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Cambridge Voyage Tips and guide

You can check the original Wikivoyage article Here

    For other places with the same name, see Cambridge (disambiguation).
    King's College Chapel and punters on the River Cam, seen from The Backs.

    Cambridge is a university city in Cambridgeshire in England. It is a city of crocuses and daffodils on the Backs, of green open spaces and cattle grazing only 500 yards (450 m) from the market square. Cows sometimes wander into the market area, since they are not fenced in. The Cambridge of Brooke, Byron, Newton and Rutherford, of the summer idyll of punts, 'bumps', cool willows and May Balls is worth seeing.

    Understand

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    King's Parade in the centre of Cambridge, with the University Senate House on the left and Great St Mary's Church on the right.

    Cambridge brings many images to mind: the breathtaking view of King's College Chapel from across the river Cam, the rich intricacy of Gothic architecture, students cycling to lectures, and lazy summer punting on the River Cam.

    Cambridge manages to combine its role as an historic city with a world-renowned university and, since the 20th century, an internationally acknowledged centre of excellence for technology and science. The University of Cambridge was founded in 1209 by scholars leaving Oxford after a dispute with townsfolk. They chose the quiet town of Cambridge as a suitable location for study. In the 17th century Cambridge University educated many of the founders of an American university called Harvard, which is also in a place called Cambridge (named after the English university). Cambridge University has many famous alumni, including: mathematicians such as Sir Isaac Newton, scientists such as Stephen Hawking and Charles Darwin, philosophers such as Bertrand Russell and Ludwig Wittgenstein, and writers such as John Milton and Lord Byron. It was the site of Rutherford's pioneering work in nuclear physics, and Francis, Crick, and Watson's DNA work (see the Eagle pub below). Cambridge academics have won more Nobel Prizes than those of any other university in the world. The rumour that just one college, Trinity, had more Nobel prize-winners than France, however, is false.

    The city is surrounded on all sides by heritage villages, towns and ancient monuments (such as Ely and Peterborough), all within easy travelling distance. Like Oxford, Cambridge was spared from the German carpet bombing that devastated many other British cities during World War II, and is thus one of the best-preserved medieval cities in the UK

    More than 6 million visitors come to Cambridge every year to savour the delights of the historic city. The city itself is quite compact with many of the main attractions in easy walking distance. Cambridge is an ideal base for exploring some of the gentlest (read flattest; good for leisurely walks, poor for hills with viewpoints) and most unspoilt countryside in England.

    Get in

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    Cambridge is around 50 mi (80 km) north of London. Two railway routes connect Cambridge with the capital, with additional routes to towns and cities throughout the East of England and the Midlands. Several major routes including the M11 motorway connect the city with other UK destinations.

    By plane

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    Cambridge is around 30 mi (48 km) from 1 London Stansted Airport (STN IATA ). You can fly into Stansted from destinations throughout Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, and domestic destinations including Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newquay. A large number of routes are operated by Ryanair and Jet2.com.

    You can travel from Stansted Airport to Cambridge by train, which takes roughly 35 minutes. Trains are operated by CrossCountry (towards Birmingham New Street) and Greater Anglia (towards Norwich), both part of the National Rail network. You can also travel from Stansted to Cambridge using National Express coaches - routes 727, 728, 767 and 777. There is a Car Rental Village at Stansted Airport, where drivers can hire a car from several companies including Alamo, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz, National and Sixt.

    Other airports with links to Cambridge includeː

    By train

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    Wikivoyage has a guide to Rail travel in Great Britain

    There are two railway stations in the city. The first is 7 Cambridge Cambridge railway station on Wikipedia, approximately 1.2 mi (1.9 km) south of the city centre. You can use several bus routes to travel between Cambridge station and the city centre - including Babraham Road Park and Ride, The Busway Route A, The Busway Route C, Citi 1, Citi 3, Citi 7 and Stagecoach 13. You can also hire a Voi[dead link] e-scooter (driving licence required) or e-bike.

    The second is 8 Cambridge North Cambridge North railway station on Wikipedia, roughly 1 mi (1.6 km) east of Cambridge Science Park. You can use The Busway routes B and C to connect with city destinations including the Cambridge Science Park and the city centre.

    Both railway stations are on the National Rail network. You can book "PlusBus" tickets from any National Rail ticket retailing website or at station offices for a combined rail and bus ticket. Find out more onː PlusBus.info

    You can get direct trains to Cambridge from several London stations, includingː

    • Farringdon (Interchangeː  CIR  H&C  MET  ELI ) - Fast services by Thameslink.
    • Finsbury Park (Interchangeː  PIC  VIC ) - Fast and stopping services by Great Northern and Thameslink.
    • King's Cross (Interchangeː  CIR  H&C  MET  NOR  PIC  VIC ) - Express, fast and stopping services by Great Northern and Thameslink, including the "Cambridge Cruiser" non-stop route, which takes between 40 and 45 minutes.
    • Liverpool Street (Interchangeː  CEN  CIR  H&C  MET  ELI  OGD ) - Fast and stopping services by Greater Anglia.
    • London Bridge (Interchangeː  JUB  NOR ) - Fast services by Thameslink.
    • St Pancras International (Interchangeː  CIR  H&C  MET  NOR  PIC  VIC  and  EUS ) - Fast services by Thameslink.
    • Tottenham Hale (Interchangeː  CEN  CIR  H&C  MET ) - Fast and stopping services by Greater Anglia.

    You can also catch direct trains to Cambridge from London Gatwick Airport (Thameslink) and London Stansted Airport (CrossCountry or Greater Anglia).

    There are also regular, direct trains from destinations further afield, includingː

    By cycle

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    Cambridge is famous for its cycling culture and you can travel into the city by bike from the surrounding towns using signposted routes. National Cycle Network Route 11 connects Saffron Walden, Duxford and Waterbeach with Cambridge using local roads. National Cycle Network Route 51 connects Huntingdon, St Ives and Newmarket with the city centre. The route - part of NCN51 - between St Ives and Cambridge is traffic-free, next to The Busway into Cambridge North. A different traffic-free cycle route connects the village of Fenstanton with Girton, next to the A14 dual-carriageway.

    You can hire bikes fromː

    You can also hire Voi e-bikes[dead link] using an app within the set zone. Check the app for riding and parking details.

    Remember to follow local riding rules. You must not cycle on the pavement (sidewalk) unless blue signs or road markings specify otherwise. Cycling on the road is almost always allowed, even where there are adjacent cycle lanes. One-way street rules apply to cyclists, unless signs specify otherwise. Cyclists must stop at red traffic lights, but bike-only green lights allow riders to leave early. Always lock your bike with a solid lock. If your bike is stolen, you can report it to Cambridgeshire Constabulary by phone on 101 or online.

    Cambridge has the highest level of cycle use of any city in the UK.

    By car

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    From London, Harlow, Bishop's Stortford and Stansted Airport, you can drive to Cambridge on the motorway. For Cambridge, use junctionsː

    • Junction 9 then for Wandlebury, Babraham Park and Ride, Addenbrooke's Hospital and Cherry Hinton
    • Junction 11 for Trumpington Park and Ride, Trumpington, Addenbrooke's Hospital and Cambridge city centre
    • Junction 12 for Cambridge University Library and The Backs
    • Junction 13 for Madingley Road Park and Ride, Kettle's Yard and The Backs

    You can access the from at Junction 27.

    From Birmingham (via ), Peterborough (via ) and Huntingdon, use the and exit atː

    • Junction 31 for Girton and Cambridge city centre or use for Trumpington Park and Ride and Addenbrooke's Hospital
    • Junction 33 for Cambridge Science Park or for Milton Park and Ride

    From Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds, Ipswich and Norwich (via ), use and exit atː

    • Junction 35 for Newmarket Road Park and Ride, Cherry Hinton and the Grafton Centre
    • Junction 33 for Cambridge Science Park or for Milton Park and Ride

    Other routes into Cambridge includeː

    • From Royston, Ware and Hertford, follow then for Trumpington and Cambridge city centre.
    • From Cambourne, St Neots and Milton Keynes (via ), follow then for Cambridge city centre.
    • From Milton, Ely and King's Lynn, follow then for Cambridge Science Park and Cambridge city centre.
    • From Haverhill, follow for Cambridge city centre.
    • From Saffron Walden, follow B183 then for Shelford, Trumpington and Cambridge city centre.

    Park and Ride

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    You can park free of charge at five Park and Ride sites on the outskirts of Cambridge, then travel into the city centre. Return bus journeys into the city centre start from £3. Check the pricing on the Park and Ride website.

    The Park and Ride sites areː

    • 11 Milton Park and Ride - off the near Junction 33. Buses to Cambridge Science Park, Midsummer Common and Drummer Street (near Grand Arcade).
    • 12 Newmarket Road Park and Ride - off the near Junction 35. Buses to Cambridge United FC, Cambridge Retail Park, The Grafton, Drummer Street (near Grand Arcade).
    • 13 Babraham Road Park and Ride - off the and signposted from . Buses to Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge Railway Station, Drummer Street (near Grand Arcade).
    • 14 Trumpington Park and Ride - off the near Junction 11. Buses to Cambridge University Botanic Garden, Fitzwilliam Museum and Grand Arcade.
    • 15 Madingley Road Park and Ride - off the near Junction 13. Buses to West Cambridge (for Cambridge University), Bridge Street and Grand Arcade.

    By bus

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    You can get to Cambridge by coach from destinations throughout the UK and Europe.

    National Express coaches from several destinations, includingː

    • London Stratford (̩490)
    • London Victoria (490)
    • London Heathrow Airport (727, 728, 788)
    • London Luton Airport (788)
    • London Stansted Airport (727, 728, 767, 777, 788)
    • Birmingham (777)
    • Great Yarmouth (727)
    • Leicester (767)
    • Norwich (490, 727, 728)
    • Nottingham (767)

    Flixbus operates coaches to Cambridge from UK and international destinations. Some coaches call at Cambridge Trumpington Park and Ride only, rather than the city centre. Destinations includeː

    • Amsterdam Sloterdijk (UKN601)
    • Antwerp (UKN601)
    • Paris Bercy Seine (UKN603)
    • Utrecht (UKN601)
    • London Stratford (UKN603)
    • London Victoria (UK006)
    • Birmingham (UKN603)
    • Leeds (UKN601)
    • Leicester (UKN601)
    • Manchester (UKN603)
    • Nottingham (UKN601)
    • Sheffield (UKN601)
    • Stevenage (UK006)

    There are local buses from nearby destinations, includingː

    • Bedford (Stagecoach 905 - Change at Bedford for Stagecoach X5 to Oxford)
    • Ely (Stagecoach 9/X9)
    • Haverhill (Stagecoach 13/X13)
    • Huntingdon (The Busway B, The Busway C - Change at Huntingdon for Stagecoach 904 to Peterborough)
    • Newmarket (Stephensons 11, Stephensons 12)
    • Saffron Walden (citi 7)
    • St Neots (Stagecoach 905)

    Get around

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    Intellectual college joke

    So the cop pulls over an electron on the city bypass:

    "D'you realise you were doing exactly half the speed of light?"

    "Oh great," says the electron, "now I'm lost"

    Map
    52°12′11″N 0°7′26″E
    Map of Cambridge

    Cambridge is mostly pedestrian-friendly: most sights can be easily reached on foot and much of the central area is traffic-free. Some of the pavements are shared use between pedestrians and cyclists; this can catch you out unless you watch out for it. Cambridge walking directions can be planned online with Google maps & other websites & apps. Students and locals often use bikes to get around and hiring a bike is a viable alternative to simply walking.

    You can also opt for a hop-on, hop-off open-top sightseeing bus which provides commentary in several languages. The sightseeing bus passes the railway station, American Cemetery, and many of the historic colleges, but as the city centre is pedestrianised, it can approach the more central colleges on only Sundays.

    There is little need to use the local bus services unless you are staying in a far-flung area of the city, but they are clean and efficient if you need to. Citi buses cost between £1 and £2 for individual cash fares within Cambridge City (change is given but drivers may refuse large denomination notes), contactless payments are available on most buses, but just tell the driver your destination as you board and take your ticket from the machine. The dominant bus operator is Stagecoach but Whippet also operate buses within the city and offer day tickets for their buses only. There is a multi operator bus day ticket available for £8 which you can purchase on the bus services of any participating operator. If you are arriving in Cambridge by rail, Plusbus tickets offer good value.

    Cambridge City Council discourages car use. Parking charges are high and although the hated rising bollards are now gone they have been replaced by bus gates and lanes which are monitored by cameras and fines are issued to unauthorised vehicles passing through them.

    Uber ride-hailing is available, and there are many taxi companies in Cambridge.

    See

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    Colleges

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    Focus on Architecture

    Cambridge, especially the various colleges and university buildings, is fascinating for people with an interest in architecture. The colleges have been built sporadically over the centuries and the result is a mixture of styles both ancient and modern. Although the modern architecture is sometimes controversial, especially in how the newer buildings (fail to) harmonise with adjacent older buildings, it is in its way as interesting as the older. A tour of the backs (see above) gives the visitor a good feel for the various styles and a few small diversions add to the experience. One obvious landmark is the tower of the University Library. The library was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, who also built the Bankside Power Station in London that is now the Tate Modern. It does have a very industrial feel to it perhaps because of this. On the far side of the library the curious can see Robinson College, the newest college and built in about 1980 and one of the few pieces of modern architecture in Cambridge that has no notable old buildings nearby. If you prefer to see a blend of old and new, it is worth making the way out to Homerton College, which is fifteen minutes walk on Hills Road. Homerton College is particularly interesting as there are examples of various styles of architecture on-site such as the neo-Georgian buildings at the front of the college and the gothic Victorian hall on the inside of the college. This is an excellent place to take a stroll through the grounds which encompass an old orchard, water features and even a small honey farm, in order to appreciate the architecture from afar.

    St John's College and Magdalene College also have a number of architectural treats. As well as the Bridge of Sighs, St John's has buildings in almost every style of architecture starting with the 16th-century hall in First Court and ending up with the extremely modern Cripps building. Near the Cripps building there is also the dramatic New Court built in the early 19th century and the School of Pythagoras, one of the oldest buildings in Cambridge which dates from the early 13th century.

    Next door Magdalene College - cognoscenti know that Magdalene is accessible from the back of the Cripps building - is quite a contrast. Unlike St John's, which consists mainly of buildings designed as college accommodation, Magdalene has converted a number of old half-timbered inns as some of its accommodation. Magdalene also possesses the Lutyens building designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and the Pepys building. The latter, which houses the Pepys library, has an imposing and almost symmetrical facade and looks completely different from the rear. The ugliest Magdalene building, the 1970s Buckingham Court, is fortunately well hidden, while across the river the Magdalene Quayside development (1990) is an excellent example of how the late century architects appear to have learned subtlety and harmony. Quayside is an excellent place to rent a punt.

    The Cambridge 2000 website has a list of 100 buildings that have notable architecture for one reason or another.

    Cambridge has a number of interesting modern buildings, for example the Centre for Mathematical Sciences

    Cambridge University consists of a number of semi-independent colleges, many central, some up to 3 mi (4.8 km) from the town centre (traditionally measured from Great St. Mary's church). The following are a good selection for sightseeing. Most of the colleges within the central area are worth a look, if you have the time.

    Some colleges charge for entrance. It can be expensive, around £5 per person or more. If you're friends with a student, they're allowed to bring a visitor in for free. Colleges are typically closed to visitors during the University exam period, at the end of May and the first week of June.

    Please remember to be respectful when visiting the colleges. They are students' homes for much of the year, and the workload and pressure at the University can be immense. Do not enter buildings you are not explicitly invited to, do not stare into people's windows, and be polite when taking photographs; be especially discreet in the libraries. Always remember that the colleges' role is first and foremost that of academic institutions; they are not there for tourists, and it is rude to do anything which impedes or inconveniences the people who live and work in them.

    • 1 King's College and King's College Chapel, King's Parade, ☏ +44 1223 331212. College grounds open term-time M-F 9:30AM–3:30PM, Sa 9:30AM–3:15PM, Su 1:15PM–2:15PM and 5PM-5:30PM (summer only). Out of term M-Sa 9:30AM–4:30PM, Su 10AM-5PM. Grounds closed during exams (late April to mid June) though Chapel is open. Chapel opening times vary, ring for details. The most visited attraction in Cambridge, the architecture of King's College Chapel towers above the town and its world-famous choir have spread its reputation around the globe. £9 adults, £4.50 children/students. King's College (Q924289) on Wikidata King's College, Cambridge on Wikipedia (updated Sep 2019)
    Queens' College, Old Hall
    • 2 Queens' College, Silver Street/Queens' Lane, ☏ +44 1223 335511. Open approx 10AM-4:30PM, see website or ring for updated times. Closed mid-May to mid-June. Founded by two Queens - Margaret of Anjou in 1448 and Elizabeth Woodville in 1465, the College stretches across both sides of the Cam, linked by the famous Mathematical Bridge. The myth goes that it was designed by Isaac Newton without the use of pins, screws, nuts or bolts, but when disassembled, the fellows and students couldn't figure out how to put it back together again. This is sadly false, the bridge dates from 1749, 22 years after Newton's death. The stunning medieval Old Hall is also worth a visit. £5 (includes printed guide). Free mid-October to mid-March. Queens' College (Q765642) on Wikidata Queens' College, Cambridge on Wikipedia 
    • 3 Trinity College. Large attractive courtyard and library designed by Sir Christopher Wren. The interior of the Wren Library (M-F noon-2PM, Sa 10:30AM-12:30PM in Full Term) is particularly beautiful and features medieval bibles, items from the possession of Isaac Newton, original manuscripts by Wittgenstein, a Winnie-the-Pooh manuscript by A.A. Milne, and notes by Bertrand Russell, among other things. Even when the college is closed to visitors, the library may still be accessible from Queens Road on the other side of the River Cam. As of July 2022 the college is closed to the public. £2. Trinity College (Q332342) on Wikidata Trinity College, Cambridge on Wikipedia (updated Aug 2015)
    • 4 St Johns College. Formerly the St Johns Hospital (13th century) before being refounded as a college in 1511, this college houses the oldest academic building in Cambridge (the "School of Pythagoras"). It has a number of large courtyards, and has the Cambridge "Bridge of Sighs". As of July 2022 the college is closed to the public. Adult £10. St John's College (Q691283) on Wikidata St John's College, Cambridge on Wikipedia (updated Sep 2019)
    • 5 Jesus College. Attractive grounds and sculptures scattered throughout. Jesus College (Q1146700) on Wikidata Jesus College, Cambridge on Wikipedia 
    • 6 Pembroke College. The 3rd oldest college in Cambridge, founded in 1347 by the Countess of Pembroke, Marie de St Paul, is well known for its beautiful gardens. Pembroke College (Q956501) on Wikidata Pembroke College, Cambridge on Wikipedia 
    • 7 Clare College. The 2nd oldest college with pretty gardens, courtyard and the oldest river bridge in Cambridge. Clare College (Q760967) on Wikidata Clare College, Cambridge on Wikipedia 
    • 8 Peterhouse. The oldest Cambridge college was founded in 1284 and has two large gardens, the Scholars' Garden and the Deer Park, both of which students and visitors can walk all over (unusual for Cambridge colleges!) Peterhouse (Q650068) on Wikidata Peterhouse, Cambridge on Wikipedia 
    • 9 Saint Catharine's College. St Catharine's College was founded in 1473 by Robert Wodelarke, Provost of King's College. The college was christened in honour of the patron saint of learning and used to be known as Katharine Hall. It was largely rebuilt in the 17th century with work on the Main Court beginning in 1673; the Chapel was completed in 1704. In spite of its modest size, the college's three-sided brick Main Court is almost unique among Cambridge colleges and deserves a short stop while strolling down Trumpington Street. The college is in the very centre of Cambridge next to King's College and facing Corpus Christi College. St Catharine's College, Cambridge (Q256754) on Wikidata St Catharine's College, Cambridge on Wikipedia 
    • 10 Homerton College. Homerton College is one of the newer colleges, though it has existed for centuries as an academic institution and is architecturally very pretty, with extensive and tranquil grounds and a picturesque orchard. It is in a beautiful location on Hills Road, about 15 minutes walk from the town centre. The Victorian hall here is one of the most beautiful in Cambridge and definitely worth a visit. Free to enter, so worth the walk to see. Homerton College (Q741880) on Wikidata Homerton College, Cambridge on Wikipedia 
    • 11 Corpus Christi College, Corpus Christi College, Trumpington St, CB2 1RH. Uniquely, founded by Cambridge locals (from two town guilds). Its Old Court (to the left of the main entrance, behind St Bene't's church) dates from the 1350s and is the oldest courtyard in Cambridge. Old Court rooms have no plumbing, so you may occasionally be treated to a student walking across the court in their dressing gown to get to the toilet complex. Corpus Christi College (Q536282) on Wikidata Corpus Christi College, Cambridge on Wikipedia 
    • 12 Selwyn College, Grange Rd, CB3 9DQ. Founded in 1882, Selwyn is one of the newer Cambridge colleges. Its buildings and grounds are excellent examples of Gothic Revival architecture and it has been named one of the “most obviously impressive” of 68 listed buildings in the West Cambridge Conservation Area appraisal. Entering through the Porter's Lodge Gate on Grange Road puts you in the attractive Old Court with its manicured lawn surrounded by red brick, turreted buildings. The gate next to the college chapel leads into the Selwyn gardens. Selwyn College is located less than a ten-minute walk south of the Cambridge Library, and is about 250 m from the Museum of Classical Archaeology. Free. Selwyn College (Q767650) on Wikidata Selwyn College, Cambridge on Wikipedia (updated Feb 2017)

    Parks and gardens

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    • 13 The Backs. The gardens by the river behind various colleges. Heading downstream from King's you can pass through the gardens of Clare, Trinity and St John's Colleges (which has the "Bridge of Sighs"). 
    • 14 Botanic Garden of Cambridge University, Bateman St CB2 1JF, ☏ +44 1223 336265. Nov-Jan: 10AM-4PM, Feb-Mar and Oct: 10AM-5PM, Apr-Sept: 10AM-6PM, closed 24 Dec to 1 Jan. A relaxing way to spend a few hours, away from the hustle and bustle of the colleges and canals. Open to the public since 1846 this garden hosts some important botanic collections amongst its 10,000 or more species. In summer they have concerts on the lawn. Adult admission £7.20, children and Cambridge University students free. Cambridge University Botanic Garden (Q894665) on Wikidata Cambridge University Botanic Garden on Wikipedia (updated Apr 2023)
    • 15 Jesus Green. Jesus Green was proposed as the site for Cambridge's main railway station, but is now a broad piece of parkland immediately adjacent to Midsummer Common. Provides a quiet retreat away from the city centre, and has grass and hard tennis courts, and an outdoor swimming pool. Plans are underway for redevelopment of this much-loved park in Cambridge. Jesus Green (Q6188164) on Wikidata Jesus Green on Wikipedia 
    • 16 Parker's Piece. One of the best known open spaces in Cambridge. In the centre of the city, it is bordered by Park Terrace, Regent Terrace, Parkside and Gonville Place. 
    • 17 Christ's Pieces. In the centre of the city, it is bordered by the bus station, Christ's College, Emmanuel Road and King Street. It is of typical Victorian park design with tree lined avenues. The formal seasonal bedding displays planted in the 'petal beds' near Emmanuel Road, provide all year round colour. There are also large ornamental shrub beds around the perimeter to add further year round colour and interest. 
    • 18 Coe Fen. A beautiful, semi-wild green near the centre of the city, but far enough out to be quiet. Less manicured than some of the college gardens and parks around Cambridge, but nonetheless a great space to be in the summer with cows roaming and the Cam running through. 

    Museums and galleries

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    The Fitzwilliam Museum
    • 19 The Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington St, CB2 1RB, ☏ +44 1223 332900, . Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM; Su noon-5PM. The Fitzwilliam Museum is the art and antiquities museum of the University of Cambridge and is on Trumpington Street. It receives around 300,000 visitors annually. The museum was founded in 1816 with the bequest of the library and art collection of the VIIth Viscount FitzWilliam. The bequest also included £100,000 "to cause to be erected a good substantial museum repository". The "Founder's Building" itself was designed by George Basevi, completed by C. R. Cockerell and opened in 1848; the entrance hall is by Edward Middleton Barry and was completed in 1875. The Egyptian Galleries at the Fitzwilliam Museum re-opened in 2006 after a two-year, £1.5 million programme of refurbishment, conservation and research. The museum has five departments: Antiquities; Applied Arts; Coins and Medals; Manuscripts and Printed Books; and Paintings, Drawings and Prints. Highlights include masterpieces by Titian, Rubens, Van Dyck, Canaletto, Hogarth, Gainsborough, Constable, Monet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne and Picasso and a fine collection of 20th century art. Admission free. Fitzwilliam Museum (Q1421440) on Wikidata Fitzwilliam Museum on Wikipedia 
    • 20 Kettle's Yard, Castle Street, ☏ +44 1223 352124, . House open Tu-Su and Bank Holiday Mondays 1:30-4:30PM (1st weekend in April - last weekend in September); Tu-Su and Bank Holiday Mondays 2PM-4PM (1st weekend in October - last weekend in March). Gallery open Tu-Su and Bank Holiday Mondays 11:30AM-5PM. Kettle's Yard is the former home of Jim and Helen Ede and houses the fine collection of art, from the early part of the 20th century, which they gave to the University. Artists represented include Ben Nicholson, Christopher Wood, Alfred Wallis, David Jones, Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore and Henri Gaudier-Brzeska. There is a separate gallery for exhibitions of modern and contemporary art, which are widely advertised and detailed on the website. Each exhibition is accompanied by a lively programme of talks, workshops and discussion groups for all ages. Music at Kettle's Yard: Kettle's Yard presents programmes of chamber music concerts and contemporary music concerts. House Adult £10.50 -25 free. Kettle's Yard (Q1739999) on Wikidata Kettle's Yard on Wikipedia (updated Sep 2024)
    • 21 The Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences, Downing Street, ☏ +44 1223 333456. M-F 10AM-1PM and 2PM-5PM; Sa 10AM-4PM; closed on Bank Holidays. One of the university's many hidden treasures, and actually its oldest museum, the Sedgwick is packed full of fossils with more than 1 million in its collection. These range from the earliest forms of life from more than 3000 million years ago, to the wildlife that roamed the Fens less than 150,000 years ago. Displays include a gallery of minerals and gemstones, the world's largest spider, rocks collected by Charles Darwin on the 'Voyage of the Beagle', dinosaurs from the Jurassic and Triassic, and fossils from the local area including a hippopotamus from the nearby Barrington gravel pits. The museum organises many activities, so it's always a good idea to check its website.. Admission free. Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences (Q7445283) on Wikidata Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences on Wikipedia 
    • 22 The University Museum of Zoology, The New Museum Site, Downing Street, ☏ +44 1223 336650, . Tu-Sa 10AM-4:30PM; Su noon-4:30PM; and Bank Holiday Mondays noon-4:30PM. The University Museum of Zoology displays a great range of recent and fossil animals, emphasising the structural diversity and evolutionary relationships among the animal kingdom. The collections were accumulated from 1814 onwards, and include many specimens collected by Charles Darwin. To find the museum, look for the spectacular whale skeleton, hung above the entrance and visible through the archway from Downing Street. Free. Museum of Zoology (Q5025605) on Wikidata Cambridge University Museum of Zoology on Wikipedia (updated May 2018)
    • 23 The Whipple Museum of the History of Science, Free School Lane (front entrance), ☏ +44 1223 330906. M-F 12:30PM-4:30PM; closed at weekends (ex third Sa per month), bank holidays and occasionally over the Christmas period. The Whipple Museum is a pre-eminent collection of scientific instruments and models, dating from the Middle Ages to the present. Included in this outstanding collection are microscopes and telescopes, sundials, early slide rules, pocket electronic calculators, laboratory equipment and teaching and demonstration apparatus.
      Visitors are advised to check beforehand by contacting the museum if you have special access requirements.       Free. Whipple Museum of the History of Science (Q3329390) on Wikidata Whipple Museum of the History of Science on Wikipedia 
    • 24 Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Downing Street, ☏ +44 1223 333516, . Tu-Su 2PM-4:30PM; closed at Christmas and Easter and on most public holidays; possible extended summer opening - please telephone or email for details. The museum contains large and important collections of archaeological and anthropological material from all parts of the world. The archaeological collections from all periods include significant collections from Palaeolithic Europe, Asia and Africa; Precolumbian Central and South America; early civilizations of the Mediterranean; and British archaeology. The world-renowned anthropological collections include important collections from the South Seas, West Africa and the Northwest Coast of North America; historic collections from the 18th century; and extensive photographic collections from the 19th and 20th centuries. Free. Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (Q1954733) on Wikidata Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge on Wikipedia 
    • 25 Museum of Classical Archaeology, Sidgwick Avenue, ☏ +44 1223 330402. M-F 10AM-5PM; Sa 10AM-1PM. The Museum of Classical Archaeology is one of the few surviving collections of plaster casts of Greek & Roman sculpture in the world. The collection of about four hundred and fifty casts is open to the public and housed in a purpose-built Cast Gallery on the first floor of the Classics Faculty. Although nothing here is an original, nearly all the well-known (and not so well-known) works from the Classical world can be seen together under one roof. The reserve research collections consist of another two hundred plaster casts, Greek vases, pottery sherds, and epigraphic squeezes. These can be consulted by arrangement. Admission is free. Museum of Classical Archaeology (Q6940801) on Wikidata Museum of Classical Archaeology, Cambridge on Wikipedia 
    • 26 The Museum of Cambridge (formerly: Cambridge Folk Museum), Castle Street. M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 11AM-4PM. The only local social history museum in Cambridge and is the most comprehensive collection representing life in the South Cambridgeshire villages. Housed in an old Coaching House, the museum is home to some 20,000 objects representing the history of local life away from the University. Staffed by volunteers which may cause unscheduled closures, phone to confirm if required. Standard £6, students & 16-17 £4.50, -16 free. (updated Jul 2023)
    • 27 The Polar Museum, Lensfield Road. Tu-Sa (and Su on Bank Holiday Weekends) 10AM-4PM. A short walk from the Fitzwilliam Museum is The Polar Museum. It was a finalist for The Museum of the Year Prize in 2011. Its extraordinary collection covers the Arctic and Antarctic, native peoples and the Golden Age of Exploration of heroes such as Scott and Shackleton. It also serves as the National Memorial to Scott and his men, as well as being the public front of The Scott Polar Research Institute which continues their scientific work. Special events, exhibitions, tours, children's activities and behind the scenes Open Days are held quite often. Scott Polar Research Institute (Q2747894) on Wikidata Scott Polar Research Institute on Wikipedia 
    • 28 The University Library, West Road. M-F 9AM-6PM, Sa 9AM-4:30PM. Exhibition of treasures and highlights from the Library's world-class collections of manuscripts and printed books. Two major exhibitions are held each year (roughly January to June and September to December): check website for details. 
    • 29 Museum of Technology, Cheddars Lane (bus #3,11,12 Stanley Rd. Accessible on foot from centre by crossing Midsummer common and following the River Cam eastwards.). F-Su 10:30AM-4PM. An exhibition of items from Cambridge's industrial past based at the city's old sewage pumping station on Riverside. Exhibits include the working steam and gas powered pumps, printing technology and items from several decades of electronics manufacturing within the city. The museum holds several 'steaming' days a year, usually on bank holidays, when engines and pumps may be seen working. Cambridge Museum of Technology (Q5025483) on Wikidata Cambridge Museum of Technology on Wikipedia (updated Jul 2023)
    • 30 The Centre for Computing History, Rene Court, Coldhams Rd, CB1 3EW (off Coldhams Lane Bus 19A & 114 stop Romsey Town nr Brampton Road), ☏ +44 1223 214446. W-Su 10:00-17:00. A small museum dedicated to the field of computing including video game consoles and arcade machines that can be played. The museum is also a hire-able venue for "Gaming Parties". Adults £12; Children £8; Concessions £10. Centre for Computing History (Q7721931) on Wikidata The Centre for Computing History on Wikipedia (updated Sep 2024)

    Churches

    [edit]

    The history of Cambridge is entwined with that of the Church of England. The colleges (see above) all have chapels which can be visited, but town churches also offer a rich insight into the history of the town and university, and are usually free. Even if you aren't interested in places of worship, they are well worth a few minutes attention and are peaceful places to enjoy.

    • 31 The Round Church, Bridge Street, CB2 1UB, ☏ +44 1223 311602, . Daily. Dating back to 1130, this is one of only four medieval round churches in England, and one of the most visited buildings in Cambridge. Besides the remarkable architecture, the building contains historical exhibitions and hosts occasional concerts and lectures. Included is a 20-minute film that provides an excellent overview of Cambridge's history. Tour guides based there offer walking tours of Cambridge which are highly rated. Adult £3.50. Holy Sepulchre, Cambridge (Q12060465) on Wikidata Holy Sepulchre, Cambridge on Wikipedia (updated Sep 2019)
    • 32 Great St Mary's (GSM), Senate House Hill, CB2 3PQ, ☏ +44 1223 747273, . M-Sa 10AM-5:30PM, Su noon-5PM (may vary depending on service times). Open daily, free. This fine example of 15th-century English Perpendicular architecture is on the market square opposite King's College. As well as viewing the beautiful nave, visitors can climb the bell tower (admission £6 adults, £4 children (5-16 years), £16 family (2 adults, 2 children)) for spectacular views over the city. Church of St Mary the Great (Q3585454) on Wikidata Church of St Mary the Great, Cambridge on Wikipedia (updated Apr 2023)
    • 33 St. Benet's, Bene’t Street, CB2 3PT, ☏ +44 1223 351927, . Tucked away in the lanes is this tiny 11th-century church. Its main attraction is a Saxon arch in the nave. One of several churches in town with bells, this one is a good location to see English bellringing. The times are unpredictable and not published but Sunday afternoons are your best bet. Please be quiet, ringing takes a surprising amount of concentration and the ringers can do without distractions. St Bene't's Church (Q128404) on Wikidata St Bene't's Church on Wikipedia 
    • 34 All Saints, Jesus Lane, Jesus Lane, CB5 8BP, ☏ +44 1223 324442. Open daily, free. This 19th-century church is no longer used for worship but has been preserved as a rare example of the Arts and Crafts movement, featuring a highly ornate interior by Bodley, and windows and wall decorations by William Morris. All Saints Church (Q4729452) on Wikidata All Saints' Church, Cambridge on Wikipedia 
    • 35 St. Andrew's, Chesterton, Church Street, CB4 1DT, ☏ +44 1223 306150, . A walk from town, but with an impressive (if somewhat faded) medieval Doom painting around the chancel arch, showing the Judgement and giving worshippers good reason to pay attention to the sermon. 

    Further out

    [edit]
    American Cemetery
    • 36 World War II Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial (3 mi (4.8 km) west of the city on Highway A-1303). Daily 9AM-5PM except for Dec 25 and Jan 1. The cemetery is on land donated by Cambridge University and is the final resting place for 3812 American military dead lost during the War in the Atlantic and Northern Europe. A monument is inscribed with the names of 5126 Americans whose remains were never found or identified. The chapel contains mosaic maps of World War II campaigns and a mosaic memorial to American Air Forces on the ceiling. Free. Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial (Q954555) on Wikidata Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial on Wikipedia 
    • 37 Imperial War Museum Duxford, CB22 4QR (Bus: M-Sa train from Cambridge to Whittlesford Parkway station then 40 minute walk starting on Station Rd West away from station. Su only direct bus 132 from Cambridge.(Stagecoach bus 7 only serves Duxford village only)). This World War II airfield south of Cambridge houses the Imperial War Museum's aircraft collection, and is the largest aviation museum in Europe. As well as military aircraft, it houses a large collection of non-military aircraft including a Concorde. There is also a land warfare museum on the site that has many examples of armoured vehicles from the First World War onwards. It really a full day for a proper visit. Flight shows are sometimes held; these days will be very busy. see website. Imperial War Museum Duxford (Q1758240) on Wikidata Imperial War Museum Duxford on Wikipedia (updated Sep 2024)
    • 38 Anglesey Abbey, Gardens and Lode Mill, Quy Road, Lode, CB25 9EJ (Stephensons bus #11 to Swaffham Road, Lode. (some buses come into Lode)), ☏ +44 1223 810080, . Jacobean-style house with gardens and watermill check website. Anglesey Abbey, Gardens and Lode Mill (Q3021583) on Wikidata Anglesey Abbey on Wikipedia (updated Aug 2023)
    • 39 Wimpole Hall & Home Farm, ☏ +44 1223 206000, . Wimpole Hall is the largest house in Cambridgeshire, set amongst rolling "Capability Brown" landscaped parklands, with a Home Farm hosting many rare breeds. Wimpole Hall (Q8023577) on Wikidata Wimpole Estate on Wikipedia 
    • 40 Denny Abbey and Farmland Museum, Ely Road, Waterbeach, CB25 9PQ (7 mi (11 km) north of Cambridge. Stagecoach bus#9, take care crossing busy main road.), ☏ +44 1223 860489. Denny Abbey the only religious site in England to have been occupied at various times by three different monastic orders. Museum tells the history of farming in the fens. adults £8.00, children £5.00, concessions £6.50. English Heritage members free. Farmland Museum and Denny Abbey (Q732263) on Wikidata Denny Abbey on Wikipedia (updated Sep 2024)
    • Further north see Ely for Stretham Old Engine and Wicken Fen.
    Blue plaque to Rupert Brooke in Granchester
    • 41 Grantchester: "The women there do all they ought, the men observe the Rules of Thought...." - Rupert Brooke (1887-1915) was in Berlin when he wrote this semi-comic paean to the village. It's 3 miles south and upstream from Cambridge, a pleasant afternoon stroll or punt. The Church of St Mary and St Andrew (C of E) dates from 12th century, with several distinguished figures in its graveyard. There are thatched cottages, several pubs, and the famous Orchard Tea Gardens, open daily 10AM-6PM. The orchard was planted in 1868; in 1897 a group of student visitors asked if they could take tea there rather on the lawn, and this became a fashion. Brooke took up lodging at The Orchard in 1909 and attracted a glittering coterie: They love the Good, they worship Truth, they laugh uproariously in youth . . . Continue upstream to the pool below the weir at the confluence of the Cam and Brook. This was frequented by Europe's most famous "wild swimmer" Lord Byron.
    • 42 Bourn Windmill, Caxton Rd, Bourn CB23 2SU (Off A1198), ☏ +44 1223 243830. 13/14 May and then five Sundays between May and September 2023 (see website for details). A medieval post-mill, probably the oldest mill in Britain. It's at risk of collapse and stabilisation is under way; it will be open for a few days in 2023. £3 adult, £1 child. (updated Apr 2023)

    Do

    [edit]
    Punting is a popular activity in Cambridge
    • Explore the backs. It's free, and gives you a real flavour of the city. You can walk through King's College, onto King's Parade, a beautiful row of exclusive shops. You can also experience the backs by punt which is extremely popular.
    • Punting. 9:30AM-dusk daily. If anything is stereotypically 'Cambridge', this is it. Punting involves propelling a flat bottomed boat with a long wooden pole (quant) by pushing a pole against the shallow river bottom. For the full effect, take strawberries and Champagne to quaff as you glide effortlessly down the river. You can either travel along the famous College Backs or head out towards the village of Grantchester. Guided tours are also available from around £20.00 per person on the day. Save by booking online at (Traditional Punting Company, Let's Go Punting, Rutherford's Punting Cambridge, Scudamore's and Cambridge Chauffeur Punts. If you're up for more of an adventure, try it out for yourself on a self-hire boat (typically about £30/hour for an entire punt, so can be a lot cheaper if you are part of a group). Punting to Grantchester (upriver) takes about an hour and a half for an experienced punter or tour, and the complete journey takes much longer for first-timers. Along the Grantchester route there are riverbanks on the way for mooring up with meadowland suitable for picnics (Note that pranksters have been known to push unattended punts out into the river.)
    Draw the Cambridge Cat
    by recording a GPS track on a 19 km route along major roads
    • Walking tours. Guided walking tours are available all year round with a range of walking tours to choose from. These tours can be tailored to suit group interest with the central tourist office. There is also the option to experience Cambridge virtually with some University Colleges providing their own tours. These include King's College and St John's College with a
    • Rowing. Cambridge is renowned for rowing on the Cam. All colleges and some schools have their own clubs, and there are over half a dozen large 'town' clubs. There are a number of regattas and head races on the river throughout the year, though the highlight in the rowing calendar on the Cam is the annual bumping races. For College crews, the 'May' bumps are in June, for the local clubs, this normally is the fourth week in July. Over four evenings of racing (Tuesday - Friday), eights attempt to gain higher position by catching the crew ahead of them before being 'bumped' by the crew behind. Races take place downstream (north) of the city, between the A-14 road bridge and the railway bridge at Stourbridge Common, and are best viewed from the towpath alongside the river, or from the Plough pub in Fen Ditton, both accessible by foot from the town centre - words of warning though - if on the towpath side, be careful for the massive number of bikes that accompany the crews racing, if in the pub, you may not get a seat, and beer prices are at a premium.
    • Cycling. Rent a bicycle and bike the mostly flat terrain around Cambridge. Popular destinations are Grantchester (3 km), American Cemetery (5 km), along River Cam towpath to Milton Country Park (5 km), Wicken Fen (12 km), Duxford Imperial War Museum especially during air-shows (15 km) and Ely (23 km). (More trips)
    • Football: 1 Cambridge United, Newmarket Rd CB5 8LN, ☏ +44 1223 566500. United play soccer in League One, the game's third tier. Their home ground Abbey Stadium (capacity 8000) is two miles east of city centre. (updated Jun 2021)
    • Cambridge RUFC were promoted in 2023 and now play rugby union in the RFU Championship, their second tier. The home ground is Grantchester Road, capacity 1250.
    • Cambridge University RUFC plays the annual Varsity Match against Oxford but doesn't play in a regular league.
    Number of free tennis courts at each place
    • Play tennis for free for up to 45 minutes at a city-council tennis court. No need to book – just bring racquets and balls. Parktennis runs free social games at Jesus Green most Saturdays at 10–11AM.
    • Play table tennis for free at Ping Pong Parlour[dead link] in the Grafton Shopping Centre (balls and bats provided), or on an outdoor table.
    • 2 Cambridge Ice Arena, Newmarket Road CB5 8AA, ☏ +44 1223 848830. Tu-Su. This rink has public skating, ice hockey, curling, figure skating, and lessons. (updated Feb 2022)
    • 3 Lets Go Punting, Landing Stage, Thompsons Lane, Cambridge, CB5 8AG, ☏ +44 1223 651659, . 9AM - dusk. Independent punting company offering private and shared punting tours in Cambridge. Tours last 45-50 minutes along the college backs. From £20. (updated Nov 2022)
    • 4 Traditional Punting Company (Punting Cambridge), Landing Stage, Thompsons Ln, Cambridge CB5 8AQ, ☏ +44 1223 782306, . 9AM - dusk. The Traditional Punting Company offers the best punting in Cambridge, where you'll see the world-famous College Backs in the heart of the city. Expert chauffeurs will guide you along the River Cam, entertaining you with Cambridge’s inspiring history and secrets of the city over the last 800 years. Tours last 50 minutes and are a return journey. Shared Tours from £20, Private Tours from £79. (updated Mar 2022)

    Arts

    [edit]
    • 5 Cambridge Corn Exchange. The city's centre for arts and entertainment. 
    • 6 ADC Theatre, Park Street. The University's playhouse. Hosts student and local amateur productions. Look out for performances by Footlights, this has been the training ground for many famous comedians. Tickets £4-10. 
    • 7 Cambridge Junction, Clifton Road (close to Cambridge railway station. Bus Stagecoach #3). Artistic centre offering club nights, gigs, and new theatre, comedy, and dance. Ticket prices vary depending on the show/gig. (updated Aug 2023)
    • 8 Arts Picture House, 38–39 St Andrew's St. Various foreign and art-house films (see the current listing ). A more conventional selection can be found at the large multiplex at the Grafton Centre as well as the Light Cinema at Cambridge Leisure Park in Hills Road. (updated Jan 2017)
    • 9 Arts Theatre, 6 St Edward's Passage. Hosts a varied mix of professional drama, dance and opera including touring productions and an annual pantomime. 

    Events

    [edit]
    • Cambridge Summer Music Festival. Perhaps the most romantic way to appreciate the magnificent architecture of the many College Chapels is to hear a concert performed in their marvellous acoustics. Cambridge Summer Music offers world class performances in the well-known Chapel of King's College as well as many of the city's hidden gems. 
    • Midsummer Fair. (mid-June), Midsummer Common. 
    • 10 Strawberry Fair. On Midsummer Common in early June. 
    • Cambridge Film Festival. (July) Cambridge Film Festival (Q3102921) on Wikidata Cambridge Film Festival on Wikipedia 
    • 11 Cambridge Folk Festival, Cherry Hinton Hall Park. (late July) Cambridge Folk Festival (Q2934694) on Wikidata Cambridge Folk Festival on Wikipedia 
    • Cambridge Shakespeare Festival. (July–August) Every summer, six Shakespeare plays staged outdoors in gardens of various colleges Cambridge Shakespeare Festival (Q5025531) on Wikidata Cambridge Shakespeare Festival on Wikipedia 
    • Cambridge Science Festival. (March) Two weeks of (mostly) free events for all ages. Cambridge Science Festival (Q19871814) on Wikidata Cambridge Science Festival on Wikipedia 
    • Festival of Ideas. (October–November) A festival of free events celebrating the arts, humanities and social sciences. 
    • Cambridge Literary Festival (Spring and winter). Twice yearly literary festival with talks, readings and events featuring local and national literary figures. 
    • Mill Road Winter Fair (First Saturday in December). Annual community festival based around the city's Mill Road featuring music, parades, food and art organised by local residents. The whole road is closed off just for the day. 
    • 12 Cambridge Beer Festival, Jesus Green. (May) Annual beer festival on Jesus Green, hosted by Cambridge & District CAMRA. Cambridge Beer Festival (Q5025359) on Wikidata Cambridge Beer Festival on Wikipedia 
    • Cambridge University degree ceremony. 4 days at the end of most months. Watch the processions and traditions before and after a graduation ceremony from outside the Senate House lawn or the Great St Mary's tower. Senate_House, Cambridge#Graduation ceremony on Wikipedia 

    Learn

    [edit]

    Most lectures are only open to members of the university; however, a variety of public talks and lectures are organised:

    There are a large number of summer schools, mostly English language, but also some offering tuition in a wide range of other subjects.

    It is also possible for members of the public to attend residential summer schools within the University, such as Lite Regal Education

    Work

    [edit]

    Cambridge University students aren't allowed to work during term-time, so there are often possibilities for punting, hotel services, bar or waitering work for foreign nationals. Those from outside the EU require a work permit, see the Work section of United Kingdom for more details.

    There are also the Science Park and Business Park located around the city limits which are home to many global gaming, digital, technology, bio-tech and pharmaceutical companies.

    Buy

    [edit]

    King's Parade has numerous souvenir shops and gift shops with Cambridge (and London) branded merchandise. Scour the charity shops down Burleigh Street, Regent Street and Mill Road for bargains. Book collectors will find many shops especially Trinity Street. The market square in the centre of town has a general market Monday to Saturday with fruit and vegetables, bread and cakes, books, bicycle repair, tea and coffee, fast food and clothes, and a more arts-and-crafts oriented market on Sunday with pottery, ceramics, prints, clothing, etc. The surrounding streets and the nearby 1 Grand Arcade and 2 Lion Yard shopping centres have most of the common retail names and many individual shops to cater for most needs. The 3 Grafton Centre has all the usual high-street shops in a mall and surrounding streets.

    M&S Food (part of the Marks and Spencer department store chain) have a mini-supermarket that sells high-quality sandwiches, prepared meals, snacks and other groceries - usually at a high price. The main supermarket in the city centre is Sainsbury's on Sidney St. which stocks a full range of groceries and everyday products as well as alcohol and cigarettes. There are many more supermarkets including large Tesco (Chedder's Lane & Yarrow Road), Asda, Sainsbury's, and Waitrose superstores as well as a large Aldi discounter on the edge of the city.

    • 4 Ryder & Amies, 22 King's Parade, ☏ +44 1223 350371. "The University Store" sells Cambridge University merchandise. 
    • 5 John Lewis, 10 Downing Street, ☏ +44 1223 361292. Large department store. 
    • 6 Primavera, 10 King's Parade, ☏ +44 1223 357708. High quality contemporary art & crafts. 
    • 7 Cambridge Contemporary Art, 6 Trinity Street, ☏ +44 1223 324222. More art & crafts. 
    • 8 Cambridge Cheese Company, 4 All Saints Passage, ☏ +44 1223 328672. Excellent selection of cheese and delicatessan counter. 
    • 9 Cambridge University Press Bookshop, 1 Trinity Street, ☏ +44 1223 333333. Only sells CUP books, but it is the oldest bookshop site in the country - books have been sold there since at least 1581. 
    • 10 Heffers, 20 Trinity Street, ☏ +44 1223 568568. Large bookshop, with academic sections. (updated Aug 2019)
    • 11 Beehive Center, on the A1134 (by foot about 10 minutes east of the Grafton Centre). A series of shops including Asda, DW Sports Fitness, TK Maxx, Next Home & Dreams. Further up Newmarket Road at the Cambridge Retail Park, there are several additional large stores like Tesco, Sports Direct and Curry's PC World. (updated Aug 2019)

    Eat

    [edit]

    Cambridge has a good range of eateries, as well as a daily market next to Great St Mary's Church where there are maybe 10-15 food stalls. Many of these offer vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, all for reasonable prices (a falafel wrap, for example, is £4-5).

    Budget

    [edit]
    • 1 Michaelhouse Cafe, Trinity St (inside St. Michael's Church). M-Sa 9:30AM-5PM. Beautiful cafe serving excellent sandwiches, salads, hot dishes, and soups. Desserts as well. Vegetarian options always available. Lunch served until 3PM. (updated Feb 2023)
    • 2 Tatties, 11 Sussex Street. Busy cafe serving jacket potatoes and sandwiches. Very popular with students around lunch time. (updated Feb 2023)
    • 3 Savinos, 3 Emmanuel Street. Authentic Italian coffee bar. Best espresso and cappuccino in town. (updated Feb 2023)
    • 4 Trockel, Ulmann & Freunde, 13 Pembroke St. (updated Feb 2023)
    • 5 The Garden Kitchen, 82 Mill Rd. (updated Feb 2023)
    • 6 Cafe Oriental Dumpling Bar, 9 Burleigh St. (updated Feb 2023)
    • 7 Zis Piri Piri, 36A Mill Rd. (updated Feb 2023)

    Mid-range

    [edit]
    • 8 The Cambridge Chop House, 1 King's Parade, CB2 1SJ, ☏ +44 1223 359506. Su-Th noon-10:30PM; F Sa noon-11PM. Good British cuisine in a great location, real ale (well kept!), attentive service, fixed lunch & (early) dinner menu (2 course). Booking recommended. £30-40. (updated Feb 2023)
    • 9 De Luca Cucina & Bar, 83 Regent St, ☏ +44 1223 356666. Su 10AM-9:30PM; M-Th 11AM-11PM; F Sa 11AM-midnight. Great little Italian/British Fusion Restaurant with reasonable prices and great staff! (updated Feb 2023)
    • 10 Fitzbillies, 51 Trumpington Street, ☏ +44 870 1413505. Su noon-5:45PM; M-Sa 9AM-9:30PM. Fitzbillies is a Cambridge institution serving refined food for lunches and dinners, as well as heavenly tea and pastries in the afternoon. Don't forget its adjacent shop selling the best pastries in town, amongst which you will find the world famous Chelsea Bun! They also have a smaller branch at 36 Bridge Street, which is often less busy. (updated Feb 2023)
    • 11 Little Rose, 37 Trumpington Street, ☏ +44 870 141 3579. Su 10AM-9:30PM; M-Th 9AM-10PM; F 9AM-10:30PM; Sa 10AM-11PM. Gastro-pub style food. (updated Feb 2023)
    • 12 Sala Thong Thai Restaurant, 35 Newnham Road, ☏ +44 870 141 3666. Daily noon-2:30PM, 6PM-10:30PM. This small place serves simple tasty Thai food with good service. £20-30. (updated Feb 2023)
    • 13 Luk Thai at the Cricketers, 18 Melbourne Place, ☏ +44 1223 778871. M-Sa noon-1PM, 5:30PM-11PM; Su noon-1PM, 5:30PM-10PM. Average price: £15-25 per person for starter, main, dessert and drinks. (updated Feb 2023)
    • 14 Thanh Binh, 17, Magdalene St, CB3 0AF, ☏ +44 1223 362456. Very good Vietnamese food in a pleasant atmosphere. No alcohol license, but you can bring your own; there is a good wine shop just over the bridge 50 m away. (updated Feb 2023)
    • 15 Tipsy Vegan, 6-8 Quayside, CB5 8AB (Close to Magdalene Bridge over River Cam). Good quality vegan bar-restaurant with outdoor area. Tables can be booked online. (updated Aug 2023)

    Pubs

    [edit]

    Many pubs in Cambridge also serve good food at reasonable prices, for example:

    Splurge

    [edit]
    • 21 Restaurant 22, 22 Chesterton Road, CB4 3AX, ☏ +44 1223 351880. Set in a converted Victorian house near the river. Serves up quality seasonal food from a monthly changing menu in an intermate dining room. Booking essential. Larger private room up stairs for parties of approx 12. One Michelin Star since 2023. £100+. (updated Feb 2023)
    • 22 Midsummer House, Midsummer Common, ☏ +44 870 1416395. Tu-Th 7PM-9:30PM; F Sa noon-2PM, 7PM-9:30PM. Midsummer Common. By far Cambridge's finest restaurant and one of only ten British restaurants to have earned two stars from the Michelin guide. £100+. 
    • 23 Cotto Restaurant, Gonville Hotel, Gonville Place CB1 1LY, ☏ +44 1223 302010. Tu-Sa 9AM-3PM and Th-Sa from 7PM.. The twice-Gold Medallist at the Chef's Olympics, Hans Schweitzer has amassed an impressive repertoire of culinary skills, including training as a Confiseur and Chocolatier in Switzerland and Paris. He is considered the best chef in Cambridge. A contemporary, restaurant, convenient if you are near Parker's Piece, Anglia Ruskin University or the Grafton Centre. 

    Drink

    [edit]

    Charming pubs and peculiar drinking traditions abound. Cambridge has a colossal number of pubs, over 110 at the last count. For specialist and obscure spirits and wines check out Bacchanalia, Vinopolis or any of the Cambridge Wine Merchants stores.

    • 1 The Cambridge Blue, 85 Gwydir Street. A friendly pub with a large garden and good range of real ale. 
    • 2 The Castle Inn, 38 Castle St,CB3 0AJ. One of the best and busiest, traditional pubs in Cambridge. With an eclectic mix of locals and visitors, it can get impossibly busy of Friday and Saturday nights, however, the beer is excellent (the wine less so) and the food is home cooked and good value - the "Castle Burger" is a popular choice. The Castle Inn (Q26405672) on Wikidata (updated Aug 2021)
    • 3 Champion Of The Thames, 68 King St, CB1 1LN, ☏ +44 1223 351 464. Old style pub in the centre of town with a blazing fireplace in the winter. One of the few pubs to sell a local cider rather than the mass-produced stuff. The Champion of the Thames (Q7722052) on Wikidata The Champion of the Thames on Wikipedia (updated Aug 2021)
    • 4 The Devonshire Arms, 1 Devonshire Rd, CB1 2BH (Mill Road end), ☏ +44 1223 318 610. Good selection of Milton Brewery beers. Good menu. Friendly, and handy for the station. (updated Aug 2021)
    • 5 The Eagle, 8 Bene't St, CB2 3QN, ☏ +44 1223 505 020. Franklin, Watson, and Crick were regulars here whilst in the process of unravelling the secrets of DNA. American airmen also burned their names into the roof of one of the bars during the Second World War. The Eagle (Q7731334) on Wikidata The Eagle, Cambridge on Wikipedia (updated Aug 2021)
    • 6 The Fort St George, Midsummer Common, ☏ +44 1223 354 327. Noon-11PM. Been there for hundreds of years, overlooks the Cam and Midsummer Common. Also one of the best places in town for a pub lunch! (Think Sunday roast.) Fort St George In England (Q5472087) on Wikidata Fort St George In England on Wikipedia (updated Aug 2021)
    • 7 The Free Press, 7 Prospect Row. Mobile phone use is not allowed, making this a pleasant quiet pub. Pub terrace. 
    • 8 The Granta, 14 Newnham Road. A large terrace looks out on the river and surrounding nature. Popular during the summer, this pub serves excellent food, and rents out punts and canoes. 
    • 9 The Kingston Arms, 33 Kingston St, Cambridge CB1 2NU, ☏ +44 1223 319414. Underrated old-fashioned free house with friendly atmosphere, open later than other Cambridge bars (2AM weekends, drinking-up time generally half an hour). 
    • 10 The Live and Let Live, Mawson Road. A small and very friendly place with an excellent selection of real ales. 
    • 11 The Maypole, 20A Portugal Place, CB5 8AF. A Cambridge institution, still independent and it's noticeable in its style and management. Smart pub, heated outdoor area. Enormous range of alcohol, perhaps slightly higher prices than the local average, but only slightly and it's worth it for the atmosphere. Late opening, last call's at 1 on weekends but boot-out's a good hour later. (updated Jan 2020)
    • 12 The Mill, Mill Lane. Cosy in the winter, bustling in the summer, this pub offers a refined selection of real ale. The Mill, Cambridge (Q26419121) on Wikidata (updated Aug 2021)
    • 13 Old Ticket Office, Cambridge Railway Station, CB1 2JWT (Just to the right as you come out of the railway station), ☏ +44 1223 859 017, . M-W noon-11PM, Th-Sa noon-midnight, Su 10AM-11PM. Friendly bar with outdoor seating just next to the station, mostly commuters. Very comfortable seats, live train times on screen. City Pub Co. bought and renovated the former ticket office in 2018 and it's been very successful, with a handful of regulars despite being on the outskirts of town. Wide range of craft beers (more than 30!) and gins (more than 20), wines and cocktails. Extensive hot food menu and takeaway pastries. Pint £4-9 (high abv). (updated Oct 2019)
    • 14 The Pickerel Inn, 30 Magdalene St, CB3 0AF, ☏ +44 1223 355 068. Noon-. Claims to be the oldest pub in Cambridge, Has live music. The Pickerel Inn (Q26394918) on Wikidata (updated Aug 2021)
    • 15 The Pint Shop, 10 Peas Hill, Cambridge, CB2 3PN, ☏ +44 1223 352293. M–W noon-11PM, Th F noon-midnight, Sa 11AM-midnight, Su 11AM-11PM. Known for their selection of craft beer on tap. (updated Aug 2019)
    • 16 The Regal, St Andrews Street. Formerly a cinema, the Regal is the largest pub in the city and according to some, Europe. Offers a broad range of drinks including cheap ales you´d expect from a Wetherspoon´s chain pub, plus music and a rowdy dance floor in the evenings. 
    • 17 The Wrestlers, 337 Newmarket Road. A bit of a walk from the City Centre, but great real ales and some of the best Thai food in town. 

    Country pubs

    [edit]

    Grantchester is home to four pubs - 18 the Red Lion. (updated Aug 2021) and the Green Man are closest to the river bank, and the Rupert Brooke and Blue Ball are to the right (Cambridge direction) along the main street of the village.

    • 19 The Six Bells, 9 High Street, Fulbourn, CB21 5DH (No 1 Citibus to Fulbourn. Last stop.), ☏ +44 1223 880244, . 11:30AM-11PM. Typical British country pub. Grade II-listed building with thatched roof and large beer garden. Beer festival and musical events in the summer months. Bar food and restaurant. (updated Jan 2022)

    Clubs

    [edit]
    • 20 Vinyl (The Place), 22 Sidney Street. Affectionately known as 'Life' (its previous name) to students. 
    • 21 Lola Lo, 1 Guildhall chambers, Guildhall Place. Three separate areas over four floors. 

    Cafes

    [edit]
    • 22 Indigo Coffee House, 8 St. Edward's Passage (central). A tiny cheerful place with excellent coffee and bagels! 
    • Savinos, Emmanuel Street. Italian coffee bar. The best place in town where you can relax drinking a true and delicious Italian coffee or if you are hungry you can try a tasty Italian baguette with ingredients imported from Italy. While you are chilling out with your drink you can read Italian newspapers or listening to Italian music. 

    Café chains

    [edit]

    You'll also find all the usual coffee chains:

    • Caffè Nero (Five locations in the city centre). (updated Nov 2023)
      • 23 17 King's Parade, ☏ +44 1223 327 789. M-F 7AM-8PM, Sa-Su 7:30AM-8PM. (updated Nov 2023)
      • 24 11 Market Street, ☏ +44 1223 307 728. Daily 7AM-8PM. (updated Nov 2023)
      • 25 SU1, St. Andrews Street (Grand Arcade, next to John Lewis), ☏ +44 1223301406. M-F 6:30AM-8PM; Sa 7AM-8PM; Su 8AM-8PM. (updated Nov 2023)
      • 26 Station Road, ☏ +44 1223 355309. M-F 6:30AM-8PM; Sa-Su 7AM-8PM. (updated Nov 2023)
      • 27 22 Fitzroy Street, ☏ +44 1223 359656. M-F 7:30AM-6PM; Sa 7:30AM-6:30PM; Su 8:30AM-6PM. (updated Nov 2023)
    • Starbucks (Six locations). (updated Nov 2023)
      • (inside the Grand Arcade on the first floor), ☏ +44 1223304746. Daily 7:30AM-6PM. (updated Nov 2023)
      • 28 39 Fitzroy Street, ☏ +44 1223301357. Daily 7AM-7PM. (updated Nov 2023)
      • 29 38/40 Regent Street, ☏ +44 1223354941. Daily 7AM-8PM. (updated Nov 2023)
      • 30 Christs Lane, ☏ +44 1223305291. Daily 7AM-7:30PM. (updated Nov 2023)
      • 31 New Market Road, ☏ +44 1223313819. Daily 7AM-8PM. (updated Nov 2023)
      • 32 Brooks Rd, ☏ +44 122321401. M-Sa 7AM-6PM; Su 9AM-4PM. (updated Nov 2023)
    • Costa (inside the Grand Arcade on the ground floor). M-Sa 7:30AM-7PM; Su 8AM-6PM. (updated Nov 2023)
    • Pret à Manager (Two locations). (updated Nov 2023)
      • 33 Station Square. M-F 7AM-7PM; Sa 7:30AM-6PM; Su 8:30AM-6PM. (updated Nov 2023)
      • 34 22 Market Passage. M-Sa 7:30AM-7PM; Su 8AM-4:30PM. (updated Nov 2023)

    Sleep

    [edit]

    There is a range of options for accommodation in the city, although not so many for the budget traveller. In addition to guesthouses and hotels, there is a youth hostel and the option of staying in one of the rooms in a college. These rooms can be old with fantastic original features; they're a great base from which to explore the city. Outside of term, these will often be rooms which students have vacated for the holidays. Colleges can be contacted directly for information on accommodation in college, or they can be booked through UniversityRooms.

    Budget

    [edit]
    • 1 Cambridge Youth Hostel, 97 Tenison Road (just over 5 mins walk the railway station), ☏ +44 1223 354601, fax: +44 1223 312780, . Check-in: 3PM (luggage storage available), check-out: 10AM. 99 beds in this YHA hostel in a Victorian town house. Basic but functional. 15 minute walk from centre. Meals available. from £28.50 (under 18), from £30.00 (adult) for bed on shared room. Private room for one person from £50.00. (updated Sep 2024)

    Mid-range

    [edit]

    There are a number of guesthouses on Tenison Road, about 10 minute walk from the train station towards town.

    • 2 A&B Guesthouse, 124 Tenison Rd, ☏ +44 1223 315702. Nice clean, small rooms. Ensuite available. £70 double. 
    • 3 ibis Cambridge Central Station, 2 Station Square (facing Railway station with many bus services passing nearby.). Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Convenient hotel from this well known French chain. (updated Sep 2024)
    • 4 Duke House, 1 Victoria St CB1 1JP, ☏ +44 1223 314773. Five rooms in elegant little B&B. HRH Richard Duke of Gloucester stayed here 1967-69 when he studied architecture at Magdalen. No children 1-10 or dogs. B&B double £140. (updated Jul 2020)
    • 5 Holiday Inn Express Cambridge, 15-17 Norman Way (Coldhams Business Park), ☏ +44 871 902 1605. On outskirts of the town, standard rooms, reasonably good free breakfast. 
    • 6 Holiday Inn Cambridge, Lakeview, Bridge Rd, Impington (northern fringe of Cambridge, about three miles from the city centre), ☏ +44 871 942 9015. As well its accommodation, the hotel also has a restaurant and leisure facilities on-site. 
    • 7 Home from Home Guest House, 78-80 Milton Rd, ☏ +44 1223 323555. Good value, but quite a distance from the city centre. 
    • 8 Royal Cambridge Hotel, Trumpington Street, CB2 1PY (edge of the city centre), ☏ +44 1223 351631. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. One of the oldest hotels in Cambridge and was once part of the world famous Addenbrooke's Hospital. Not to be confused with the Royal Cambridge Hotel in London, for which at one point a fairly full entry appeared on this page. £45-80 pppn. 

    Splurge

    [edit]
    • 9 Gonville Hotel, Gonville Place CB1 1LY, ☏ +44 1223 366611, fax: +44 1223 315470, . Friendly hotel with spa and fine dining, overlooking Parker's Piece. B&B double £190. (updated Aug 2020)
    • 10 University Arms Hotel, Regent St CB2 1AD, ☏ +44 1223 606066. Grand old hotel overlooking Parker's Piece, part of Marriott franchise and made-over in Edwardian style. Great comfort and service. Assistance dogs only. B&B double £150. (updated Jul 2020)
    • 11 South Farm (10 mi (16 km) southwest of Cambridge), ☏ +44 1223 207581, fax: +44 1223 208771, . Fantastic B&B. 
    • 12 Hilton Cambridge City Centre (formerly the Crowne Plaza), 20 Downing Street, ☏ +44 1223 464491. Within walking distance from King's College. 
    • 13 The Varsity, Thompson's Lane, CB5 8AQ, ☏ +44 1223 306030. Luxury riverside spa hotel in the centre. It is famous for its rooftop bar and terrace. No dogs. B&B double £200. (updated Aug 2020)
    • 14 Cambridge Belfry (Formerly Hilton brand), Back Lane, Cambourne, CB23 6BW (near the A428 road), ☏ +44 1954 714 600, . Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Set next to a lake, the hotel is equipped with for functions and business meetings, pool, fitness and spa amenities. £90-180. DoubleTree by Hilton Cambridge Belfry (Q64152343) on Wikidata (updated Feb 2021)
    • 15 Quy Mill Hotel (Best Western), Church Rd, Stow-cum-Quy CB25 9AF (A14 junction 35, 5 mi (8.0 km) east of city), ☏ +44 1223 293383. Swish hotel and spa in a 19th C mill, good dining. No dogs. B&B double from £100. (updated Aug 2020)

    Stay safe

    [edit]

    Although Cambridge is one of the safer cities in the UK, you should use your common sense at night and be careful in badly-lit areas outside the city centre. As of 2019, pick-pockets are taking advantage of the throngs of tourists on King's Parade and the nearby shops; keep an eye on valuables. It is wise to be on your guard around Regent Street & St Andrew's Street after midnight with anti-social behaviour due to people leaving pubs and nightclubs.

    Bicycle theft is an ongoing problem. If you have a bike, keep it locked up to a solid object with a strong lock (preferably a D-lock), as cycle theft is big business. There are cycle parking places with cycle stands to lock you bike to, in several places around the city centre and at the railway station. "Secure" covered cycle parking with CCTV surveillance and cycle stands is available in the lower section of the Park Street car park and at the Grand Arcade cycle park.

    The city's police station is on Parkside which is next door to the city's fire station. The opening times of the enquiry office is every day 8AM-10PM and bank holidays 9AM-5PM. There are a couple of smaller stations in the nearby villages of Histon and Sawston. The opening time of the enquiry office is for Histon, Mondays; 4PM-8PM, Wednesdays to Fridays; 8AM - midday, with Tuesdays, weekends and bank holidays closed. For Sawston, it is Wednesdays to Friday; 1PM-5PM, Mondays, weekends and bank holidays closed. The non-emergency contact number is 101, calls are fixed rate of £0.15 on landlines and mobiles.

    The city's Accident and Emergency department (Casualty department) is located at Addenbrooke's Hospital on Hills Road, south of the city centre.

    Connect

    [edit]

    As of July 2022, Cambridge has 4G from all UK carriers, and you might get 5G with EE, O2 or Three. Wifi is widely available in public places.

    Cope

    [edit]

    Laundry

    [edit]
    • 1 Launderette, 12 Victoria Avenue. (updated Nov 2023)
    • 2 Monarch Launderette, 161 Mill Road. (updated Nov 2023)

    Gyms and swimming pools

    [edit]
    • 3 Kelsey Kerridge is the public sports centre on the south side of Parker's Piece. Entry is possible without membership. Next door is the large 4 Parkside public swimming pools.
    • In summer it's worth visiting the 5 Jesus Green Lido, Britain's longest outdoor pool, on Jesus Green, Chesterton Rd CB4 3BD - +44 1223 302579. As of 2021, the Lido is open all year round.

    All other gyms are private members only, including:

    Places of worship

    [edit]

    Go next

    [edit]

    Map of places with Wikivoyage articles nearby

    • Grantchester: Take a day trip to enjoy the countryside and have scones and tea at The Orchard. With a long history of famous patrons such as Rupert Brooke, Virginia Woolf, EM Forster and Bertrand Russell, taking tea in The Orchard is a well established tradition. This large garden planted with apple trees is perfect for lounging on a deck chair in the sun with a cup of tea and a scone for sustenance. Or head out by punt with a picnic hamper.
    • Great and Little Gransden Glimpse the real England! Take a bus (30 mins or so, bus no. 18, or 18A) from Drummer Street to the tiny ancient villages of Little and Great Gransden, which appear in the Magna Carta. Brimming with thatched cottage charm, horses and peaceful country walks, these villages offer escape into English village life. Pub food is available in both villages. Explore the ancient churchyards, the doll path in the meadow between them, and enjoy a leisurely hike around this tranquil village area. The Duncombe Arms in neighbouring Waresly serves excellent food, and offers BnB accommodation. Waresly is one- or two-hour walk from the riding stables at the bottom of Great Gransden. You could even join a horse trek. The undulating road offers wonderful views across farm land, and the ancient Waresly Wood, some of which is National Trust property. The 17th century open trestle post mill Windmill between The Gransden villages is unusually intact. It was last operational in 1912.
    • Ely: Market town, with impressive Cathedral towering above the Fens (Ely used to be an island): regular trains and buses (9, X9, 12), or about two hours by cycle via NCN 51 to NCN 11.
    • King's Lynn is well worth visiting for its wealth of architectural gems especially Nelson Street and Tuesday Market place. The explorer Vancouver came from here. Museums and churches and the largest brass in the country in St Mary's Church.
    • Newmarket: Market town (in Suffolk), with a famous horse-racing venue, and everything horsey related including the National Horseracing Museum. Tu-Su 11AM-4:30PM (22 March - 30 October). Hourly trains and regular buses (10, 11, 12), or about two hours by cycle on NCN 51.
    • Bury St Edmunds: Market town, with a brewery, cathedral and gardens. Hourly trains and regular buses (11)
    Routes through Cambridge
    A14 ←  N  S  → Duxford → London
    King's Lynn ← Ely ←  NE  SW  → Royston → Hertford
    Birmingham ← Kettering ←  W  E  → Newmarket → Felixstowe
    Bedford ← St Neots ←  W  E  → A14
    Huntingdon ← A14 ←  NW  SE  → Linton → Haverhill


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