The older university, Oxford - the 'City of Dreaming Spires', has seen more history than her rival Cambridge. The colleges are quite beautiful and her spires remain eternally tranquil, but there is a bustle about the town, which saw Archbishop Cranmer and other Protestant martyrs burned at the stake and was King Charles I's headquarters during the English Civil War.

The Bodleian Library, The Ashmolean Museum, The Botanic Gardens and Christ Church Cathedral are just a few of Oxford's world famous attractions. Boat trips or punting on the River Thames, entertaining guided walking tours and open-top bus tours take in the city's architecture and introduce Oxford's heritage. See more attractions for less, by getting The Oxford Visitor Card online or from the Oxford Tourist Information Centre.

Departure station: London Paddington
Example journey time: 58 minutes
GroupSave pp when 4 travel together: £11.25
Destination station: Oxford
Train operator: First Great Western