures, and poetry.
Down Beaumont St. from the Ashmolean Musem. Advance concessions £2 off ticket prices. Student standbys available day of show at box office for £9.50. Box office open M-Sa 10am-6pm or until 30min. before curtain. Su performance days 2hr. before curtain. Cafe open 10am-11pm or until 5:30pm on non-performance nights.
Music
One of the most popular outlets for music lovers visiting Oxford are the university colleges’ choirs. These choirs are professional quality—many of them go on international tours, (hopefully) a clear marker of success, and also have CDs that are available for purchase. Many tourists take full advantage of the opportunity to hear them in their natural environment at Evensong. Better yet, Evensong is always free. Generally during term time at Oxford (Oct-Dec, Jan-Mar, and Apr-June), the college choirs are present at daily evening services, usually held at 6pm (show up about 15min. beforehand and tell the porter or security that you’ve come for Evensong). However, confirm the choir performance information on the college website or with the porters’ lodge during the day before showing up for the service.
Shopping
Cornmarket St. is Oxford’s chain-happy heaven, turning into Magdalen St. You will find many of the department stores in this area. Jericho has more alternative shopping, while High St. and St. Aldates, with their historic-looking decor, are generally aimed at tourist shopping (i.e. souvenir-hunting). High St. begins directly off Magdalen Bridge, passing colleges and meeting up with Cornmarket St. and St. Aldates to the East before becoming Queen St.
Books
THE ALBION BEATNIK
34 Walton St.
JERICHO
01865 511 345 www.albionbeatnik.co.uk
In this independent bookstore, almost half of the space is dedicated to an impressive collection of Beat poets and music books and general things related to the “Beat” lifestyle. Open up the coolly decorated cupboard in the back corner: inside you’ll find hundreds of jazz CDs. There’s also a cafe of sorts inside, so you can enjoy a cup of tea (£1.50) in an armchair with your book while Dylan and Coltrane play on in the background.
North on St. Giles Rd.; left into Little Clarendon St. At the end turn right. New and second-hand books from £1. Open M-W noon-7pm, Th-Sa 1-11pm, Su 3-5:30pm.
ESSENTIALS
Practicalities
• TOURIST OFFICE: The Tourist Information Centre is crowded with mobs of tourists during the summer. Ask for a free In Oxford What’s On guide and free restaurant and accommodation guides. Also sells discounted tickets to local attractions. Books rooms for free with a 10% deposit. (15-16 Broad St. 01852 252 200 www.visitoxford.org Open M-Sa 9:30am-5pm, Su 10am-4pm.)
• STUDENT TRAVEL: STA Travel. (Threeways House, 36 George St. 0871 702 9839 www.statravel.co.uk Open M-Th 10am-7pm, F-Sa 10am-6pm, Su 11am-5pm.)
• TOURS: The 2hr. official Oxford University Walking Tour leaves from the TIC and provides access to some colleges otherwise closed to visitors. The 2hr. tours allow only up to 19 p
eople and are booked on a first come, first served basis, so get tickets early in the day at the TIC, by phone, or online 48hr. in advance. ( 726 871,252 200 to book tickets. visitoxford.org In summer daily 10:45 and 11am, 1 and 2pm; in winter daily 10:45am and 2pm. £7, children £3.75.) Themed tours, like the CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien Tour and Garden run on a varied schedule. ( £7.50, children £4.) Check with the TIC or pick up an Official Guided Walking Tours Brochure.
• CURRENCY EXCHANGE: Banks line Cornmarket Street. Marks and Spencer has a bureau de change with no commission. (13-18 Queen St. 01852 248 075 Open M-W 8:30am-6:30pm, Th 8:30am-7:30pm, F 8:30am-6:30pm, Sa 8:30am-6:30pm, Su 11am-4:30pm.) There is also a bureau of change attached to (but not affiliated with) the TIC, with no commission.
• INTERNET: Free at Oxford Central Library; however there is often a wait during prime hours; some stations are open to pre-booking if you know exactly when you’d like to use it. (Westgate. Open M-Th 9am-7pm, F-Sa 9am-5:30pm.) C-Work Cyber Cafe. (1st fl. of Nash Bailey’s House, New Inn Hall St. 722 044 £1 for 50min. Open M-Sa 9am-9pm, Su 9am-7pm.)
• POST OFFICE: (102-104 St. Aldates. 08457 223 344 Bureau de change inside. Open M 9am-5:30pm, Tu 9:30am-5:30pm, W-Sa 9am-5:30pm.)
• POSTAL CODE: OX1 1ZZ.
Emergency!
• POLICE: (St. Aldates and Speedwell St. 505 505.)
• HOSPITAL: John Radcliffe Hospital. (Headley Way. Take bus #13 or 14. 741 166.)
Getting There
By Train
Botley Road Station (Botley Rd., down Park End. 01865 484 950 Ticket office open M-F 5:45am-8pm, Sa 7:30am-8pm, Su 7:15am-8pm.) offers trains to Birmingham ( £27. 1hr. 10min., every 30min.), Glasgow ( £98.50. 5-7hr., every hr.), London Paddington ( £20. 1hr., 2-4 per hr.), and Manchester ( £61. 3hr., 2 per hr.)
By Bus
Gloucester Green Station has Stagecoach buses (01865 772 250 www.stagecoachbus.com) running to London Buckingham Road ( £14, students £11. 1¼hr., 5 per hr.) and Cambridge. ( £10.90. 3hr., 2 per hr.) Buy tickets on the bus and enjoy free Wi-Fi.
The Oxford Bus Company (01865 785 400 www.oxfordbus.co.uk) runs the Oxford Express ( Free Wi-Fi. £13, students £10. 100min., every 15-30min.) and the X70 Airline services to Heathrow. ( Free Wi-Fi. £20. 1½hr., every 30min.) Also runs the X80 service to Gatwick’s north and south terminals. ( Free Wi-Fi. £25. 2½hr., every hr.) All leave from Gloucester Green. Tickets can be bought on the bus or at the National Express office (£1 booking fee). However, the only way to secure a spot in advance on a particular bus is on the website.
National Express Bus 737 (08717 818 178 www.nationalexpress.com Ticket office open M-Sa 8:30am-6pm, Su 8:30am-5:30pm) goes to London Stansted, ( £19.30. 3½hr., 8 per day.), Birmingham ( £13.40. 2½hr., 1 per day.), and Bath ( £9.50. 2hr., 1 per day.).
Getting Around
By Public Transportion
Oxford Bus Company (01865 785 400 www.oxfordbus.co.uk) provides many services within the city. Fares vary depending on distance traveled. ( DayPass £3.70, weekly pass £13.) Week passes can be purchased at the Oxford Bus Company office. ( 3rd fl. of Debenham’s department store on corner of George and Magdalen St. Open M-W and F 9:30am-6pm, Th 9:30-8pm, Sa 9am-6pm.) Stagecoach (01865 772 250 www.stagecoachbus.com) also runs buses in the city and to some surrounding villages. One-way-tickets within the city usually cost £1.80. Be careful when buying DayPasses because they don’t apply to both companies (if you buy an Oxford Bus DayPass, it only works on Oxford Bus Company buses). For real-time information on buses in Oxford, use www.oxontime.com, which can also text to your cell phone.
By Taxi
Call Radio Taxis (01865 242 424) or ABC (01865 770 077) for taxis. There are taxi ranks at Oxford Station, Saint Giles, Gloucester Green, and Carfax in the evening. Taxis (like London black cabs) can be hailed in the street.
By Bike
Bike Rental: Cycloanalysts (150 Cowley Rd. 01865 424 444 www.cycloanalysts.com 1 day £17, 2 days £25, 1 week £50. Includes locks. Open M-Sa 9am-6pm, Su 10am-4pm.)
cambridge
01223
Cambridge is packed with pubs, clubs, and intimate cafes. Winding lanes twist and turn between the age-old colleges of the university, each one a path through the town’s fascinating history. It was here that Watson and Crick discovered the double helix, Newton discovered gravity, Byron and Milton wrote their famous poetry and Winnie the Pooh was born. If you’re looking for a simplified Cambridge experience, the “P and P” formula is perhaps best: Punting and Pimm’s (in other words, boating and boozing, although the two together could be a disaster waiting to happen).
ORIENTATION
Cambridge has two central avenues: the main shopping street starts at Magdalene Bridge north of the River Cam and becomes Bridge St., Sidney St., Saint Andrew’s St., Regent St., and Hills Rd. The other main thoroughfare begins as Saint John’s St. (just off Bridge St.), becoming Trinity St., King’s Parade, and Trumpington St. To get into town from the Drummer St. bus station, take Emmanuel Rd. This leads to St. Andrew’s St., and a bank-heavy block with loads of cash machines. To get to the center of town from the train station, follow Station Road and turn right onto Hills Road. Then follow it straight until it becomes St. Andrew’s St. and turn left on Downing St. and follow to Pembroke St. and turn right onto King’s Parade, which will take you past King’s College and onto Trinity St. by Trinity College.
ACCOMMODATIONS
The Cambridge lodging scene is notoriously bad. There are few affordable rooms anywhere near the town center, and an excess of overpriced, occasionally sketchy bed and breakfasts fill the north and south of town. Bed and breakfasts cluster on Arbury Road and Chesterton Road to the north. Several can be found closer to town on Tenlson Road.
WARKWORTH HOUSE
Warkworth Terr.
BED AND BREAKFAST
01223 363 682 www.warkworthhouse.co.uk
Warkworth House is truly a cozy bed and breakfast. It’s been owned by the same people for 33 years, and the beautiful rooms are all well furnished. Breakfast is not included....psych! Of course it is.
Walk down Parkside away from town center and turn left onto Warkworth Terrace. Breakfast included. Singles from £60; doubles from £80; family room from £100.
TENISON TOWERS
148 Tenison Rd.
BED AND BREAKFAST
01223 363 924 www.cambridgecitytenisontowers.com
With more affordable prices than most bed and breakfasts, Tenison Towers offers small, bright, and clean rooms as well as delicious homemade muffins and jams with the complimentary hot breakfast.
From the station, go down Station Rd. and turn right onto Tenison Rd. Breakfast included. Singles £40; doubles £64.
YHA CAMBRIDGE
97 Tenison Rd.
HOSTEL
0845 371 9728
Though rather worn, the YHA Cambridge is unbeatable for the prices it offers. It’s one of the few truly budget accommodations in Cambridge.
From the station, head down Station Rd. and turn right onto Tenison Rd. Internet £1 per 20min., £5 per 24hr., £12 per 3 days, £15 per week. Reservations taken daily 7am-11pm. Dorms £14-20. Reception 24hr.
A&BGUESTHOUSE
124 Tenison Rd.
BED AND BREAKFAST
01223 315 702 www.aandbguesthouse.co.uk
A pleasant, relatively centrally located B and B with clean and bright rooms. A & B has a full English breakfast, but can also satisfy vegetarian and gluten-intolerant customers upon request.
From the station, walk down Station Rd. and turn right onto Tenison Rd. Breakfast included. Singles £50; doubles £70; family rooms £90. Reception 7am-noon and 6pm-midnight; self check-in after midnight.
SIGHTS
TRINITY COLLEGE
Trinity Ln.
COLLEGE
01223 338 400
Trinity is perhaps the most popular of the colleges, drawing phenomenal numbers of tourists. Henry VIII intended for Trinity College to be the largest and richest in Cambri
dge, and with the modern-day college holding its own as third largest landowner in Britain (after the Queen and the Church of England), his wish has clearly been fulfilled. Trinity is famous for its illustrious alumni, including literati Dryden, Byron, Tennyson, and Nabokov; atom-splitter Ernest Rutherford; philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein; and Indian statesman Jawaharlal Nehru. Perhaps most famously, Sir Isaac Newton lived there for 30 years. The Great Court in the center of the college is the world’s largest enclosed courtyard. Visitors enter the courtyard through the Great Gate, which is guarded by a statue of Henry VIII clutching a wooden chair leg—a substitute for the oft-stolen original scepter. The apple tree near the gate is supposedly a descendant of the tree that inspired Newton’s theory of gravity; in the north cloister of Neville’s court, Newton calculated the speed of sound by stamping his foot and timing the echo. Lord Byron used to bathe nude in the college’s fountain. Byron also kept a pet bear because college rules forbade cats and dogs. The Wren Library is home to alumnus AA Milne’s handwritten copies of Winnie the Pooh and Newton’s personal copy of his Principia.