Oxford University

My childhood was all about Harry Potter. My Dad would read it to me before bed, and I would insist that when I said “Just one more page,” I meant an entire page, both sides, not just one side of the page. After all, it was a page of paper! My father is a very patient man.

Naturally this meant that when I moved to England I sought out every Harry Potter location I could. King’s Cross, Warner Brothers Studios, and of course, Oxford University.

The Great Hall and the Hospital Wing were both filmed within the confines of the the university, and as I had to pick up my visa in Oxford it seemed to me the perfect opportunity to go! I definitely recommend going inside the university, either with a tour or just on your own to have a look around, but that’s not all Oxford has to offer.

The old parts of the city are all made of sandstone, which gives the city an aged but warm feeling. If you look carefully on some of the buildings you can still see scorch marks where fires have ripped through the city over the centuries. The university itself was educating students three hundred and thirty two years before the Aztecs consolidated their empire, so a bit of damage is to be expected!

Be sure to visit the book and clothes shops nearby if you want a piece of a academia inspired memorabilia to bring home with you, and the pub near the train station which has been open since Shakespeare’s time!

There are so many things to do and see in Oxford so I suggest taking either a full day trip or a few nights to explore it. Bring good walking shoes!

Wash your hands, wear a mask, and stay safe gentle reader.