Oxford

This city sits where the Thames and Cherwell meet, made up of dozens of college courtyards, church spires, and reading rooms set among residential neighborhoods and research buildings. Narrow lanes open onto covered passages and cobbled squares, with stone bridges linking the riverside to parks and botanical gardens.

Monks began teaching here in the 11th century, long before the first colleges took shape. Over the centuries that followed, the teaching institution grew through royal charters and religious reform movements, forming a new type of academic community in Europe.

Students in academic gowns walk through the streets, especially on exam days, giving the city a timeless feel. Many locals row or stroll along the river, where college rowers train early in the morning and visitors join residents picnicking on the meadows.

Park-and-ride sites on approach roads offer an easy way to reach the center and avoid congestion in the old streets. Most colleges open to visitors in the morning, while afternoons tend to be quieter and offer more time to explore the lesser-known lanes.

The Radcliffe Camera, a round library building from the 18th century, stands alone in a square and serves as a reading room under a massive stone dome. A few steps away, underground book stores hold millions of volumes in climate-controlled tunnels beneath the streets.