Things to do in Cambridge

Cambridge is a pretty, historical city with easy access from London King’s Cross and London Liverpool Street. It’s also handily only 30 minutes from one I live in Bishop’s Stortford. The train station is around a 15/20 minute from the main centre, parking is expensive but park and rise is much more affordable.

City centre hotels are expensive (£200+ a night at the weekend) – we stayed at The Varsity Hotel using Tesco clubcard vouchers through Hotels Dot Com to make it cheaper. Our stay also included complimentary access to the on site spa facilities which was a bonus. There are plenty of things to do in Cambridge for a day or a weekend –  read on to discover some ideas!

Visit the colleges in Cambridge

Trinity College Cambridge

There are 31 colleges in Cambridge University, the majority of which are in the centre. 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.

Visiting this college has been limited since Covid but keep an eye on the website. You can visit “The Backs” – the college grounds by the River Cam free of charge. We were with an ex Cambridge graduate so we had “VIP” access, which included a number of additional courtyards. The grand dining hall 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. It is reopening to the public from 4 September 3034.

King’s College Cambridge

The most iconic (or at least the most photographed) college is Kings College in the centre of town with entrance fees starting from £12.50. 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 on the River Cam

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!

Scudamores is the leading Cambridge punting provider with prices starting from £34 for a 90 minute self boat hire and a 45 minute shared punting tour for  2 people starting from £58. It’s such a great way to see the beauty of Cambridge.

Market Square

There are various market stalls open every day from 10am to 4pm which are definitely worth a mooch around.  Expect local food, arts and crafts, photography, paintings and jewellery.

Great St Mary’s Church

Entrance is free to visit Great St Mary’s Church which is situated in the heart of Cambridge. For only £6 you can climb to the top (123 steps) for gorgeous 360 degree views over Cambridge. You can see a number of colleges and Market Square looks awesome with the different coloured tops from the stands.

There are so many great things to do in Cambridge. Of course if you like shopping, there are plenty of shops in the centre of Cambridge as well as the Grafton Centre which is a 15/20 minute walk. You can also read about recommended Bars in Cambridge and Restaurants in Cambridge  on my blog.