pjack

I know the answer for this question differs for each individual...but I'll ask anyway. I'm a senior (OK, old) traveling to London for a week in April...been in London 6 or 7 times. I will have been to Windsor Castle, Greenwich, a special tour of Buckingham Palace (hope its special...65 pds) during the week. However, I have Cambridge remaining on my sightseeing list and I may not return to London. Are you so impressed with Cambridge that you would recommend seeing it for a day........or should I just relax and spend the day walking and visiting Islington soaking in the atmosphere? (Yes, I am the type that would visit the Queen Vic in the East Enders neighborhood if it existed).

Christopher

I'd definitely recommend Cambridge for a day (or more). In fact, as a place to visit I think it is more interesting than Oxford, and I would rank it in the top three or four tourist "must-sees" in the UK (or certainly in England).

The local tourist office conducts excellent walking tours, which last two or three hours and enable you to see some of the sights including, usually, the insides of some of the colleges. The hours at which the colleges are open to the public are capricious (or seem so) and not well advertised, so at least if you do a walking tour you will have some of that hassle taken from you. There is also a bus tour, which is good for seeing some of the less central sights, but given the choice of one or the other I'd opt for the walk.

The cream of the crop, I should say, are Trinity College Library and all of King's College but particularly the chapel. It is often open. It is worth attending Evensong there if you can: it is held daily (about 5.30 I think during the week, earlier on Sundays), and the beautiful singing in that inspired building can be overwhelming. Other colleges have daily Evensong too: all would be of a high quality but none of the others has a chapel that can quite compare with King's.

stut

I live quite near Cambridge, and find it's always a pleasure to visit. It's a lovely, compact, atmospheric city, well worth a visit at any time of year.

From London, it's easy to reach by train (50 minutes from King's Cross, or a cheaper 1h30 service from Liverpool Street), although the station is about a half hour walk from the centre (with a regular bus service, you can ask for a train ticket 'plus bus' which includes this fare). I tend to cycle there - it's one of the best cities to do so in the country, although of course, this is not for everyone.

One attraction that I would say is absolutely not to miss is the Kettles Yard House. Just outside the centre (and not the Kettles Yard museum itself), it's a fascinating artist's retreat, and a great surprise after you've stepped in: a place I'd go out of my way to visit. It's quite an obscure museum, but well worth it.

Otherwise, it's great for wandering around - particularly the colleges, where you can, the greens by the colleges, the Backs (along the River Cam behind Kings et al) - even some of the residential districts near the centre can be hugely atmospheric. Some good shopping there too.

trueblu

Another (obviously biased) view that Cambridge wins over Islington hands down (and in fact, would beat many of the touristy things in London -- even though I love London, and think it's by far better than Cambridge).

One or two points though: from your post, you sound like a fit and healthy person -- which is good -- since to appreciate Cambridge, you need to walk, a lot. As such, weather will impact your enjoyment, since if it is pouring with rain, it won't be much fun. Since nothing needs booking in advance, you could decide on the day (or day before) if the weather is fine for visiting.

Another factor is that most of the interesting sites in Cambridge are to do with the Colleges and University -- which are real-life places of study and scholarship, not just museum pieces. April to June is "Easter term", known by many students as "exam term". Many colleges curb tourist activities significantly, to protect their students from distraction. Unfortunately (for tourists), the colleges most strict are the ones most worth seeing. King's is particularly harsh. I don't know the dates of your visit, but if late April, it may impact on what you get to see -- you could always check with Cambridge tourist office or the colleges directly to check.

Having said that, e.g. Evensong will happen right up to the exams, and is free for the public (you will need to queue for King's), and as recommended above, is definitely worth going to. It's also worth visiting King's chapel separately (paid entry) since it's a truly magnificent building, and has an interesting exhibition about its history which you won't have time to see at evensong.

As well as King's, the Wren library at Trinity, as well as Trinity Great Court are must-sees (with caveats as above). College wise, I have a soft-spot for Caius court (a wonderful renaissance structure) and Clare fellows' gardens (but I'm biased on those counts). Non-college wise, I would agree with Kettle's yard (closed some days) -- a very eclectic house and museum, and if the weather is nice, having tea at the Orchard in Grantchester. Punting on the river is fun -- moreso if you do it yourself rather than being chauferred (don't believe the stories the chauffers tell you, and contrary to what they say, the vast majority are not Cambridge students), but it can be carnage on a nice day with all the tourists on the river.

After all that, how can you not go?

tb

pjack

Appreciate your replies..........all of you! Will have to put Cambridge on the schedule (it was always on my list....). Unfortunately the date would be April 27, 28 or 29....doesn't sound like I might see some of the colleges if exams are taking place. But, I certainly will see the campus, etc.

Thanks again!

(If you are visiting DC or Chicago in the near future, I might be able to answer your questions, etc)

trueblu

Just a quick note of clarification -- there is no 'campus' in Cambridge. It is a city (small town actually) with lots of old and new buildings scattered about which either belong to individual Colleges, or the University. Most of the University buildings are not that interesting to look at, and you can't actually go in any of them (since they are places of work). The Senate House (the University parliament, where degrees are conferred amongst other things) is nice to look at, but again, you can't go in. Similarly, apart from the Halls (dining rooms) and chapels of some colleges, can't go into any of the buildings. But in addition, since the Colleges were original places for religious study, they are mostly 'closed communities' -- i.e. you can't just walk in -- there is a gate to be navigated. Here is where you might run into trouble due to time of year.

Furthermore, the exams won't have started at end of April (just), but the students will be revising for their exams, hence the clamp-down by the Colleges. I'm not 100% sure what the restriction for tourists are -- perhaps walking tours are given leeway that individuals aren't...? Therefore my suggestion to give a quick call to the tourist office or to e.g. King's.

Having said all that, I'm sure there is still plenty for a tourist to do/see.

tb

X3Skier

One of my favorite memories was Punting on the Cam. As with most newbies, the trip down (or was it up?) the River Cam was all over the place but the trip back was much more controlled. That plus just wandering around the city was a great day.

Cheers

csdf

Aaaah - that brings me back to student days when hapless tourists would stop me and ask for directions to "the university". In more malicious moments I would direct them towards Girton...

trueblu

he he...

I was once asked the way to "Oxford College"...

I replied...take the madingley road...for about 80 miles!*

tb

*well actually...I did, looked at blank stare, and then took pity on them.