Cambridge Day Trip

I love a good day trip. Whether it’s a jaunt to the seaside or a visit to a famous cathedral city, there are a lot of good options. But one of my favorite day trips from London is a university city. If you love heritage architecture and pretty streets, read on for A Lady in London’s guide to a Cambridge day trip.

I’ve been to Cambridge many times, and I discover more to love about it on every visit.

A friend who was born and raised in Cambridge is traveling with me today, so I know I’m going to be introduced to some new places on this trip. I can’t wait.

How to Get to Cambridge

There are a lot of ways to get here. The most popular way to travel to Cambridge from London is by train. Trains depart from King’s Cross and Liverpool Street stations regularly, and the journey time is less than an hour on faster services.

The train station in Cambridge is a bit of a walk from the city center, but there are buses if you don’t want to make the journey on foot.

You can also get from London to Cambridge by bus. Services leave from Victoria Coach Station.

The station is not only easy to get to from Victoria station, but also conveniently located on Elizabeth Street, one of the prettiest streets in London. If you arrive early you can photograph some of the pretty floral facades before you go.

The drive from London to Cambridge takes around 2 hours. While it’s a longer journey time than the train, the coach drops passengers off in the center of town on the edge of Parker’s Piece park, which is closer than the train station.

Whatever way you choose to travel, it’s easy to get out and dive right into all Cambridge has to offer.

And it has a lot to offer.

Regent Street in Cambridge

To that end, we start on Regent Street, one of the main streets in Cambridge.

There are shops and restaurants everywhere, one of which belongs to a relative of my friend’s. Cambridge Farmers’ Outlet has all kinds of produce and prepared foods for sale in a sweet historic setting.

Down the street, we snag a table by the window at the Old Bicycle Shop, a restaurant and cafe housed in a space that once claimed to be Britain’s oldest bike store.

Coffee and croissants give us energy for our Cambridge day trip, and soon we’re off to explore.

Cambridge Market

We head to Cambridge Market, a lively cluster of stalls by Great St Mary’s Church. This daily market has everything from decadent brownies to wicker baskets for sale, and we browse the wares and sample fresh falafel as we go.

We’re tempted to stop for everything from ramen to chocolate cake, but we hold back given we’re on our way to lunch next.

Lunch on a Cambridge Day Trip

From the market we head to the Eagle, one of the most famous pubs in Cambridge. Dating back centuries, it’s known for its connections to Watson and Crick of DNA fame, as well as to the Royal Air Force.

The Eagle’s warren of wood-paneled rooms makes it a quintessential British pub, which is just what my friend and I want for our lunch.

The bartenders are friendly and the place buzzing. We settle into a round table by a window and feast on vegan burgers and fries.

Things to Do in Cambridge

After lunch, we continue our Cambridge day trip with a walk around the town center. The historic college buildings and their chapels awe us with their beauty, and little lanes like Portugal Place are perfect spots for photos.

The 12th-century Round Church is as eye-catching as ever, and the views from Magdalene Bridge are classic Cambridge.

We walk around King’s College, with its stunning chapel and manicured lawns. It’s one of the most famous colleges in Cambridge, and for good reason. The architecture alone makes it worth a visit.

From King’s College we stroll down Trumpington Street, with its busy shops and cafes.

Turning off, we weave our way through side streets to Queen’s College. Eventually we make our way to Silver Street, where we watch the punts go under the Mathematical Bridge.

Pub in Cambridge

And just like that, it’s pub o’clock. We grab a table on the terrace of The Anchor, a famous pub on the River Cam. Rose lemonade goes down a treat as the boats glide by beside us.

The Backs and The Cam

Leaving The Anchor, our Cambridge day trip continues as we head to The Backs. This green space behind some of the colleges is peaceful and quiet, and it’s a great place for an afternoon walk.

From The Backs, we cross the river again and sit on the banks by Scholar’s Lawn at Trinity College. Watching the punts is fun here, as we can hear the tour guides telling their passengers Cambridge legends and lore.