Cambridge

Understand

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 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.

Visit Cambridge tourist information.

Getting there

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

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

2 London City Airport (LCY IATA ) - Flights from major European cities. Use London DLR and other metro-style routes to London King's Cross, London Liverpool Street and London Liverpool Street stations to connect with National Rail routes to Cambridge. 3 London Heathrow Airport (LHR IATA ) - Flights from most major international airports, including in cities throughout Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. Direct National Express coaches to Cambridge - routes 727, 728 and 788. Rail routes includeː ELI to Farringdon then Thameslink to Cambridge; ELI to London Liverpool Street then Greater Anglia to Cambridge; or, PIC to King's Cross St Pancras then Great Northern/Thameslink to Cambridge. 4 London Gatwick Airport (LGW IATA ) - Flights from international airports throughout Europe and North America. Direct Thameslink trains connect Gatwick with Cambridge, which run at least twice per hour throughout the day. 5 London Luton Airport (LTN IATA ) - Flights from European and Middle Eastern destinations. Direct National Express coach route 788 to Cambridge. 6 Norwich International Airport (NWI IATA ) - Flights from a small number of "holiday" or domestic destinations. Norwich International Airport is approximately 66 mi (106 km) by road from Cambridge.

Getting around

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. Bus services are, in principle, quite frequent with the exceptions of Sundays and public holidays. However owing to the vagaries of staffing, shift changes and general disorganisation, buses may fail to appear regardless of what the timetable or “live” bus signs indicate. (“3 mins” merely indicates that the system believes a bus is at a stop 3 minutes distant - it may choose to wait, may go out of service entirely, or may be entirely nonexistent.) The Stagecoach app offers a live map showing the GPS location of any real coaches, and for time-sensitive trips or infrequent buses this is a more reliable way of checking if the vehicle you expect is going to arrive. 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.

Panther Taxis, ☏ +44 1223 715715. Camtax, ☏ +44 1223 313131. Camcab, ☏ +44 1223 704704. Hyfly Taxis, ☏ +44 1223 737300, support@hyflytaxis.co.uk. (updated Nov 2022) NLG Airport Transfers (NLG Trading), 1 Hadleigh Court, ☏ +44 7762052568, info@nlgtransfers.co.uk. 24 hours. £90. (updated Jul 2023)

See

Colleges

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. £15 adults, £12.50 children/students with ID. 50p extra for weekend visits, £1 less for booking online in advance (recommended; King's gets extremely busy on weekends and ticket numbers are limited). (updated Nov 2024)

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. 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. (updated Aug 2015) 4 St John's 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". Adult £15, students and children £8. (updated Sep 2019) 5 Jesus College. Attractive grounds and sculptures scattered throughout. 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. 7 Clare College. The 2nd oldest college with pretty gardens, courtyard and the oldest river bridge in Cambridge. 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!) 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. 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. 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. 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. (updated Feb 2017) 13 Newnham College, ☏ +44 1223 335700. Variable hours: see website. Newnham sits a little away from the central colleges and consequently, gets far fewer visitors. The grounds, however, are beautiful, peaceful and simply huge. Walking on the grass is permitted, unusual for Cambridge colleges. Free. (updated Nov 2024)

Do

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 per person on the day. Save by booking online; tour companies are many and easily googled. 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 (pranksters have been known to push unattended punts out into the river.)

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 were promoted in 2026 and now play soccer in League One, the third tier. Their home ground Abbey Stadium (capacity 8000) is two miles east of city centre. (updated May 2026) Cambridge RUFC were relegated in 2026 and now play rugby union in National League 1, the third tier. The home ground is Grantchester Road, capacity 1250. Cambridge University RUFC plays an annual Varsity Match against Oxford but doesn't play in a regular league.

Play tennis for free (except at Jesus Green and Christ's Pieces, which are £2 or £5 per 45-minute slot, depending on time) at a city-council tennis court – book and 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 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, info@letsgopunting.co.uk. 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, info@traditionalpuntingcompany.com. 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)

Shopping

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) 12 Cambridge Gin Laboratory, 10 Green St, Cambridge CB2 3JU. M-Th 10AM-6PM, F Sa 10AM-7PM, Su 11AM-5PM. Shopfront of the Cambridge gin distillery offering a range of their own gins, tasting sessions and mixology classes. Offerings include an ant-infused gin (really) (updated Nov 2024)

Eat

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

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

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)

Drink

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, 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. (updated Aug 2021) 3 Champion Of The Thames, 68 King St, CB1 1LN, ☏ +44 1223 351464. 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. (updated Aug 2021) 4 The Devonshire Arms, 1 Devonshire Rd, CB1 2BH (Mill Road end), ☏ +44 1223 318610. 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 505020. 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. (updated Aug 2021) 6 The Fort St George, Midsummer Common, ☏ +44 1223 354327. 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.) (updated Aug 2021) 7 The Free Press, 7 Prospect Row. Small, traditional and charming pub off a quiet street. Well-kept selection of real ales. Smoking terrace outside 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. (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 859017, info@oldticketoffice.com. 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 355068. Noon-. Claims to be the oldest pub in Cambridge, Has live music. (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. Offers a broad range of drinks including cheap ales you'd expect from a Wetherspoon chain pub, plus music and a rowdy dance floor on Friday and Saturday nights 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

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.

Sleep

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

1 Cambridge Youth Hostel, 97 Tenison Road (just over 5 mins walk the railway station), ☏ +44 1223 354601, fax: +44 1223 312780, cambridge@yha.org.uk. 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) 2 Travelodge Cambridge Central, Clifton Way, Cambridge, CB1 7DY, United Kingdom, ☏ +44 871 984 6101 (premium rate). Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Budget hotel chain, all basic amenities present, renovated rooms. Near Cambridge railway station and the Botanical Gardens. Double room £40-70. (updated Apr 2025) 3 Travelodge Cambridge Newmarket Road, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB5 8HF, United Kingdom, ☏ +44 871 559 1861 (premium rate). Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Budget hotel chain, all basic amenities present, renovated rooms. Usually a bit cheaper than the Travelodge at Cambridge Central, even though they are roughly as far from the city centre. Lots of big supermarkets nearby for cheap breakfast, in addition to the Grafton Centre for shopping. Close to the Centre for Computing History and Cambridge Museum of Technology. Double room £30-80 depending on availability. (updated Apr 2025)

Mid-range

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

Stay safe

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.

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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 min 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)

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