An hour outside of London is one of England’s most beloved small cities. While perhaps frequently overlooked by neighboring London, Oxford is home to a renowned university, eye-catching scenery, and a bevy of cafés, restaurants, and museums. I am ecstatic to have the opportunity to return to this charming city; it was the last international destination I visited before Covid and is now the first international destination I’m visiting in almost 3 years. Without further ado, a recap of my trip thus far:
Christ Church Meadow
The weather in the UK changes every 10 minutes or so. With that in mind, my travel companion and I rushed to fit in a scenic walk while the weather was on our side. Christ Church Meadow is a prime example of one of the city’s best qualities: the tranquil parks situated amongst the bustling roads and colleges. As we wandered past grassy meadows filled with content cattle and took in the architecture of Christ Church college, I almost forgot that we were technically in an urban environment.
Hertford College Hall
One of my major motivations for returning to Oxford was having the opportunity to see a friend of mine who made the courageous decision to spend her entire senior year of college as a study abroad student at Hertford College. I was quite eager to eat brunch with her in the college’s formal hall. We wolfed down a traditional English breakfast at long banquet tables under the watchful gaze of regal portrait paintings.
Blackwell’s Booksellers
Book lovers, take note: this sensational shop is packed with delightful literature for every taste. Items of note include their enormous shelves devoted to Tolkien and crime/thriller reads, as well as a selection of journals that have been created from the hardback covers of old novels.
The Varsity Club
A Smoky Espresso Martini paired with a rooftop view of Oxford’s hallowed buildings from the top deck of The Varsity Club was the absolute best way to conclude the first evening of my trip. By the way, did you know that the sunset in Oxford is at 8:52 PM by mid-May?!
The Oxford University Museum of Natural History and the Pitt Rivers Museum
Two outstanding museums occupying one building? That almost sounds too good to be true, but you’ll find such a thing in Oxford! My companion and I began with the Museum of Natural History, working our way through exhibitions dedicated to everything from the evolution of horses to the types of minerals that can be found in different parts of England. We then made our way into a vast gallery of anthropological and archaeological delights in the Pitt Rivers Museum. The fascinating relics of history I saw included Maori canoes, Japanese Noh [theater] masks, winter clothing from Siberia, and brooches from Roman times. What a blessing to be able to view the products of centuries of research and exploration in a single morning.
Afternoon Tea Sightseeing River Cruise
Most of us know that afternoon tea is a distinct English tradition, but I had the opportunity to embrace this tradition while on a boat ride down the Thames and Cherwell Rivers! I sipped peppermint tea and munched on scones (trying hard not to spill crumbs) while the tour guide regaled us with fun facts about the Oxford colleges and famous former residents. I hadn’t known previously that Alice Liddell, the heroine of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, grew up living in Christ Church College, and the characters in the book are based on actual people from Alice’s life. Wow!
My time here is limited, but the breadth and richness of my experiences so far more than compensates for the briefness of the trip. Time to head to the pub for the evening and prepare for Day 3!
