Cambridge is a city in eastern England, located on the River Cams. Famous for the prestigious and historic University of Cambridge, the city is a hub of culture, history, and architecture.
Tourists can enjoy exploring the different colleges, museums, local shops and, of course, the many beautiful libraries.
Here’s a list of the best places to visit during your trip…
The University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is synonymous with the city itself, and for good reason. Boasting a history that stretches back to its founding in 1209, it is the second oldest surviving and thriving university in the UK, second only to Oxford, hence the rivalry.
The University is made up of 31 separate colleges, and since there are so many of them the city has essentially become one big campus. The colleges display some of the oldest and finest architecture to be seen, and each has its own personality, so whichever you visit you’ll be getting a unique flavour of Cambridge.
The River Cams
The picturesque River Cams is one of Cambridge’s most lovely features. It is lined by beautiful weeping willow trees and passes under a number of small but architecturally significant bridges.
If you visit in summer, you can also take a short, scenic and very relaxing journey on one of the punt boats along the river. This will give you the best views, and you don’t have to do any walking.
The Bridge of Sighs
Speaking of bridges, one of the best known in Cambridge is the Bridge of Sighs, which takes its name from the famous Venetian bridge ‘Ponte dei Sospiri’.
The bridge was built in 1831 by architect Henry Hutchinson, and crosses the Cams River at St John’s College. This beautifully designed structure is a must see for tourists, as are the vast college grounds and courtyards found on either side.
Parker’s Piece
This square grass field is a popular spot for all kinds of sports and recreational activities. Here in the summer, you’ll find cricket matches, rounders games, and mini football matches.
It is also a designated area for local fairs and outdoor events, which are frequent during the good weather when the sun comes out.
Market Square
Market Square is an open-air market that is the go-to destination for everything from fresh food products to vinyl records.
Stalls include street food, clothes and jewelry, fresh fruits, fresh fish, fresh flowers, handmade crafts, second-hand bikes, and much more.
You can spend quite a while looking through everything on display and searching to find that perfect souvenir.
Fitzwilliam Museum
The Fitzwilliam Museum is Cambridge University’s Arts and Antiquities museum. It has an extensive collection of artifacts from ancient Egypt, Rome, and Greece, as well as other fascinating exhibits displaying old English pottery and furniture and ceramics from Japan and more.
The museum building is an attraction in itself, first built in 1837 in the Neoclassical style. Easily recognizable for its impressive pillars surrounding the entrance, the Fitzwilliam Museum is absolutely worth a visit.
Cambridgeshire Wine School
This one is for all you wine lovers. The Cambridgeshire Wine School offers wine tasting, which you can book online, as well as private parties such as birthdays, hen nights or other social occasions.
During your visit, you’ll learn all about the different types of wines and the history of grape pressing in different regions and countries. You’ll be given a selection of wines to try, along with a delicious selection of cheeses to pair them with.
The Cambridge Gin Laboratory
This one’s for you gin lovers! The Cambridge Gin Distillery is about much more than just tasting different gins. You’ll learn all about the history of gin and see real-life examples of the distillation process. It’s quite amazing to see all these different gins being made right in front of your eyes.
After the ‘classroom’ part of the experience, you will have the actual tasting event of a variety of world-class gins. Afterward, if there was one gin that particularly stood out to you, you can purchase some to take back with you at the onsite shop.
Cambridge Science Centre
The Cambridge Science Centre is an independently run STEM (science, engineering, technology & maths) engagement centre that is devoted to inspiring young people to consider getting involved in one of the STEM fields and showing them that those sectors and subjects are available to everyone.
The centre has a variety of exhibitions and interactive activities, as well as frequently organised events. It is sure to spark scientific curiosity, and there is a real focus on nurturing the self-belief of young people so that they know they can choose and work towards any career they want.
The Botanic Gardens
The Botanic Gardens are part of the University of Cambridge and are open to visitors year-round. This heritage-listed Botanics Garden was originally created by Professor John Henslow, who was Charles Darwin’s teacher and mentor.
Spanning over 40 acres, this vast space is filled with over 8,000 species of plant life from all over the world. Some are housed within spacious glasshouses and others can be seen carefully planted within the beautifully landscaped grounds.
You’ll see just about every type of plant and garden here, as well as stunning water features and rolling lawns. This green oasis is a lovely place to visit and is sure to enchant any gardening enthusiast.
Kettle’s Yard
Located in a quiet part of Cambridge are Kettle’s Yard, an art gallery and a museum with a twist. Instead of a typical utilitarian building, or even a grand old building, Kettle’s Yard is a relatively small house that showcases some stunning pieces of art in the intimate setting of actual home.
Kettle’s Yard was the home of Jim Ede, who had been the curator at the Tate Gallery in London in the 1920s and 30s. Over the years, Ede gathered an impressive collection of beautiful artworks, and today visitors can look at the carefully chosen pieces on display.
Kettle House is not truly supposed to be either an art gallery or a museum, but instead simply a collection of beautiful pieces of art, both paintings and other works such as ceramics and sculptures, that reflects Ede’s taste.
Museum of Zoology
Another University museum worth a look is the Museum of Zoology. The museum was recently reopened in 2018, after a five-year program of redevelopment. Since the update, the museum now offers a wide range of exhibitions and activities.
The dinosaur section is especially popular with kids, and the whole family will enjoy spending a few hours exploring the different exhibits and learning about the taxidermy species and ancient skeletons on display.
Museum of Archeology and Anthropology
While you’re in museum mode, there is also the Museum of Archeology and Anthropology to explore. This museum is focused on human history and social development. Here you’ll find artifacts dating back through history, such as Stone Age tools and pots, ancient sculptures and paintings, as well as modern artworks that reflect recent changes and attitudes.
There are also displays that cover indigenous cultures around the world, as well as a lot of artifacts and objects that originated outside Europe, from every corner of the earth. This museum provides a truly fascinating look through human history and all of the different cultures that make up our world.
Milton Country Park
Milton Country Park is the ideal spot for any outdoor enthusiast. It has over two miles of paved paths for walkers and cyclists, as well as marked forest tracks for horse riding, designated picnic areas, and spots for fishing in the lakes.
Milton Park has a lot of activities to try, so if you’re tired of exploring inside the city, this is the perfect solution.
Cambridge Arts Theatre
Cambridge Arts Theatre is a small theatre that sits just over 600 people, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in quality. You’ll find there’s a varied program of drama, dance, opera, and pantomime available.
If you enjoy theatre, attending a performance would make a lovely addition to your trip, and at Cambridge Arts Theatre there are a lot of options to choose from.
Cambridge University Library
This one’s for all the bookworms and classic literature enthusiasts out there. The University Library is the main research library in Cambridge, and it holds a staggering amount of books, manuscripts, maps, and journals totaling over eight million resources!
There is also an increasing amount of electronic information available here, and the library welcomes users from all around the world. Tourists will especially enjoy the Milstein exhibition, which is an exhibition of rare books and other collections of interest that changes every six months, so there’s always something new to see.
Peterhouse College
Unless you’re spending at least a fortnight in Cambridge, it’s unlikely you’ll manage to fit in a visit to every single college, but you might want to squeeze in a look around Peterhouse. It is one of the smallest colleges with just 400 students, as well as the oldest in the entire University.
Founded in 1284 by Hugo de Balsham, Peterhouse College has an impressive list of alumni including James Clerk Maxwell, Henry Cavadish, and Lord Kelvin.
The grounds here are as beautiful as the buildings (you’ll also find two gorgeous libraries here!) and unlike some of the other colleges, Peterhouse is totally free to visit.
