Weather
August in Oxford, United Kingdom is generally mild and comfortable, featuring average daytime highs of 21°C to 22°C (70°F to 73°F) and overnight lows around 12°C to 13°C (53°F to 56°F) Check the current local forecast here.
Currency
The official currency in Oxford, United Kingdom is the British Pound. Click here for currency conversion. Credit cards are widely accepted in Canterbury, but they are not accepted everywhere. Carrying some cash is recommended, especially in restaurants and smaller stores. ATMs are the easiest way to withdraw cash from your home account - ensure you inform your bank before traveling abroad and be aware that you may be charged for cash withdrawals. It is advisable to exchange some cash before traveling to Oxford, United Kingdom.
Electricity
In the United Kingdom the power plugs and sockets are of type G. The standard voltage is 230 Volts and the standard frequency is 50 Hertz. If you travel with a device that does not accept 230 Volts and 50 Hertz, you will need to bring a voltage converter with you. You may also need a plug adapter if your appliance's plug has a different shape.
Oxford City Attractions
Radcliffe Camera
This iconic, circular landmark is a masterpiece of English neo-classical architecture designed by James Gibbs in the 18th century. It operates as a private reading room for the University of Oxford's Bodleian Library system. While the interior is generally reserved for students and researchers, the exterior square provides the quintessential Oxford photo opportunity, with its massive dome dominating the city skyline.
Bodleian Library
As one of the oldest and most prestigious research libraries in Europe, this institution holds over 13 million printed items. Guided tours grant visitors access to medieval reading rooms, including the breathtaking Divinity School with its intricate stone-vaulted ceiling. Harry Potter fans will easily recognize these spaces, as they served as the location for the Hogwarts hospital wing and library film sets.
Bridge of Sighs
Officially named the Hertford Bridge, this ornamental structure is famous for its striking resemblance to Venice's historic landmark of the same name. Built in 1914, it spans across New College Lane to connect the old and new quadrangles of Hertford College. It stands out as one of the most heavily photographed architectural features in the city, capturing the romance of academic life.
University Church of St Mary the Virgin
Situated at the center of the university's original layout, this church features a beautiful, highly decorated tower dating back to the 13th century. Visitors can climb the narrow, winding spiral staircase up to the open-air viewing platform. From the top, you are rewarded with a panoramic, unobstructed view of the Radcliffe Camera, nearby college courtyards, and the rolling Oxfordshire countryside.
London Attractions (if you are planning to visit London)
Tower of London & Tower Bridge
This formidable stone fortress has dominated the London landscape for nearly a thousand years since its construction by William the Conqueror. Having functioned alternately as a luxurious royal palace, a notorious high-security prison, and a grim place of execution for historical figures like Anne Boleyn, the complex offers layers of dark history to explore. Today, visitors flock here to marvel at the priceless Crown Jewels, which are still used in royal ceremonies, and to take informative tours led by the Yeoman Warders. Right outside the castle gates sits Tower Bridge, a triumph of Victorian engineering with iconic twin towers and high-level glass walkways that offer thrill-seekers a clear view of the River Thames and passing traffic directly below.
Big Ben & the Palace of Westminster
Serving as the world's most recognizable symbol of British political power, this striking Gothic Revival complex sits prominently on the north bank of the River Thames. While "Big Ben" is colloquially used to describe the entire landmark, it specifically refers to the massive, 13-ton Great Bell housed within the newly restored Elizabeth Tower. The clock tower has kept time for the capital since 1859, its distinct chimes echoing through the city streets every hour. Visitors can stand at the center of Westminster Bridge to capture classic photos of the golden facade, or book guided interior tours of the active Houses of Parliament to witness the House of Commons and House of Lords debating chambers firsthand.
The British Museum
Housed in a grand, Greek Revival building featuring a magnificent, light-filled glass Great Court, this institution documents the expansive narrative of human history, art, and culture from its absolute beginnings to the modern era. Its vast permanent collection encompasses roughly eight million works sourced across every continent during the height of the British Empire. Notable treasures on display include the Rosetta Stone, which unlocked the mystery of Egyptian hieroglyphs, the controversial Parthenon Sculptures from Greece, and a fascinating array of ancient Egyptian mummies. Like most national museums in London, general admission is completely free of charge, making world-class education accessible to everyone.
The London Eye
Originally constructed to celebrate the turn of the millennium, this colossal, 135-meter-tall observation wheel has established itself as an indispensable fixture of the modern London skyline. Located directly on the lively South Bank of the Thames, it features 32 high-tech, climate-controlled glass passenger capsules that represent the 32 distinct boroughs of the city. A single, smooth rotation takes approximately 30 minutes, moving slow enough that passengers can comfortably walk around inside the capsule. The experience provides an ever-changing, 360-degree aerial panorama that extends past Big Ben and St. Paul's Cathedral, stretching up to 25 miles across the surrounding countryside on clear days.
Westminster Abbey
Steeped in more than a thousand years of British history, this magnificent architectural masterpiece is a living pageantry of church and state. It has served as the official coronation church for every single British monarch since William the Conqueror in 1066, and has hosted sixteen royal weddings, including that of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. Walking through its soaring Gothic nave, visitors will find the final resting places of 30 monarchs, alongside towering intellectual and creative figures buried in specialized sections like Poet's Corner, where Geoffrey Chaucer, Charles Dickens, and Charles Darwin lie. Because it remains an active house of daily worship, the atmosphere is deeply reverent and historically profound.
Buckingham Palace
This grand, 775-room palace serves as both the official London residence of the reigning British monarch and the administrative headquarters of the royal household. Tourists from all over the world gather along its imposing black-and-gold front gates to witness the traditional Changing of the Guard ceremony, where soldiers in scarlet tunics and bearskin hats march alongside a full military band. During the late summer months while the King is away, the palace opens its majestic State Rooms to the public, allowing visitors to walk through the Throne Room, inspect masterpieces by Rembrandt and Rubens in the Picture Gallery, and stroll out through the manicured royal gardens.
Borough Market
Dating back over a thousand years, London's oldest and most renowned food market thrives beneath a canopy of historic green ironwork and rumbling railway brick arches just south of London Bridge. It is a sensory explosion of sights, sounds, and aromas, operating as both a wholesale merchant market and a bustling street food haven. Passionate traders offer everything from artisanal British cheeses and cured meats to international delicacies like fresh oysters, hot wild mushroom risotto, and decadent pastries from the famous Bread Ahead bakery. It serves as the ultimate lunchtime destination for food lovers looking to experience the diverse, high-quality culinary landscape of modern London.
Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens
Spanning over 350 acres of prime central London real estate, this massive, interconnected royal green space provides a tranquil escape from the fast-paced city streets. Historically used as a private hunting ground for King Henry VIII, the park is now fully public and features manicured pathways, open sports fields, and the serene Serpentine boating lake, where visitors can rent rowboats or pedalos. The grounds are filled with notable landmarks, including the poignant Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain, the historic Kensington Palace, the ornate Albert Memorial, and Speakers' Corner, a famous site where public speeches and debates have been freely held since the 19th century.
Visit the Oxford Tourism Bureau website and London Tourism Bureau website for more information on traveling to Oxford and London.