Activities in and around Cambridge
Punting
A must-do activity in Cambridge for anyone who likes water! Punting is a true Cambridge classic and something fairly unique to our city (you can find them in Oxford too, but we don't talk about that!).
This is a fun activity that you can do in just an hour, or make a day of it! You can go on a guided tour of the College Backs or have a go yourself. If you're confident, you can even take a picnic and punt to the nearby village of Grantchester through some idyllic countryside.
Shopping
Cambridge has lots to offer shoppers, from independent bookshops to local boutiques to big name brands and designers. You'll find it all within easy walking distance in the city centre too! Cambridge boasts two modern shopping centres, the Grand Arcade and the Grafton, as well as countless shops in the historic city centre buildings, a historic open air Market Square and a small craft market.
There's plenty of food on offer to break up your day too. Sample some delicious street food from one of the international food stalls in the market, or have a sit-down meal in one of the brilliant local restaurants - there's something to suit all tastes, including 5 Michelin Star restaurants.
University Museums & Botanic Garden
The University of Cambridge runs nine museums in the city, covering interests from art to zoology and from tropical plants to polar exploration. With free entry at most, explore another world and the university research that made our city famous at one of the nine museums:
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
Cambridge University Botanic Garden
Museum of Classic Archaeology
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Kettle's Yard
The Polar Museum
Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences
Whipple Museum of the History of Science
Museum of Zoology
A series of interactive events are run at these museums throughout the year to make your visit even more unforgettable - to find out more about the museums and events, visit the University Museums website.
Live Drama, Comedy and Music
Cambridge has a number of renowned venues for live music, stage plays and comedy gigs. The city hosts everyone from world-famous celebrities to university student productions, but whether they're your favourite singer or you've never heard of them before, you can be sure to have a great night out. After all, this is the home of Cambridge Footlights - the university sketch troupe that turned out some of the world's greatest comedians and actors, like Monty Python, Stephen Fry, Emma Thompson, Rowan Atkinson, Olivia Colman, and Mitchell and Webb.
If you're looking for a fun night of drama, comedy or music, take a look at what's on at some of Cambridge's foremost venues: Cambridge Junction, the Cambridge Corn Exchange, ADC Theatre (part of the University of Cambridge), and the Cambridge Arts Theatre.
Riverside Walk to Grantchester
On a sunny day, why not take a stroll along the riverside and meadows to the picturesque village of Grantchester. Said to have the world's highest concentration of Nobel Prize winners, Grantchester is also home to The Orchard tea room, where you can stop for afternoon tea, following in the footsteps of great literary figures such as Rupert Brooke, Virginia Woolf, John Maynard Keynes, E.M. Forster, Bertrand Russell, Augustus John, and Ludwig Wittgenstein, as well as countless Cambridge academics after them.
Visit Ely Cathedral
Ely is a historic Fenland town 20 minutes' from Cambridge by train, famed for its cathedral. A visit to the cathedral is well worth the trip whilst you are in Cambridge - it's one of the country's most important cathedrals, boasts some unique architecture, and is a big part of the local history. When you visit the cathedral, you can look around at your own pace or book onto one of the many guided tours. Visitors do need to pay an entrance fee most of the time, but they do have reduced opening hours on Sunday during which entrance is free.
Whilst you're in Ely, why not take a look around this quaint historic town too, or try a boat trip on the river or even an escape room at Oliver Cromwell's House.
Cambridge's Dinky Doors
This is a great one for kids, or any adults who want a little bit of unexpected joy in their life. Hidden all around Cambridge are tiny little doors, each one unique, and all designed to delight and amuse. See if you can find them all by going on a Dinky Door Hunt! The folks over at Dinky Doors are responsible for this quirky treasure hunt/trail, and they have a host of information about each door and where to find them, as well as some games to play with the kids.
Done the Dinky Door Trail before? Cambridge is often home to all sorts of trails, so keep your eyes open! Most recently we had Cows about Cambridge, which saw colourful cow sculptures popping up around the city (now the trail is finished they've been auctioned off to raise a whopping £250,000+ for charity).