Historic university city with stunning Gothic architecture and punting

























The Old Schools, Trinity Ln, Cambridge CB2 1TN, United Kingdom Get directions

"A historic university founded in 1209, known for its contributions to knowledge and tradition." - Aashna Gajra
"Home to Cambridge University, this historic city is situated just 49 minutes from London’s King’s Cross train station. Best known for its prestigious university buildings, Cambridge is full of historic charm. The Fitzwilliam Museum showcases an impressive collection of European and international artwork while the King’s College Chapel is a stunning example of Gothic architecture.If the weather permits, be sure to try punting, an unusual way of boating along Cambridge’s River Carn. It takes a while to get the hang of punting, where you guide and push the boat along by pressing a pole into the ground. You’ll find plenty of options all along the river to rent a boat yourself or have a guided tour. Afterward, you can do what many students do and have a picnic in one of the surrounding parks. If you prefer to have lunch in town, you’ll be able to savor Cambridge’s innovative restaurant scene, with its international street food market and excellent restaurants.Should you opt to stay a little later, you can make your own cocktails at the Cambridge Gin Lab. If you’ve organized it beforehand, you could then spend a night in university accommodation and walk in the footsteps of some of the world’s most successful scientists, politicians, and literary greats." - MATADOR_NETWORK


"A beloved Cambridge coffee shop that shut its doors in August 2019 after 26 years serving the community. The closure was noted as part of several longtime local businesses bidding farewell that month, underscoring shifts in the area's small-business landscape." - Rachel Leah Blumenthal
"I found it to be a world-famous, prestigious institution that dominates—and even owns—much of the historic town of about 125,000 people; its illustrious alumni include William Wordsworth, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Alan Turing, Jane Goodall, and King Charles III. The university gives Cambridge the quintessential university-town feel, with busy bikers, stately residence halls, plenty of bookshops, and proud locals who can point out where DNA was originally modeled, the atom first split, and electrons were discovered." - RICKSTEVES
Ranked as the very best university in Europe in the 2024 Academic Ranking of World Universities, this institution also placed fourth in the top 10 universities in the world, marking it out as one of the continent’s most prestigious places to study. - Liv Kelly