One perfect day in Cambridge
The classic first visit: a famous bun, the chapel, the river, a museum and a garden.
If you only have one day in Cambridge, this is the route we'd give a friend. It packs in the sights people come for, keeps the walking short, and leaves time to sit down.
Everything here sits within about a mile of King's Parade, so you won't need a bus until it's time to go home.
Photo: Tim Alex / Unsplash
With the City Pass
5 of these stops are included, worth £84.50 if you paid separately. The pass is £50.
- 9:30
Breakfast at Fitzbillies
Start with a coffee and the famous Chelsea bun on Trumpington Street, sticky enough that you'll want a napkin.
Included in your pass · normally £4.50 - 10:30
King's College Chapel
Walk five minutes up King's Parade. Go in before the late-morning groups arrive and look straight up at the fan vault.
Included in your pass · normally £17 - 12:00
A punt along the Backs
From Quayside, a shared tour takes you behind the colleges, under the Bridge of Sighs and back. Let someone else do the punting.
Included in your pass · normally £41 - 13:00
Lunch around the market
Market Square has street-food stalls every day, and the lanes around it are full of cafés. Take it slowly.
Not part of the pass - 14:30
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Your pass covers the current paid exhibition. Book the slot when you plan your day, then wander the free galleries afterwards.
Included in your pass · normally £14 - 16:00
The Botanic Garden
Fifteen minutes' walk south. Finish in the glasshouses or by the lake, a quiet end to a full day.
Included in your pass · normally £8
Tips
- Book your Fitzwilliam exhibition slot as soon as you know your date.
- Wear comfortable shoes: you'll walk about three miles across the day.
- In summer, punt in the morning if you can; the river is calmer.
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Ready for your day in Cambridge?
£50 for the day. Buy now, use it whenever you visit.