Cambridge

Graduate to Cambridge and a more relaxed type of city break.

There’s much more to Cambridge than the University it’s famed for. Named after the river on which it’s built, and which sets a relaxed, meandering tone, we’d say Cambridge makes a perfect destination for a cultural or romantic break – but that doesn’t mean it isn’t perfect for families too.

The river Cam has been at the centre of English history for more than a thousand years – long before the University was founded, so there’s many incredible stories about the Romans and Saxons, Vikings and Normans. Terrible Tours of Cambridge, in the Horrible Histories stye, offer families two funny and engaging tours – Curious Cambridge or Creepy Cambridge. If you have time, we recommend doing both. The kids will love it, you’ll laugh a lot and you’ll all learn something too.

Also, if you’ve got a gamer in the family, they’ll want to take you to The Centre for Computing History. It’s much more than a museum and you can explore retro gaming and computing in a uniquely interactive and hands on way. You’ll even discover that the story of the home computer revolution and the people and technology that have totally transformed our lives is much more interesting than you might have thought. There is no other exhibition in the UK quite like this one! 

The entire city offers a living history in terms of architecture. King’s College is famed for its towering Gothic chapel while Trinity has its imposing 16^th century Great Gate. You can take it all in on a hop on, hop off bus tour, enjoying panoramic views from the open top deck.

But you can do a bus tour in any big city! Few offer the opportunity to take a chauffeured punting tour, where you can relax in comfortable seats with traditional cushions and blankets, taking in the historic sites from the river. We’d say this is a must-do when you travel to Cambridge as you soak up the fascinating historic commentary and amusing punting stories as you travel the length of the River Cam. Who doesn’t want to hear the inside stories on some of Cambridge’s most accomplished alumni, from Isaac Newton to none other than Prince Charles! 

Away from the River, Cambridge’s streets are home to an impressive array of galleries, a lively theatre and arts scene, and a festival calendar that includes the world-famous Folk Festival and family-friendly Big Weekend.

Cambridge attracts people from around the world and the local cuisine reflects that, offering everything from street food at the 7-day-a-week market to Michelin starred dining. This busy little city is an oasis nestled in the heart of some of England’s finest countryside – we think you’ll be pleasantly surprised!