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Cover illustration: Cellinis by Edward Tuckwell A Kingfisher Media publication. KVGWTC-1024-60-10131C-BIS Printed and bound in Great Britain by Bishops Ltd
Dick Whittington and his Cat Christmas 2023
Fairview, Feb 2024
Photography by Paul Ashley
Shopaholics will love this region for its eclectic mix of boho-chic boutiques, highstreet staples and quirky independents.
Jewellery
Home furnishings
Tibetan singing bowls
Indian textiles
Crystals & gemstones
Scarves & shawls
Statues & ethnic artefacts
Boxes & lanterns
Afghan rugs
Ceramics & glassware
5 Kings Parade, Cambridge CB2 1SJ (opposite entrance to Kings College Chapel)
Nomads is a unique Aladdin’s cave overflowing with amazing handmade textiles, furnishings and artefacts – personally collected from around the globe.
Established in 1978 we are one of the longest standing independent retailers in Cambridge.
to be missed!
Cambridgeshire is a foodie’s paradise with a host of fantastic restaurants, cafés and pubs – so make sure you bring a healthy appetite.
Only here for the weekend? Fear not! Here are some ideas for a memorable short break.
Culture vultures assemble! This region offers the perfect mix of galleries, museums, exhibitions and festivals.
The night-time economy is thriving, packed with clubs, pubs, bars and music venues.
Although Cambridgeshire has more than enough to keep you busy, a journey further afield can make for an exciting new adventure.
This wonderful county draws visitors back like a magnet year after year
Welcome, visitor!
Welcome to Cambridgeshire! You’ve chosen a great time to visit this wonderful part of England. During your time in the city, you can’t help but be impressed by the majesty of the famous college buildings and architecture.
There are quaint streets and passages, beautiful pubs, restaurants and cafés, and a unique shopping experience where high street brands stand alongside independent shops of every variety.
You can soak up some of the culture in the many galleries and museums, see a student production featuring (possibly) some of the stars of tomorrow, take in a show at the Arts
Theatre, or enjoy live music or comedy at the Corn Exchange. Or you can join one of the many walking tours, and stroll around taking in the beauty of this historic city.
The wider county of Cambridgeshire also offers a wonderful range of things to see and do. Take in a vista of quintessential rolling English countryside, bustling market towns and quaint villages, majestic cathedrals and impressive stately homes. Or you can simply tour the countryside and fens, take in the view and enjoy the abundant wildlife and nature.
Whatever you decide to do during your time here, please enjoy – and come back and see us soon! ■
The University of Cambridge has 31 colleges, founded between the 13th and 20th centuries
Cambridgeshire offers an abundance of things to do with days out and top attractions for the whole family to enjoy
Great days out
There is a whole world of things to do in Cambridgeshire. Outdoorsy types can wander through country parks and cycle along riverside trails; while history buffs have got elegant country homes and gardens to explore. At the heart of it all is Cambridge, one of the world’s most beautiful cities, famous for its university, its museums and its ancient architecture.
There’s enough to do in Cambridge to keep you going for days on end. Lucky for you, then that it’s compact. You can easily walk from one side of the town centre to the other in around half an hour. And, while there’s one steep hill to the north of the city, the rest of it is flat, which makes it great terrain for
King’s College chapel is a fascinating place to listen to Evensong
cycling.
Everyone knows Cambridge for its famous university so your first port of call should be a tour of one of the 31 colleges. You can either pay for an organised tour or just pick the ones that interest you most and do it yourself. Some, such as King’s, St John’s and Queens’, charge an entrance fee, while others are free.
Visit a library
You can usually wander around the grounds, visit a library or peek into a dining hall to see how well the students live. Do bear in mind, however, that many colleges are closed or have restricted access during the exam period (late April to mid-June).
King’s College, Cambridge
Some sites worth a mention include: Pembroke College and Emmanuel College, with their gardens and chapels designed by Sir Christopher Wren; King’s College chapel, which is a fascinating place to listen to Evensong; Trinity College, which has nurtured 31 Nobel Prize winners, and boasts the Wren Library and the Great Court (which featured in the race scene of the film Chariots of Fire); and the Pepys Library at Magdalene College, with its 3,000 books – left by diarist Samuel Pepys – ordered by size.
Mathematical Bridge
The college gardens are also worth a meander, especially those close to the river. Stop to admire the Mathematical Bridge (part of Queens’ College) and the Bridge of Sighs (St John’s), which was named after the covered bridge in Venice, on which prisoners would sigh as they were escorted to their cells.
Great St Mary’s Church marks the centre of Cambridge. Its foundations were laid in 1010, and it has been the university church since 1209. For a while, it was even the university’s main building, where lectures and graduations took place. Climb the tower for a fantastic view of the city and King’s College chapel, directly opposite.
Walking tours are a doddle in Cambridge, thanks to the city’s compact size. Book through the Visitor Information Centre or online at visitcambridge.org, or simply wander the streets at your own pace.
To see the city from an arty perspective, follow the Cambridge Sculpture Trail, which includes more than 60 sculptures. There are three different routes to choose from and they last between two to four hours, taking in sculptures either in college grounds or public places. A free leaflet is available from the l
L Cambridge Sculpture Trail
I Queens’ College Mathematical Bridge
Visitor Information Centre, art galleries and museums, detailing each route – trail maps can also be downloaded online.
If culture’s your bag, Cambridge has more than its fair share of museums – in fact, you’d be hard-pressed to visit them all in a week. The best-known is The Fitzwilliam Museum on Trumpington Street. This beautiful, neoclassical building, with its monumental columns, houses an immense collection of paintings, sculpture and ancient treasures, including work by artists such as Picasso, Monet, Constable and Rubens. Founded in 1816 by Viscount Fitzwilliam of Merrion, it also boasts a treasure chest of artefacts from ancient Greece, Egypt, Cyprus and Rome.
Museum of Zoology
Also worth a look are the Polar Museum, for the lowdown on Captain Scott and other polar explorers; the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences, which has a dinosaur skeleton, fossils, rocks, stones and a selection of Charles Darwin’s rocks and fossils; the Museum of Zoology, which houses some of Darwin’s specimens, including animals he collected on the Beagle voyage; and the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, with its fine collection of objects from the voyage of Captain James Cook.
If you’re feeling arty, Kettle’s Yard – just to the north of the river, over Magdalene Bridge – has an impressive modern art collection, alongside regular exhibitions. Next door is the Museum of Cambridge, which tells the story of ordinary Cambridgeshire people over the centuries.
If you need a break from all those museums, seek some peace in one of the city’s many green spaces. Jesus Green is just around the corner from Magdalene Bridge and Bridge Street, and offers a large, open l
L Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge I Kettle’s Yard, Cambridge
space with the river nearby.
Christ’s Pieces, near the bus station and the Grafton shopping centre, is filled with beautiful blooms, plus there’s a small play area for children.
Parker’s Piece is an open park, which often holds events and festivals, while Midsummer Common is a large, natural meadow bordering the River Cam, and is home to Strawberry Fair every June.
Newton’s apple tree
Beautiful at any time of year, the Cambridge University Botanic Garden is less than a mile from the city centre, so the walk won’t be too hard on your thighs. This 40-acre marvel is home to more than 8,000 species of plants and trees, while a descendant of Sir Isaac Newton’s apple tree – from which it’s said he devised his theory of gravity – is planted on the lawn near the main ticket office. Make time for the glasshouses, which display plants from habitats such as tropical wetlands, mountains and oceanic islands.
Punting on the River Cam is quintessentially Cambridge, and a great way to explore the backs of the colleges. You can take a guided punt or else you can hire your own and go it alone. If you’re given the choice of a wooden or aluminium pole, take note:
although the wooden ones look the part, the aluminium ones are much lighter and easier to manoeuvre!
If you’d rather watch people on the water than row down it yourself, try and catch local rowing teams gliding down the river. You might well spot Cambridge University teams preparing for the world-famous OxfordCambridge Boat Race, which dates back to 1829 and takes place every spring along the River Thames in London.
Bucolic landscapes, stately homes and l
L Cambridge University Botanic Garden
I Rowing on the River Thames
Lanes Fine Jewellery
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Situated in Stamford, Lincolnshire and Leicester City Centre their boutiques are contemporary, stylish and relaxed where you can browse at leisure and be assisted by a friendly, knowledgeable team of experts. ■
picturesque towns and villages are what Cambridgeshire is all about. Throw in a vintage railway, some country parks and some quirky town museums and you’re all set for a fun-filled break.
Within easy striking distance of Cambridge is Grantchester, a pretty village just south of the city. It’s accessible by bike or with pushchairs via the flat, top path, or you could walk along the grassy riverside path with its small wooden bridges and stiles.
Elegant estates
Once in Grantchester, head towards The Orchard Tea Garden. Once a favourite place of literary figures Rupert Brooke and Virginia Woolf, it’s a charming apple orchard where you can pull up a deckchair for a spot of tea and homemade cake.
Wandlebury Country Park is an ancient wood and chalk grassland in the Gog Magog Downs, just south of Cambridge. This open space offers eight miles of walks through chalklands, woods and meadows, and you’ll get a good look at the remnants of a 5thcentury BC iron-age hill fort.
Anglesey Abbey and Wimpole Estate –both National Trust properties – are just a short drive from Cambridge. They’re both elegant buildings with plenty of tales to tell,
and beautiful gardens surrounding them. Wimpole Estate also has a working farm, which will cheer up any flagging toddlers.
Just 15 miles away from Cambridge is the historic city of Ely. With its beautiful cathedral and picturesque riverside, it’s a lovely place for a day trip or more. Ely Cathedral dates from the 11th century, and is recognisable for its Octagon Tower, which can be seen from miles around. Oliver Cromwell lived in Ely for 10 years, you can visit his house, not far from the cathedral, l
Welcome to Cambridgshire. Sponsored by Lanes Fine Jewellery
L Ely Cathedral I Anglesey Abbey, Cambridge
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almost all year round.
If you just want to have a wander, the riverside area is the place to do it. There are plenty of restaurants to pop into for lunch along the water’s edge, while the huge antiques wharf, Waterside Antiques, is a fantastic place to lose yourself for an hour.
Huntingdon, around 16 miles north of Cambridge, was the birthplace of Oliver Cromwell – born in 1599 – and the Cromwell Museum tells the story of his life and legacy. This quaint market town dates to around 1205 and is great for both shopaholics and history buffs. The Historic Town Trail is a self-guided circular walk, taking in the town hall, the 16th-century Falcon Inn, All Saints’ Church and the picturesque riverside park.
Enjoy a relaxing walk
Nearby is Houghton Mill, an 18th-century working watermill and National Trust property. Go and try your hand at making flour or enjoy a relaxing walk by the water.
Trainspotters should get down to The Nene Valley Railway, near Peterborough. Both steam and diesel trains run along the track every weekend. It uses part of the original London and North Western line, and also features a vintage bus service.
Wisbech, in the heart of the Fens, is
a market town noted for its Georgian architecture. Peckover House, a National Trust property, is filled with fine panelled rooms and elaborate Georgian fireplaces, and dates to 1722. Behind the house is a two-acre Victorian walled garden, filled with rare trees, herbaceous borders and summerhouses.
Whatever your day-trip style, there’s plenty to do and see in Cambridgeshire, whether you’re into history, nature or city pursuits. So you’d better get planning! ■
L The Nene Valley Railway I All Saints’ Church, Huntingdon
DON’T MISS
Our top things to see and do when visiting this picturesque region
1
Anglesey Abbey I
Take a day trip to Anglesey Abbey, a beautiful National Trust property in Lode, about six miles from Cambridge. Stroll along the fabulous winter walk in the colder months, or picnic on the vast areas of green meadow and parkland in the summer. Families will love a walk through the woods and visit to the giant tree house, while you can take tours around the house with its refurbished domestic wing.
2
Architectural wonders
Take a stroll into the city from Magdalene Bridge, where you’ll find quirky buildings – many of which look like they’re leaning into the road – that date from the 1500s, including Cambridge’s oldest pub (The Pickerel, 1608). Turn right down St John’s Street, just as you pass the Round Church, and you’ll find a lane of beautiful college buildings leading to the city’s shopping streets.
3
Katherine of Aragon’s grave Wander round
Peterborough Cathedral, where Henry VIII’s first wife Katherine of Aragon is buried and Mary, Queen of Scots was once laid to rest before being moved to Westminster Abbey. Built in the 1100s on the site of a church dating back to 655 AD, the cathedral is known for its imposing early English Gothic West Front with three enormous arches.
4
University colleges
Cambridge’s colleges are fascinating places to spend time in. Many are free to visit, and you can often wander around the grounds and pop your head into the dining hall or chapel. They all have beautiful gardens as well as stunning lists of famous alumni, one of whom is Prince William, who took a course in agriculture in 2014 at St John’s.
5
Marvellous museums
Immerse yourself in Cambridge’s museums –there are plenty to choose from. The most well-known is The Fitzwilliam Museum, filled with famous paintings and artefacts from the ancient world, while The Polar Museum and the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences are full of interesting finds.
6
Iconic aircraft
Take a day trip to Duxford, home to a stunning array of historical aircraft and flying legends. Part of the Imperial War Museum, Duxford is Britain’s best-preserved World War II airfield and boasts vast exhibition spaces along with historic buildings and hangars. Climb aboard Concorde or gaze at the iconic Spitfire in the AirSpace gallery.
7
Fitzbillies’ famous buns
Indulge yourself with a Chelsea bun at the famous Fitzbillies cake shop, which has been serving the sticky buns since 1922. They are so popular that the shop offers worldwide mail order! You can also stop for a coffee or lunch at the café.
8
See the unique fens k
The county’s beautiful cities, towns and villages are surrounded by the Fens and its unique wetland
landscape, where wildlife abounds. Wicken Fen Nature Reserve is a haven for birds, butterflies and dragonflies, with acres of flowering meadows and reedbeds.
9
The backs
Take a walk along what’s known as The Backs – the rear of some of the riverside colleges. In springtime, the meadows and paths leading up to the colleges are adorned with beautiful bulbs, while in summer, Red Poll cattle can be seen grazing in the meadows.
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Take a punt I
There’s nothing nicer than gliding down the River Cam in a punt
Clock watching Gaze in wonder at the mechanical ‘Grasshopper Clock’ on the corner of Corpus Christi’s Taylor Library near King’s Parade. It features a shiny 24-carat gold-plated dial, while the grasshopper occasionally blinks or moves it eyes.
There’s nothing nicer than gliding down the River Cam in a punt, especially if someone else is doing all the hard work. There are lots of places to take a chauffeured tour, where knowledgeable guides will regale you with historical stories and fascinating facts. You can also hire a punt yourself, but it’s harder than it looks! ■
SHOPPING
Shopaholics will love this region for its eclectic mix of boho-chic boutiques, high-street staples and quirky independents
Shopping in Cambridge is a dream. Its relatively small size means that it’s easy to explore the upmarket boutiques, mainstream chains and market stalls that are packed into this compact city centre. And you’ll get to do so in some of the most stunning surroundings in Britain. Branch out further and you’ll find pretty villages and market towns with a strong independent shopping streak, plus out-oftown malls for all your brand name browsing. Cambridgeshire is rich in quirky, independent shops, but high street shoppers have nothing to complain about. All the major
Grand Arcade is the main undercover shopping area in Cambridge
brands are here, so whether you’re looking to update your tech, buy a new outfit or browse a major department store, it’s easily done.
For your major shopping needs, head to Cambridge’s ‘triangle’ of Trinity Street/King’s Parade, Bene’t Street and Sidney Street. You’ll find plenty of high street names here, alongside coffee shops and cafés, and several bars and restaurants.
Grand Arcade is the main undercover shopping area, with huge skylights and open doors at either end so there’s plenty of breeze while you browse. You’ll find everything you
need here, whether you’re after toys, gifts, technology, shoes or clothes.
The main draw is the big John Lewis, along with the Apple Store and well-loved chain stores including Russell & Bromley, Ted Baker and Mango. If you need a bite to eat after you shop, upmarket chains such as Carluccio’s and Ed’s Diner are on hand to provide the goods.
Linked to Grand Arcade is The Lion Yard Shopping Centre, where you can work out your credit card in shops including The North Face, Timberland, Flying Tiger Copenhagen, Hotel Chocolat and Japanese homewares and novelties store Miniso. It’s also home to Cambridge Central Library if you want to escape the crowds, soak up a moment’s peace or grab a hot drink in the café.
If you like your high street shopping on the upscale side, then Trinity Street is the place to be. You can shop your heart out at chic clothing stores including Whistles, Toast, Seasalt and Crew Clothing, while high-end sportswear is available at Sweaty Betty and upmarket glasses can be yours at Cubitts. In the mood for some pampering? Grab some fancy face cream at Space NK.
Upmarket shops
Rose Crescent is a lovely, curved street linking Trinity Street with the market square. Upmarket shops are its USP – they include L’Occitane, Molton Brown, Jo Malone, Le Creuset and Neal’s Yard Remedies.
Just around the corner, opposite Great St Mary’s Church on St Mary’s Passage, is The Cambridge Satchel Company, Cambridge’s big success story. Back in 2008, a Cambridge mum needed to find a way to make money, and after making her daughter a leather school satchel – like the one she used to have as a child – the idea blossomed. Mums asked to buy them, magazines picked up on them, orders poured in – and there’s now another branch in Edinburgh, as well as a roaring online trade.
The Grafton is a shopping arcade to the east of the city. There are all kinds of high street names spread across two floors, including Boots, Decathlon, H&M and River Island. There’s also a multiplex cinema, cafés and a couple of restaurants on the upper level.
To get your shopping fix under one roof, Queensgate Shopping Centre in Peterborough is a brilliant place to go. It’s open seven days a week and has over 100 stores including Joules, Monsoon and New Look. The attached Westgate Arcade – which dates to 1920 – is home to shops including H&M and Marks & Spencer.
If boutiques, vintage stores and delis are
your bag, Cambridgeshire will deliver. Start first in the city of Cambridge, where you’ll find historic bookshops alongside upmarket tailors and artisan delis, plus several lively markets with a history as long as their produce list. Head out of town and there’s plenty of browsing to be had in country towns and villages, where you’re just as likely to find antique stores as upscale boutiques.
The historic market square in Cambridge has been around since the Middle Ages. During the week, it sells a range of goods, from fresh fruit and vegetables, loose-leaf tea, cheese, wet fish and flowers to clothes, artisan bread, jewellery and greeting cards. Stalls are open from 10am until 4pm. On Sundays the market highlights arts and crafts, with stalls selling everything from ceramics to chocolates.
Range of shops
Just across from the market, on Peas Hill, you’ll find a range of shops and food stops. Ark is a treasure trove filled with gorgeous gifts, cards, accessories and knick-knacks displayed on vintage and retro furniture. The Cambridge Fabric Company nearby sells beautiful fabric, buttons, sewing kits and ribbon, and runs sewing classes.
Chocoholics should make a beeline for St Andrew’s Street and head inside the Grand Arcade, where they can gorge themselves at Chocolat Chocolat. As well as selling incredible hand-made chocolates, it offers divine hot chocolate in winter, while in summer, they serve up homemade ice cream. If that’s not enough for you, there are also chocolate-making or tasting courses.
Elegant Rose Crescent is home to independent jeweller Cellini, which has a beautiful range of pearls, diamonds and bespoke pieces. There’s quirkiness in l
L Cellini, Rose Crescent, Cambridge j Grand Arcade, Cambridge
Welcome to Cambridgshire. Sponsored by Lanes Fine Jewellery
spades at The Department of Magical Gifts, which any Harry Potter fan will love.
As well as large, upmarket clothes shops, Trinity Street has a few independents. Pocket Watch & Petticoats at the top end is a reproduction vintage clothing store, full of 1940s and 1950s delights, while Heffers Bookshop, which has been trading in Cambridge for more than 140 years, sells a range of books, music and board games, as well as hosting author reading events for adults and children.
Just off Trinity Street, opposite Trinity College Gatehouse, you’ll find All Saints Garden Art & Craft Market, an awardwinning open-air market. This is the place to come for quality hand-crafted goods. Pretty much everything on the market stalls has been made by the stallholders, which includes pottery, jewellery, paintings, photography, cards, woodwork and glass. It’s held on Saturdays from 10am until 4pm, and some weekdays depending on the season.
A small pedestrianised street just off Sidney Street, Sussex Street has several lovely places to shop. Trotter & Deane is an upmarket men’s tailor, with both casualwear and suits. Further on, you’ll find Fired Earth for stylish home décor.
Variety of instruments
Millers Music on the corner of Sussex Street is Cambridge’s best-known music shop (in fact, it’s the largest and oldest music shop in town, having opened in 1856). It currently sells a huge variety of instruments – such as pianos, guitars, trumpets, drums and saxophones – as well as accessories and sheet music.
At the end of Sussex Street, you’ll find King Street, with a range of small independent shops and a few bars and cafés. Boudoir Femme is a women’s clothing boutique that features a range of upmarket brands, while GIULIO is home to luxury fashion for both men and women. Nearby, the lovely art shop, Tindalls, is an art-and-craft-lover’s paradise.
Entering Cambridge from Magdalene Bridge, Magdalene Street is home to a wealth of independent shops. First up is Lost in Vinyl, where you can channel your inner hipster and stock up on classic old LPs.
Bowns, once a 16th-century inn, is where you’ll find designer labels, gorgeous dresses and elegant work outfits, as well as casual clothes and accessories.
Country Traditionals is full of traditional, hand-crafted pottery from Poland, while Ian Stevens produces high-quality leather goods, such as bags, satchels, cases and belts, all made in his workshop. Stop by Frederic’s – an
artisan food and wine store serving Frenchinspired deli items – if you’re stocking up for a picnic.
Over the bridge and onto Bridge Street, Cambridge Wine Merchants is a fine independent wine shop with knowledgeable staff who’ll help you find that perfect bottle. If you’d rather drink on site, it doubles up as a wine bar. They have two more stores in Cambridge on King’s Parade and Cherry Hinton Road, also with space to sit and have a drink.
A bit further down the street, Catherine Jones of Cambridge sells all manner of distinctive and individual pieces of jewellery, some designed and created on site. Lilac Rose is an independent fashion boutique that sells clothes, gifts, accessories and jewellery, while nearby, Serena Jewellery is all about chic, high-end pieces.
For upmarket men’s threads, check out Sevenwolves Menswear, also on Bridge Street, which sells hip fashion brands including Folk, Oliver Spencer and Pendleton. It’s got a l
The Department of Magical Gifts, Rose Crescent, Cambridge
suitably stylish interior to go with the swanky clothes.
Afterwards, take a slight detour to your right, down All Saints Passage, and pop into the Cambridge Cheese Company, something of a local institution. Bursting with artisan food, such as charcuterie, bread and olives – as well as a huge range of cheese and chutneys – this is your must-stop shop if you’re a cheese lover.
Ice creams
Right next door is Jack’s Gelato, a second Cambridge location for this popular homemade ice cream shop, which also has a branch on Bene’t St. Load up on flavours such as coconut and cinnamon and orange and amaretto cake, before continuing your way.
There are more independent shops opposite King’s College, selling everything from college scarves and sweatshirts to crafts and jewellery. Ryder & Amies has been a gentleman’s tailoring and robe outfitters since around 1850 and is an outfitter to the University of Cambridge. You’ll find college scarves, sweatshirts, caps and bags here, and if you need to hire a robe for a graduation, this is the place to come.
Nomads is an independent shop selling goods sourced from India and Nepal – go
downstairs to discover this Aladdin’s cave of treasures. Nearby Troon sells designer clothes, making sure that there’s something for women of all ages and sizes. If you’re looking for a piece of art, Byard Art stocks paintings, ceramics, sculpture and jewellery. Around the corner on St Mary’s Passage is Iris & Violet, a womenswear boutique that also sells homewares and accessories.
Bookshops
Slip down the little side path off King’s Parade and you’ll find yourself on St Edward’s Passage, a quaint little street that makes you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. The Haunted Bookshop is a tiny shop that specialises in children’s and illustrated books and is named after a ‘white lady’, who’s said to roam the shop’s stairs. Round the corner, G. David specialises in antiquarian books and fine binding.
To feed your brain some more, head to the Cambridge University Press Bookshop, on Trinity Street – books have been sold here since 1581, making it the oldest bookshop in the country. It’s packed full of academic tomes and non-fiction, as well as revision aids and books for children.
The Mill Road area of Cambridge, about a 10 to 15-minute walk from the city centre, l
Cambridge University Press Bookshop
Treat the whole family to an Everyman cinema experience, coming to Cambridge’s Grand Arcade November 2024. Catch the latest film releases and indulge in our festive menu and cozy sofa seating.
Showing on our screens this Winter: Paddington in Peru, Gladiator II, Anora, Wicked, Moana 2, Mufasa, Better Man and more
Cinemas with heart...
Book a sofa
is home to an eclectic mix of stores, from health-food shops, bookshops and grocery stores to hairdressers, delicatessens and vintage clothing boutiques. Check out The Hive and Cambs Antique Centre on Gwydir Street, both of which are full of fascinating antiques, then head down Mill Road and over the bridge to Relevant Record Café, an eclectic mix of coffee shop on one floor and vinyl emporium in the basement. A few doors down is the Old Chemist Shop Antiques Centre, full of vintage items, including toys, homewares and clothes.
Feast of tasty foods
Ely, a tiny jewel of a city, has three main markets to browse around each week. There’s a general market on Thursdays, a craft and collectables market every Saturday and Sunday brings a craft and street food market. There’s also a farmers’ market two Saturdays a month, with producers on hand and a feast of tasty foods to try and buy. The last Friday evening of the month from April to September is Foodie Friday, which brings a host of street food and a covered seating area.
It’s easy to lose yourself at Waterside Antiques, a huge wharf by the River Ouse in Ely. It’s full of antique jewellery, art and vintage furniture, and before you know it,
you’ve been there for hours!
In St Ives, Hyperion Home & Antiques Centre houses 30 independent dealers selling antique, vintage and retro goods. It’s also an auction house, with auctions running fortnightly on Saturdays.
To the south of Cambridge is The Gog Farm Shop, one of the best in the county. It has a deli and cheese shop, a bakery and an award-winning butchery, alongside a selection of fresh fruit, herbs, vegetables and posh ready meals.
Farmers’ markets
Around 18 miles west of Cambridge, St Neots – the largest town in Cambridgeshire – is a thriving riverside town that dates back more than 1,000 years. For fantastic locally grown produce, head to the farmers’ market on the second and fourth Saturday of every month.
For general shopping, the main high street has plenty to choose from, while hidden courtyards leading off the high street feature a wealth of independent stores and interesting boutiques.
Even reluctant shoppers can’t fail to be impressed Cambridgeshire. With high street stores, haunted book- stores and a plethora of quirky boutiques, there’s truly something for everyone! ■
Cambridge Market Square
3 Rose Crescent, Cambridge, CB2 3LL
Illustration by Richard Briggs
SCAN ME!
Cellini jewellery workshops in Cambridge
Cellini is renowned for high quality jewellery and exceptional customer service. Established in Cambridge for over 40 years, what has always set us apart is our onsite workshops, a talented team of master goldsmiths and award winning jewellery designers.
Our repairs workshop is always busy fulfilling everything from ring resizing and chain repairs to full restoration projects. We also provide a free of charge jewellery checking and polishing service that we offer to everyone.
In addition, we have another larger workshop in Cambridge where we make many of the wonderful items of jewellery that can be seen in our Rose Crescent shop. We use traditional goldsmithing techniques alongside the latest innovations in 3D modelling and CAD design.
With our team of experts and facilities we can offer an unparalleled and bespoke service to our customers. From transforming cherished family jewellery into modern and meaningful pieces for a new generation, to having a completely new piece designed for you and made by our goldsmiths. You can be sure that if you choose Cellini you will leave with a beautiful, well-made piece of jewellery and have a wonderful experience. ■
Cellini
4 Rose Crescent, Cambridge 01223 517700 @cellinifinejewellery Jewellery@cellini.co.uk Facebook.com/cellinipearls/
Made in the Cambridge workshop, the ring was made by David, and then set by Adam. Here our goldsmith is applying finishing touches to the settings.
EATING OUT
Cambridgeshire is a foodie’s paradise with a host of fantastic restaurants, cafés and pubs – so make sure you bring a healthy appetite
Cambridgeshire’s food scene is flourishing. Cosmopolitan Cambridge has the whole dining spectrum, whether you want a vegan burger, some Vietnamese street food or traditional fine dining. Head out of the city and there are farm shops and gastropubs, as well local restaurants committed to celebrating regional, seasonal ingredients. Once you know the local secrets, you can make a beeline
for the best coffee, lunch spots and evening tables around.
If you’re up for a casual brunch, a cool cup of coffee or some upscale fast food, there are lots of laidback cafés to try. Cambridge’s large student population ensures that they’re fun and great value, too.
On Chesterton Road, just north of Midsummer Common, is Stir, a cool neighbourhood café. It’s a lovely, bright place that serves cakes
and light snacks, and children are positively welcomed, as they are at their sister café in neighbouring Histon. There’s more fabulous food at Café Foy, which offers coffee, cake and brunch right by the river, at Magdalene Bridge.
Heading up the eclectic area towards the east of the city is Espresso Library, a cool cycle café that’s open for breakfast, brunch and lunch until 4pm. There’s a
Stir restaurant, Chesterton Road, Cambridge
second branch next to the Grand Arcade, on St Andrew’s Street.
On nearby Mill Road, Scott’s All Day has been given a big thumbs up by locals. This neighbourhood café serves brunch in the mornings and pizza from lunchtime onwards. If you’d like your artisan coffee with a slice of incredible focaccia, then head to Modigliani, just down the road.
For more coffee action, 5 Blends Coffee House has been going down a storm since it opened in 2018. The Garden Kitchen, meanwhile, is a spin-off from the hugely successful Garden Café at the Cambridge University Botanic Garden. It’s primarily a takeaway and serves tasty salads, lunch specials and cakes alongside tea and coffee.
Hot Numbers Coffee Roasters on Gwydir Street is a Cambridge favourite. It serves the perfect coffee from a no-fuss, pared-down menu, and a tasty selection of cakes. It’s so good that there’s another one on Trumpington Street, right opposite The Fitzwilliam Museum, plus a roastery, kitchen and bakery near Shepreth, a few miles outside the city.
Black Cat Café
Further up Mill Road and over the bridge is the Black Cat Café, which is the place to go for a hearty but healthy breakfast – try the specials at the weekend, which include avocado eggs benedict with homemade lemon hollandaise.
For the offbeat combo that you never knew you needed, try Liutaio, a café, dim sum restaurant and stringed-instrument shop that also puts on live performances.
Relevant Record Café at the far end of Mill Road has a coffee shop on one floor and a record emporium in the basement – a treasure trove for vinyl lovers.
The Urban Larder is a wellloved, cosy coffee shop that serves great coffee, toasties and blondies, while right at the end of Mill Road is The Edge Café, which –as well as serving good food and award-winning coffee – supports people who are recovering from substance abuse.
Gourmet Burger and Fries (GBF) on Mill Road is takeaway only but serves a huge range of homemade burgers with appealing names such as Jamaican jerk and flaming chilli. If you have a sweet tooth, you’ll be glad to know that Belgian waffles and shakes are also on the menu!
In the centre of Cambridge, King’s Parade and the surrounding streets are full of excellent foodie options. On Bene’t Street, you’ll find Aromi, a Sicilian café where you can watch chefs make the most amazing pizzas and flatbreads through the window while you wait.
Varied menu
Aromi is a Sicilian café where you can watch chefs make the most amazing pizzas
Nearby is Bread & Meat, serving chunky and delicious roasted-meat sandwiches, as well as vegetarian options. Founded by food writer and restaurateur Bill Sewell, Michaelhouse Café on Trinity Street (opposite Gonville and Caius college) is known for its fresh and varied menu including quiches, soups, salads and hot meals.
If you’re looking for some good old English tradition, Harriets Café Tearooms, on Green Street, has staff dressed in 1940s-style uniforms and a piano waiting to be played (anyone can have a go when the pianist isn’t there).
You can stop by for a simple sandwich or a full-on afternoon tea. Nearby, almost opposite King’s College and with a brilliant view, is The Copper Kettle, a great choice l
Aromi, Bene’t Street, Cambridge
Fitzbillies is a Cambridge institution, delighting town, gown and visitors alike with its buns, cakes & pastries for over 100 years. First opened by Ernest and Arthur Mason in 1920, it is most famous for its ultra-sticky Chelsea buns. Fitzbillies also serves a great cup of coffee and fantastic breakfast, brunch, lunch and tea, designed to show off the bakery produce. To this day, everything is baked in house, in our artisan bakery in Cambridge.
With three branches set amongst the colleges in the town centre, no trip to Cambridge is complete without a visit.
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You can’t miss our King’s Parade bakery College Chapel right outside the front door!
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The original branch of Fitzbillies, dating back to 1920, includes The Cake Shop, a Restaurant & Tearoom serving brunch and afternoon tea and the Bakery Coffee Shop.
At the other side of Cambridge, our Bridge Street bakery coffee shop is beloved by locals and perfectly placed by the River Cam for a pre-punting treat or picnic.
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for brunch, tea and cake or an evening meal with fantastic Mediterranean flavours.
Just off King’s Parade, on St Edmund’s Passage, is Indigo Coffee House. This tiny café serves fresh coffee, cakes and light meals, and has a small seating area upstairs and little tables outside. It’s a great refuge from the hustle and bustle of town, and just a side-step from King’s College.
Sticky Chelsea buns
Just a few steps further down King’s Parade on Trumpington Street is Fitzbillies, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2020. It’s famous for its sticky Chelsea buns – they’re so popular that they’re available by mail order. There’s also a Fitzbillies on Bridge Street, at the other end of town, so you’re covered whichever direction you walk in.
Savino’s, opposite the bus station on Emmanuel Street, reputedly serves some of the best coffee in Cambridge. It’s a Sicilian venture
that evokes the sights and sounds of a Sicilian café, with its Italian newspapers and gregarious staff.
If you’re looking for some serious meat-free indulgence, head to Doppleganger Burger on Regent Street. You’ll find delicious plant-based burgers bursting with flavours, alongside cocktails and outstanding shakes – the salted caramel chocolate brownie shake is highly recommended! For more plant-based eats, don’t miss Stem & Glory, a vegan café and restaurant near the station.
Another must-visit is Charlie’s Coffee Company & Pizzeria on Burleigh Street, which not only serves great coffee, but also a huge range of pizzas, hand thrown and cooked in their own pizza oven. It even has train tables where you can eat while messing about with model trains!
Want several cuisines to choose from? Then try foodPark., a collective of Cambridge street food vendors who sell their wares on
Tuesday to Saturday lunchtime, and on Wednesday evenings, at a different site each day. Venues include Cambridge Science Park, Cambridge University Library and the CB1 Development at Cambridge Railway Station. What’s on the menu? You’ll find everything from pizza to buffalo wings to bao buns.
In Ely, the award-winning Peacocks Tearoom by the river is a favourite spot for locals and tourists alike. With beautiful views, as well as a fantastic selection of tea and cakes, it’s well worth making a pitstop here. And, if you’re visiting the cathedral, stop by at the Almonry Restaurant within the medieval precinct for sweet treats and light meals.
Tom’s Cakes on High Street in Ely and Market Hill in St Ives is a café that sells its own homemade cakes and biscuits, with an emphasis on local ingredients and flavours. It also serves paninis, sandwiches and soup.
Julia’s Tea Rooms on Ely’s l
Fitzbillies, Trumpington Street, Cambridge
High Street is consistently good – try the delicious fresh scones. If you fancy an ice cream, then go for Hadi’s Gelato, an Italian ice-cream parlour that also serves crêpes and waffles.
Both traditionalists and adventurous eaters are well catered for in Cambridgeshire. There are cosy pubs to hole up in, a host of lively international restaurants, plus upscale dining rooms for that special night out.
Hearty steaks
With its classic British dishes and real ales, the meat-heavy Cambridge Chop House, with fine views of King’s College, is a Cambridge favourite. Hearty steaks are the main attraction, alongside pork and lamb chops, pies and burgers. The owners have another restaurant, Smokeworks, on Free School Lane, a stone’s throw from the famous Eagle pub. Emulating everything BBQ and Tennessee, this place both looks and tastes the part.
Right by the river, Millworks is a historic Cambridge watermill, reenergised into an eclectic modern brasserie. Think vibrant, punchy flavours with elements of smoke from the charcoal grill. You can still see the working water wheel turning inside.
The area by the Corn Exchange is fast becoming a foodie hot spot. As well as a number of good chain eateries, including Honest Burgers, Sticks‘n’Sushi, Zizzi and Vietnamese street food restaurant Pho, there are some great independents, too. Steak & Honour started out as a mobile gourmet burger van, but now has premises next to the Corn Exchange, and offers click and collect from its mobile van.
Just nearby, Market House is the new (and very large) kid on the block. Spread over an impressive five floors, it includes meeting rooms, private dining, a restaurant, a wine bar and an allday café serving meat, cheese and vegan platters.
For a real treat, book a table at Trinity Restaurant, just a few steps away down Trinity Street. This elegant dining room serves beautifully presented, high-end food such as sustainable seafood bouillabaisse and confit rabbit and potato terrine.
Set in the thriving riverside area of town, by Magdalene Bridge, The River Bar Steakhouse offers a fine selection of steaks and burgers, along with some upmarket fish dishes such as grilled lobster.
If you’re into Southeast Asian food, Thaikhun serves authentic Thai street food alongside traditional curries and stir fries, and an excellent kids’ menu. Thanh Binh is a family-run Vietnamese place opposite Magdalene College, which operates a bring-your-own-alcohol policy. Food is spicy and fragrant, and there’s plenty of variety, too.
For dinner with a view, you can’t do better than SIX – a restaurant with a spectacular skyline. On the sixth floor of the Varsity Hotel, it
Market House, Cambridge
serves modern, seasonal, British and locally sourced food, cooked on their grill or in their wood stone oven.
For something a little different head to Stolen on King Street, which is both a restaurant and wine bar whose menu ‘steals’ the best dishes from restaurants and fast-food joints around the world, including teriyaki udon inspired by Wagamama and Return of the Mac, a burger paying homage to McDonald’s.
Delicious tagines
Prepare for a sensory overload on Mill Road, where the choice of cuisine ranges from Indian, Chinese and Korean to Turkish and Greek. Bedouin is a North African restaurant strewn with wall rugs from the Sahara and serves delicious tagines, couscous and marinated meats. Al Casbah serves Algerian cuisine – merguez, couscous and marinated brochettes are all on the menu.
For a taste of Italy, try Maurizio Dining & Co, an aperitivo and wine bar that serves delicious antipasti planks, with a daily pasta dish. There’s also Tradizioni, at the start of Mill Road, which serves authentic pizza and pasta, with a friendly, family atmosphere.
Back out by the south of the river, Rice Boat is a fantastic Keralan restaurant with particularly good dosas and thalis, as well as plenty of delicious offerings for vegetarians and pescatarians.
Heading up Regent Street towards the station end of town is The Tiffin Truck, a hip bar and Indian street food restaurant, where you can eat snacks, curries and even Indian afternoon tea, alongside Indian craft beers.
In Ely, The Old Fire Engine House, just west of the cathedral, offers a cosy dining experience with a traditional British farmhouse menu made from seasonal, local ingredients. You might find
yourself tucking into partridge casserole, local smoked eel or traditional roast leg of lamb.
The Willow Tree in Bourn is an eclectic ‘boudoir’ restaurant, with a vibrant and diverse seasonal menu and some stunning dining spaces. You can, for example, dine beneath the stars in a private, fairy light-strewn dining dome. There’s also regular live music in their garden Teepee.
The Three Horseshoes in Madingley, a small village just outside Cambridge, offers far more than traditional pub grub. You’re just as likely to find grilled fish with gremolata or classic salad niçoise, as you are pies and steaks.
Its sister pub, the awardwinning The Cock, at Hemingford Grey, has a huge beer garden, outdoor dining pods and a menu of solid pub classics including a regularly changing sausage selection. Meanwhile, The Pheasant at Keyston (12 miles west of Huntingdon), is a picturesque, l
Tradizioni, Cambridge
Indian Fine Dining
The ultimate Indian fine dining experience in Cambridge. Contemporary Indian cooking showcasing the finest seasonal and sustainable ingredients.
Navadhanya is proudly listed in the Michelin Guide in 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2021.
Winnder of Best Fine Dining Restaurant in the East of England and Asian Restaurant of the Year East of England at the Asian Curry Awards.
thatched, traditional inn dishing up a wide range of pub classics from a regularly changing menu.
For a swish night out and some of the best food in Cambridgeshire, try two Michelin-starred Midsummer House. Set on Midsummer Common in an elegant Victorian house complete with airy conservatory, it’s known for its classical French technique and innovative dishes – think Roasted Anjou pigeon with mushrooms and chocolate purée or Provençal tomato sorbet with aged Parmesan. For a blow-out, go for the tasting menu.
An unassuming building on the banks of the river, Restaurant Twenty-Two is both luxurious and intimate with a seasonal tasting menu that changes weekly. You’ll be presented with plates of deliciousness such as Australian winter truffle and hand-dived Orkney scallops.
Vegetarian tasting menu
On Mill Road is Vanderlyle, the passion project of MasterChef finalist Alex Rushmer. It specialises in farm-to-table vegetarian tasting menus which change regularly driven by the seasons and their suppliers. You could find yourself tucking into carrot tartare with egg yolk and galangal, or glazed salsify with vermouth cream sauce.
Poets House in Ely is both charming and indulgent. A hotel as well as a restaurant, it serves excellent cocktails alongside classics such as pork schnitzel and ribeye steak.
In Huntingdon, The Old Bridge Hotel is a classy 18th-century townhouse specialising in pub classics with a twist such as spiced sea trout with curried tomato sauce. Once you’ve filled up on the outstanding food, you can check out the remains of a Norman motte and bailey structure, once Huntingdon Castle, next door.
Eating out is a highlight of any trip, and Cambridgeshire doesn’t disappoint. Whether you fancy fine dining or casual street food, there’s always something great to sink your teeth into. ■
L Smokeworks restaurant, Free School Lane I Restaurant Twenty-Two, Cambridge
Only here for the weekend? Fear not! Here are some ideas for a memorable short break
WEEKENDER
DAY ONE
The main draw in Cambridge is visiting the many University colleges. Start at St John’s Street – which turns into Trinity Street –in the city centre, and admire the architecture as you work your way up to King’s College. Visit St John’s or Trinity along the way – both have something special to offer. King’s College is probably the most famous college, built in 1446 by Henry VI, and boasts a world-famous chapel. Stop for a coffee at one of the many cafés en route. Try the Michaelhouse Café on Trinity Street (which also does fantastic homemade lunches!).
Great St Mary’s Church
Next make your way to Great St Mary’s Church. This was the first university building where ceremonies and graduations took place before the colleges were built and has been visited by Richard III, Elizabeth I, Cardinal Wolsey and Oliver Cromwell to name but a few. If you’re feeling energetic, climb the 123 steps to the top.
Once safely down, pass King’s College and admire Corpus Christi’s 24-carat ‘Grasshopper Clock’ on the corner of King’s Parade and Bene’t Street, designed by John C Taylor. Keep watching as it occasionally blinks or does something unexpected, depending on the time of day.
Lunch could be taken at The Cambridge Chop House, a fine eatery with fantastic views of King’s, or venture round the corner to The Eagle, the famous pub where Crick and Watson announced their discovery of DNA.
Round off the day with a leisurely
punt – it’s probably best to let someone else do the hard work this late in the day. Head down Mill Lane to book your guided punt, though there are plenty of other places around the city to choose from. Relax as the backs of the colleges glide by, while you absorb more historical tales from your knowledgeable chauffeur.
DAY TWO
Start your day at The Fitzwilliam Museum. Filled with fine art from artists including Picasso, Monet, Constable and Rubens; sculpture; manuscripts and etching. If you’re feeling peckish after your cultural morning, pop across the road to Fitzbillies, which is something of a Cambridge institution as far as eateries are concerned. Take away a famous
King’s is probably the most famous college of them all
sticky Chelsea bun, or enjoy a light lunch in the café.
From here, walk back to King’s College and turn right down St Edward’s Passage, and lose yourself in one of the bookshops down this quirky, old street. Come out of the other end and browse around the market in the centre of town, then indulge in some well-earned retail therapy at the Grand Arcade.
Round off your day by heading back to King’s College and listening to Evensong in the amazing college chapel – it’s simply breathtaking. ■
King’s College, Cambridge
Culture vultures assemble! This region offers the perfect mix of galleries, museums, exhibitions and festivals
Culture Club
Every visitor to Cambridge is enveloped in history and culture. The famous university dates to 1209, and just walking around the city centre takes you back in time. Add to that a world-class selection of museums and galleries, a thriving theatre and music sector and a host of year-round festivals – you don’t get much more cultured than Cambridge! Everywhere you look in Cambridge there are reminders of its rich history and its contributions to science, art, literature and politics. There’s a huge range of
museums, galleries and heritage buildings to get around – just don’t try to do them all in one visit!
Inaugurated in 1816 when Viscount Fitzwilliam of Merrion bequeathed his art and library, The Fitzwilliam Museum, commonly known as the Fitz, is a veritable cultural icon and a love letter to fine art and sculpture. Art on display includes works from Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Monet, Rodin, Turner, Constable, Gainsborough, Pissarro and Renoir – and that’s by no means all.
If you’re into antiquities, you’ll
find them in the form of artefacts from ancient Egypt and Greece and European and Oriental decorative arts, including glass and pottery. Medieval coins and medals, Renaissance manuscripts and early printed music round out the offering. After a busy morning’s browsing, you can relax in the onsite café, a popular meeting place. Downing Street, just around the corner, plays host to three top museums. The Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences is a great place for kids and adults alike, with its dinosaur skeleton, stones and a
Cambridge Sculpture Trails
To learn more about sculpture, try one of the three Cambridge Sculpture Trails
selection of Charles Darwin’s rocks and fossils.
Further down the road, the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology features a fine collection of objects from the voyage of Captain James Cook, as well as artefacts such as stone tools, pots, sculptures and paintings covering nearly two million years of human history.
The University Museum of Zoology, on the same road, is the place to go to trace the evolution of animal life and bird and mammal skeletons. You can also find out about the stories behind Darwin’s finches, fish, barnacles and beetles.
The Whipple Museum Keen on science? The Whipple Museum of the History of Science, on Free School Lane, showcases scientific instruments from the medieval period right through to the present day. They’re particularly strong on artefacts from the 17th to the 19th centuries and it’s fascinating to see early means of navigation, calculation, surveying and astronomy.
There’s more fun with science at the Cambridge Science Centre, on Clifton Road, which has a nice line in interactive exhibitions, workshops and shows for families and young curious minds.
It might be small, but the Museum of Classical Archaeology is definitely perfectly formed. With a collection spanning the GraecoRoman world and covering a time period from 1700BC to AD 400, it showcases Roman statues, ancient Greek art and a huge plaster cast collection. To learn more about sculpture, try one of the three Cambridge Sculpture Trails – route information and maps are l L
The Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street I The Polar Museum, Lensfield Road
Tours | Shop | Events
Discover an ordinary terraced house with an extraordinary hand-painted interior. Home to the Victorian working-class artist, David Parr and his family, the house is an example of Arts and Crafts workmanship layered with 20th-century social history. Book a house tour, see what’s on and explore our shop at davidparrhouse.org
available free online or from the Visitor Information Centre.
For more petite but fact-packed fun try The Polar Museum on Lensfield Road. You’ll get all the inside info on the expeditions of Captain Scott and other polar explorers, and see manuscripts, photos, clothing and travelling equipment related to their journeys. There’s also a fantastic selection of arts and crafts relating to the polar regions.
If visiting art galleries is more your style, Kettle’s Yard – just to the north of the river, over Magdalene Bridge – houses a fine collection of modern art, alongside regular exhibitions. It’s home to all kinds of interesting pieces, including work by Henry Moore and Joan Miro. Next door is the Museum of Cambridge, housed in a former 17th-century coaching inn, which features a selection of vintage household objects and Fen folklore.
The Centre for Computing History, a short hop from the city
If visiting art galleries is more your style, try Kettle’s Yard – just over Magdalene Bridge
centre on Coldham’s Road, is a fabulous place for a nostalgia trip. Both big and little kids can get competitive playing on vintage computers packed with retro games, and there are regular workshops to take part in, such as computer programming.
Cambridge Museum
If you want to know more about the country’s industrial heritage, Cambridge Museum of Technology has steam engines, displays on local industries and a Victorian pumping station where you can learn all about sewage.
Cambridge is vibrant all year round and it has the festivals to prove it. Top picks include the Cambridge Festival, which celebrates both science and the humanities (March and April); the Cambridge Literary Festival, which attracts top authors from around the world (April and November); the Foodies Festival, which has life music as well as l
Kettle’s Yard, Cambridge
cooking demos and food stalls (July); and lively music festival the Big Weekend (July).
There are also mellow tunes at Cambridge Folk Festival (July to August); outdoor performances at the Shakespeare Festival (July to August); Open Cambridge, when you can visit spaces that are usually closed to the public (September); Cambridge Film Festival, a major international event (October); and Cambridge Jazz Festival, which celebrates jazz, soul, funk and afrobeat (November).
Set up in 1883, The Cambridge Footlights theatre troupe has produced star after star, including Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Eric Idle and Emma Thompson. Housed at the ADC Theatre, the group holds fortnightly sketches and stand-up (called Smokers), plus the annual pantomime and four main shows a year – one of which goes to the Edinburgh Fringe each August. Aside from the Footlights troupe, the ADC hosts plenty of other productions, including those from local drama groups and national touring companies.
Fantastic venue
Cambridge Corn Exchange is a fantastic venue for both live music and theatre. Situated right in the centre of the city, just behind the market square, it shows big-name live bands, comedy and touringtheatre performances, often straight from London’s West End.
The Cambridge Arts Theatre, just around the corner, is also big news in town. This is home to a varied programme of drama, dance, music, comedy and pantomime, plus other touring shows, again from the West End.
Cambridge doesn’t have the monopoly on culture. Head outside the city and you’ll find pretty towns and villages that are rich in history, museums and galleries that tell the story of the region’s inhabitants and thriving local theatres that put on plays, live music and standup comedy.
Ely Cathedral, about 15 miles from Cambridge, can be seen from miles around, thanks to the flat
Enjoy mellow summer tunes at Cambridge Folk Festival
landscape of the Fens. It’s known locally as the ‘Ship of the Fens’, and visitors can climb the unique Octagon Tower and West Towers, but beware – the climb is not for the faint-hearted! Once at the top, the views across the city and out over the countryside are magnificent. The cathedral also houses a Stained Glass Museum – the only one in the country.
Virginia Woolf, EM Forster and Rupert Brooke were among the members of The Grantchester Group, who lived in and around Cambridge in the early-to mid1900s, a time oozing with relaxed elegance. Brooke lived an idyllic life on the banks of the Cam in nearby Grantchester, commuting to Cambridge by canoe, living off fruit and honey and swimming naked in Byron’s pool with Woolf.
If you want to follow in their footsteps, you can get to the picturesque village of Grantchester
via a two-mile riverside walk from Newnham College in central Cambridge. If you’re a fan of Grantchester the TV drama, see if you can spot some locations from the show.
A short drive from Peterborough city centre, Flag Fen was once the site of an ancient bronze-age causeway. Come here and you can discover what life was like for our ancestors in a reconstructed bronzeage village. If you’d rather imagine yourself as lord of the manor, get over to Longthorpe Tower, where you can soak up the atmosphere of this 13th-century stately home.
Ely Museum is set in the city’s former jail and tells the story of prehistoric Ely through to the present day. The town’s most famous ever inhabitant was Oliver Cromwell, who lived here for 10 years. You can visit his former house to see how he and his family would have lived in the mid-17th century.
Over in Peterborough, the Peterborough Museum & Art Gallery displays art from the
The Cambridge Folk Festival welcomes a wide variety of performers
1600s through to the modern day, including both local, national and international artists. It also puts on regular workshops.
The Key Theatre in Peterborough brings a wealth of entertainment and culture to the city. It puts on touring shows, comedy, dance and live music – as well as pantomimes – so there’s always something to entertain you. And, although small, The Maltings at Ely riverside, set in a former Victorian brewery, is a lovely venue for professional and amateur theatre, and it also has a small cinema.
For a bit of offbeat fun, keep an eye out for the Ely Eel Festival Weekend at the beginning of May. A celebration of all things eel related, it includes an eel parade, eelinspired food and an eel throwing competition (using soft toys, rather than live eels)!
Whether you’re into music, theatre, dance, fine art or sculpture, plenty of culture awaits in Cambridgeshire – you just need to decide what to do first! ■
Shuttleworth Collection & Gardens
A year-round visitor attraction in the heart of Bedfordshire, Old Warden aerodrome is one of the only remaining grass airfields in the country. Whether you’re an aircraft aficionado, horticulturalist, family, or simply looking for a unique experience right on your doorstep, Shuttleworth has something for everyone to enjoy.
The Collection Honouring the legacy of our patron, Richard Ormonde Shuttleworth – a keen aviator, racing driver and horse racer – The Shuttleworth Collection is a treasure trove of airworthy vintage aircraft from 1909-1950, agricultural and steam exhibits, veteran vehicles, classic motorcycles, bicycles, carriages, and buses.
Come and visit our engineering workshop to see the live work taking place on some of these stunning aircraft, before exploring six hangars full of aeronautic and vehicular history.
Swiss Garden
Step through ornate iron gates and discover the quiet idyll of Swiss Garden. Beautifully restored, this RHS partner garden is a unique example of a Regency Garden in the ‘Alpine’ style.
Along the way you’ll find delightful quirky structures including our Indian Kiosk, Swiss Cottage, and even a Grotto filled with stained glass and climbing Wisteria.
Play Area & The Runway Café
Let the kids run wild in our inclusive play area which boasts a great range of equipment for all ages. Then, refuel at The Runway Café –offering visitors an excellent seasonal menu of freshly made, locally sourced food and drink.
Events
Throughout the year, Shuttleworth hosts a range of events, including a spectacular summer season of air shows. The House is also home to various corporate events and is a hugely popular wedding venue.
Visit us
Shuttleworth is open to the public seven days a week including Bank Holidays (excluding selected dates of the festive period). Our daily admission ticket can be used multiple times for up to 30 days (excluding air show and event days). ■
Shuttleworth Collection & Gardens
+44 (0)1767 627 927 shuttleworth.org enquiries@shuttleworth.org Find us on social: @shuttleworthtrust
After dark
The night-time economy is thriving, packed with clubs, pubs, bars and music venues
There’s loads to do after the sun goes down in Cambridge, whether you want to dance all night, hear some live music, sink sophisticated cocktails or channel intellectuals of old in a historic pub. Just don’t assume that there’s not much going on in the rest of the county. Towns including Ely, Huntingdon and Peterborough can keep you going until the small hours too.
Cambridgeshire has more than its fair share of swanky wine and cocktail bars. But if you’re more of a clubber, you’ll find plenty of places where the party goes on well into the night.
Cocktail Bar
If you fancy kicking your night off with a cocktail, then Cambridge’s 196 Cocktail Bar on Mill Road is a great place to start. Small and intimate, it serves amazing cocktails made with premium spirits, with emphasis on fresh flavours – no skimping on the quality here. The bar is compact, with seating for about 20 people, but it’s got a great vibe, and it’s not too noisy either. NOVI, on Regent Street, serves a great range of herby, botanical cocktails, and it’s open until 3am at the weekend. It’s also a café by day if you want to stop by for a coffee or a snack.
The roof terrace at the stylish Varsity Hotel is probably the best place to have a drink with a view in Cambridge. With stunning panoramas across the city and top views of the fireworks if you come during May Ball time (which is in June, incidentally) it’s a fantastic place to start your evening. There’s also a heap of blankets in case there’s a chill in the air. Enter the hotel and take the lift to the top floor for your wow moment. If you want food or drinks when the weather’s not at its best, try SIX Brasserie on the floor below.
Riverside, the area around Magdalene Bridge, comes alive at night, and there are always people sitting by the river with a drink when the weather’s fine. Cambridge Wine Merchants on Bridge Street is a brilliant spot for people-watching, and – as you’d expect – it serves
If you want food or drinks when the weather’s bad, try SixBrasserie
excellent wine. You can also buy nibbles and small plates of food, such as Scotch eggs or a deli platter, if you’re feeling peckish. Nearby is Café Foy, a family-run, intimate bar by the river that serves small plates, drinks and cocktails.
Further south along the river at Mill Pond is The Garden House. It’s primarily a restaurant but there’s a fancy bar selling equally fancy beverages, as well as a stunning terrace with some of the best views in Cambridge.
Hidden Rooms on Jesus Lane is a basement cocktail bar that’s reservation only. It serves amazing cocktails, and there are often live events, such as speed dating and dance classes.
If you’re in the mood for music, 2648 on Trinity Street, which used to be known as The Vaults, is a basement restaurant and bar that serves cocktails and craft beer, with pop-ups and DJs throughout the year.
The passageway just off the market square, Market Passage, is home to a few different clubs and bars. Town and Gown is set in a former cinema and is now a pub and restaurant with a theatre space for plays and live music. Opposite is MASH, an independent club and live music venue with an impressive range of club nights, including one of the most popular student nights in the city.
Nearby is Vinyl, a retro club decked out with disco balls, and a light up dancefloor that takes its cues from Saturday Night Fever. It pulls in plenty of uni students, who come to dance with abandon l
Six Brasserie at Varsity Hotel, Cambridge
to 70s, 80s and 90s tunes.
La Raza, on Rose Crescent, isn’t just a funky cocktail and tapas bar. It’s a place to see local bands show off their talent, and to dance away at club and DJ nights. Just outside the Grand Arcade, Lola Lo is a tiki bar and club with décor straight out of the South Pacific.
On the way out of the centre, on Regent Street, Parker’s Tavern is a brasserie with an extremely sophisticated bar attached, decked out like an artist’s salon. It has a great reputation for cocktails and a very well stocked wine cellar. Nearby is The Lab, a 1920s-themed and science-inspired cocktail bar that serves both classic and bespoke cocktails and has a list of more than 300 spirits on its menu.
Head down the road to Italian restaurant De Luca Cucina & Bar but bypass the dining room and go straight to the top-floor Piano Bar. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, a fabulous pianist entertains guests all night with a
Parker’s Tavern is a brasserie with an extremely sophisticated bar
magical set – singalong sheets are available if you suddenly find your voice!
Over in Ely, Poets House, in the heart of the city centre, is a charming boutique hotel with an equally charming in-house drinking den. The Sonnet Bar mixes mean cocktails to perfection and serves a decent glass of wine.
Proper clubbing
Olmo Lounge on the High Street in Huntingdon is a lively contemporary bar serving excellent brunch, burgers and evening meals. The Old Bridge Hotel is known for its seasonal and locally sourced British food but is also a great place for drinking in the evening, with an excellent cocktail list and a beer garden for soaking up the sun in the summer.
Peterborough is great for proper clubbing. The Met Lounge is always popular, while Embassy boasts the Red Room club, which plays R’n’B and hip hop, and Flares, a retro l
Parker’s Tavern, Regent Street
70s/80s club.
Staying out late in Cambridgeshire doesn’t have to be about slick cocktail bars and banging clubs. There’s plenty of low-key fun to be had in the county’s microbreweries and traditional pubs – some of which are excellent places to hear live music. If it’s big bands and recitals you’re after, the concert halls of Cambridge will do you proud.
There’s no shortage of excellent
pubs and microbreweries in town. The Cambridge Brew House on King Street contains its own microbrewery called the Cambridge Brewing Company. It also uses an in-house smoker to cure meat, cheeses and fish to perfection, so you have something to go with your drinks.
It has a sister pub on Regent Street called The Old Bicycle Shop, housed in what’s said to have been the oldest bicycle shop in the
Cambridge Brew House, King Street
country. It’s all cool and pared-back inside and features a decent wine list as well as local ales. Vegans and vegetarians will be happy here –they’ve got an excellent range of plant-based meals and snacks.
The Orator is home to the Cambridge Union Society – the oldest, continuously running debating society in the world – but it also opens its doors to the public. It’s just off Round Street, and you can stop off here for food and
drinks, or just to hear the results of the latest debate.
Pint Shop, near the market square, is a great place to go for a proper beer, but there’s also an impressive 55 gins on the menu for spirit lovers, plus an airy dining room that serves posh kebabs, burgers and steaks.
The Liquor Loft, upstairs at Stolen restaurant on King’s Street, is a cocktail and wine bar with an outdoor terrace, which – as the name suggests – has a huge range of spirits. It’s great for watching the night sky with friends or cosying up with a throw in its intimate interior.
Calverley’s Brewery is a small, family-run craft brewery just off Mill Road. It brews an everchanging selection of beers, and is open Tuesday to Saturday, while hungry punters can order sourdough pizza from neighbouring pizzeria, Scott’s All Day.
Historic pubs
If you visit Cambridge you have to have a pint in The Eagle, in the centre of town. It’s famously the place where Crick and Watson announced their discovery of DNA, and the bar where World War II airmen graffitied their names and messages on the ceiling before heading off on their wartime missions.
It’s worth popping your head around the door of The Pickerel Inn on Magdalene Bridge, as it’s said to be the oldest pub in Cambridge and is home (allegedly) to some resident ghosts. The Punter, just up the road, on Pound Hill, is set in an old coaching inn, so it’s plenty cosy in winter, and there’s a flowered courtyard for the summer months. It serves solid gastropub food as well as drinks.
You’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to seeing live bands in Cambridge. First up is the Cambridge Corn Exchange, right in the centre of town. It always hosts big-name bands, often on the first leg of their tour after playing in London.
Cambridge Junction, a bit further out of town – though not far from the railway station – plays host to
some big names in music and the arts and has both a performance venue and a theatre. As well as live music, it features some brilliant comedy nights, theatre and dance.
You don’t need to go to a concert hall to hear some tunes. Several pubs in Cambridge double up as live music venues. The Portland Arms, for example, features regular live bands, as well as comedy and movie nights.
If classical music’s more your thing, West Road Concert Hall – just a few minutes’ walk from The Backs and the city centre – is renowned for its fine acoustic qualities. Look at the website to see what’s on and take your pick.
3At3 is a real-ale and craft-beer café tucked down a side street in Ely, serving locally sourced produce from Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. You can sample wine, cider and beer in the small courtyard every weekend, with real ales and winter warmers available when in season. The owners even bring out big, fleece blankets when the evening turns a bit chilly, while there’s a wine bar and ‘beer library’ upstairs with a blues and jazz ambience.
In Willingham, a small village just outside Cambridge, is The Bank Micropub, said to be the first ever micropub in Cambridgeshire. A small, one-roomed venue, it serves cask-conditioned local and regional ale, and good old-fashioned conversation.
Out in Linton, south of Cambridge, is Wylde Sky Brewing, a craft brewhouse that features music nights and pop-up food trucks, as well as a fantastic array of unfiltered, unrefined and unpasteurised beers.
The Stoneworks Bar, on Peterborough’s Church Street, is much loved by locals because of its fine range of craft beer and its relaxing atmosphere, while The Bumble Inn, on Westgate, is a great little micropub just a stone’s throw from the centre.
Whatever your style, there’s sure to be something to float your boat in Cambridgeshire. Just head on out and see what takes your fancy! ■
Although Cambridgeshire has more than enough to keep you busy, a journey further afield can make for an exciting new adventure
Time to explore
Cambridgeshire is a great place to spend time, with loads to see, do and try. But one of the brilliant things about its location is that it’s a fantastic base from which to explore. A landlocked county, Cambridgeshire borders Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west.
Discover a host of exciting things to do in Lincolnshire, from rolling countryside with historic market towns and villages to an awardwinning coastline. Designated as an Area of Natural Beauty in 1973, the Lincolnshire Wolds is one of the highest points in Eastern England and offers views of the coast and even the Pennines. Or you could visit the historic city of Lincoln with its spectacular cathedral and quirky shops before heading out to Donna Nook National Nature Reserve to spot some seals.
Beautiful countryside
You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to days out in Norfolk. Whether you’re looking to learn about local history, indulge in some peace and quiet in the beautiful countryside, or enjoy a family day out at the fair, you’ll always find something fun to do.
Check out Holkham Hall & Estate in Wells-next-the-Sea, BeWILDerwood in Norwich (the kids will love it!), or the cathedral city of Norwich with its quaint, winding streets and wealth of independent shops. Then don’t forget to spend some time on the Norfolk Broads – a network of manmade yet picturesque rivers and scenic waterways.
A little further south in Suffolk,
spend your time sinking into the soft sands of the picturesque coastline and discover chocolate box villages, wild nature parks and towns steeped in Anglo-Saxon history. Sutton Hoo is a must-visit attraction where history buffs get the opportunity to explore an Anglo-Saxon royal burial site, complete with a £4m visitor centre.
Perhaps one of the most prominent Essex locations for a fun day out is Southend seafront, which has much to draw family visitors and tourists with its pier (boasting the mantle of ‘World’s Longest Pleasure Pier’), extensive amusement arcades, parks and award-winning beaches. While in Essex you could also take a trip to Colchester Zoo, home to big cats, primates and birds, as well as a large number of invertebrates and fish species. Shopaholics definitely won’t be disappointed in Essex, which has more than its fair share of places to shop, from Lakeside Shopping Centre right through to the many farmers’ markets that operate around the county on a weekly basis.
Hertfordshire isn’t too far from Cambridgeshire, and any Harry Potter fan will be pleased to know that the county is home to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter. Spend the day spotting props and costumes from your favourite scenes and characters, and don’t forget to try a Butterbeer and stock up on Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans!
Bedfordshire is considered the secret heart of England, with ancient forests, historic churches, animal magic and whopping great country houses crisscrossed by Britain’s oldest walkways – and all framed by the chalky Chiltern Hills.
Make sure to visit Baker Brothers in Bedford if you’re in the market for a new Rolex or want to splash the cash on some jewellery for that special someone.
Finally, home to the worldfamous Santa Pod Raceway, Northamptonshire borders Cambridgeshire to the west. The county isn’t all about drag racing though, it’s also home to stunning country houses, beautiful parks and gardens and a range of shopping opportunities – enough to keep the whole family happy. ■
The
Wolds is one of the highest points in Eastern England
