Prettiest Oxford Colleges To Visit, Prices + Map

Thinking of visiting the Oxford colleges? The city is built around 38 of them, each with different entry prices and opening times. Since it’s slightly confusing, I’ll let you in on the prettiest colleges in Oxford as well as the cheaper ones to enter.

With almost 800 years of history, the Oxford colleges make the city a captivating place to explore. Stick your head around a door on the High Street and find a whole little world, sometimes with a field of deer or the Harry Potter Great Hall inside. There are many famous Oxford colleges as well as plenty of hidden gems.

If you’re spending a weekend in Oxford and want to see the best of the city, you won’t want to miss them. Even if you’re just visiting Oxford as a day trip, you can squeeze a couple into your itinerary.

After living and working in the city for years, here are the best colleges to visit in Oxford…

Visiting the prettiest Oxford colleges

Balliol College (the second prettiest Oxford college)

Balliol College quibbles with Merton and University College about who is the oldest. While no one is quite sure, it’s known that Balliol was built in the 13th century.

People also quibble over which is the prettiest Oxford college. IMO, it’s probably Magdalen then Balliol. Have you seen the wisteria window display?

This Oxford college was founded by John de Balliol, a rich landowner from County Durham. It’s of the most famous Oxford colleges because of its alumni including Boris Johnson and John Wycliffe, the man who translated the Bible into English, who was the college master in the 1360s.

When visiting the Oxford colleges, Balliol is a must for its beautiful gardens. In spring months, wisteria wraps its way around golden window frames while daffodils and wallflowers grow below, giving the college a yellow and red colour pop.

Balliol College has lots of quirky traditions although many of them have come to a halt in the modern day. It was one of the last Oxford colleges to compete in the annual tortoise race and was previously home to a society that saw students living one day of each term backwards.

Balliol’s central location means it’s one of the best Oxford colleges to visit if you’re short of time. If you’re making your way down Broad Street, you can easily pop inside for a quick lap of the quad.

Where: The entrance is on Broad Street near to the junction of St Giles and Cornmarket.

Entrance: £3, 10am-5pm.

University College

University College is another of the best Oxford colleges to visit due to its long history and pretty outside quad. The website declares they’re Oxford’s oldest college, however the main University website says they share the title with Balliol and Merton. We may never know the truth!

Don’t miss the opportunity to wander the symmetrical quad at University College, knowing that famous alumni Stephen Hawking and Bill Clinton did the same during their studies. You can also pay a visit to nearby pub, the Turf Tavern, where Clinton allegedly smoked a spliff but famously ‘didn’t inhale!’.

Where: High Street.

Entrance: £2, 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm outside of uni term time only.

New College

This is another famous Oxford college, full name The College of St Mary of Winchester in Oxford. With a mound island in the middle of the grounds, it makes you wonder how all the colleges fit in such a small city centre.

A little-known fact about New College is that Hugh Grant and Kate Beckinsale both studied there. Who could blame them? It’s easily one of the most beautiful colleges in Oxford.

More recently, the TV show His Dark Materials was filmed at New College. Author Philip Pullman studied at Oxford and based the novels in alternative universe Oxford so it only makes sense that the TV adaptation was filmed locally.

In episode two, you’ll see the characters take off in airships from what they call Jordan College (a fictional place not named after any real Oxford college).

The scene from Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire where Harry turns Malfoy into a ferret was filmed beside New College Cloisters (the semi-covered walkways around the edge of the college). For fans of Harry Potter and His Dark Materials, New College is a must-visit Oxford college.

Where: Enter on Holywell Street or Queen’s Lane.

Entrance: Free from 2pm-4pm, October-March (Holywell Entrance), £5 from 11am-5pm the rest of the year (Queen’s Lane entrance).

Worcester College

Built in 1714, Worcester College is practically a brand new Oxford college! Actually, a college has stood on this patch of land since the 13th century but it used to be called Gloucester college, somewhere that no longer exists.

Emma Watson, who played Hermione in the Harry Potter movies, studied at Worcester College just a few years ago.

There are many contenders for the most beautiful college in Oxford but Worcester College has 26 acres of gardens, a wood and a lake. Who could argue with that? Since it’s just a 10-minute walk from the main bus and train station, it’s an easy Oxford college to visit and enjoy before heading home.

Where: The corner of Worcester, Walton and Beaumont Street.

Entrance: Free, 2-4pm.

Lincoln College is one of the smallest and cosiest Oxford colleges. It may not be as impressive as Magdalen or Christ Church but it’s still worth popping inside especially since it’s free.

Lincoln College can be found on Turl Street, one of the most photogenic streets in Oxford. Bikes lean against grand doorways and golden window frames. Make sure to grab a coffee at the Missing Bean, one of my favourite coffee shops in Oxford, just outside Lincoln College.

Where: Turl Street.

Entrance: Free, 2-5pm, Mon-Fri and 11am-5pm at weekends.

All Souls College

A final contender for the prettiest college in Oxford is All Souls. Founded by the King of England at the time, All Souls College is one of the grandest and wealthy colleges. Apparently, the entrance exam for students is one of the hardest in the world.

While a visit inside is awesome, I still think the best view is this aerial one from the top of University Church on High Street.

Where: Catte Street.

Entrance: Free from 2-4pm on weekdays and Sundays.

Tips for visiting Oxford colleges

• In winter, the colleges will shut when it gets dark – even if that’s before closing time.
• Remember that not all Oxford colleges are open to the public.
• Check for closure dates like Christmas on the individual colleges’ websites.
• Christ Church is busy and touristy so plan your visit early or late in the day, especially during summer and weekends.
• Budget more for the more famous Oxford colleges as they have higher entrance fees (listed above).
• Don’t wave a selfie stick around. Even in the prettiest Oxford colleges, the staff and students won’t be impressed!
• The list above isn’t a complete one – for all the colleges you can visit, see the Oxford University website.