| cover the Real Oxford throughout a stag do | | | | and beautiful stained glass, many believe this warm |
| Getaway | | | | and inviting pub to be Tolkien's inspiration for the |
| Countless world leaders, authors, artists, poets, | | | | Prancing Pony in the Lord of the Rings. |
| scientists and Nobel prise winners have walked | | | | The famous Turf Tavern |
| through these streets as elite students of this | | | | Oxford's most famous pub is also its worst kept |
| privileged destination. The rarefied air of academic | | | | secret. It takes a little bit of exploring. The Turf |
| excellence and intellectual pursuit in a city with | | | | Tavern is where the beauties with the high IQs hang |
| majestic spires and towers and wonderful colleges is | | | | out either indoors or in its outdoor ale gardens. |
| immediately felt on entering Oxford. | | | | Recognised for an infectious friendly charm, the pub |
| As much as it's a university city well-known for its | | | | is a warren of odd shaped rooms absorbed to each |
| fierce independence of thought, it's also a bustling | | | | other by small staircases and narrow passages and |
| and busy city with throngs of visitors and heavy | | | | was a favourite hangout of Bill Clinton throughout his |
| traffic. On its High street, it almost seems | | | | Rhodes Scholar days. The students are smart, loud |
| incongruous to have signs of chain stores | | | | and raucous and this is a good destination to inspire a |
| emblazoned on a building almost a century old. | | | | brainy beauty in an intellectual debate. |
| The Real Oxford | | | | Punts and Ghosts |
| However, step away from the tourist trail throughout | | | | Consider punting on the River Cherwell, or for an |
| your stag do and the real, romantic Oxford with its | | | | Oxford stag do with a difference, a ghost tour of |
| unique blend of tradition and pioneering intellectual | | | | the dark alleyways of the ancient colleges where |
| thought illustrates itself. A guided walking tour of the | | | | Oxford's dark and gory past waits to be unveiled. It |
| colleges is a good commence, but keep a lookout for | | | | isn't all dark and dank in Oxford Castle, a former |
| its oldest pub. | | | | prison renovated to house restaurants, a boutique |
| The Bear, which dates back to 1242, illustrates its | | | | accommodation and art exhibition spaces. Complete |
| age wonderfully in low ceilings and dark wood beams. | | | | your stag do with a pleasant night of jazz and good |
| Its walls and parts of its ceilings are lined with | | | | food at Carluccios, one of eight restaurants at |
| thousands of neckties, some given in exchange for a | | | | Oxford Castle.. |
| free beverage, from its patrons. In summer, the | | | | Activities in Oxford |
| crowds spill out to the picnic tables in the back | | | | If leisurely punting isn't quite your thing throughout |
| courtyard. | | | | your stag do, we pump up the adrenalin with our |
| The Eagle and Child was the meeting destination for | | | | variety of off road go kart racing, rally driving and |
| the literary group, the Inklings, which had J.R.R. | | | | quad bike trekking in addition to various forms of |
| Tolkien and C.S. Lewis as colleagues. Equipped with a | | | | death by paintballing. |
| big fireplace surrounded by shaky stools, dark woods | | | | |