Continuing our Pretty Places series, we are looking at the small city of Cambridge best known for its medieval university and summer days punting on the river Cam. If, during this pandemic, you are looking for somewhere to stroll around and admire the beautiful architecture and picnic on pretty manicured lawns, without getting to close to others, this is the perfect place. Here are some of the many reasons to visit Cambridge and what to see while you’re there:

Cambridge has been a global centre for research and tertiary education since the 1200s with the founding of the University of Cambridge, making it the second oldest university in Great Britain/the English-speaking world and fourth oldest in the world. King Henry III granted the University a royal charter in 1231 and papal bull from Pope Gregory IX granting graduates of Cambridge the right to teach anywhere “in Christendom”.

Though Cambridge is known world-over it only has a urban population of less than 200,000, including its nearly 30,000 students. Since its opening, over 120 Cambridge alumni or academics have won a Nobel prize, making the university more prolific in Nobel prizes than France, Russia and Italy put together.

With such a studious and illustrious history of residents, it is no surprise that Cambridge is brimming with fascinating places to discover, from the stunning English gothic King’s College, which began taking shape during the War of the Roses, to the vast Fitzwilliam Museum with more than half a million works of art and antiquities set within a palladium-fronted architectural gem.

There are 31 university colleges in the city, each as architecturally significant as the last. Many are open to the public, with internal courts lined with colourful climbing roses around perfectly mowed centre lawns. Frequent tours take place around the colleges, taking visitors inside the storied institutions, including the antiquated dining halls teaming with ancient wood panels and tall vaulted ceilings, as well as numerous historic libraries packed with hundreds of thousands of manuscripts.

Then, of course, there are the beautiful gardens and parks to stroll through, including the Botanical Gardens or Coe Fen, where you can meander along the banks of the river Cam, where punters gently glide across the waters passing under numerous photogenic bridges including the breathtaking Bridge of Sighs and the Mathematical Bridge.

If you’re not interested in walking in the footsteps of Christopher Marlowe, Charles Darwin and Stephen Hawkins, there are plenty of other attractions to enjoy including numerous museums and galleries, theatres and the annual Midsommer Fair, Strawberry Fair and Cambridge Beer Festival.

Cambridge’s main train station is served with directions routes to London as well as nearby cities such as Leicester, Birmingham, Norwich and Peterborough. The nearest international airport is London Stanstead but is also home to Cambridge Airport, which is primarily used for private services.

If you’re looking to extend your trip to Cambridge then you could always make the short journey to nearby Ely, a quaint cathedral city with equal charm and history but at a slower pace. For more Pretty Places, use the ‘Pretty Places‘ tag, or check back soon for the next edition.

Images: Scene Therapy