Best Places To Visit In Cambridge For A Day

Many people have a question in their mind: what to do in Cambridge for a day? Do you also have the same question: what to do in Cambridge for a day? Cambridge is the best place to plan a one-day trip from London. There are a lot of ancient sites to Visit In Cambridge, attractive roads, and excellent structures to visit. Cambridge was the main trading center through Roman times. Cambridge University was founded in 1209 when a few scholars from Oxford University escaped due to the riots. 

The Corpus Clock is a strange clock known as the grasshopper clock. Dr. John C Taylor OBE FREng created it; later, Dr. John C Taylor OBE FREng gave the clock to Corpus Christi College. It is made up of one sheet of sheet later plated with gold. You can see the Corpus clock outside of Taylor Library at Corpus Christi College.

There are many reasons why Cambridge is one of the most famous to visit in the UK. It has more than 30 colleges and a lot of other sightseeing places you can visit in the city. There are a lot of places that you can visit, like King’s College Chapel, Fitzwilliam museums, rooftop bars, quirky vintage stores, botanical gardens, and many more. Let us see what to do in Cambridge for a day and how you can spend your day in Cambridge.

How to reach Cambridge?

Many vehicles are connected from Central London to Cambridge. When you pass across the river cam, you will see the world’s well-known Cambridge University College around an hour. If you come from the train, it is within walking distance. Multiple trains are left in an hour from St Pancras, Kings Cross Stations, Liverpool Street, and Blackfriars in London. There is a bus outside the station: Citi 1 and Citi 3. 

The main tourist spots are near the station and regent streets. It is a small city where you can stroll around and watch attractive places. To have a good time in Cambridge, you should start your day early morning; however, on the weekdays, as it is peak time, the trains are crowded, and the tickets are also expensive. The best day to plan a trip is the weekend as the tickets are quite cheap. You can buy the super off-peak day return” train ticket, which will cost you around £13.60.

What to do in Cambridge for a day?

Cambridge was founded in 1209; it is the second oldest university after Oxford in the UK. There are a lot of colleges and attractive tourist spots. If you are visiting for the first time in Cambridge and don’t know much, the biggest question is: What to do in Cambridge for a day? Let us see below the well-known places you can visit in Cambridge.

• Fitzwilliam Museum
• Tower At Great St Mary’s
• Cambridge Botanic Gardens
• Cambridge University Colleges

Fitzwilliam Museum

Fitzwilliam Museum belongs to Cambridge University; it is located on Trumpington Street opposite Fitzwilliam Street. It was established in 1816 according to the wish of Richard FitzWilliam, the seventh Viscount FitzWilliam. You can visit for free of cost. Fitzwilliam Museum is an incredible place you should visit the museum. It is like a treasure box where you can see a lot of antiquity and paintings. There are precious ornaments and paintings drawn by famous artists like Da Vinci, Picasso, Monet, Rubens, and Rembrandt. 

There are five divisions in the museums: Antiquities, Coins and Medals, Applied Arts, Paintings, Drawings and Prints, Rare Manuscripts, and Printed Books. You will find a big collection of 16th-century Elizabethan virginal manuscript music written by well-known writers like Doctor John Bull, Thomas Tallis, William Byrd, and Orlando Gibbons. It is open from 12:00 PM to 17:00 PM on Sunday and Monday and from 10:00 AM to 17:00 PM Tuesday to Saturday.

Tower At Great St Mary’s

St Mary, the Great, also known as Great St Mary’s, is the church in Cambridge. It was constructed in the year 1205. On 9th July 1290, it got destroyed due to a fire. Later in 1478, the reconstruction was started and completed in 1608. A bell hung on the wooden structure in the churchyard, which was removed in 1515 and shifted to the tower; however, it was later demolished. Great St Mary’s is designed in Perpendicular style. 

To reach the tower, you need to climb 123 steps. The church is opposite King’s College. The church is amazing; however, you will view a stunning look from the church tower. You can view the King’s College Chapel, colleges, River Cam, and the market from the church tower. It is open from 10:00 AM to 16:00 PM on Monday to Saturday and from 13:00 PM to 16:00 PM on Sunday. Visiting the church is free; however, if you like to visit the tower, you need to pay £6.

Cambridge Botanic Gardens

The botanical garden is around 40 acres possessed by Cambridge University. It was built in 1831 by Professor John Stevens Henslow after 15 years in 1846 opened for people. The Botanical Garden Is located between Trumpington Road towards the west, Hills Road towards the east, and Bateman Street towards the north.

There are more than 8000 plants of different types from all over the world. They are used for the study of agriculture and research. There is a glasshouse with 3000 trees. You will find National plant collections like Alchemilla, Bergenia, Lonicera, Ribes, Ruscus, Saxifraga, and Tulips. 

The garden is open 365 days; you can pre-book the ticket or purchase it once you reach the gate; the entry for adults is £7.50, and for children, it is free. If you are going with more than 10 people, make sure you pre-book. It is open from 10:00 AM to 16:00 PM in January, November, December, 10:00 AM to 17:00 PM in October, February, March, and 10:00 AM – 18:00 PM from April to September.

Cambridge University Colleges

Thirty-one colleges in Cambridge University were established 800 years ago. Sixteen colleges were established between 1284 and 1596, and 15 colleges between 1800 and 1977. They provided food and hostel facilities to both undergraduates and graduates students. All the students are taught the same course even though they study in different colleges. Degrees provided to the students are from the university. 

King’s College

King’s College was established in 1441 by Henry VI. it is built in the middle of the city, beside the river cam facing towards King’s Parade. King’s plan was interrupted due to the Wars of the Roses. Later there was a chapel built in 1544 by Henry VIII. They also have their choir, which was established in the 15th century. They sing Evensong and Eucharist services every day apart from Monday. Some well-known people graduated from King’s College, like Salman Rushdie, E. M. Forster, and Alan Turing, the great mathematician.

Trinity College

Trinity college was established in 1546 by King Henry VIII. It is one of the oldest and richest colleges in Cambridge. There is a beautiful chapel in the College that includes a statue of Isaac Newton by Roubiliac and brasses. Wren Library was established in 1695 by Christopher Wren. it is the most famous library to find a 14th-century manuscript written by Sir Isaac Newton. You can visit the library Monday to Friday between 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM and on Saturday between 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM.

In this article, we have noted a few places you can visit and hope your question is answered: “what to do in cambridge for a day”. Cambridge is the best place to visit in the UK. Within an hour, you will reach a place where you can explore more than 800 years old amazing things. After a hectic work schedule, it is the best place to plan on the weekend to relax. A walk on the riverside and lunch in an English pub. You can visit anytime in the year, whether it is autumn, winter or summer. It looks beautiful in the autumn season as the parks are covered in bright orange leaves.