Oxford - The Harry Potter Tour with Leo & Isobel

 Oxford - The Harry Potter Tour 

We headed into the historic city of Oxford. Guided by Heather, we learned about its 39 unique colleges and the many famous figures who studied there. At Christ Church, we admired the magnificent Great Hall that inspired Hogwarts’ dining room, its long tables and grand windows instantly recognisable. The Bodleian Library, used as the Hogwarts Hospital Wing, brought the films vividly to life. We also visited the elegant Bridge of Sighs, a favourite filming backdrop, before browsing souvenir shops and exploring fascinating museum exhibits ranging from ancient fossils to early scientific discoveries. 

Tuesday began with a delightful surprise  a return to Oxford for the pantomime Dick Whittington at the Oxford Playhouse. Packed with music, laughter, and enthusiastic audience participation, it set the tone perfectly for what was to come.

The true highlight followed: our visit to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter. From the moment we entered and saw Norbert the dragon suspended dramatically overhead, we were immersed in the magic of filmmaking. The Great Hall, dressed for Christmas, was breathtaking, complete with the four house tables. We explored the Gryffindor dormitory, Hagrid’s Hut, and the eerie Forbidden Forest, learning fascinating behind-the-scenes secrets along the way.


We posed for broomstick photos, pushed trolleys through the wall at Platform 9¾, and boarded the Hogwarts Express. Butterbeer was sampled, Diagon Alley wandered, and Gringotts Bank admired beneath its roaring dragon. The spectacular snowy model of Hogwarts Castle provided a truly breathtaking finale to an unforgettable experience.


We spent a fascinating afternoon exploring the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, one of Oxford’s most impressive and historic buildings. The soaring glass roof and intricate ironwork made the museum feel grand and light-filled, while inside we wandered past towering dinosaur skeletons, glittering mineral displays, and fascinating exhibits on wildlife from around the world. It was the perfect mix of learning and discovery, with something to capture everyone’s attention.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Cyprus Sun with Steve, Michaela & John

Image
    Cyprus Sun     Our hotel was fantastic! We all loved relaxing around the swimming pool or down the beach which was only a few meters away. In the evening we all enjoyed dinner on the terrace with stunning views. We went on the original open top red bus tour to the Turkish side of the island. We had a tour guide giving us a commentary on board about the sights we saw and the history leading up to the Turkish invasion in 1974. We toured the walled city of Famagusta and saw the ghost town left unoccupied since the war.  We spent our evening in town exploring the buzzing streets and listened to live music in fantastic bars. We also took part in friendly pool tournament. We took a boat trip along the coast where we explored the caves of Cape Greco and visited the Blue Lagoon where some of us swam in the beautiful clear water.  The hotel entertainment team was fabulous!  There was musi...
Read more

The Wonders of the Isle of Wight with Phil & Lesley

Image
  The Wonders of the Isle of Wight   The first stop was Alum Bay where we marvelled at the view across the Needles.  We then visited the sand shop where everyone made their own sand souvenirs, followed by a visit to the glass factory where we were shown how to make beautiful glassware. We visited the very pretty little village of Godshill where we went to the amazing model village. The miniature world fascinated us all as we wandered leisurely around.  At the local bowling alley we had a few great competitive game with one of the team members scoring a whopping 134! Our evenings were filled with a range of fantastic shows which ranged from live bands, tribute act from Neil Diamond and Rob Stewart!  This was the perfect opportunity for us to show off our brilliant dance moves! During our week we had fun taking part at a number of different activities from  pool,  jenga, table tennis...
Read more

Attractions of Blackpool with Matt & Jackie

Image
 Attractions of Blackpool  Oh we do love to be besides the seaside and we couldn't wait to head up the infamous Blackpool Tower. The views along the coastline were spectacular.  We managed to step onto the famous Ballroom floor and watched some of the dancers glide gracefully around the room.  It was time to get up close and personal with all of our favourite celebs at Madame Tussauds. We couldn't believe how much they lifelike they were! There were Coronation Street legends and some pretty iconic pop stars for us meet. Next up was some of our sporting heroes. We couldn't resist a picture with Boris and of course King Charles. Our next stop was the Blackpool Dungeons! From the moment we entered we were greeted by the "Black Jester” and we could tell this place was not for the faint hearted. The characters and scenarios played out by the excellent actors were a reflection of Britain's brutal and often savage history. The final room had us all terrified as we...
Read more