OXFORD
Join me on a day trip to the City of Dreaming Spires, home of the oldest University in the English-speaking world. On our journey, I’ll share the history of how the first Colleges were founded and how the University grew over time. When we arrive, we’ll take a short orientation walk and I’ll show you some of Oxford’s most beautiful buildings from the exterior – Christopher Wren’s Sheldonian Theatre, James Gibbs’s reading room of the University library and Hawksmoor’s All Souls and Queen’s Colleges. We will then visit one or more of the colleges for a short tour – perhaps Christ Church, where scenes from Harry Potter were filmed, and which has its own Cathedral – or Magdalen, with its landmark tower and deer park within the City’s boundary! According to your interest, we can then see the highlights of the Ashmolean Museum, including its collection of Old Master paintings and drawings, the Alfred Jewel – made for King Alfred and found in a field – Oliver Cromwell’s death mask and Guy Fawkes’s lantern. You can hire a ‘chauffeur’ to take you on a trip on a traditional Oxford punt, or we can see the places where the famous Oxford literary ‘Inklings’ – JRR Tolkien (Lord of the Rings) , CS Lewis (Chronicles of Narnia) and others – studied, met – and drank! You will leave this beautiful and most English of cities with an unforgettable memory of architectural beauty, culture and learning. This tour can be combined with one to the magnificent Blenheim Palace, which is nearby.