The Bodleian library contains every book ever published in the UK. That's an awful lot of books! What's really amazing is that they're stored under the town of Oxford in tunnels stretching 117 miles and connecting some of the different libraries in an underground world of hidden treasures.

The Bodleian (or 'the Bod', as it is fondly known) consists of 3 areas:
- The New Bod, which is opposite the Kings Arms and allows no visitors.
- The Bod main building, which is a square doughnut shape with the quad in the middle.
- The Radcliffe Camera ('the RadCam'), which is the most stunning of the buildings.

Entry to the quad is free, where you can see scholars heading to work for the day and surround yourself in history, imagining all the books below you. It's a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the high street and you really could be from any time in history when you're looking up at the old walls.

There are also daily guided tours, which will allow you accompanied entry into the main Bodleian building, to see such wonders as Duke Humfreys library - a gorgeous, ancient library gently lit, with beautiful old leather-bound books from wall to ceiling. Visitors are also allowed into the Divinity School (Hogwarts library in Harry Potter) and the Bodleian's exhibition room. There's a gift shop, which makes up for not being allowed to take photos inside the building. It's well worth getting these tours, as the history of the place is fascinating.

The Bodleian has appeared in: Inspector Morse, Brideshead Revisited and the first 2 Harry Potter films, to name a few. Take a step inside and you'll soon see why.

The Bodleian library is one of the oldest libraries in Europe and is the 2nd largest library in the UK. What a treat for a town of only 150,000 inhabitants! I'm told the "Bod" has over 8 million books/articles, but that could be psychobabble.

This is an absolute must for visitors to Oxford. The architecture is amazing (particularly the Radcliffe Camera) and inside the museum is mind-blowing. There are guided tours daily and I'd recommend tagging along. The history of this place is fascinating.