Blackwell's Bookshop (opens in Google Maps)

Begin this portion of the tour in the city centre of Oxford in front of the world-famous Blackwell’s Bookshop on Broad Street, directly across the street from the Sheldonian, Oxford’s most illustrious meeting hall designed by Christopher Wren.

Founded in 1879, Blackwell’s grew from a single narrow shopfront into a vast literary labyrinth. Its underground Norrington Room holds more than 150,000 books — a fitting starting point for any pilgrimage of the mind.

Across the street, the Sheldonian Theatre hosts university ceremonies and concerts beneath Wren’s painted ceiling.