Who else is a huge fan of the All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness? This series is one of my favorite book series of all time and I am a huge fan of the TV show as well. Due to this, I was extremely excited to visit Oxford, England this past Fall, particularly because the city is so prominent in all of the books. If you are like me and like to see cities through a literary lens, check down below for a tour of Oxford from the perspective of a fan of the All Souls Trilogy!
1. All Souls College and New College
How could you go to Oxford and not visit the two colleges of our two main characters? All Souls College, which is where Matthew lives, is beautiful. It is open to the public only at certain hours, and therefore, we were only able to walk around the outer grounds of the college. Then there is New College, the college that Diana belongs to in the series. Both of these colleges are seen in the TV show as well.
2. Covered Market
This is the place where Diana buys groceries for her dinner with Matthew in the first book, A Discovery of Witches! It is also extremely prominent in the TV show, and can be seen in the same scene as the book with Diana and Marcus walking around buying groceries. This is during Season 1, Episode 3. I got the chance to walk around inside the covered market during a rainy day and really loved it. There are really cute shops and many food places to check out.
3. The Bridge of Sighs
This bridge is one of the most famous places in Oxford, and for good reason. It is truly beautiful. If you take a walk from All Souls College and underneath the Bridge of Sighs, you will be taking the same walk that Diana and Matthew not only took in the book, but also walked many times in the show. It is a really pretty walk, full of old stone walls and gorgeous ivy. I truly recommend it!
4. Bodleian Library
Anyone who has read the All Souls Trilogy or watched the TV series knows how important the Bodleian Library is. Unfortunately, the library itself is not usually open to visitors; it is for students and professors only. However, if you take a University Tour, you can go into a special room at the entrance that was used in the filming of the Harry Potter movies! The outside of the library is also gorgeous in itself.
5. Radcliffe Camera
This building is the centerpiece of the University and of the city, but it is also a centerpiece in the books and TV series for the All Souls Trilogy. The Radcliffe Camera is not open to visitors (at least it wasn’t when I visited), but it is a truly beautiful building to look at on the outside. It is also surrounded by All Souls College, the Bodleian Library, and the University Church of Saint Mary and the Virgin (all of these buildings are prominent in the books and the show, especially the University Church, where we see Matthew praying at the beginning of the TV Show). This was one of my favorite places I went to in the city. It is truly beautiful.
