Once we have explored many areas of London, we have decided to start exploring a bit further. Oxford, lying a mere hour away from London by train, seems to be a great place where to spend a day off.
We have arrived at 9 am in the beginning of July and there were a few tourists around, but it was not too drastic. We came to Oxford with a few ideas of what we wanted to do, but nothing too set. We have decided to wander around the streets and see what we like.
CLIMB THE UNIVERSITY CHURCH OF ST MARY THE VIRGIN
Some 100 and something steps above the ground, you will have great views of Oxford, and the famous Radcliffe Camera. Definitely come early, as it can get quite busy and they only allow a certain number of people to go up. You will understand why when you start climbing, and when you get to the top. The entry fee was £5 but it was definitely worth it.
EXPLORE ONE OF THE LARGEST BOOKSHOPS
We are and always have been big book worms. We enjoy reading books and we appreciate all the knowledge and wisdom that is hidden within them. So naturally, we always visit at least one bookshop anywhere we go. Now this one was unexpected. Not only the top ground floor had thousands of books that we thought we would love, but when we went to the underground, so-called Norrington Room, oh my God. We got overwhelmed by the number of books that we saw and by the number of different titles each shelf held. We wanted to spend all our money on books, which, we realise, is highly impractical, as we also need to pack our clothes into our suitcases. There are more than 160 000 books in the room and it is overwhelming.
VISIT CHRIST CHURCH COLLEGE
We felt that we don’t need to peek in into every single on of colleges, but Christ Church college is definitely worth a visit while you are in Oxford. The entry fee is hefty £10, compared to other colleges, but the more impressive it is. While working through the entrance, I am sure everybody feels the power of knowledge that breaths from everywhere. Education always played a big part in our lives, and we have been secretly dreaming of going to Oxford. While visiting, follow the route, but don’t worry to spend enough time at all of the places, as they are truly magical. Oh, and did I mention that this is a huge MUST DO if you are a Harry Potter fan?
WANDER AROUND THE STREETS OF OXFORD AND THE THAMES
Wandering around in any city is one of the best activities you can do. You will see behind the touristy places that locals want you to see and spend money on, and you will be able to see much more. For example, we walked down around the Thames, seeing local students playing cricket, and seeing Oxford houses there weren’t as pretty as the ones standing in the middle of the city. Wandering around will give you the true sense of what the city looks and feels like. So don’t worry if you get lost – you are exploring!