Cambridge – Culture, the River Cam and Unique City Discoveries

Cambridge combines the atmosphere of historic college grounds with art, archaeology and unique experiences on the River Cam. Those planning a trip around a range of interests can choose between walks, museums, a guided city tour, cycling tours and punting. When looking for a holiday apartment, it is therefore worth considering first which of these experiences should be the focus of your stay.

The Backs and the River Cam

One of the city’s defining landscapes is The Backs. The historic park is designated Grade 1 and runs behind the colleges along the western bank of the River Cam. This gives Cambridge a place where the distinctive connection between parkland, river and college architecture can be explored. Punting on the River Cam is possible in Cambridge; there are six licensed punting stations in total. For families, this can be an interesting addition to a classic tour, while other travellers may prefer to discover the city on foot or by bicycle.

Chapel, Roman History and Museums

King’s College Chapel is the oldest surviving building on the college grounds. Services in the chapel are free and open to visitors. Those interested in the area’s earlier history can find the site of the Roman town of Duroliponte on Castle Hill.

The museums also offer different ways to experience Cambridge. The Kettle’s Yard collection includes modern art, including paintings, drawings, sculptures and ceramics. Kettle’s Yard can be reached on foot from central Cambridge in a short time. The Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, by contrast, explores human history over hundreds of thousands of years. Depending on your interests, you can therefore focus on art or on the long development of human cultures.

Experience Cambridge at Your Own Pace

A guided walking tour presents Cambridge from the perspective of exploring the city together on foot. If you would like to make your stay more active, you can explore Cambridge and the surrounding area by bicycle via an excellent network of cycle paths in and around the city. The different formats help with planning your days: a museum visit can be followed by a guided tour, while a day involving cycling and the River Cam will have a different rhythm. For families with different ages and interests, this choice is helpful, without every trip having to follow the same itinerary.

Choosing Accommodation to Match Your Travel Plans

A holiday apartment in Cambridge can serve as a base for a cultural stay, an active day by the river or a mixture of both. If The Backs, King’s College Chapel and the museums are your priorities, plan your days around these cultural destinations. Those who mainly want to combine punting, cycling and walks can arrange their activities according to their preferred pace. Cambridge railway station and the Fitzwilliam Museum are about a 20-minute walk apart; this information can be useful for finding your way around the city.

Explore More Destinations

If you would like to compare other places in addition to Cambridge, here is a compact selection: Fulbourn, St Ives, Little Stukeley, Stapleford, Fen Drayton, Melbourn, Water Newton and Yaxley.

Back to the main travel overview: Cambridgeshire.