We start our journey here and give you a brief introduction on how the university was structured and why the colleges look like castles
A poignant reminder of Oxford’s turbulent history, the Martyrs' Memorial stands in honor of three Protestants—Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley, and Thomas Cranmer—who were executed by burning at the stake during the reign of Bloody Mary
One of Oxford’s oldest colleges and uncover the quirky side of student life. From eccentric traditions and clever pranks to the famous college tortoise races, this is Oxford as you’ve never seen it before. Join us for a fun and fascinating glimpse into the customs that make this historic university truly unique.
Discover the world’s oldest surviving purpose-built museum. The History of Science Museum in Oxford houses centuries of scientific innovation, from ancient astrolabes to Einstein’s own blackboard. A must-see for curious minds!
One of Oxford’s most photographed landmarks, the Bridge of Sighs connects two parts of Hertford College. Despite its Venetian nickname, it has its own unique charm and history—perfect for a quick photo and a story or two! Also a filming location to many films all will be explained on the tour.
One of Oxford’s most beautiful and historic colleges. It is not very new it was Founded in 1379, New College boasts stunning cloisters, a medieval dining hall, and even a section of the old city wall. It’s also been a filming location for Harry Potter & Mamma Mia 2, Magic, history, and architecture all in one stop!
A college shrouded in mystery and prestige, All Souls is unique—there are no undergraduate students, only fellows chosen through what’s often called the hardest exam in the world. With its grand architecture and quiet atmosphere, it’s one of Oxford’s most exclusive and fascinating places. get a sneak peak through the gates as they do not allow visitors.
The birthplace of Oxford University, this beautiful church is where it all began. With its striking spire and sweeping views from the tower, it’s both a historic landmark and one of the best spots to take in the Oxford skyline.
Step into the world of Narnia—literally! Tucked beside the University Church, this ornate wooden door, flanked by a carved lion and fawn-topped lamppost, is said to have inspired C.S. Lewis’s magical world. It’s one of Oxford’s most photographed hidden gems.
from the outside of Brasenose college we get a good view of All Souls College – Towers. Look closely at the dramatic twin towers of All Souls and you might spot something familiar—these spires are said to have inspired J.R.R. Tolkien’s Two Towers in The Lord of the Rings. A perfect blend of fantasy and Oxford’s Gothic grandeur.
Radcliffe Camera – Oxford’s Most Iconic Building This stunning circular library is one of Oxford’s most recognizable landmarks. Built in the 18th century, the Radcliffe Camera is at the heart of the university and remains a working reading room—majestic on the outside, scholarly on the inside.
One of the oldest libraries in Europe, the Bodleian is the beating heart of Oxford’s academic life. Founded in 1602, it holds over 14 million books and has welcomed countless scholars—including kings, Also filming location to Harry Potter and Wonka.
This grand, 17th-century building designed by Sir Christopher Wren is one of Oxford’s architectural gems. It hosts university ceremonies and concerts, and its stunning ceiling mural makes it a must-see for visitors. It’s a blend of history, art, and Oxford tradition in one magnificent space.
The beautiful medieval School of Divinity, also known as the Divinity School, which is part of the Bodleian Library complex. Famous for its incredible fan-vaulted ceiling, this iconic building was used as a filming location for Harry Potter and is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture.
Shane was an incredible guide! Some times with these tours they are all quite similar however Shane took it to a new level. The mix of visiting movie sights, learning the history of the city and the magic alongside it kept me hooked! Very glad we did this tour, would recommend to anyone visiting the city! 10/10
Shane was so much fun and very informative - we loved him - even though it was cold and windy it was well worth it ! Definitely book this. Trip
We had a BRILLIANT time with Shane on this tour. Highly recommend this entertaining and informative tour around Oxford.
Shane was great! He was engaging for our multigenerational family. The information, magic and storytelling were top!
A great tour, interesting, nice numbers and very enthusiastic guide ( Shane) . We loved understanding some of the history of central Oxford and the recommendations of places to go and see after our tour, which we all loved.
Fun & informative tour of Oxford with interesting facts on history, Harry Potter & Magic thrown in along the way. Shaun was an excellent guide.
We had a fantastic time on the Oxford Magic Tour with Shane. The tour was informative without being overloaded and fun and We loved the magic tricks and really good value for money. The tour took around an hour and 45 minutes and there were 12 of us which was the perfect size to make sure we could see and hear everything. Shane took time to make sure he spoke to everyone individually during the tour to make them feel welcome and included. He gave us information on other places to visit that were good value for money too. We would recommend Oxford Magic Tour with Shane to anyone we know that’s visiting Oxford.
We had a wonderful 2 hour Oxford Guide tour experience with Shane. Loved his Magic tricks. Fair ticket prices and specially had a small group compared to other crowded tours. Recommend Shane highly.
Guide Shane was excellent very knowledgeable about Oxford and his added magic tricks were simple but very clever Enjoyed the whole experience
It's the best tour I've ever attended. Shane's magic blends well with the historical vibes of Oxford. His narration and interactions with us made the tour very memorable. Highly recommended for anyone from toddler to teens to adults to seniors.
It was a great walking tour, very knowledgeable tour guide. The magic trick was a fun element. Very good pace
It was marvelous experience! Perfect guide and his focuses! A lot of information and historical knowledge!
Shane is a nice guy, very engaging and kept us interested. We learned quite a bit of Oxford history. Only thing is we don’t go inside any buildings during the tour, it’s all from outside but he tells you who which ones are free entry.
This tour is a must as your first port of call when visiting Oxford. Shane was a great guide and entertainer providing excellent local knowledge of where to go and what to do on your visit. We took on board his helpful hints and tips which ensured we saw what Oxford had to offer in the two days we spent there. We left the tour entertained and well informed of the delights of Oxford including its history and the inspiration for many scholars, writers as well as TV and film. Highly recommend!!
Highly recommend this tour! Guide is excellent! Packed full of historical facts, fun with the magic too. Shane was great with people of all ages and even had my ASD son fully engaged throughout. If you want informative, but fun this is the tour for you.
I recommend this tour especially for families with children. The tour has a good timing and pace and is a very good mix of Harry Potter highlights and information about Oxford university. Shane did a lot of magic tricks that our 11 years old loved. He also replied to questions of adults about student life in Oxford university, beyond the information he offered about Oxford colleges and university as part of the tour. I recommend it
Fascinating tour - great facts that I have been able recount to others the following day. My son really enjoyed it (age 11) and proceeded to buy a horrible histories Oxford edition book after wanting to find out even more facts about the city.
Shane was brilliant. Clear, interesting and fantastic magic tricks!! My granddaughters of 14 and 11 loved it and so did Nana (me). My partner and I intend to come for a weekend in Oxford now based on the interesting stories Shane told. Great experience and highly recommended.
Shane was an excellent guide, fun to listen to with a wealth of information and knowledge of Oxford. Brilliant time spent getting to know Oxford! Thanks a million Shane
That was a fantastic tour! It was interesting, fun, and provided valuable information. Shane was great. We would like to thank you.
Beautiful walk around the charming Oxford’s streets with knowledgeable and very friendly tour guide. He made the whole experience fun and I would highly recommend this tour to everyone. Thank you x
Shane was fantastic! We loved the humor, the first-person experiences shared based on his time at Oxford, the rivalry with Cambridge ... and the magic was an added bonus! Oxford speaks for its lovely self as a gorgeous place to visit -- but Shane's oration made it that much more special than if my mom and I walked around solo. Loved it and would recommend it to anyone traveling to Oxford -- HUGE bang for your buck!!
Really informative and magic tricks were a bonus! Our guide had a good sense of humor :) That was a sevond time we participated in an Oxford tour and I’d recommend to anybody who would love to learn a bit about the city in 1.5h We had also good tips on where to go and what is worth visitting.
Shane was great! Really skilled in his what he does. Highly recommend this walking tour.
Shane was a fabulous guide and magician! We traveled with our kids ages 7 and 9 and he kept them entertained with his magic tricks and lollipops! He even delighted our younger daughter by using his magic to make her stuffed animal squeak! For the adults, the magic was also impressive (many tricks I could not figure out) and he was very knowledgeable about the campus and area. Highly recommend!
Overall a great experience. Shane is an excellent storyteller and his magic was even better! My daughter absolutely loved it. He gave us lots of tips about what to do and what to avoid which were really helpful. After his tour we decided to extend our trip for another day to see the places he recommended. I would 100% recommend.
Great walking tour, Shane was very knowledgeable and the magic was an added bonus
Fantastic tour and great guide! Kept the kids entertained and answered all of their questions on point.
Shane was very knowledgeable and incredibly friendly. He made the tour interesting and fun and we really enjoyed the magic tricks along the way. He also gave some useful tips about other things to do around Oxford as we walked around. I would definitely recommend this tour.
Shawn was an awesome tour guide keeping our kids entertained and still giving great educational info for the adults. Not an easy feat!!
Excellent tour from Shane, full of interesting and fun information plus the added magic tricks. We all really enjoyed it and would recommend this tour for all ages.
Our Oxford Magic Tour with Shane was such a fun and unique way to experience Oxford! It was the perfect compact tour of the city, combining fascinating details about Oxford’s history and landmarks with helpful tips and recommendations for making the most of our visit. Shane also shared connections to famous films like Harry Potter and pointed out landmarks featured in other well-known works, which made the tour even more interesting. The fun magic that he intertwined through the tour made it feel truly unique and memorable. Shane was knowledgeable, engaging, and entertaining, and he brought Oxford to life in a way that was both informative and fun.
Our Oxford Magic Tour with Shane was such a fun and unique way to experience Oxford! It was the perfect compact tour of the city, combining fascinating details about Oxford’s history and landmarks with helpful tips and recommendations for making the most of our visit. Shane also shared connections to famous films like Harry Potter and pointed out landmarks featured in other well-known works, which made the tour even more interesting. The fun magic that he intertwined through the tour made it feel truly unique and memorable. Shane was knowledgeable, engaging, and entertaining, and he brought Oxford to life in a way that was both informative and fun.
Very informative and fun tour My husband went to Oxford and he said that learned things Well worth the time and money.
I had a wonderful time during my guided tour of Oxford with Shane, a very friendly and talented magician guide. His original approach, great sense of humour, and passion for the city made it truly enjoyable. I learned a lot about Oxford’s history, its iconic places, and many fascinating stories. It also helped me identify the places I wanted to explore further and the topics I wanted to discover in more depth. I would highly recommend it!
I really recommend this tour as it was exciting, insightful, fun and easy-going! Shane is one of the best tour-guides we've ever met!
Shane is definitely one of the best guides we've ever met! The tour was exciting, insightful, fun and easy-going with tricks and gags, worths its money 100%
Fun, engaging, and very educational tour of the city. Our guide Shane did a wonderful job of pointing out palaces that would be great to visit and what to watch out for so we didn't end up paying for places that should be free. I would suggest this is a great way to start your visit.
I enjoyed learning about Oxford’s sights from an illusionist and Oxford insider, who told stories and performed thematic magic at each stop.
Fantastic tour, Oxford history meets Harry Potter, what’s not to love. Having the business owner take you on this journey is a real treat. Thanks again. Adrian
This was one of the most unique, entertaining, and informative tours we'd ever been on. Our 11 and 13 year old kids were engrossed the entire time, and we learned so much about Oxford's history while laughing often at Shane's quips and marveling at his close-up magic tricks. Highly recommend!
Our guide was very Informative loads of interesting facts great entertaining magic. Worth every penny.
Loved the tour with Shane, so fun friendly and knowledgeable. Like a true local he knows bits you don't find in a textboik. And top it off, my daughter was wowed by his magic tricks!
This was a fabulous insight to central Oxford and the history of the University precincts. Sean was the best guide, funny, knowledgeable, engaging and a clever magician. He went out of his way to engage with each individual in the group. As a one man business, I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone.
Shane was a great tour. Somehow managed to entertain both adults and kids! We all enjoyed it - highly recommend
Great experience. Shane explained each location really clearly. The magic tricks were unfortunately not my style, though I enjoyed it.
It’s a good mix of interesting facts and magic tricks which is helpful to keep the younger ones interested. Shane was very pleasant and engaging. He took lots of questions and made the 90 mins fly by. Really recommend (we had a 14 and 16 year old and they really enjoyed it too).
Great tour! Good info while still fun for kids! Provided interesting info and did some magic along the way!
Very informative and interactive. Definitely gave a lot of great tips on what to do and not to do in Oxford to get the most for your money.
Shane is a very pleasant and knowledgable guide! He told us a lot about Oxford history, the unique college system, student life and famous movies filmed there. For Harry Potters fan, you will see everything with Shane. The magic was really fun and well executed. To this day, I still don't understand HOW 🪄 We really appreciated his advice on where to spend our time and money. Some colleges or HP visits are quite expensive and aren't always worth it. We don't regret following Shane's advice after visiting the huge Blackwell's bookshop and New College (instead of Church College). The tour lasted 1h30 but wasn't tiring as you don't have to walk that much. I think this is really accessible for children or people with small walking difficulties. As non-native English speakers, Shane speaks very clearly and slowly. My sister, who doesn't always understand English, told me she followed well and understood almost everything. In conclusion: We recommand this tour to everyone: adult, children, history lovers, magic lovers...
Monday through Friday 9 am to 7 pm EST
Reach us by phone
Reach us by email