Cambridge (England)

By plane

STN) is 30 mi away and has regular bus and rail services into Cambridge. Direct rail services leave every hour (to Birmingham New Street) and take about 35 min with a return fare £16.00. For more frequent services take the Stansted Express to London from platform 1 and change at Bishops's Stortford or Stansted Mountfitchet, taking about 50 min. Rail services may be unavailable if your flight arrives Stansted very late or departs very early in the day, and while the airport likes to advertise hourly services, there are some strange gaps in the timetable so check the boards before you buy a ticket, and go to the bus terminal if there is nothing sensible on offer. National Express coaches run between Cambridge and Stansted (including late at night), taking about 50 minutes with prices from £12. Abacus Airport Cars Cambridge rides there from £47 one way.
Luton Airport (LTN) is best reached by National Express Coach, taking about 1 hr 40 minutes with prices from around £26, but these run only every 2 hours or so.
London Stansted and London Luton airports offer many of the cheapest international flights to be found in Europe, with many of the big low-cost European airlines such as Easyjet, Ryanair, Jet2 and TUIfly having a hub at one of these two airports.
London Gatwick Airport (LGW) now has an hourly direct Thameslink rail service to Cambridge and takes around 1 hr 55 minutes with a £35.50 single fare. Alternatively two further services an hour require a change between London St Pancras and the adjacent London King's Cross. Gatwick is the least convenient London airport by car, being on the opposite side of London, necessitates a tour of the M25 London ring road and takes around 3 hr. Abacus Airport Cars Cambridge rides there from £100 one way. There is a National Express bus service available, again around 3 hr (and that M25 again).
London Heathrow Airport (LHR) is 90-120 min away by car, depending on traffic.
National Express coaches to and from Heathrow central bus station take around 2½ hr with prices from £36 (Sep 2019).
By rail there are two options, both of which should take approximately 2 hours:

• Take the Heathrow Express from Heathrow Railstation at Terminals 2 & 3 (there is no additional charge for transfer between Terminals 4 & 5 to Terminals 2 & 3) to London Paddington (PAD), this service departs approximately every 15 minutes. From London Paddington take the tube (Hammersmith and City line or Circle line) to London Kings Cross (LGX) and then take a train to Cambridge (CBG). The total cost when booking over 3 months in advance should be less than £20 one way and £30 return. If buying tickets for the Heathrow Express on board or at the airport, expect to pay £35 single and £55 return. This method of travel reduces the time spent on the tube to less than 15 minutes, which is advisable at peak tube times (7AM-9AM, 4PM-6PM).
• Take the tube (Piccadilly line) from London Heathrow underground Terminals 2,3,4 or 5 to London Kings Cross (LGX) or (change at Holborn for Central line) to London Liverpool Street (LST). From there take a train to Cambridge (CBG). Fares from Kings Cross £25.10 single and £38.70 off-peak return; from Liverpool street £18.90 off-peak single and £27.50 off-peak return. The off-peak tube fare between Heathrow and central London is £3.10 with contactless This method of travel is the cheapest method by rail but involves approximately 1 hr of tube travel, which is not advisable at peak tube times (7AM-9AM, 4PM-6PM).

Abacus Airport Cars to Cambridge cost £85.00 one way.
London City Airport (LCY) is best reached by train to King's Cross or Liverpool Street as Heathrow, then Underground and Docklands Light Railway across London (tube/DLR fare £2.80 off-peak single with contactless). Abacus Airport Cars Cambridge rides there from £77 one way.
Cambridge has its own airport - Cambridge International Airport (CBG) - on the eastern outskirts of the city; it is 10 minutes from the historic centre. However it no longer has any scheduled flights.

By train

Wikivoyage has a guide to Rail travel in the United Kingdom.
Regular trains run from London (King's Cross and Liverpool Street) to Cambridge. The fastest "Cambridge Cruiser" services to and from King's Cross run non-stop and take under 50 min, generally departing at :15 and :45 minutes after the hour. "Semi-fast" services stop at a few intermediate stations and take about 65 min, slower stopping trains may take up to 90 min. Try to avoid taking a train with more than 8 stops between Cambridge and London King's Cross to avoid the slowest trains. Trains to and from London Liverpool Street all take about 75 min. If buying super off-peak tickets, these are the cheapest available, at £13 day return. Direct trains from Stansted airport to Cambridge take 35 min (catch trains from Stansted going in the direction of Birmingham). Because Cambridge is one of the main junctions of the East Anglia railway network, trains also run to and from Ipswich, Norwich, Peterborough and Birmingham. See National Rail for timetable and fare information.
You can buy an overnight Rail and Sail ticket from Cambridge to anywhere in the Netherlands for around £80, using the Harwich-Hook of Holland ferry route. Ensure that you choose the correct ticket, but you can find deals that cover the ferry (including a room and bed) and travel between Cambridge to any station in the Netherlands. Departures from Cambridge are at about 7PM; going the other way, you arrive a bit before 10AM. (There are daytime ferries too, but the train timetables mean you can make no train connection.)
Cambridge railway station is about 1.2 mi south of the city centre; there are regular buses to town and a taxi rank outside the station. The station has a staffed travel centre, self-service ticket machines (many take only European smartchip cards and do not accept cash) and automatic ticket barriers (you need your ticket to get both in and out of the station). Pay attention buying tickets as there is often a queue at the machines and none at the ticket windows. There are also ATMs, several cafes and a bookstore, on the platform accessible only to ticket holders, and a mini-supermarket in the station foyer. The station is very long, with several trains parked end-to-end on the main platform, so you may need to walk a long way between trains if you have a tight connection.
is located in the north-east of the city and served by trains to and from London, Kings Lynn and Norwich. This station is convenient for the Cambridge Science Park, but there are few tourist sights in this part of the city.

By cycle

Ardfern

Cambridge is very accessible by cycle, and the local government encourages sustainable travel (such as walking and cycling). National Cycle Network routes 11 and 51 both pass through the city, and Cambridge is also served with a comprehensive local cycle network. Within the city, cycling is a common means of getting around. Cycles can be rented from a number of outlets, including Station Cycles (located just north of the railway station), Station Cycles' central branch (located on floor -1 of the Grand Arcade shopping centre) and from City Cycle Hire (on the western edge of the city centre, in the suburb of Newnham).
Some quick notes on cycling etiquette: cycling on the pavement (sidewalk) is not generally permitted unless there is a specifically signed shared-use cycle lane; cycling on the road is always allowed, even if a shared-use lane exists (but you may find this annoys car drivers). One-way streets apply to cycles unless there is a cycle lane for travelling in the opposite direction. Respect red traffic lights and always use cycle lights in the dark. If you are caught without lights, you are liable to an on-the-spot fine of £30. Obey the rules even if many others break them.

By car

Parking can be difficult in central Cambridge (the best parking, if you're prepared to pay, is in the Grand Arcade in the centre of town) and the one way street system is extremely confusing. The Council recommends the use of the "Park and Ride" scheme (£1 for parking and a £2.70 return bus fare).

• Cambridge is connected to London primarily by the M11 or the A10.
• From the north, come off the A1 onto the A14.
• From West and North West London and Hertfordshire, the A1(M) and A505 via Letchworth and Hitchin is a fairly fast alternative route that avoids the M25 (especially during peak traffic).
• The A421/A428 is also worth considering if driving from Milton Keynes and Bedford.

By bus

National Express provides bus links to major cities around the country, including direct services to London Victoria and Birmingham, as well as frequent airport coaches to Luton, Stansted, Heathrow, and Gatwick. National Express coaches depart from Parkside, next to Parker's Piece park, about half a mile from the City Centre. Many services also stop at the Trumpington and Madingley Road Park and Ride sites.
The bus station for shorter-distance buses is on Drummer Street, conveniently located for all the main sights. Stagecoach operate routes from Cambridge to Bedford, Ely, Peterborough (via a connection at Chatteris), Newmarket, Saffron Walden, Bury St Edmunds and Oxford.
Several different bus and coach companies (notably Stagecoach and Whippet Coaches) operate services within Cambridge and the surrounding area, and therefore tickets for one company may not be valid on buses routes operated by other companies. The service is notoriously irregular, and it is best to leave around half as much time again for a journey as the buses are often delayed/cancelled/slow, and if an urgent connection is to be made they are best avoided, especially the "citi" branded buses: walk or take a taxi.

• Panther Taxis

  phone: +44 1223 715715

• Camtax

  phone: +44 1223 313131

• Camcab

  phone: +44 1223 704704

Colleges

Dmitry Tonkonog

• King's College and King's College Chapel

  phone: +44 1223 331212
  address: King's Parade
  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.

Traveler100

• Queens' College

  phone: +44 1223 335511
  address: Silver Street/Queens' Lane
  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. £3 (includes printed guide). Free mid-October to mid-March.

• Trinity CollegeLarge 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. £2

• St Johns CollegeFormerly 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".

• Jesus CollegeAttractive grounds and sculptures scattered throughout.

• Pembroke CollegeThe 3rd oldest college in Cambridge, founded in 1347 by the Countess of Pembroke, Marie de St Paul, is well known for its beautiful gardens.

• Clare CollegeThe 2nd oldest college with pretty gardens, courtyard and the oldest river bridge in Cambridge.

• PeterhouseThe 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!)

• Saint Catharine's CollegeSt 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.

• Homerton CollegeHomerton 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.

• Corpus Christi College

  address: 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.

• Selwyn College

  address: 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.

Parks and gardens

• The BacksThe 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").

• Botanic Garden of Cambridge University

  phone: +44 1223 336265
  address: Bateman St CB2 1JF
  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. Adult admission £6.00, children and Cambridge University students free.

• Jesus GreenJesus 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.

• Parker's PieceOne 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.

• Christ's PiecesIn 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.

• Coe FenA 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

• The Fitzwilliam Museum

  phone: +44 1223 332900
  address: Trumpington St, CB2 1RB
  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.

• Kettle's Yard

  phone: +44 1223 352124
  address: Castle Street
  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 this 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. Admission free.

• The Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences

  phone: +44 1223 333456
  address: Downing Street
  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.

• The University Museum of Zoology

  phone: +44 1223 336650
  address: The New Museum Site, Downing Street
  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.

• The Whipple Museum of the History of Science

  phone: +44 1223 330906
  Department of History and Philosophy of Science, Free School Lane, just off Pembroke Street. Visitors are advised to check beforehand by contacting the museum. 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.

• Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology

  phone: +44 1223 333516
  address: Downing Street
  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.

• Museum of Classical Archaeology

  phone: +44 1223 330402
  address: Sidgwick Avenue
  Admission is free. 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.

• The Museum of Cambridge

  address: Castle Street
  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.

• The Polar Museum

  address: Lensfield Road
  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.

• The University Library

  address: West Road
  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.

• Museum of Technology

  address: Cheddars Lane
  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.

• The Centre for Computing History

  phone: +44 1223 214446
  address: Rene Court, Coldham's Rd, CB1 3EW
  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 hireable venue for "Gaming Parties".

Churches

• The Round Church

  phone: +44 1223 311602
  address: Bridge Street, CB2 1UB
  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.

• Great St Mary's

  phone: +44 1223 747273
  address: Senate House Hill, CB2 3PQ
  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 £2.50) for spectacular views over the town.

• St. Benet's

  phone: +44 1223 351927
  address: Bene’t Street, CB2 3PT
  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.

• All Saints, Jesus Lane

  phone: +44 1223 324442
  address: Jesus Lane, CB5 8BP
  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.

• St. Andrew's, Chesterton

  phone: +44 1223 306150
  address: Church Street, CB4 1DT
  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 afield

Stevekeiretsu

• World War II Cambridge American Cemetery and MemorialThe cemetery is on land donated by Cambridge University and is the final resting place for 3,812 American military dead lost during the War in the Atlantic and Northern Europe. A monument is inscribed with the names of 5,126 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.

• Imperial War Museum Duxford

  address: CB22 4QR
  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 attached that has many examples of armoured vehicles from the First World War onwards. It really a full day for a proper visit. Bus Citi 7 takes about an hour to get there from the city centre or the bus station. Make sure that you board the Citi 7 bus that says Duxford as the Citi 7 bus also goes to two other places. Also note the time of the last bus to leave the museum as later buses go to the village of Duxford but not out to the museum. Flight shows are sometimes held; these days will be very busy.

• Denny Abbey and Farmland Museum

  phone: +44 1223 860489
  address: Ely Road, Waterbeach, CB25 9PQ

• Anglesey Abbey, Gardens and Lode Mill

  phone: +44 1223 810080
  address: Quy Road, Lode, CB25 9EJ

• Wimpole Hall & Home Farm

  phone: +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.

• Wicken Fen

  address: Lode Lane, Wicken, Ely, CB7 5XP
  Wetland nature reserve; rare example of how the Fens all used to be before they were drained.

William M. Connolley

• Walk along 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.
• 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 (Rutherford's Punting Cambridge, Let's Go & Traditional Punting Website and Cambridge Chauffeur Punts. If you're up for more of an adventure, try it out for yourself on a self-hire boat Scudamore's Punting Company or Trinity College Hire. Pay per hour per punt for a quick trip along the College Backs, if you want longer it's cheaper to hire a punt for the day from Scudamore's for £120 - well worth it in summer when you head out towards Grantchester. A deposit (e.g. a credit card) is required. In fact if you turn up in the summer you'll find it hard not to go punting as touts assail you from all sides on the Quayside and Mill Pond streets. Punting to Grantchester (upriver) takes about an hour and a half for an experienced punter, and the complete journey would be difficult 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.)
• 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)
• MP3 walking tour of Cambridge £5 for two downloadable 60-minute walks from Tourist Tracks or for hire for £7 from the Tourist Information Centre
• Watch football ie soccer at

  Cambridge UnitedThey play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. Their home ground is the Abbey Stadium on Newmarket Road.

Nilfanion, created using Ordnance Survey data, derivative work by Maxxl2, OpenStreetMap and cmglee

• Play tennis for free at a city-council tennis court. No need to book – just bring racquets and balls.

Arts

• Cambridge Corn ExchangeThe city's centre for arts and entertainment.

• ADC TheatrePark 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.

• The JunctionClifton Road. Artistic centre offering club nights, gigs, and new theatre, comedy, and dance. Ticket prices vary depending on the show/gig.

• Arts Picture House

  address: 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.

• Arts Theatre

  address: 6 St Edward's Passage
  St. Edward's Passage Hosts a varied mix of professional drama, dance and opera including touring productions and an annual pantomime.

• The Orchard

  phone: +44 1223 845788
  address: 45-47 Mill Way, Grantchester
  The target of many a punt journey up the river Cam from Cambridge, the Orchard is a famous tea rooms with a long list of famous patrons that include Rupert Brooke, Virginia Woolf, E.M. Forster and Bertrand Russell. Taking tea in The Orchard is a well-established Cambridge tradition. Planted with apple trees, the large garden of The Orchard is perfect for lounging on a deck chair in the sun with a cup of tea and a scone for sustenance. Long queues can be expected on sunny days, but there is always room to be found in the garden. Immortalised by the poet Rupert Brooke in his 1912 poem The Old Vicarage, Grantchester, Grantchester is a favourite amongst both tourists and students travelling upstream from Cambridge by punt to eat a picnic in the meadows or at the tea gardens called The Orchard. The story goes that in 1897 a group of Cambridge students persuaded the owner of Orchard House to serve them tea, and this subsequently became a regular practice. Later lodgers at Orchard House included the poet Rupert Brooke, who later moved next door to the Old Vicarage (built c. 1685). In 1912, while in Berlin, he would write his well-known poem The Old Vicarage, Grantchester, in which Brooke recalled happy days in the idyllic English surroundings of Cambridgeshire. (The Old Vicarage is now the home of the novelist Lord Jeffrey Archer of Weston-super-Mare.)

Events

• Cambridge Summer Music FestivalPerhaps 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.

• Strawberry FairOn Midsummer Common in early June.

• Cambridge Film Festival(July)

• Cambridge Folk Festival

  address: Cherry Hinton Hall Park
  (late July)

• Cambridge Shakespeare Festival(July–August) Every summer, six Shakespeare plays staged outdoors in gardens of various colleges

• Cambridge Science Festival(March) Two weeks of (mostly) free events for all ages.

• Festival of Ideas(October–November) A festival of free events celebrating the arts, humanities and social sciences.

• Cambridge Literary FestivalTwice yearly literary festival with talks, readings and events featuring local and national literary figures.

• Mill Road Winter FairAnnual community festival based around the city's Mill Road featuring music, parades, food and art organised by local residents.

• Cambridge Beer Festival

  address: Jesus Green
  (May) Annual beer festival on Jesus Green, hosted by Cambridge & District CAMRA.

• Cambridge University degree ceremonyWatch the processions and traditions before and after a graduation ceremony from outside the Senate House lawn or the Great St Mary's tower.

• Cambridge University public lectures and seminars
• Cambridge Video & Audio
• Trinity Public Lecture Series
• Darwin College lecture series
• Madingley Hall Public Lecture Series

• Ryder & Amies

  phone: +44 1223 350371
  address: 22 King's Parade
  "The University Store" sells Cambridge University merchandise.

• John Lewis

  phone: +44 1223 361292
  address: 10 Downing Street
  Large department store.

• Primavera

  phone: +44 1223 357708
  address: 10 King's Parade
  High quality contemporary art & crafts.

• Cambridge Contemporary Art

  phone: +44 1223 324222
  address: 6 Trinity Street
  More art & crafts.

• Cambridge Cheese Company

  phone: +44 1223 328672
  address: 4 All Saints Passage
  Excellent selection of cheese and delicatessan counter.

• Cambridge University Press Bookshop

  phone: +44 1223 333333
  address: 1 Trinity Street
  Only sells CUP books, but it is the oldest bookshop site in the country - books have been sold there since at least 1581.

• Heffers

  phone: +44 1223 568568
  address: 20 Trinity Street
  Large bookshop, with academic sections

• Beehive Center

  address: on the A1134
  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.

Budget

• Michaelhouse Cafe

  address: Trinity St
  Beautiful cafe serving excellent sandwiches, salads, hot dishes, and soups. Desserts as well. Vegetarian options always available. Lunch served until 3PM.

• CB2 Internet Bistro

  address: 5-7 Norfolk Street

• Tatties

  address: 11 Sussex Street
  Busy cafe serving jacket potatoes and sandwiches. Very popular with students around lunch time.

• Savinos

  address: 3 Emmanuel Street
  Authentic Italian coffee bar. Best espresso and cappuccino in town.

Mid-range

• The Cambridge Chop House

  phone: +44 1223 359506
  address: 1 King's Parade, CB2 1SJ
  Good British cuisine in a great location, real ale (well kept!), attentive service, fixed lunch & (early) dinner menu from £11 (2 course), mains £10-20. Booking recommended.

• De Luca Cucina & Bar

  phone: +44 1223 356666
  address: 83 Regent St
  Great little Italian/British Fusion Restaurant with reasonable prices and great staff!

• Fitzbillies

  phone: +44 870 1413505
  address: 51 Trumpington Street
  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!

• Le Gros Franck

  phone: +44 1223 565560
  address: 57 Hills Road, CB2 1NT
  Le Gros Franck serves genuine French cuisine, cooked by an award-winning French chef Franck Parnin. By day, Le Gros Franck is a French patisserie, with fresh pastries, pastas and sandwiches. Specialties include our genuine French-style steak-frites, fish pies and stews. By night, Le Gros Franck is a romantic French restaurant serving the finest French food at your table from our menu. Only open Thursday, Friday and Saturday Evenings.

• Loch Fyne Fish Restaurant and Oyster Bar

  phone: +44 870 141 3579
  address: 37 Trumpington Street
  If you love seafood this place is for you!

• Restaurant 22

  phone: +44 1223 351880
  address: 22 Chesterton Road, CB4 3AX
  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.

• Sala Thong Thai Restaurant

  phone: +44 870 141 3666
  address: 35 Newnham Road
  This small place serves simple tasty thai food with good service.

• Luk Thai at the Cricketers

  phone: +44 1223 778871
  address: 18 Melbourne Place

• Thanh Binh

  phone: +44 1223 362456
  address: 17, Magdalene St, CB3 0AF
  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.

Splurge

• Cotto Restaurant

  phone: +44 1223 302010
  address: Gonville Hotel, Gonville Place CB1 1LY
  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.

• Midsummer House

  phone: +44 870 1416395
  Midsummer Common. By far Cambridge's finest restaurant and one of only ten British restaurants to have earned two stars from the Michelin guide.

Pubs

• The Cambridge Blue

  address: 85 Gwydir Street
  A friendly pub with a large garden and good range of real ale.

• The Castle Inn

  address: 38 Castle St
  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 Champion of the Thames

  address: 68 King Street
  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 Devonshire Arms

  address: Devonshire Road
  Good selection of Milton Brewery beers. Good menu. Friendly, and handy for the station.

• The Eagle

  address: 8 Benet Street
  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 Fort St George

  address: Midsummer Common
  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.)

• The Free Press

  address: 7 Prospect Row
  Mobile phone use is not allowed, making this a pleasant quiet pub. Pub terrace

• The Granta

  address: 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.

• The Kingston Arms

  phone: +44 1223 319414
  address: 33 Kingston St, Cambridge CB1 2NU
  Freehouse! (meaning, more independent than most pubs, and slightly cheaper beers). Underrated old-fashioned pub, friendly atmosphere, open later than other Cambridge bars (2am weekends, drinking-up time generally half an hour).

• The Live and Let Live

  address: Mawson Road
  A small and very friendly place with an excellent selection of real ales.

• The Mill

  address: Mill Lane
  Cosy in the winter, bustling in the summer, this pub offers a refined selection of real ale.

• Old Ticket Office

  phone: +44 1223 859 017
  address: Cambridge Railway Station, CB1 2JWT
  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 (30+!) and gins (20+), wines and cocktails. Extensive hot food menu and takeaway pastries. No wheelchair-accessible loos.

• The Pickerel Inn

  address: Magdelene Street
  Claims to be the oldest pub in Cambridge.

• The Pint Shop

  phone: +44 1223 352293
  address: 10 Peas Hill, Cambridge, CB2 3PN
  Known for their selection of craft beer on tap

• The Regal

  address: 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

• The Wrestlers

  address: 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

Clubs

• Ballare

  address: Lion Yard
  The biggest club in Cambridge, known to students as Cindy's. International night on Thursday, cheesey student nights on Tuesday and Wednesday during Cambridge term.

• Vinyl

  address: St Andrew's Street
  Affectionately known as 'Life' (its previous name) to students.

• Fez Club

  address: 15 Market Passage
  The only one of Cambridge's larger clubs to not change its name every couple of years. Main student night is Monday with 'Fat Poppdaddy's'.

• Lola Lo

  address: 1-6 Corn Exchange St
  Three separate areas over four floors.

Cafes

• Indigo Coffee House

  address: 8 St. Edward's Passage (central)
  A tiny cheerful place with excellent coffee and bagels!

• Savinos

  address: 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

• Café Nero's, in five central locations on King's Parade, Market Street, Grand Arcade (next to John Lewis), Station Square and Fitzroy Street
• Starbucks, inside the Grand Arcade on the first floor, Fitzroy Street and on Regent Street and on Christs Lane
• Costa, inside the Grand Arcade on the ground floor, Sidney Street, Regent Street and Mill Road
• Pret à Manager, on Petty Cury, Station Square and Market Passage.

Budget

• Cambridge Youth Hostel

  phone: +44 1223 354601
  address: 97 Tenison Road
  99 beds in this YHA hostel in a Victorian town house. Grubby but functional. 15 minute walk from centre.

Mid-range

• A&B Guesthouse

  phone: +44 1223 315702
  address: 124 Tenison Rd
  Nice clean, small rooms. Ensuite available.

• Chequer Cottage B&B

  phone: +44 1223 891522
  address: 43 Chequer Cottage, Streetly End, Cambridgeshire
  Luxury B&B, 4 Star Silver Award, King size en-suite room set in a beautiful country garden on the edge of the Roman Road. Price includes full English or continental breakfast and wifi.

• Brooklands Guest House

  phone: +44 1223 242035
  address: 95 Cherry Hinton Road
  Ten rooms. Simple B&B accommodation.

• Holiday Inn Express Cambridge

  phone: +44 871 902 1605
  address: 15-17 Norman Way
  On outskirts of the town, standard rooms, reasonably good free breakfast.

• Holiday Inn Cambridge

  phone: +44 871 942 9015
  address: Lakeview, Bridge Road., Impington
  As well its accommodation, the hotel also has a restaurant and leisure facilities on-site.

• Home from Home Guest House

  phone: +44 1223 323555
  address: 78-80 Milton Rd
  Good value, but quite a distance from the city centre.

• Signet Apartments

  phone: +44 1223 709409
  A range of beautifully-designed serviced apartments close to the centre of Cambridge. Each apartment includes free Wi-Fi, welcome pack and private parking.

• Royal Cambridge Hotel

  phone: +44 1223 351631
  address: Trumpington Street, CB2 1PY
  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.

• Citystay Limited

  phone: +44 1223 420920
  address: 2 Nuffield Close
  Citystay Serviced Apartments offer over 50 apartments. Free Wi-Fi, and parking included. Offering stays from 2 nights onwards, the apartments are fully equipped.

Splurge

• Doubletree by Hilton Cambridge Garden House

  phone: +44 1223 259988
  address: Granta Place, Mill Lane
  Business hotel with indoor swimming pool overlooking the river.

• Best Western Gonville Hotel

  phone: +44 1223 366611
  address: Gonville Place
  Overlooks Parker's Piece.

• Cambridge Lodge Hotel

  phone: +44 1223 352833
  address: 139 Huntingdon Road
  Small hotel with a nice garden.

• De Vere University Arms Hotel

  phone: +44 1223 351241
  address: Regent St
  Grand old hotel overlooking a park.

• South Farm

  phone: +44 1223 207581
  Fantastic B&B.

• Hilton Cambridge City Centre

  phone: +44 1223 464491
  address: 20 Downing Street
  Within walking distance from King's College.

• The Varsity

  phone: +44 1223 306030
  address: Thompson's Lane, CB5 8AQ
  Luxury riverside spa hotel in the centre. It is famous for its rooftop bar and terrace.

By telephone

By internet

Cmglee

• Jaffa Net Cafe

  address: 22 Mill Road
  High quality internet access with a fast internet connection. Pleasant, comfortable seating available as well as fresh sandwiches, baguettes and a selection of cakes are also available.
• The library at Anglia Ruskin University on East Rd. will provide a ticket for its wifi service on request. Ask at the library desk.

Laundry

• Launderette, 12 Victoria Avenue
• Monarch Launderette, 161 Mill Road
• Shaw Service Laundry, 423 Newmarket Road

Gyms

• 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 Parkside public swimming pools.
• In summer it's worth visiting Jesus Green Outdoor Swimming Pool, Britain's longest outdoor pool, on Jesus Green, Chesterton Rd CB4 3BD - +44 1223 302579

• The Glassworks Gym & Spa, Halfmoon Yard/Quayside - +44 1223 305060.
• Nuffield Health Fitness and Wellbeing, 213 Cromwell Rd, CB1 3BA - +44 1223 859289.
• David Lloyd Gym, Coldham's Business Park, Coldham's Lane, CB1 3LH - +44 1223 401200
• Chesterton Sports Centre, Gilbert Road CB4 3NY - +44 1223 576110
• Revolution Health & Fitness Club, 24 Science Park, CB4 OFN - +44 1223 395675
• Hills Road Sports & Tennis Centre, Purbeck Road, CB2 2PF - +44 1223 500009

Places of worship

• Anglican many churches, including college chapels and Great St Mary's next to the market square.
• Lutheran Resurrection Lutheran Church, 25 Westfield Ln, CB4 3QS
• Baptist Eden Baptist Church, 1 Fitzroy Street, CB1 1ER - +44 1223 361250
• Roman Catholic Our Lady & The English Martyrs, Hills Rd, +44 1223 350787
• Muslim Abu Bakr Mosque, Mawson Road CB1 2DZ, off Mill Road. +44 1223 350134
• Jewish Synagogue, Thompson's Lane, +44 1223 354783
• Buddhist Cambridge Buddhist Centre, 38 Newmarket Road, CB5 8DT - +44 1223 577553
• Hindu Bharat Bhavan, Mill Road, CB1 2AZ.

• 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)

Mauls