A Romantic Weekend in Oxford

October 30, 2026

A romantic weekend in Oxford

Oxford offers a quiet romance of rivers, walled gardens and old pubs. This plan puts a river trip, two gardens, a meadow walk and dinner into one weekend. Prices are in pounds.

Saturday afternoon: a punt with a punter

A chauffeured punt from Magdalen Bridge Boathouse costs about £50 for 30 minutes and takes up to four people. The punter does the work, so the two of you can watch the riverbank go by. Punts go out daily until 30 November, between 09:30 and 21:00 or an hour before sunset. Booking details are on the Magdalen Bridge Boathouse site .

Saturday evening: dinner

Reserve ahead at any of these, and confirm hours when you book:

Gee’s, 61 to 63 Banbury Road, serves in a Victorian conservatory.
Quod, in the Old Bank Hotel at 92 to 94 High Street.
Cherwell Boathouse Restaurant, Bardwell Road, on the river and open all year except 24 to 30 December.
The Turf Tavern, Bath Place, is a medieval pub with a courtyard for a lighter evening.

After dinner, the Lamb and Flag at 12 St Giles is a community-run pub that reopened in October 2022. The nearby Eagle and Child, at 49 St Giles, is currently shut, with reopening expected in 2027 and no date set, so enjoy it from the pavement as the former Inklings meeting place.

Sunday morning: gardens

Start at Magdalen College, where Addison’s Walk loops through the grounds and deer graze. Adult entry is £10, and only cards are accepted. The college opens daily from 10:00 until dusk or 17:00, and until 18:30 between July and September. A joint ticket that also covers the Botanic Garden is £17 for an adult.

The Oxford Botanic Garden is a walled garden with glasshouses. It opens 10:00 to 16:00 from November to February, 10:00 to 17:00 in March, April, September and October, and 10:00 to 18:00 from May to August. Last entry is one hour before closing, and glasshouses sometimes close for maintenance. Check its opening hours page for the single ticket price.

Sunday afternoon: Port Meadow

Port Meadow is free and flat, with horses and cattle grazing across it. Cross to Binsey and The Perch, a thatched pub with a garden. In winter the meadow floods, so this walk suits spring and summer best. Keep out of the river here, since weirs and locks are dangerous.

Where to stay

Rooms in central Oxford are pricier in term time and over graduation weekends, so book early. Compare places on Booking.com , and see the Magdalen visitor page before you go.