However, students may also live in one of the many student houses in or around the city. Oxford organizes all accommodation. The colleges encourage students to take their meals in the college dining halls. Oxford University abounds with extracurricular activities, including a world-famous debating society, a dramatic society, and many other clubs and sports teams. Oxford is especially noted for its rowing, cricket, rugby, and football.
All colleges have their own sports facilities, and the university also has centralized facilities.
A beautiful medieval city, Oxford is compact enough to be easily traveled by bicycle. The city's attractions include numerous bookstores, both used and new, many museums, a central covered market, beautiful architecture, and wonderful old pubs. The city is set in a beautiful countryside dotted with dozens of interesting villages and small market towns, yet London is only an hour's ride away by train. Further exploration of Britain as well as visits to the continent are also exciting possibilities during vacations.