One of the quintessential and unique activities for our visitors to experience is a punt ride on the River Cam where a different perspective of the city will be viewed. Punts have been on the river since the early 1900’s arriving from London.
On the punt ride you will see the backsides ( commonly referred to as the ‘ backs’ ) of 7 colleges and go under 9 bridges and be regaled with fascinating tales about Cambridge’s rich history.Either a private/public chauffeured punt ( up to 12 people ) or if you are brave enough to self hire a punt yourself BUT beware punting is not as easy as it looks!
You can get full details from Rutherfords Punting and book online at:
Cambridge has a remarkable diverse food scene for a city of its size.
Cambridge is home to around 95 excellent pubs and bars, to satisfy the most discerning of tastes. The following are a few that you might like to consider.
Reputed to be the 2nd oldest pub in Cambridge and certainly the most iconic and historic one. Look up at the ever open window, renowned for its ghost story. Visit the world famous RAF Bar where the Britsh and American aircrew left their mark on the ceiling with Zippo cigarette lighter, burnt cork, charcoal and even lipstick! Look into the DNA Bar where Francis Crick made his announcement that Crick and Watson had discovered the secret of life. Sample a pint of DNA and perhaps try some good pub grub.
Picturesque riverside pub overlooking the famous Millpond and the river Cam and adjoining Scudamores punt station. Queens’ College is next door with its famous wooden bridge (more commonly known as the Mathematical Bridge). Famous for its connection to Syd Barrett and early Pink Floyd fame. Reasonable beer and seated restaurant upstairs.
The Mill Pub is situated in a delightful location overlooking the river Cam and Scudamores punting station. They offer am impressive range of local cask beer. Its unofficial beer garden, a patch of common land called Laundress Green provides a good place to sit amongst authentic cowpats and watching the punting pandemonium in the summer.
Reputed to be one of the oldest pubs in the Cambridge area the Pickerel is to be found opposite Magdalene College near the river. It has been serving patrons since the 16th century with the building itself dating back to the 15th century. It has a decadent past claiming to have been a former "gin palace, opium den and brothel", together with a resident ghost or two. A good range of real ales.
As befits one of the top universities in the world Cambridge maintains eight fascinating and interesting ones. Entry to these museums is free.
Probably the most famous one is the Fitzwilliam Museum considered to be one of the finest small museums in Europe. Here you will find a wide range of exhibits from Egyptian, Greek and Roman artefacts through to paintings by many renowned artists namely Titian, Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Constable.
We offer an introductory 1 hour of the museum.
Other museums that might be of interest include the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences,the Archeology and Anthropology Museum, the Zoology Museum, the Whipple Museum of the History of Science, the Scott Polar Museum and the Classical Archeology Museum.
University Botanic Garden.
Some 20 minutes walk from the city centre is the university's beautiful Botanic Garden. There is a small entry fee.We can organise a tour of the garden.
The Orchard Tea Garden.
About 4 miles south of Cambridge in the village of Granchester you will find the popular Orchard Tea Garden. Regarded as a significant part of Cambridges cultural heritage. It can be easily reached via a pleasant walk, cycle or punt ride by the river Cam.
The American Cemetery.
For those interested in military history the American Cemetery at Madingley 4 miles west of the city would be worth a visit.
The Imperial War Museum Duxford.
Slightly further afield is the largest aviation museum in the UK at Duxford about 8 miles south of Cambridge.
Cambridge is very well served on the theatre front with the Arts Theatre being one of Britains most important regional theatres which has played a remarkable role in launching the careers of many actors, directors and playwrights.
The theatre was conceived by John Maynard Keynes the renowned economist and passionate supporter of the arts. It opened in 1936 and many distinguished performers either began their careers here or appeared on its stage including Sir Ian McKellen, Sir Derek Jacobi, John Cleese, Miriam Margolyes, Eric Idle, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Emma Thompson, Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes and many many more.
It is the venue for many pre or post West End runs.
The Cambridge Footlights is one of the worlds most famous student comedy and theatrical societies.Founded in 1883 at the university’s ADC Theatre it has become a remarkable training ground for actors, comedians and broadcasters.Today the Footlights continue to stage sketch shows, stand-up performances, pantomimes and annual reviews performing regularly at the ADC Theatre and the Edinburgh Fringe.
Cambridge is a thriving musical hub catering for all musical tastes.There are regular concerts at the Corn Exchange and The Junction.
In addition there is the world famous Cambridge Folk Festival established in 1965. Originally intended as a modest weekend celebrating traditional British folk music it quickly grew in popularity and broadened its musical horizons. Today the festival encompasses folk, roots, Americana, blues, Celtic, world music and acoustic traditions from many cultures.
Also there are many excellent pubs around the city offering free gigs on a regular basis.
For classical music lovers Cambridge University has its own specially designed concert hall on West Road known for its superb acoustics and a great place to enjoy classical music.
