Oxford is a dynamic city, located about an hour north-west of London. For over 800 years, it has been a home to royalty and scholars, and since the 9th century an established town, although people are known to have lived in the area for thousands of years. Nowadays, the city is a lively cosmopolitan town. With its mix of ancient and modern, there is plenty for both the tourist and resident to do. The elegant honey-colored buildings of the colleges that make up the university wrap around tranquil courtyards along narrow cobbled lanes, and inside their grounds, a studious calm reigns. Oxford is a wonderful place to take a stroll: the oldest colleges date back 750 years and little has changed inside the hallowed walls since then. But along with the rich history, tradition and lively academic life, there is a world beyond the college walls. Oxford has a long industrial past and the working majority still outnumber the academic elite.