Christ Church

Christ Church does everything on a scale that makes other colleges look like parish halls. Founded by Cardinal Wolsey and then refounded by Henry VIII, it is the only institution in the world that is simultaneously a college and a cathedral. The dining hall inspired the Hogwarts set (though the films were shot at a replica in Leavesden), and visitors regularly gasp when they walk through the door. It is typically the first college visitors seek out. They're not wrong — but be prepared for crowds and a stiff admission charge.

What to look for

• Tom Quad and Tom Tower — The largest quadrangle in Oxford, dominated by Wren's Tom Tower. Great Tom, the bell inside, still rings 101 times at 9:05pm every evening, once for each original scholar. Stand in the centre of the quad after dark if you can — the acoustics are striking.
• The Hall — That staircase, those portraits, the hammerbeam roof. Yes, it looks like Hogwarts. But the real draw is the collection of paintings: Gainsborough, Reynolds, and a portrait of the college's most famous dropout, Lewis Carroll.
• Christ Church Cathedral — England's smallest cathedral, tucked inside the college. The Burne-Jones stained glass is notable and routinely overlooked by visitors rushing through to the hall.

Visiting

Christ Church charges one of the highest admission fees in Oxford and enforces timed entry. Book online through the college website to avoid being turned away. The meadow, accessed from the south side, is free and makes for a far better walk than most visitors realise — follow the path along the Thames to the boathouses. Mornings are quieter; by early afternoon, the tour groups dominate.