Oxford is magical all year around but Christmas in the 'Dreaming Spires' is something truly special. So let me give you the low-down on the perfect Christmas day out...including food, drink, culture and fun...:
We're going to start our day in Broad Street, wandering through the little stalls at the Christmas market, with festive tunes playing in the background.
We'll then take a right down Turl Street, and grab a coffee at the Turl Street Kitchen to warm us up before the real sightseeing begins. Whilst here, we won't be able to resist one of their delicious salted caramel brownies...
Now, I can't walk past my beautiful college Jesus without taking a peep inside. We'll admire the
Christmas tree in first quad and then walk up the stone steps to see how the dining hall has transformed for the Christmas season.
Now it's time to wander to my favourite spot in the city; Radcliffe Square. We'll feel like we've been transported back in time as we explore Brasenose College, St Mary's Tower, All Souls and the Bodleian Libraries. Every corner is steeped in history and tradition. It's a little cold outside and I want to show you the interiors of some of these incredible buildings, so we'll sign up for a Bodleian Library tour in order to get a sneak peak into The Divinity Schools, Duke Humfrey's and Upper Reading Room.
By now we've done a lot of walking so it's certainly time for another stop. We'll walk to The Handle Bar Cafe for a spot of lunch - with walls adorned with bikes, it will be a quintessentially Oxford experience. Once we've filled up, I think a bit of shopping is in order. It's time to descend on the Westgate, bursting with brands for a bit of last-minute Christmas shopping!
After some serious retail therapy, we'll pop into Victors' Winter Wonderland Teepee for a festive drink.
I can't bring you here at Christmas without taking you to a college carol concert, so we'll see which one has a service this evening and then enjoy a magical candlelit experience in the college chapel.
Dinner is now calling and I now want to show you another side of the city, so we're going to wader up to Little Clarendon Street, adorned with colourful lights and cute restaurants and bars. We'll wander down towards Jericho and enjoy a tasty dinner, at one of my all-time favourite restaurants, Branca.
We'll end our day feeling truly festive, with a tick list of all of the areas left to explore in the new year!