My introduction to Oxford happened on one really, really, really cold day in December. I'm emphasising that because Min and I didn't prepare for it to be that chilly. We had to raid a closet for spare gloves and hats, because our fingers were freezing numb, even in the car. The day was definitely sunny, so we kinda had been fooled into thinking that it was going to be pretty warm (the winter days in UK takes fun in playing you like this =_=) Min had to settle some errands in Oxford and we decided it was as good time as any to go for a tour.
Stating the obvious here that Oxford is incredibly beautiful. There's so many small lanes, hidden stairwells and balconies, views and courtyards, that the whole place feels like an ancient stone maze.
There's an entrance at Christ Church where you can buy tickets for about 10 pounds. Oxford Uni's colleges are scattered all over the city, and not all buildings are open to the public. The organisers provide maps so you're free to plan the route of your walking tour. Some buildings require additional fees to enter. It's best to set aside at least 3 hours to walk around to fully enjoy the sights. If you're looking for main visiting points - I'd suggest going to the Radcliffe Tower, Christ Church compound and going through the covered markets. These were my favourite stops.
I'm going to be honest and say that I was super excited mainly because some of the halls were used as sets for the Harry Potter movies. We got to visit the banquet hall at Christ Church, with its long wooden tables and fancy place settings. We even managed to stumble upon a choir practice in one of the cathedrals. It became a sort of mission to find more HP related venues after a while. Like I mentioned earlier, unfortunately, most of the university is closed off to the public as it's being used for academic purposes. But as determined as we were, we ended up sneaking (ie, waiting for a student who had an access pass to open the door) to the courtyard where they filmed Malfoy being turned into a Ferret. So I got to live out my magical fantasies in the real world ahhh.
We had dinner at this delicious halal restaurant called At Thai over on the High Street. It's become something I look forward to on Oxford visits. Food wise, the open markets usually have something interesting to offer (the churros, I remember till today haha) if you're looking for a munch. There's also this really cool rooftop restaurant called The Varsity Club over at the covered market, and on a summer day I think it's the perfect place to soak in the sun. Oxford is a beautifully historic city, of the same nature as Cambridge and Bath, but they each have their own charm. You can take a $15 bus ride from Marble Arch station in London directly to Oxford City Center, a ride which would take about an hour!
Stating the obvious here that Oxford is incredibly beautiful. There's so many small lanes, hidden stairwells and balconies, views and courtyards, that the whole place feels like an ancient stone maze.
There's an entrance at Christ Church where you can buy tickets for about 10 pounds. Oxford Uni's colleges are scattered all over the city, and not all buildings are open to the public. The organisers provide maps so you're free to plan the route of your walking tour. Some buildings require additional fees to enter. It's best to set aside at least 3 hours to walk around to fully enjoy the sights. If you're looking for main visiting points - I'd suggest going to the Radcliffe Tower, Christ Church compound and going through the covered markets. These were my favourite stops.
I'm going to be honest and say that I was super excited mainly because some of the halls were used as sets for the Harry Potter movies. We got to visit the banquet hall at Christ Church, with its long wooden tables and fancy place settings. We even managed to stumble upon a choir practice in one of the cathedrals. It became a sort of mission to find more HP related venues after a while. Like I mentioned earlier, unfortunately, most of the university is closed off to the public as it's being used for academic purposes. But as determined as we were, we ended up sneaking (ie, waiting for a student who had an access pass to open the door) to the courtyard where they filmed Malfoy being turned into a Ferret. So I got to live out my magical fantasies in the real world ahhh.
We had dinner at this delicious halal restaurant called At Thai over on the High Street. It's become something I look forward to on Oxford visits. Food wise, the open markets usually have something interesting to offer (the churros, I remember till today haha) if you're looking for a munch. There's also this really cool rooftop restaurant called The Varsity Club over at the covered market, and on a summer day I think it's the perfect place to soak in the sun. Oxford is a beautifully historic city, of the same nature as Cambridge and Bath, but they each have their own charm. You can take a $15 bus ride from Marble Arch station in London directly to Oxford City Center, a ride which would take about an hour!
It really was freezing.
Goals.
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