MID-WEEK & WEEKEND VISITS
Coach visits are organised to places of interest within easy reach of Oxford, giving an enjoyable and instructive outing, but also providing further insight into English history and culture. These visits include:
-
Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, and originally built for John Churchill, the first Duke of Marlborough, in royal appreciation for his victory at the battle of Blenheim in 1704. The palace was designed by Sir John Vanbrugh, with the grounds beautifully landscaped by Lancelot ‘Capability' Brown. The visit includes a guided tour of the palace and an opportunity to visit the gardens and grounds, including a miniature railway journey to the garden centre and maze.
-
Warwick Castle, one of the finest and most dramatic medieval castles in Europe and until recently home to the Earl of Warwick. Inhabited continuously since the Middle Ages, the modern castle houses a variety of historical exhibitions and displays. Students are able to stroll around the castle grounds, take a walk along the original fortified wall and watch demonstrations of medieval activities, such as jousting, hawking or siege warfare. -
Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare, an interesting and historic market town with Elizabethan architecture, beautifully situated on the River Avon. The visit includes a visit to Shakespeare's original home in Stratford, to his burial place and to a production of a Shakespeare play by the Royal Shakespeare Company.
-
Covent Garden, London, and the West End theatre district. Students experience the vibrant street entertainment and café culture of this fascinating part of London, once a fruit and vegetable market, but now transformed into a lively food, shopping and entertainment district. The visit concludes with a visit to a West End theatre to watch a suspenseful thriller, set in Victorian times.
-
South Bank, London, including a guided coach trip around some of the famous landmarks of the city and a boat trip on the river Thames which takes in some of the famous sights, including the notorious Tower of London. Students are then given the opportunity to visit some of these sights, or to take a journey on the ‘London Eye', which gives a splendid bird's-eye view of the entire city.
On each visit, the return journey includes a stop for dinner at a hostelry, inn or restaurant, providing an atmospheric opportunity to eat and relax, reflecting on the day's activity.
OXFORD VISITS
On the day following the students' arrival, an Oxford orientation walk provides a basic familiarity with the medieval heart of this compact city. Thereafter, students are encouraged to make the most of their time in Oxford by exploring the city, with its magnificent colleges, gorgeous gardens and impressive galleries and museums. A series of guided visits takes place to famous collections and places of interest in Oxford, including the Bodleian Library, the Ashmolean Museum of Art & Antiquities, the Pitt Rivers Museum of Anthropology & Archaeology, the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Christ Church Picture Gallery and Oxford University Press. Guided walks are offered around the University Parks, Christ Church Meadow and Oxford Botanic Garden, and some of the ancient colleges and gardens are also visited. A Shakespeare production in a college garden offers a delightful experience on a warm summer evening. The city, with its cobbled streets, its quaint ‘covered market', its splendid medieval buildings, with their gargoyles, towers and spires, offers a superb setting for all the Oxford-based activities.
SPORT
Sport is entirely optional, but for those wishing to take part in individual or team sports, opportunities include soccer, basketball, tennis, ice skating and weights training. Cricket coaching is offered to introduce those interested to the basics of this quintessentially English summer sport. Afternoon sports sessions are held weekly, and at weekends, and there are also evening sports opportunities. Other traditional pastimes popular in Oxford include punting on the rivers Cherwell and Isis (Thames) and croquet on the college lawns.
Click here for Social Program Itinerary