A DAY IN OXFORD

THE BODLEIAN LIBRARY 

Visiting some friends who live, work and study in Oxford was the perfect excuse to explore this amazing city!

I was blown away by the architecture - breathtaking buildings with dreamy spires at every turn!

What stood out most was the way the city really revolves around the colleges which are dotted around - the city was quite literally built around the university which creates an unusual atmosphere like no other university city I have been to. It has a real old-world authentic feel, steeped in history, and is known to showcase architecture of every period since the Medieval times. 

THE QUEEN'S COLLEGE

I was lucky enough to be able to explore the grounds and library of The Queen's College, and it felt as though I'd stepped onto a scene from Harry Potter - obviously a dream come true ;) As we were there during the Easter break the Old Library was eerily quiet with creaking floorboards and just a few leftover students still spilling over their books. 

The amazing architecture continued inside the buildings with opulent Greek and Roman influences and lavishly ornate ceilings.

GARDEN WITH A VIEW - EXPLORING THE UNIVERSITY GROUNDS

We had a browse in the local bookshop Blackwell's - a seemingly small-scale store - wandering down the stairs to the underground section you are met with a whole other world and an endless plethora of books! Oxford is known for its underground tunnels which makes you feel like the city is brimming full of secret passages spilling with knowledge! (It most probably is.)

We also took a long stroll into the countryside to eat at a pub on the riverside. The beauty of Oxford is that you have all the amenities of a city but are surrounded by gorgeous greenery, it felt like a country escape compared to London life.

HERTFORD BRIDGE/ THE BRIDGE OF SIGHS

THINGS TO SEE IN OXFORD

OXFORD UNIVERSITY'S COLLEGES - I browsed The Queen's College, but Christ Church is of Harry Potter fame!
THE BODLEIAN LIBRARY - The largest University library in the UK with the most breaking architecture inside and out
BRIDGE OF SIGHS - An unexpected and amazing piece of architecture, popularly named after the Venetian original it is thought to take inspiration from. 
NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM - A small-scale version of its London equivalent, I found it much easier to navigate and find all of the key sights
PITT RIVERS MUSEUM - A must-see! This fascinating anthropological museum it bursting full of quirky artefacts from all over the world
BLACKWELL'S BOOKSHOP - Worth a visit to admire its sheer scale, and bound to have something for everyone.


I would highly recommend a trip to this picturesque city, it is full of surprises and makes for a great day of exploring.