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The historic and picturesque town of Cambridge, an hours journey from London and home to some of the greatest minds. The town is famous for it’s universities and some of the greatest thinkers we have seen in the last 500 years. The town where the atom was first split, where Charles Darwin developed the theory of evolution, and Newton developed his theory of gravity. This is where Stephen Hawking of the black-hole fame lived and worked. Follow me on a Day trip to Cambridge from London.
How to get to Cambridge from London.
Cambridge is located 45 miles north of London and is very well connected by road and train. There are good train and bus services to Cambridge from London.
How long does it take to drive from London to Cambridge? You can drive from London to Cambridge in around 2 hrs ( traffic permitting)
How long does it take to travel from London to Cambridge by train? The average train journey between London and Cambridge takes around one and a half hour. The fastest train journey between London and Cambridge is 47 minutes. London stations that serve Cambridge – (King’s Cross and Liverpool Street stations).The train station is located 2 km from the the city centre. You can easily walk from the train station to the city centre but if you prefer not to – there are buses and taxis available.
- Cheapest train from London to Cambridge: National Express
- Quickest train from London to Cambridge : Trainline
Things to do in Cambridge.
Visit the famous colleges of Cambridge.
Cambridge is a small historic town which is mainly pedestrian and free of traffic in the centre. The most prominent aspect of this town are the 31 colleges that have been home to some of the most brilliant minds. Of the 31 colleges that are based in Cambridge – surprisingly three of the 31 admit women only compared to being an all men culture historically.

The most prominent universities in Cambridge.
- Trinity College – Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII and the achievements of its members in the fields of mathematics, natural sciences and literature.
- King’s College – The beautiful college building lies beside the River Cam facing King’s Parade in the centre of the city.
- St Johnβs College – Offering world class education in a diverse, friendly and lively environment and its 16th-century Great Gate.


Walking Tour of Cambridge
The Best way to enjoy Cambridge is by walking around the town and discovering it in your own pace. Being mostly pedestrian, it is the perfect place to walk around and marvel at the beautiful architecture and small lanes that are part of this great town. You can either walk and discover Cambridge by yourself or book a walking tours that will give you some details and show you some of the hidden gems.
“Book your free walking tour tickets for Cambridge here.”



Go Puntuing in Cambridge
One of the most popular things to do in Cambridge is to go Punting. Gliding along the river in a small pleasure boats became popular in the 1900’s as the commercial traffic died on the river. It is a great way to see Cambridge and the 7 riverside colleges.
How much is punting Cambridge? You can hire a boat by the hour and prices can vary between high and low season.
“Book your punting tickets for Cambridge here.”
Is punting in Cambridge all year round? Punting is open all year round in Cambridge.

Discover the famous Bridges of Cambridge
The River Cam flows through Cambridge, from the south west heading north passing many of the historic colleges and buildings of Cambridge. There are several bridges that have a special place in the hearts of the locals visitors for various reasons. Some use it to commute daily to their place of work or college, some use it to relax and enjoy the views.
The Most popular bridges in Cambridge are:
- The Bridge of Sighs – The covered bridge at St John’s College Cambridge.
- Magdalene Bridge – One of the first bridges to be built in Cambridge dating back to the 8th Century.
- Mathematical Bridge – Designed by William Etheridge and built by James Essex in 1749. Popular myth is that it was built by Issac Newton without the use of nuts and bolts.
- Trinity College Bridge – The stone bridge, popular with punters and tourists during the summer months.


Discover the Corpus Christi College clock
One of the most distinctive monuments in Cambridge is the Corpus Christi College clock. A relatively new creation from 2008 admired by it’s residents and thousands of tourists each year. The face of the clock is gold plated and the radiating ripples allude to the Big Bang theory. Sitting on top of the clock is the βChronophageβ, meaning βtime-eaterβ. Located around the corner of King’s Parade and Benet Street this one of the most Instagrammable points of Cambridge.

thetrraveller @ Corpus Christi College clock.
Cambridge is a great town to discover on foot but be mindful of the cyclists zipping around. Being a student town with a very small population, cycling is the preferred mode of transport of the locals and students. Why not hire a bike and enjoy your Day trip to Cambridge from London.

Admire the Architecture of Cambridge
A historic town with stunning architecture. Unlike many other towns in England where most of the original buildings were destroyed in the World Wars, majority of the buildings in Cambridge were untouched. They have been well preserved and form the perfect backdrop to this beautiful old town.
When is the best time to visit Cambridge.
The Best time to visit Cambridge is during the spring and summer months. With great outdoors and many beautiful gardens to admire it is perfect for a day out in the summer. Christmas is another great time to visit Cambridge. Enjoy the festivities of the Christmas Market on Market Square. Join in with the locals in some Christmas Carol singing and strike a pose with the large Christmas tree in the town centre.

Walk in one of the many green spaces in Cambridge.
Things to avoid in Cambridge – Day trip to Cambridge from London.
- Some of the shops on King’s Parade which are typically high priced for tourists.
- Falling in the river if you go punting.
- People selling chauffeur punting excursions on the river.

Where to Eat in Cambridge.
There are some great places to eat in Cambridge. Being a popular tourist destination you have all the popular chains but the ones to try are the independent local establishments. There are some very interesting shops,cafes and restaurant in Cambridge.
- Bistro du Vin – The high end bistro popular for Classic French and modern British cuisine.
- Chop House – The upscale rustic restaurant on King’s Parade serving old-school British menu.
- Midsummer House – The beautiful Victorian villa serving French cuisine on the on the banks of the River Cam. It was awarded it’s first Michelin star in 2002, followed by the second in 2005.
- The Fudge Kitchen – Fudge does not get more authentic than this. Known for their salted chocolate fudge a treat for all ages. Watch them make fudge in front of you with free samples for kids.
Fudge making
For the most up to date information about Cambridge visit the Official tourist site of Cambridge.

Best Things to do on a Day trip to Cambridge from London.
- Take a Walking Tours or simply enjoy the historic town at your own pace.
- See iconic buildings like the Trinity College, Kingβs College and The Senate House.
- Relax in one of the many coffer shops dotted around the town.
- Learn about student life from a Cambridge University graduate guide.
- Visit one of the worldβs most prestigious universities, where the likes of Prince Charles, Sir Isaac Newton and Stephen Hawking studied
- Be brave and punt yourself, if not take a tour on the many chauffeured boats.
- Buy a souvenir and take a piece Cambridge home with you.

Discover some of the other popular Day Trips from London

Cambridge is another place to explore when visiting England. Through this post, I had a partial experience of the place! Thanks much Amar π
Your welcome Ann.
Very nice read! I enjoy your pictures a lot thank you for sharing your experience with us all .
You welcome. Good you enjoyed it.
I have been to London once and I know there’s so much more of England to see! Such beautiful photos and a stunning place, I need to visit soon π
Thanks
I really need to get to England these pics are amazing!
I love travelling by haven’t got the opportunity to do more of that.
I hope you would love to visit Nigeria huh?
Gosh, these photos are gorgeous! THanks for sharing!
Thanks
Perfect! ππ»
The place looks amazing, I would love to visit. And love the pictures, they look great! π
What a complete article ! Cambridge is so beautiful ! Thansk for sharing and for all the pictures π
Very well described article with loads of cool photo. Both Oxford and Cambridge are on my list. Probably next spring or summer.
Good share π
It sounds like you really enjoyed your visit to Cambridge! I loved reading this post and seeing your terrific photos. If you’d like to keep in touch with what’s going on in the city, please take a look at my blog http://www.newincambridge.com and it might give you some more ideas when you’re planning your next trip!
Thanks and will definitely take tips
This post made me miss Cambridge. Was able to visit it in 2015 to see a cousin studying there. Love the old, historic vibe and medieval streets. Can’t wait to be back soon.
Itβs beautiful glad you experienced it
I love visiting old beautiful historic universities in England. I’ve been to Oxford twice and though it makes me green with envy for the experience the students get to have that I’ll never have (oh what I would have given to have that kind of college experience!) it is lovely to both get to see a beautiful historic place where so many great minds have achieved great things as well as see that it is still running today. Still have not made it to Cambridge but certain I will at some point in teh future on a trip to England π
Cambridge is one of my favourite UK cities! It’s so beautiful everywhere you look. I’m glad you had the chance to go punting, it’s definitely part of the Cambridge experience!
Itβs a beautiful part of English heritage
Now I understand why many are proud to be from Cambridge. It is like living and learning in a different country, rich in culture and high standard of education. I will send my future kid here!
Itβs truest a different experience
Wow! Such an old city. I didn’t know that Cambridge had that many colleges and universities. I would love to visit Cambridge one day and observing the architecture of these colleges. The bridges are must-visit places too!
Itβs so much history there. Try and visit if you can someday
What a quaint little town, I have not been to the UK yet and this is exactly how I picture it. Full of iconic buildings and history it really is beautiful and not at all like what we used too. Great pictures!
Itβs very British and s great place go visit.
It must be great to visit the city of intellectuals.. great universities with rich historical background. Cambridge which is famous worldwide for high quality of education is also having beautiful sights too. Punting must be fun and I would love to do. Being Vegetarian, I would love to eat out at Rainbow Cafe.
Great place to visit
What a picturesque part of England. Such beautiful architecture and your photo are fantastic. A great place to grow and learn.
Indeed Nicole there are some real hidden gems.
[…] Greetings from Cambridge […]
Beautiful, lovely architecture!
Thanks Itβs a beautiful plane indeed.
Looks like a wonderful day trip! Great Photos!
It is a great place indeed . Hope you ca visit someday
Great pictures!
I really want to visit the Trinity College, as it reminds me of Hogwarts. And Cambridge just seems so nice in general. Whenever I am back and near London, I’ll visit Cambridge for sure.
Hope you can soon. It is indeed great place