Exploring Oxford, England: A Perfect Day in the City

My visits to Oxford have predominantly been for university-related purposes. (*This was, of course, prior to realizing my preference for Cambridge… 😉 )

Although Oxford is visually captivating, I had yet to dedicate a significant amount of time to exploring the city, which I eagerly set out to correct during this trip!

However, I was initially uncertain about what sights to prioritize in Oxford. Fortunately, this uncertainty proved beneficial, as the city offers delightful surprises at every corner.

Strolling through the city allowed us to appreciate the historic university buildings and reach the Bridge of Sighs, although we were quickly drawn to the Bodleian Library…

We encountered the occasion of graduation day during our visit; amusingly, I had always perceived university graduations as a standard aspect of university life, rather than as a significant celebration. However, reflecting upon my own university experience, I realized that graduation is indeed a momentous occasion!

All those years of diligent effort (often for personal satisfaction), undoubtedly warrant a day where one is celebrated, alongside the late nights fueled by coffee and poorly prepared meals! 😉

*Let’s briefly revisit my most recent graduation! 😉 (Please indulge me… Hehehe!)

The students at Oxford undoubtedly recognized the significance of the occasion more than I did years ago and were fully immersed in the celebration—complete with champagne (or prosecco, depending on how much pizza one had consumed during exam periods).

In summary, we spent the remainder of the afternoon exploring various colleges and wandering through many picturesque side streets of Oxford.

Our concluding visit in Oxford was a notable landmark—Christ Church. This notable site, often regarded as the filming location for the Harry Potter series, ranks among the most esteemed colleges within the University and is considered one of the wealthiest.

Our last stop was the Bridge of Sighs! I recalled, during our hurried return to the car (as I had to collect my Cambridge alumni card—granting me free access to the sights in Cambridge before 5:30 PM), that we had forgotten to admire the Bridge of Sighs and I prioritized seeing it before our departure!

Despite feeling as though we had only scratched the surface of Oxford (truly, it’s an expansive city and a return visit to fully explore is necessary), we departed towards another significant landmark in Oxford—Blenheim Palace, the childhood residence of Winston Churchill!