Firmly positioned as one of the highlights of the festive calendar, wander in the picture-perfect gardens of Blenheim Palace, filled with Christmas cheer as a multitude of twinkling lights and seasonal sounds fill the air with festive fun. The after-dark illuminated trail has everything you need for some unforgettable time with friends and family, including a glimpse of Father Christmas, trees drenched in jewel-like colour, glittering tunnels of light and lakeside reflections.

Explore the Palace rooms exquisitely transformed for the festive period. Every year a different theme is in place and the theme for this year will be announced in due course.

In the formal Great Court just outside Palace itself, the quaint Christmas Market is a treasure trove waiting to be discovered! With unique gifts, delicious festive produce and street vendors serving fabulous festive fayre it all adds to the Christmas spirit where quintessential Christmas comes to life in the grandest of settings.

Oxford, The City of Dreaming Spires, is famous the world over for its University and place in history. For over 800 years, it has been a home to royalty and scholars, and since the 9th Century an established town, although people are known to have lived in the area for thousands of years. Take time to discover the history and heritage of Oxford, home to 1,500 listed buildings from every major period of British architectural history from the 11th Century onwards. The centre looks like an enchanted fairy-tale city – making Oxford is a firm favourite of filmmakers from all over the world, from Harry Potter to Inspector Morse along with having inspired countless famous writers over the centuries. Oxford is flat and compact, with many of its major attractions, including the University of Oxford and its 38 colleges, Bodleian Library, the museums, and Oxford Castle Unlocked right in the centre – perfect to explore on foot.

For more information on what to see and do in Oxford, please click here (opens in a new window)