A Day in Oxford

We will collect you from your hotel and the drive to Oxford will be ‘off the beaten track’ representin a privileged view of the English countryside. At its conclusion our Vacation Director will take you to the:

Ashmolean Museum

The Ashmolean

The very first Museum in Britain, founded in 1683, and referred to as ‘Publick Place for the Resort of Learned Men'. After a coffee in the delightful surroundings of the basement café, you will visit the current collection of:

	Treasures,
	Antiquities,
	Eastern Art,
	Coins and Casts,

representing over two hundred of the most significant objects in the Ashmolean's world-renowned collections of Archaeology, Eastern Art, Coins and Casts.

We will then take you to see the town in one of the loveliest and enjoyable ways:

Punting on the River.

Punting on Oxford's rivers is a most popular recreational activity, conjuring up images of Edwardian picnics with men in white flannels poling daintily clad companions along the tree-swept waterways. Should you require we can provide appropriate apparel. The punt is a shallow-bottomed boat propelled with the aid of a long pole. We will provide an expert to punt the craft, or for the bold, we will provide instruction (It really is not difficult) but as always discreetly managed by the Vacation Director to mitigate the risk of wet guests!

Note: Punting is a seasonal and weather-dependent activity. Should it be appropriate an alternative could be:

A guided tour of one of the Oxford Colleges.

This provides the opportunity for you to uniquly witness, in a charming and educational way, the environment where minds have been shaped that have changed the world.

We will provide an Oxford don whose knowledge of life at Oxford and all that the university (the collective for the number of colleges) stands for will be translated into an enthralling experience for you.

Lunch at an Oxford Inn.

There are many choices of traditional English pubs at which we will organise for lunch. We continually look and assess rising stars and established traditional hostelries to ensure that you experience the very best in English fayre (Ploughman’s Lunch is very popular!) and traditional environment that this aspect provides. Having consumed your fill you will be taken to:

Blenheim Palace.

Blenheim Palace

Blenheim Palace, home to 11th Duke of Marlborough and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, offers a memorable day out. It is set in 2100 acres of beautiful parkland landscaped by ‘Capability’ Brown, the exquisite Baroque Palace is surrounded by sweeping lawns, formal gardens and the magnificent Lake.

Inside, the sheer scale of the Palace is beautifully balanced by the intricate detail and delicacy of the carvings, the hand painted ceilings and the amazing porcelain collections, and tapestries.

The Palace also holds a strong connection with the Van der Bilt family through the marriage of Consuelo to Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough. The Palace was awarded to Marlborough for services to the realm.

Oxford Botanical Garden

We will then pause in Oxford for a tour of the splendid Walled Garden. Much of this garden is made up of rectangular botanical family borders. These were first laid out in 1884 by Sir Isaac Bayley Balfour. The family borders are a fascinating way of discovering which plants are related to each other and which botanical families are important in supplying us with food, fibres and medicines. But they are also a great place to discover new plants to grow. As gardeners we have tried to plant up each of the borders combining botanical accuracy with aesthetics.

By late afternoon, we will arrange for you to be returned to your hotel for dinner but would recommend one of the excellent Oxfordshire restaurants which provide a most stimulating alternative to the London ‘city’ restaurants.