Only 100km from London is Cambridge, famous for its colleges. Here's what to visit in just one weekend, where to eat and how to get low cost.
Famous throughout the world for its prestigious university, the small town of Cambridge, located approx 100 km from London, is the ideal destination for a relaxing weekend, made up of long breakfasts and quiet walks that allow you to fully breathe the gothic atmosphere that exudes from every building.
Definitely less chaotic than nearby London, but equally fascinating and easily accessible, Cambridge will be able to enchant you with its colleges full of history, the typical English brick houses that go back to the Victorian era and the warm and welcoming rooms.
Getting to this city is very simple and low cost: you just need to find one of the many cheap flights to Stansted airport and from there take a bus that in about 50 minutes will take you to the city center. Despite its small size, Cambridge is home to numerous noteworthy buildings and offers several unusual attractions that will make your stay truly unique. If you are planning a weekend in this city, here are some indications for you.
First of all, I suggest you start your days in the best possible way by immediately immersing yourself in the local atmosphere with a rich English breakfast from Bill's, a beautiful specialized local in brunch and afternoon tea that will immediately strike you with its welcoming atmosphere, which combines traditional furnishings with more contemporary touches of style. Among the various dishes on offer I recommend you try the eggs benedict, eggs served on toast and ham and seasoned with a typical sauce, or the full english breakfast, that is the typical salty English breakfast which also includes sausages and beans. If you prefer a sweet breakfast, try the wonderful ones blueberry pancakes, obviously accompanied by a cup of tea.
Then begin to familiarize yourself with the city by taking a walk in the center and stopping to observe its beautiful medieval and neo-Gothic buildings, set in a setting of green meadows. Go in search of the 31 colleges which today house students and university staff, like the splendid ones Trinity College e St John's College. Do not miss their beautiful gardens, often open to the public and hidden by low wooden doors.
Among the other noteworthy buildings there are the Round Church, one of the four medieval churches in the city, so called for its peculiar round plan, and the Fitzwilliam Museum, which houses a collection of Greek and Roman art objects and a pictorial section which includes paintings by Cezanne and Picasso. Walking along the River Cam you can admire several bridges, such as the Magdalene Bridge or Bridge of Sighs, whose name is clearly inspired by the famous Venetian bridge.
At this point I recommend that you visit the King’s College, the most famous of Cambridge's colleges, which has become a real symbol of the city. The visit will allow you to see the wonderful late Gothic college chapel, decorated with splendid stained glass windows and the gardens, partly overlooking the River Cam.
Finally, to conclude your stay in the best possible way, I recommend you do a boat ride on the river on one of the typical Cambridge boats, the punt. It is a boat maneuvered by a driver who moves using a stick that is pointed at the bottom of the river, rather low. Punting, that is, the ride on one of these boats, is one of the typical activities of the place and will allow you to discover the city from a different point of view and to admire its beautiful bridges and the gardens of the six colleges that overlook the river.
