Oxford, England is one of my favorite places I’ve visited…this seems to be a trend with the English countryside. There’s something so magical about it. If I could pick up my family and move to a different country, I’d move to the Oxford/Cotswolds area in a heartbeat! While I love New England, there’s something so cozy about historic buildings, cobblestone streets, twisty roads, and roaming fields that seem to last forever.

I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Oxford with my grandfather. This was a really special trip because my grandfather worked in Oxford for a small period of time. During his time there, he became close to an Oxford professor and his wife. I had the pleasure of staying with these friends throughout this visit. I think staying with locals is the BEST way to get a real look into the culture and normalcies of people’s lives in a place you’ve never visited before. Sometimes hotels keep you in a bubble.

As part of our stay, we got a grand tour of the various colleges of Oxford University. I was blown away by the beauty and historical significance of this area. There is evidence that Oxford is the oldest English-speaking university in the world. The University is made up of 39 Colleges, let’s have a look at a few!

(I will have a few of the names associated with the pictures but I, unfortunately, can’t remember the names of all of them…apologies in advantage if a photo belongs to a different college, lol!)

THE COLLEGES

• Worcester College

Below is the oldest part of Worcester College. They’ve done a great job maintaining the building which dates back to the early 1700s.

• Christ Church- One of the most well-known colleges due to the Harry Potter references and inspiration…

• Merton College

• Magdalen College

OXFORD CITY SIGHTS

Punting on the river is a traditional British activity! We ran out of time to give it a try but it was great fun watching newbies attempt to make their way down the river, along with the experts who were easy to spot. 🙂

BEST TIME TO VISIT: I’D SAY THE BEST TIME TO VISIT OXFORD IS LATE SPRING WHEN THE WISTERIA IS BLOOMING OR IN THE FALL! THE TEMPERATURES ARE MILD AND THE FOLIAGE IS GREAT:)

Visit Radcliffe Camera, an icon of Oxford.

We were visiting during graduation! It was so exciting to see all of the students celebrating with their friends and family. We got stopped a few times to take a photo of cheerful graduates!