For scholarly lunch or tea, try our Oxford picnic cruise on a luxury river boat! Sample delicious fresh picnic food whilst taking in some of the key sights of the city of spires, as well as learning about the inspirational links that this section of waterway has with some of Britain's finest writers.

Your river boat cruise begins in Oxford city centre, where you'll board a traditional Edwardian-style boat with a full teak interior and little tables and chairs installed on deck ready for your floating picnic. During your cruise along the river you'll tuck into a platter of sandwiches, potato salad and quiche followed by scones, fresh strawberries, jam and cream.

Daytime picnic cruises take you past Oxford's key sights, including Christchurch College and Folly Bridge, before heading away from the bustling streets of the city towards the open meadows, banks and woodland of the local area. It is this stretch of river, past Osney Island, Port Meadow, Godstow and Trout Island, which has played such a key role in English literature. In fact, your entire picnic river boat cruise itinerary follows in the wake of a very famous author - and your skipper for the day will regale you with all the history and literary anecdotes as you go.

If you choose the sunset Oxford picnic cruise, you will embark in the evening for a classically English riverboat experience, gliding past the University boat huts, waving at evening dog walkers on the towpath and drifting past peaceful fields and meadows, all whilst being shown the local landmarks as the sun goes down.

As the seat of academia, Oxford is a wonderful place to explore and the chance to see all the sights during the day or at sunset from the river that runs through it, complete with a delicious picnic lunch on board, makes for a superb outing. Each Oxford picnic river boat cruise lasts around two and half hours, giving you a new and memorable perspective on this renowned city of scholars and offering a tantalising taste of what this spectacular area has to offer.