Possibly the most famous historic University city in the world, Cambridge in the East of England is a delight to visit in any season. Elegant but compact, the city boasts spectacular architecture in the shape of Colleges, chapels, churches and courtyards, combined with large green spaces and parks such as Jesus Green and Midsummer Common, with the River Cam winding through its heart.
Culture abounds in the shape of museums, galleries, theatres, art centres and festivals, with programmes to stimulate, inspire and entertain. And for shopping there’s a rich choice of quality independent shops, friendly markets and chic boutiques as well as the market place.
The magnificent ceiling at King’s College, Cambridge.
Marvel at ancient Egyptian relics along with Old Masters by artists such as Canaletto, Titian and Cezanne in the Fitzwilliam Museum, visit the North and South Poles at The Polar Museum, take a look at the original specimens that Darwin collected on his famous trip on The Beagle in The Museum of Zoology.
Punting on The Cam with a wonderful view of ‘The Backs’.
Getting around
You can’t come to Cambridge without a punt on the river down ‘The Backs’, behind Kings, Trinity, Queens and Clare Colleges and under the wooden Mathematical Bridge. You can do it yourself or hire someone to gently propel you along – there are lots of different tours available.
There are walking tours in the city centre too.
Get an aerial view of the city centre.
Don’t miss
Get a wonderful view of the city from the University Church, St Mary the Great, from where you can see the top places to visit, including universities King’s, Trinity, founded by Henry VIII, and St John’s, as well as The Fitzwilliam Museum.
St John’s College, Cambridge and its famous Bridge of Sighs.
Discover the taste
Have lunch at The Eagle pub, where in 1953, Francis Crick announced that he and James Watson had ‘found the secret of life’ – the discovery of the structure of DNA. The 1667 pub is also famous for the RAF bar where second world war servicemen burned marks into the ceiling using lighters and wrote graffiti on the walls.
Live like a local
The tourists will be on King’s Parade so why not head to the food outlets on Market Hill and the surrounding streets to get yourself a picnic of local produce and then flop out on Jesus Green or Midsummer Common by the River Cam.
Or if you don’t fancy walking, hire a bike and you’ll really feel at home.
Useful website Visit Cambridge