Oxford Hen Weekends

A morning’s shopping, lunch and a dry white by the river, with the afternoon spent floating along the water in a punt. Oxford’s not all first class degrees and dreaming spires but your hen weekend in this buzzing city is bound to get top marks from the girls. The under-30s make up half the population of Oxford and you can feel it when you’re there – the atmosphere in the pubs and bars is funky and vibrant, there’s live music playing throughout the city every night and the clubs offer an eclectic mix of music styles to suit everyone. Indulge in a spot of hen party retail therapy along Cornmarket and Queen Street, home to the city’s two biggest shopping centres The Clarendon and the Westgate, and have a wander around the eclectic covered market where you can pick up everything from a pair of six inch heels to a vintage trench coat. Try one of the city’s traditional pubs for a spot of lunch (we love the main contender for Oxford’s oldest pub, the well-hidden Turf Tavern) or treat yourselves to a picnic by the River Cherwell, stocked from one of the brilliant independent delis scattered around. When the stars come out, it’s time to sparkle so hop into your best gear and hit the town. The Cowley Road, Jericho and the city centre are your best bets for lively bars and clubs that offer everything from seventies and eighties cheese to hip hop, trip hop and drum and bass.