Cambridge Hotels

Visiting Cambridge – A City Guide
Cram thousands of brilliant minds into a historic university town and you get Cambridge, a city with a famous academic heritage, a thriving tech industry and a buzzing arts scene. The River Cam winds through the compact city centre, where you’ll find imposing university buildings and intriguing cobbled alleyways at every turn.

Cambridge: city layout
Cambridge’s attractions are largely concentrated around the city centre. The city’s heart, Market Square, fills with stalls every day. The oldest university colleges, such as King’s College and Trinity College, stand nearby, beside the River Cam.

Mill Road is packed with restaurants and leads eastwards from the centre towards residential Cherry Hinton, a well-connected neighbourhood within easy reach of Cambridge Station and Cambridge Airport.

The area north of the centre is a hub of industry and technology. The high-tech electronics and biotechnology companies at the innovative Cambridge Science Park and Cambridge Business Park have led to the city’s nickname, ‘Silicon Fen’.

Top attractions in Cambridge
Immense King’s College is one of the university’s emblems – look out for the intricate stonework and vivid stained glass windows of King’s College Chapel. Punting along the Backs, where colleges including Trinity and St. John’s back onto the river, provides an unrivalled view of King’s grounds. The route in the opposite direction, towards the village of Grantchester, weaves through leafy countryside.

South of the centre, Cambridge University Botanic Garden is a great spot for a picnic among blossoming flowers in warmer months. When temperatures drop, the exotic plants in the greenhouses remain in bloom.

The concierge recommends…

• Snacking on sweet, sticky Chelsea buns at Fitzbillies, an art deco café that’s a local institution.
• Attending an Evensong service at King’s College Chapel – be sure to start queuing early.
• Having a pint of local ale at The Eagle, the 17th-century pub where scientists Francis Crick and James Watson announced the discovery of DNA.
• Renting a bike to zip around the city and surrounding countryside just like the students do.
• Catching a performance by the Cambridge Footlights, the excellent university comedy group that launched the careers of much-loved stars including the Monty Python team, Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie.

Hotels in Cambridge
Cambridge is compact, so the city’s points of interest are within easy reach whether you choose to stay close to the centre or in a quiet suburb. Hotels in Cambridge cater to all kinds of trip, whether you’re visiting on business, a weekend break or a family getaway.

Cherry Hinton combines proximity to the centre with a quiet, residential atmosphere. Cambridge Station and Cambridge Airport (CBG) are conveniently close by, and London is an hour away by train. You’ll find restaurants and entertainment nearby at Cambridge Leisure Park.

Are you visiting on business? The leafy area north of the city is Cambridge’s epicentre of industry and technology. Cambridge Science Park and Cambridge Business Park are both located here.

For a peaceful stay, choose a hotel in Duxford. It’s easy to explore Cambridge and the surrounding region from this quiet village base, and it even has its own Imperial War Museum.

Eating Out in Cambridge
There’s plenty of budget dining in student-friendly Cambridge, as well as Michelin-starred restaurants if you’re planning a special night out. You can sample typical British dishes at countless pubs and restaurants, and there’s global cuisine galore thanks to the city’s international community.

The centre is packed with restaurants, particularly around Market Street, Bene’t Street and the Corn Exchange, where local eateries stand alongside established chains. Hot crepes, tasty falafel and aromatic dim sum are dished up at stalls around Market Square at lunchtime.

Casual, independent eateries offering good value meals can be found along Mill Road. Regent Street is also brimming with restaurants, but has a more mainstream vibe, with some well-known brands and upscale options.

International fare is served in a cosmopolitan setting on the riverbanks at the Quayside.

The chef recommends...

• Chelsea Buns: These sticky cinnamon and raisin swirls are delicious washed down with a cup of tea. If you’re lucky, they’ll still be warm from the oven.
• Full English Breakfast: There’s no better way to start the day than with bacon, eggs, sausages, baked beans and toast – just some of the staples of this Great British tradition.
• Afternoon Tea: Feast on delicate sandwiches, traditional scones and sweet cakes, accompanied by a cup of tea, of course.
• Coffee: All the late-night studying in Cambridge means there’s a big demand for expertly brewed coffee. Hot Numbers and Espresso Library are dedicated to top-notch blends.

Shopping in Cambridge
Cambridge has market stalls, quirky independent shops, high-street favourites and a large shopping centre all within walking distance of one another. In fact, it’s hard to find a street in the centre that isn’t great for shopping.

Market Square is open all week, but really comes to life at weekends, when locals and visitors come to browse the stalls and buy fresh produce, secondhand clothes, souvenirs and antiques.

The city’s main streets such as Sidney Street, St. Andrew’s Street, Petty Cury, Market Street and their offshoots are lined with shops. Much of this area is pedestrianised, and you’ll find well-known brands alongside independent bookshops, artisanal food stores and one-off boutiques.

Cambridge’s main shopping centre is the Grand Arcade. The glass-roofed complex is home to high-street brands and department stores selling clothing, homewares and electronics.

Best independent shops in Cambridge

• Ark: This boutique describes itself as a place to buy ‘gifts for interesting people’. The eclectic selection includes jewellery, accessories and homewares.
• Cambridge Wine Merchants: The central branch of this local chain is on King’s Parade, opposite King’s College. The expert staff at the award-winning shop are happy to guide you towards the right bottle.
• The Haunted Bookshop: Keep your eyes peeled for the resident ghost at this vintage bookshop, tucked away on a narrow, pedestrianised alley behind King’s Parade.
• Cambridge Toy Shop: Kids will be enthralled by this old-fashioned toy shop, while grown-ups love reminiscing over toys and games from their own childhood.

Culture & Nightlife in Cambridge
There’s a wealth of culture on offer in Cambridge. The University manages several museums in the city centre and there are annual science, art and food festivals.

The cluster of museums around Pembroke Street focuses on scientific discovery. Nearby, the grand Fitzwilliam Museum houses a vast collection of Egyptian antiquities and decorative arts.

Student theatre, West End productions and renowned musicians all regularly take to the stage. The Cambridge Arts Theatre shows Shakespearean drama, musicals and large-scale productions, and the nearby Cambridge Corn Exchange hosts live rock and pop music, opera and dance.

Nights out in Cambridge are a civilised affair, involving drinks at the bars lining Regent Street and Downing Street, or at traditional pubs scattered across the city. The clubbing scene isn’t big, but a there’s a handful of student-filled night clubs dotted around the centre. Fez is a small but popular venue known for its top-quality music. Regular DJ club nights and live shows are held at Cambridge Junction.

The best free museums in Cambridge

• Lose yourself in the past at The Fitzwilliam Museum. Its vast collection of Egyptian antiquities is particularly worthy of a visit.
• The Whipple Museum of the History of Science traces the history of science from the Middle Ages to the present day through an eclectic collection of scientific instruments and implements.
• The small collection at the Polar Museum showcases the bravery and daring of Captain Scott and other Polar explorers.
• At the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences a collection of millions of fossils and rocks guides you through a fascinating journey back to the origins of the Earth.

Visiting Cambridge with a Family
There’s plenty to keep curious young minds occupied in Cambridge. Museums and performing arts venues ensure that kids are catered for with special shows and interactive exhibits. Along with many central green spaces for picnics and outdoor games, you get a city that’s ideal for family trips.

Rainy days are a great opportunity to check out some of the city’s kid-friendly museums. Little ones can look out for dinosaurs and creepy crawlies at the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences, or delve into hands-on exhibits at the Cambridge Science Centre.

Keep the whole family happy at Cambridge Leisure Park, which has a cinema, a bowling alley and several family-friendly restaurants.

Family-friendly parks in Cambridge

• Tennis courts, Sunday afternoon concerts, a railway-themed play area and a summer swimming pool make Jesus Green one of the most popular parks in Cambridge for kids.
• Lammas Land, a riverside park with a playground, also has swimming and paddling pools that are open in the warmer months.
• Kids can look out for birds around the lake, play table tennis or scamper around the play area at Cherry Hinton Hall Park.
• While older kids play tennis at Christ’s Pieces, little ones can enjoy themselves at the play area, specifically designed for children under six.