Our regular series highlights top attractions and itineraries to help you make the most of a weekend visit
Words: Paul Critcher
ONE OF EASTERN England’s most prominent and historic cities, beautiful Cambridge is best known for its celebrated university. It was founded in 1209 and is the second oldest in the UK after Oxford.
The institution’s alumni are second to none, with notable figures such as Charles Darwin, King Charles III and Sir David Attenborough having attended.
The city is built on the River Cam, which weaves through a metropolis dominated by attractive architecture, with historic university buildings and museums punctuated by green spaces and parkland.
HOUR BY HOUR
DAY 1
9am Bould flavours
Cambridge is not short on good cafés, but for a real shot in the arm, head for Bould Brothers on Round Church Street, which serves excellent artisan coffee and a chicken sandwich that is simply on a different level.
Be sure to check out the nearby 12th-century Round Church, the distinctive starting point for some of the city’s many guided walks.
bouldbrotherscoffee.co.uk roundchurchcambridge.org
10.30am Punt on the Cam
Take a stroll along Bridge Street, turning right when you reach the Cam, and continue walking until you find the launch point for the city’s famous punts.
There’s a range of options for getting out on the water, from private hire to family-friendly tours taking in sights such as King’s College Chapel, the Wren Library and The Bridge of Sighs, built in 1831 and named after its Venetian forerunnner. Shared tours start from £20.
letsgopunting.co.uk
12pm Dinky Door hunt
A fun experience for visitors young and old, and a unique way to discover the city, is to go on a Dinky Door hunt.
These curious miniature sculptures, all with doors, are dotted around the town.
Use the printed map (£12.95) or take an online tour (£8.50). There are 14 doors, all publicly available, and the observant among you might even find them without taking the tour.
dinkydoors.co.uk/tour
2pm Weigh Anchor!
This truly wonderful (dare we say iconic) riverside pub, close to Queens’ College
