I’m not sure why it took me such a long time to visit Cambridge. Being born in Oxford, I always felt a strong allegiance to the western of the two infamous cities. As such, I never felt a pull to visit Cambridge, for uni open days or a weekend break, and you’d never find me cheering for them on boat race day.
Recently, however, I just couldn’t get the idea of visiting this city out of my head – partly due to @moniwicz beautiful Instagram page. As Rory’s birthday was coming up, I decided to whisk him away for a surprise weekend of exploring – our favourite thing to do with one another. Needless to say, we both fell a little bit in love. Here are our ingredients to the perfect trip to Cambridge.
1. Stay at the Tamburlaine Hotel
Cambridge has a wealth of lovely hotels but we stayed at The Tamburlaine, named after Corpus Christi alumnus Christopher Marlow’s play. Our stay here left us with plenty of interiors inspo for our future home with lots of marble, velvet sofas and bookcases. The beds are unbelievably comfortable, and left me raving about what a fantastic night’s sleep I’d had. Even if you don’t end up staying here, I’d highly recommend popping in for a cocktail or afternoon tea.
2. Brunch at The Old Bicycle Shop
As the name suggests, this eatery was once an old bicycle shop, the oldest in England in fact, and is decorated accordingly. Treat yourself to a deliciously thirst quenching lemonade or iced tea, and a spot of brunch. The menu includes a superb array of vegan options, including a delicious full English, as well as French toast, and sweet potato pancakes.
3. Go Punting on the River Cam
A trip to Cambridge isn’t complete without a punt along the river. We went with Scudamore’s and found their tour guides very knowledgeable. This little boat trip takes you past the backs of the colleges and is a wonderful way to learn some history about the city. If you’re feeling brave, you can give punting a go yourself – but be warned, it’s harder than it looks!
4. See the Bridges
When on your punting trip, don’t forget to look out for the famous bridges that cross the river Cam, including the Mathematical Bridge and the Bridge of Sighs (my personal favourite).
5. Buy a Chelsea Bun from Fitzbillie’s
Fitzbillie’s is somewhat of an institution in Cambridge – primarily known for for its excellent Chelsea buns. The bakery has used the same recipe since opening in 1920 and you’ll find plenty of people queuing up to get their hands on one of the sticky cinnamon rolls.
6. See the Botanic Gardens
The botanic gardens are absolutely beautiful and the perfect pick for a sunny afternoon picnic. The Glasshouse Range is particularly gorgeous – a row of large greenhouses filled with various ferns, cacti and succulents. Unfortunately it was closed due to high winds the day we visited, although I did manage to sneak a peak through the windows.
7. Grab a Pint at Pint Shop
Cambridge is the kind of place that makes you hunker for a good pub, and there are plenty to choose from! Pint Shop can be found in a grade two listed building in the city centre that was once the home of E.M. Forster. It has a huge variety of beers on offer, so is the perfect place for beer snobs to feel smug about finding something new.
8. Visit the Fitzwilliam Museum
The beautiful Fitzwilliam Museum holds an impressive amount of antiquities and art. It’s also free, so is perfect for the end of the trip, when you’ve spent all your money on buns and boats.
9. Eat the Best Ice Cream at Jack’s Gelato
If you have any room left after gorging on Chelsea buns, you have to visit Jack’s Gelato. This place does a variety of weird and wonderful flavours, including the best vegan ice cream I’ve ever tasted – roasted peanut, yes please!
10. Visit the Colleges
Cambridge is best known as a university city, with colleges dotted all over the city, so visiting one is a must. Whilst paying a visit to all 31 would probably be overkill, picking one or two that take your fancy is definitely worth it. See the ivy wall of St. Johns, the chapel at King’s, or the wisteria at Pembroke.
11. See King’s College Chapel
Entrance to King’s College includes entrance into the chapel, a beautiful gothic building with vibrant stained glass windows. It’s incredibly beautiful and definitely warrants a visit.
12. Cycle the City
Cambridge is a city of bicycles. They’re everywhere you look. So what better way to explore the city than by bike? It cycling’s not your thing, then you can easily walk the city. But make sure to grab a photo of some of the beautiful old-fashioned bicycles leaning against various walls across the city.
13. See the Corpus Clock
Whilst in the town centre, don’t forget to take a look at the Corpus Clock, on the corner of Bene’t and Trumpington Street. This large gold clock was created and paid for by John Taylor, a Cambridge alumnus.
