Home to one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious universities, Cambridge is a small but perfectly formed city steeped in history. It is very much a university town, with the history and fortune of the city and those of the educational institution within it inextricably interlinked. On summer days, the sight of students punting on the river Cam or heading to a May Ball is a common one, and Cambridge’s nightlife and cultural scenes both benefit from the flow of young people and fresh ideas into the city.
With luminaries such as the likes of Sir Isaac Newton, John Milton, Lord Byron, Ludwig Wittgenstein and Bertrand Russell among their alumni, the colleges of splendid Cambridge University contain enough sightseeing opportunities for anyone. Most are open to visitors (apart from during exam periods) and embody a rich cornucopia of architectural styles dating back as far as the early 13th century.
Cambridge is a charming, historic and welcoming destination, with more than three and a half million visitors annually and a wealth of attractions. Book flights to Cambridge and you’ll experience a quintessential English city that looks to the future but embodies a strong sense of tradition.
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One of England’s driest cities, Cambridge is nonetheless subject to rain at all times of year although its relatively low elevation means that snow is less common than in other areas. July and August are typically the warmest months and January and February the coolest.
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Peak Season:
The first week of June, known as May Week, comes after exam time, when students are unwinding and university social life peaks, and the city is busiest from then until the end of summer, although the wider tourist season extends from April to September.
Off Season:
During May and early June, students are taking their exams and many colleges may be subject to restricted entry or will be closed to visitors altogether, which should be considered if you wish to tour the University of Cambridge. The winter months are the city’s quietest period for tourism, which is reflected in lower travel and accommodation prices and higher availability.
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Cambridge is a very compact city and ideal for pedestrians and cyclists (should you wish to hire a bike), with most of its major sites within easy walking distance of each other.
Sightseeing buses are also available, and the city’s relatively cheap public bus service allows access to the far reaches of town should you wish to go there. Hiring a car is neither necessary nor particularly practical here, as much of the town centre is pedestrianised and parking may be difficult.
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- Go punting on the river for a true taste of Cambridge. These elongated boats are propelled through the water via a long pole pushed against the riverbed and may be hired or, if you think they sound a bit tricky, taken on a guided tour. This is an excellent way to see The Backs, which is an area comprising the rear grounds of many famous colleges.
- The Bridge of Sighs, a covered bridge built in the 19th century that is part of the St John’s College campus, is named after its Venice counterpart and is an iconic attraction, said to have been Queen Victoria’s favourite part of the city.
- Market Square, in the city’s centre, hosts a daily open-air market offering all manner of goods and is a particularly excellent place to pick up much-sought second-hand books and music. It is said that there have been markets held here for at least the last 700 years.
- Cambridge Folk Festival (held in nearby Cherry Hinton) and Cambridge Film Festival (held in the city itself) both take place in July, and are very popular among residents as well as drawing visitors from far and wide.
- The Fitzwilliam Museum was founded almost 200 years ago as the university’s art and antiquities museum, and has departments focusing on antiquities; applied arts; coins and medals; manuscripts and printed books; and paintings, drawings and prints.
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