King's College and its chapel
1 hAll agesAll year · timed slots on the website
College and Gothic chapel · 1 h · timed entry · discount for buying ahead
From London48 min by train from King's Cross
Minimum time1 day
Must-doPunt along The Backs
MuseumsFree
CarNot needed
Overall difficultyEasy
What to do
What to do in Cambridge
Each plan says how long it takes, who it's for and whether you can book.
Punting on the River Cam and The Backs
50 minAll agesAll year
Punting · 45–60 min · with a punter or on your own · all year
Fitzwilliam Museum
1 h 30All agesAll year · Tuesday to Sunday
Art and antiquities museum · 1–2 h · free · closed Mondays
Itineraries
Itineraries that pass through
Days and weekends already planned out, with how to get between each stop and who to book with.
Plan the trip
Cambridge, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Cambridge
From April to June and in September, with green meadows and the river full of boats. In July and August there are big crowds; in May and June some colleges close for exams. In winter the punts still go out, with blankets.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
Cambridge your way
Choose how you're travelling and we'll tell you where to stay, how to get around, where to eat and which services you'll need. We only show the ways of travelling that make sense here.
Fly to London and take the 48-minute train from King's Cross
You reach Cambridge by flying to London, which has direct flights from almost all of Spain, and continuing by train. Stansted, the airport of many low-cost airlines, is the closest to Cambridge; from central London, King's Cross is under an hour away. You do not need a car: the centre is explored on foot.
- Getting thereLondon Stansted (STN), the closest…
- Getting aroundOn foot in the centre…
- Where to sleepUniversity Arms, 15 minutes from…
- ServicesCambridge station, with trains to…
Getting there
- London Stansted (STN), the closest airport to Cambridge
- London Heathrow (LHR), Gatwick (LGW) and Luton (LTN), passing through central London
- From London King's Cross, direct Great Northern trains in about 48 minutes
Getting around
- On foot in the centre: from the station to King's Parade, about 20 minutes
- U bus from the station to the Fitzwilliam
- By punt on the river, Cambridge's best transport
Where to sleep
- University Arms, 15 minutes from the station
- Hotel du Vin Cambridge, on Trumpington Street
Services
- Cambridge station, with trains to King's Cross and Liverpool Street
Train from King's Cross and the rest on foot or by punt
Cambridge is a small, flat city of bicycles, with a historic centre almost free of cars. You arrive by train in under an hour from London and everything else is done on foot, by punt on the river or, if you feel like it, by bike.
110–200 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepUniversity Arms, facing Parker's Piece
- Getting aroundDirect train from London King's…
- Where to eatFitzbillies, for breakfast or tea
- ServicesCambridge station, 20 minutes from…
Where to sleep
- University Arms, facing Parker's Piece
- Hotel du Vin Cambridge, next to the Fitzwilliam
- The Varsity Hotel & Spa, beside the river and Quayside
Getting around
- Direct train from London King's Cross, about 48 minutes
- U bus from the station to the centre and the Fitzwilliam
- A walk across the meadows to Grantchester
Where to eat
- Fitzbillies, for breakfast or tea
- The Eagle, for pub food next to King's
- The Orchard, at the end of the Grantchester walk
Services
- Cambridge station, 20 minutes from the centre
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights3
Who you're with
Cambridge for whoever you're with
A trip with a toddler is not the same as one with a teenager. Pick yours to see what works and what to bear in mind.
A punt, a botanic garden and sticky buns
Cambridge is easier with children than Oxford: flatter, greener and with the river in the centre. The punt is what they remember most; the botanic garden and the Grantchester meadows are what let them run. The museums are free and need no booking.
- What works bestPunting on The Backs, with…
- Where to sleepUniversity Arms, facing Parker's Piece…
- Where to eatFitzbillies, with a children's menu
- Good to knowIn King's chapel, silence is…
What works best
- Punting on The Backs, with a punter if they are small
- Botanic Garden, free for under 17s
- Walk to Grantchester, with scones at the end
- Fitzwilliam Museum, an hour, free
Where to sleep
- University Arms, facing Parker's Piece park
Where to eat
- Fitzbillies, with a children's menu
- The Orchard, in the open air
- The Eagle, with a terrace
Good to know
- In King's chapel, silence is requested
- The walk to Grantchester gets muddy in winter
- In summer, book the punt in advance
What to do as a family
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're flyingwithout a car
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
University Arms
Why we like it: A historic 1834 hotel facing Parker's Piece park, with 189 rooms and suites, a library, restaurant and bar, ten minutes from King's.
Hotel du Vin Cambridge
Why we like it: A 41-room boutique hotel in Victorian houses on Trumpington Street, next to the Fitzwilliam, with a French bistro and wine cellar.
The Varsity Hotel & Spa
Why we like it: A hotel beside the Cam, on Thompson's Lane, with a spa, gym, sixth-floor brasserie and rooftop terrace above the Cambridge roofs.
Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in Cambridge
From set lunch menus to Michelin stars. We mark the price level and what to order at each place.
The DNA pub
The Eagle
What to order: a pie or fish and chips, and a pint in the courtyard if the weather is good.
Open every day; on Sundays food is served from 12:00 to 21:00 · book online
The Orchard Tea Garden
What to order: the cream tea, with homemade scones, jam and cream, in a deckchair in the orchard.
No booking for coffee, light lunches or cream tea · may close earlier in bad weather
Takeaway and markets
Fitzbillies (Trumpington Street), Cambridge
Map
Everything on the map
The places to stay and services on the map are the ones for the way you travel. Turn on the layers you want and tap a point to see its details.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Nearby
Near Cambridge
The closest places, whichever country they are in.
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Choose your landing stage carefully
Mill Lane is near Trumpington Street and the Fitzwilliam; Quayside, near the north of the centre and Bridge Street.
- 2Go to The Backs early
At nine, with no boats or groups, the river is still.
- 3Check exam closures
Between May and June many colleges do not let visitors in.
- 4Book the return train
The Sunday afternoon return is the fullest.
We'd skip it
The punt touts who approach people on King's Parade and Bridge Street. Book directly with a company at its landing stage or on its website and you will know what is included and how long it lasts.
Cambridge is the other university city a short hop from London, and for many the prettier of the two: smaller, flatter and with the river at its heart. The colleges turn their backs on the Cam and look at it across their gardens, along the stretch they call The Backs, and the way to see it is from below, in a punt. With a train of under an hour from King's Cross, it makes a perfect day trip.
How do you get there from London?
By train from King's Cross. Great Northern runs direct trains taking about 48 minutes, non-stop every half hour during the day from Monday to Saturday. There are also trains from Liverpool Street, which are slower. The station is about 20 minutes' walk from the centre; the U bus takes you closer to the Fitzwilliam. Book ahead if you want a low fare for a specific time.
By car it is about 100 km on the M11, between an hour and a half and two hours from central London depending on traffic. In Cambridge the historic centre barely admits cars and parking is expensive: if you drive, use the park-and-ride sites on the outskirts.
What to see in a day
Start on King's Parade and go into King's College Chapel, with its fan vault; buy your ticket online. Then walk along The Backs: from Silver Street bridge, with the view of the Mathematical Bridge, north along Queen's Road. Have lunch at The Eagle, the pub where the discovery of the DNA double helix was announced.
In the afternoon, the punt: 45 minutes with a chauffeur along The Backs from Mill Lane or Quayside. If you have energy left, choose between the Fitzwilliam Museum, free, and the Botanic Garden, perfect with children. And if you stay overnight in Cambridge, leave the next morning for the walk across the meadows to Grantchester and its tea under the apple trees.
When to go
Spring is the best time: daffodils on The Backs, green meadows and fewer people than in summer. From mid-May to mid-June, many colleges close to visitors for exams, so check their notices. In July and August the river fills with boats and the city with groups. In winter it gets dark early, but the museums are open and the punts still go out.
On Sundays almost everything opens, though later: the Fitzwilliam from 12:00. The Fitzwilliam is closed on Mondays.
How much does it cost?
The Fitzwilliam is free, the Botanic Garden costs £9.50 (free up to age 16) and King's Chapel has a price by time slot, cheaper if bought in advance. A chauffeured punt costs depending on the trip and the day; self-drive, you pay by the hour. A Chelsea bun at Fitzbillies is the cheapest and most typical expense in the city.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can you see Cambridge in a day from London?
Yes. With the direct train from King's Cross you are there in about 48 minutes; in a day you see King's, The Backs, the punt and a museum.
Which is better, Oxford or Cambridge?
Oxford has more colleges to visit and more of a city feel; Cambridge has the river in the centre and more greenery. If you can only go to one and you want a boat, Cambridge.
Do you need to book the punt?
In summer and at weekends, yes. The rest of the year there is usually room, but booking secures your time.
Can you go into the colleges?
Some, with their own admission and opening hours; King's is the most visited for its chapel. Many close during exams.
Where is Grantchester?
A village about 4 km upriver, an hour's walk across the meadows, with the famous tea room The Orchard.