Day Trip From London: Warwick Castle, Stratford-upon-Avon, Oxford

“Live the life that people write novels about.” -Unknown

I had an amazing time this past weekend with Premium Tours Ltd. Although the day was ridiculously long and my neck stil hurts from sleeping on a bus, it was definitely my favorite experience thus far. I got the chance to meet an enormous castle, my idea of a perfect town, and my dream school all in one day.

I woke up before the sun and headed over to the coach station. Of course with my luck, the train that I had to take to the station got stuck underground for about 30 minutes, which ultimately ended with me running through the crowded streets of London. But don’t worry guys — I made it.

Our first stop was Warwick Castle, and let me tell you: I really did feel like a princess when I saw this place. William the Conqueror originally built the medieval castle in 1068, and when you walk inside you really do get that “medieval vibe.” Although the inside was pretty creepy, especially because there were statues everywhere that looked like real people, the outside was absolutely breath-taking. If you ever make your way there, go around the back to where the river is and look at the view: you won’t be disappointed.

After loading us all back onto the bus, we made our way to Stratford-upon-Avon, a place I had never heard of before. But once the tour guide started talking I realized we were en route to Shakespeare’s birthplace. I had 0 expectations to begin with but was pleasantly surprised. We arrived at the cutest little town I have ever seen. The streets looked like a scene right out of a movie: the river, a park, a market with handmade goods, adorable little shops, and of course the house that Shakespeare grew up in. I can’t even put into words how charming this place was. I got the best gelato I’ve ever had, aimlessly walked around for hours exploring different streets, and made my way to the Shakespeare gift shop to buy a souvenir so that I would never forget the flawless little town that I had stumbled upon.

the town I fell in love with

Our last stop was Oxford (which is why I signed up for the tour in the first place). I walked the same streets as C.S. Lewis, William Penn, Oscar Wilde, T.S. Eliot, Hugh Grant, and so many more brilliant minds. After going to a gift shop to buy an Oxford University sweatshirt (I wanted to pretend I was a student), I made my way around the colleges. The buildings were truly incredible; pictures simply do not do it justice.

While getting lost in the University, an oriental family stopped my two friends and I because they thought we were “supermodels” and wanted to take pictures with us. So obviously we had a mini photo shoot in front of the famous Radcliffe Camera.

So if you want to feel like a princess, or become a supermodel for 5 seconds, make sure to take a day off and go on this tour full of adventure. I promise you won’t regret it.

Always, K.