Things to do in Cambridge

COLLEGES IN CAMBRIDGE

There are 31 colleges in Cambridge University, the majority of which are in the centre but with a small number scattered outside. The biggest Oxbridge College is Trinity College, which was founded by Henry VIII in 1546. It was the inspiration for the Chariots of Fire, the Oscar winning drama of two men who compete as runners in the 1924 Paris Olympics, portraying the individuals who competed to run around the courtyard in the quickest time.

Entry to the grounds in Trinity is only £3 and is so worth it to get a glimpse into the beautiful college without breaking the bank! We were with an ex Cambridge graduate so we had “VIP” access, which included a number of additional courtyards and the grand dining hall which reminded me of Hogwarts!

Trinity College also gives you access to the Wren Library which is free to enter. It was designed by Christopher Wren who also designed St Paul’s Cathedral, the Royal Navy College and the Royal Observatory. The library contains works from Issac Newton, Winnie the Pooh, AA Milne, Mary Queen of Scots and Chaucer Canterbury Tales. By the library is Neville’s court, named after  a master of the college who was responsible for a lot of the building work.

The most iconic (or at least the most photographed) college is Kings College in the centre of town which comes at a more expensive entrance price of £9. The grounds are beautiful and also contain the Kings Chapel, which was designed and initially built by Henry VI and finished by Henry VIII. It is also where the Christmas Eve choir sings every year.

PUNTING

One of the highlights of Cambridge is punting along the river on a guided or self guided tour. You get to see a number of colleges from the rear side and take in all the views winding through the river and under the bridges. Definitely bring along some prosecco or champagne to make your time even better!

After punting wander around the streets and river on foot and pop in and out of the boutique shops or go to the Grafton Centre or Lineyard Shopping Centre for more high street shopping.

MARKET SQUARE

There are various market stalls ranging from food and clothes to books and souvenirs which is definitely worth a little walk around.

On Sundays the market square hosts a local food, arts and crafts market selling products from talented artists, craftsmen, potters, sculptors and photographers.

Great St Mary’s Church

Entrance is free to visit the church right in the centre of town and for only £4 you can climb to the top for gorgeous views over Cambridge. You can see a number of colleges and Market Square looks awesome with the different coloured tops from the stands.

East London Girl: Read about the restaurants and pubs in Cambridge here: Pubs and Bars in Cambridge and Restaurants in Cambridge