Cambridge wears its history well. Home to more Nobel Prize winners than any other city in the world, it still feels at times like a living museum piece, its college lawns and cobbled quads busy with bikes and professors. But beyond showpiece sights such as King’s College and the Fitzwilliam Museum, there are plenty of other treats in store.
1. Polar Museum
Step into a world thousands of miles from the British summer by visiting this small but superb museum at the university’s Scott Polar Research Institute. Expect sledges, skis, flags and other Arctic and Antarctic memorabilia, as well as frosty insight into Scott and Shackleton’s various expeditions. It’s open from Tuesdays to Saturdays, and entry is free. Snow goggles optional.
2. Mill Road
A short wander from YHA Cambridge you’ll find long, straight Mill Road. As its name suggests, it was once a serene country road — today, by contrast, it’s lined with independent cafes, record shops, vintage stores and local restaurants. It’s well worth a browse.
3. Great St Mary’s
In the college-thronged heart of affairs stands the church of Great St Mary’s, the foundations of which are thought to date way back to 1010. It’s witnessed plenty of ups and downs — it was apparently ransacked by townsfolk in the 1381 Peasants’ Revolt — but today offers one of the best vantage points in Cambridge. Climb the 123 steps of the tower and the city is outspread below you.
4. Heffers Bookshop
Looking for somewhere to while away a happy hour? This colossal independent bookshop has been trading since 1876 and is packed with everything from guidebooks and novels — some of them second-hand — to stationery and board games. There are regular author events, too.
4. Mathematical Bridge
This Grade II-listed wooden bridge across the River Cam was first built back in 1749 and is unusual in that, despite appearing to be arched, it’s made up of entirely straight timbers. One story is that it was initially created by Isaac Newton without use of nuts of bolts. The tale is almost certainly untrue but, regardless, rival city Oxford was suitably impressed by the bridge to build one of its own to the same design.
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