What to See and Do in Cambridge, England

A trip to England is a great opportunity to find out what Cambridge has to offer. It is a lovely city in Cambridgeshire, East Anglia, with a great deal of charm and appeal to it. It is easy to reach Cambridge from London, as trains run regularly from the capital. Kings' Cross and Liverpool Street offer a good service into Cambridge. Travel time depends on how often the train stops. Times can vary from 50-90 minutes. If you can, try to avoid taking a train that has more than 8 stops to make.

Getting around in Cambridge

When I was a student in Cambridge, I soon learned that the best way to get around was on foot or bicycle, as students are soon informed that they will not be allowed to have a car on campus. Cambridge City Council also does not encourage car use. Parking your rental car will be expensive if you plan on staying all day. But on the positive side, Cambridge is a very pedestrian-friendly city. Most places can be easily reached on foot. Sight-seeing buses offer the opportunity to get on and off so you can sample the many delights of Cambridge. Commentary is provided in several languages.

Fitzwilliam Museum

However many times I have been inside this museum, I still cannot get enough of it's splendour. It is a very well preserved neo-classical museum that dates back to 1816. The museum is guarded by sculptured lions and it has a stunning entrance hall when you first walk in. This museum has something for everybody. If you are into ancient Egypt, then the Egyptian galleries will impress you with their well preserved mummies. If art is more up your street, you will be able to take in masterpieces from Rubens, Monet and Picasso. Classical statues will transport you back in time to a bygone era. Guided tours are available on Sundays at 2:30pm. This costs GBP3 (which is almost US$6). If you get hungry, you can grab a bite to eat in the cafe. Admission is free to the Fitzwilliam museum, but visitors can make a contribution toward the upkeep of the museum, if they so wish. Opening times are as follows: Mon: closed, Tue-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 2:15pm-5:00pm.

Market Square

If you love to shop then the Market Square is the right place for you! To the north and east of Market Square, you will find a variety of shops and college accommodations. To the west there is Great St. Mary's Church. Behind that there is King's College Chapel, the Old Schools and the Senate House. The market square is centuries old. Visit between Monday to Saturday when stallholders will sell fresh produce, flowers, books, clothing and souvenirs. On Sundays, you will be able to find an art and craft market, along with local farmers' selling their produce. Opening hours are as follows: Mon-Sat 9:30am-4:30pm, Sun 10:30am-4:30pm.

Botanic Garden

The Botanic Garden in Cambridge comprise 40 acres of landscaped gardens. If you want to escape the crowds and traffic in the city, then this is a good place to head to. The landscaped grounds include a lake, water gardens, rockeries and glasshouses. The gardens are maintained with plants that were introduced into the country, along with a scented garden for the visually impaired visitors and carnivorous plants, to name but a few. Admission is free for disabled persons and their companions, all children under the age of five and all visitors from Monday to Friday between November to March. At all other times the following admission charges apply: GBP2.50 for adults 17-60 years, GBP2 seniors 60+ and children from 5-17. Opening hours are: Nov-Jan 10am-4:00pm daily, Feb-Oct 10:00am-5:00pm daily, Mar-Sep 10:00am-6:00pm daily.

Midsummer Common

As well as being a delightful place to relax in the summertime and providing a beautiful cycle route for students and other residents alike, Midsummer Common is steeped in history. King John gave his permission for a fair to be held here in 1211, as well as to the nearby Stourbridge Common. The later was more famous for centuries. Merchants would come from all over Europe. It declined in the early part of the 20th century, but Midsummer Common lives on. A footpath east leads past the Museum of Technology. It is open 24 hours daily.

Cambridge Summer Music Festival

This summer, there are more than 40 events planned for this musical festival. Concerts offer various genres of music, such as rock, instrumental and opera. Venues differ, but some include St. Mary's Church, The West Road Concert Hall, King's College Chapel and the Fitzwilliam Museum.

Overview of other things to see and do

It is not possible to mention everything there is to see and do in Cambridge, as there is a lot going on throughout the year. But here are a few more brief suggestions that might whet your appetite.

-Punting
-Cambridge Corn Exchange
-ADC Theatre
-Cambridge Film Festival
-Colleges, such as King's Queen's, Trinity, Jesus, St. Catherine's
-MP3 walking tour of Cambridge

Plan for a trip to Cambridge well in advance if you get the opportunity to visit. You will find that this is a very accessible, quaint little city, and far less congested than bigger cities, such as London.

Source:

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-2897656-cambridge_things_to_do-i