Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is an inseparable part of the history of Oxford, and through the Mad Hatter's Tea Party Cruise, visitors get to relive the timeless classic. The tour which begins at the Folly Bridge is actually an enactment of the "Golden Afternoon" when Alice Liddell went boating on River Thames with mathematician Lewis Carroll. It was then that Lewis Carrol narrated the whimsical tale to Alice and her sisters. The tour lets visitors enjoy picturesque views of the city, and Oxford's gorgeous meadows and colorful gardens look particularly mesmerizing aboard an intimate vessel. The cruise delights children because of its enchanting history, it pleases adults because they part take in their favorite fairy tale, and it bewitches couples for it's a one of a kind romantic tour. As the name implies, the tour comes complete with "Eat Me" cakes and "Drink Me" tea at the eponymous tea party.
Founded in 1621, the garden originally provided medicinal herbs. Today, the Oxford Botanic Garden has evolved into a vast collection of over 8,000 plants in a compact, beautifully laid-out setting accurately reflecting the appearance of a Tudor or Stuart college garden. Tucked away close to the edge of the central district, it is a breeding ground of research, conservation, and intensive studies centered around biology, botany, horticulture and gardening. Dissected into two major parts, together, the garden is like a breathing canvas that is home to an array of theme-based collections which include the 'Plants that Changed the World' exhibit. The troupe of glasshouses that are adorned with bursts of colors and scents lent by rarefied and exotic blooming species is particularly a subject of interest and intrigue to the visitors. Occupying a place of pride in the prestigious University of Oxford, the Oxford Botanic Garden & Arboretum is hence, a legendary amalgam of nature and education.
Blenheim Palace has been the home of the Dukes of Marlborough since 1704, when Queen Anne gave a ruined royal manor and dukedom to John Churchill as a gift for his victory at the battle of Blenheim on the Danube. Winston Churchill also happened to be born here - look out for the Churchill exhibition, which includes the bed he was born on, and many personal belongings, including books, photographs and letters. His tomb is in the graveyard of St Martin's church in nearby Bladon. The palace also sometimes plays host to major concerts.