Cambridge is a smaller, greener and more open city than its rival Oxford, defined by the Backs, the ribbon of college lawns and gardens that run down to the gentle River Cam. Here the university and the town blur together along winding medieval lanes, and the great set piece is not a single monument but the sight of King's College Chapel rising above a river dotted with punts. Approach it slowly and on foot or by bicycle, the city's true native transport, and remember that the colleges are private, each opening to visitors only at set hours and often for a fee, with tighter access and closures during exam term in early summer. Balance the grand attractions, King's Chapel, Trinity, the free Fitzwilliam Museum, with quiet pleasures: a chauffeured punt past the Bridge of Sighs, a wander through the botanic garden, a pint in an ancient riverside pub. Book chapel visits and evensong ahead where you can, check college opening times on the day, and leave room to simply drift along the Backs.
A full, walkable day in Cambridge, free for everyone. Set your pace and start time.
Book a timed ticket online; go early for the quietest experience under the fan vaults. Check the notice board for evensong times.
See the vast Great Court, then the Wren Library, which opens only for limited hours; it holds Newton's own annotated Principia.
A tight staircase leads to the best rooftop view over King's Chapel and the market. Buy the tower ticket inside the church.
Take a chauffeured punt from the Mill Pond to glide past the colleges and under the Bridge of Sighs; the guides tell the stories. Weather-dependent.
Stroll the lawns and bridges behind the colleges for the classic view of King's Chapel across the river.
Free and rich; pick a few galleries, from Egyptian antiquities to the Impressionists, before it closes in the late afternoon.
British classics with a view of King's College; book a window table for the best outlook.
The soaring Gothic masterpiece of fan vaulting and stained glass that defines Cambridge; book a timed visit, and if you can, come to the world-famous choral evensong.
A Cambridge institution since 1920 famous for its sticky Chelsea buns, best warm with a pot of tea in the cosy Trumpington Street cafe.
The famous stretch of college lawns, gardens and bridges running along the Cam behind the great colleges; walk it on foot or, better, glide past by punt.
The largest and richest college, with its grand Great Court and the Wren Library holding Newton's own copy of the Principia; check the library's limited opening hours.
A magnificent free museum with a grand columned front, ranging from Egyptian coffins to Titian and Monet; easily a couple of absorbing hours.
St John's College's covered stone bridge arching over the Cam, best seen from a punt or from the neighbouring Kitchen Bridge; a Cambridge postcard classic.
Queens' College's ingenious timber bridge, held together by clever geometry rather than the myth that Newton built it without bolts; view it free from Silver Street bridge.
The pub where Crick and Watson announced they had found the secret of life, with a wartime RAF ceiling and proper pub lunches; expect a crowd.
Daniel Clifford's riverside restaurant on Midsummer Common, one of Britain's finest tasting-menu experiences; reserve weeks in advance.
A proper British dining room facing King's College, strong on aged steaks, pies and West Country cheeses; the window tables have the best view.
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