Cambridge is one of the most popular destinations in the UK and doing a Cambridge day trip from London is a great option if you’re visiting or living in the British capital.
Over 400,000 tourists visit Cambridge every year and there are plenty of good reasons for it. Cambridge is one of the most well-known universities in the world, with famous alumni including Sir Isaac Newton and Steven Hawking.
The city of Cambridge is built around the university and colleges, creating a buzzing atmosphere filled with students, beautiful architecture, fascinating history and plenty of places to eat and drink!
The beauty of the town and its proximity to London has made Cambridge an extremely popular destination, resulting in a significant number of tourist traps around Cambridge. So with that in mind, here are some of the top things to do in order to plan the perfect Cambridge day trip from London itienrary!
How to Get to Cambridge from London
London to Cambridge by Train
If you’re staying in London and are planning to take this trip in advance, I highly recommend buying train tickets online to save money.
A return ticket from Kings Cross bought at the train station on the day will typically cost more compared to if you buy your ticket in advance online.
Regardless of whether the fares are cheaper or not, it is also more convenient to buy online as the lines can be quite long at Kings Cross particularly during rush hour and on the weekends. Click here to browse train schedules and book online.
The train is undoubtedly the most convenient and fastest way to get to Cambridge. The journey time varies depending on which train you end up on how the fastest trains take approximately 50 minutes.
London to Cambridge by Bus
If you want to save a few more pennies and aren’t concerned with the journey taking a bit longer than you can also choose to visit Cambridge by bus.
Buses to Cambridge leave from London Victoria Station and take approximately 2 hours one way. The bus might, in fact, prove to be more convenient if you are staying in South London or near Victoria Station. Click here to browse bus schedules and book online.
London to Cambridge by Day Tour
While visiting Cambridge from London as part of a guided tour is certainly not the most budget-friendly way to see the city, it is a popular option for many travellers.
If your London budget allows it, it’s also a great way to combine visiting both Oxford & Cambridge in one day. This guided tour includes visits to both cities with a walking tour and free time included in both Oxford & Cambridge – click here to check availability.
Alternatively, this guided tour is perfect for travellers that only want to visit Cambridge and also includes a guided walking tour as well as free time to explore yourself – click here to check availability.
London to Cambridge by Car
If you are planning a longer itinerary through England (and possibly Scotland, Wales or Ireland!), then renting a car is a great option to see the UK! If you are renting your car from London and heading north it might make sense to visit Cambridge on your way out of London rather than visiting as a day trip.
When renting a car in the UK or anywhere in Europe, we recommend browsing RentalCars.com to find deals – click here to check car rental options from London.
Make sure to also consider buying excess insurance from a third party like iCarHireInsurance which typically works out cheaper than buying it from the car rental company.
Cambridge Day Trip Itinerary
Walking Tour of Cambridge
Cambridge University has been around since the 13th century and being on a budget shouldn’t be an excuse to not finding out more about its fascinating history during your one day in Cambridge.
There are a number of tours that you can take through Cambridge, however, one of the best ways to save money is to go on a free walking tour with Footprint Tours.
All their tours are run by knowledgeable local guides who will not only take you around to all the main sites in Cambridge but also share fascinating history and amusing anecdotes about the city and university life. Their tours run daily at 11 AM and 2 PM and go for approximately two hours.
Our guide was a PhD student at Cambridge who brought the city to life through his stories and he clearly had a passion for showing people around the city he has called home for a couple of years. While these tours are technically free, please leave a tip at the end if you enjoy the tour as the guides don’t otherwise get paid.
If the timing of the free walking tour doesn’t work out for your Cambridge day trip, then another affordable option is to take this paid walking tour. It is run by Cambridge Alumni Tours and takes you on a similar route of the free walking tour. It runs several times per day and goes for approximately 90 minutes.
Cambridge Market
After touring the city and learning about the history and some interesting anecdotes about Cambridge, it’s likely that you’ve worked up quite the appetite. And there is no better place to grab a quick and unique bite to eat than at the Cambridge Market.
Located at Cambridge Market Hill in the centre of the city, this area has been home to markets and operating as a market square since the Saxon times and today is no different.
An open-air market runs daily here from 10 AM to 4 PM. On Monday through Saturday, the general market runs where you can get everything from fresh fruits and vegetable, a food truck meal and even things like clothing, jewellery or records.
On Sundays, the market focuses more prominently on local crafts and food, though you do get an assortment of that all week long. Browsing the Cambridge Market is not only a great idea for everyone in your party to get exactly what they want to eat but it is also a fantastic way to support local farmers, chefs and artisans.
If the weather is fine, it can be an even better idea to pick up some various items from the vendors and make yourself a little picnic to eat along the Backs while watching the punters along the River Cam.
Fitzwilliam Museum
If you’re looking for a renowned museum to visit in this historic town, there is no better place to visit on a Cambridge day trip than the famed Fitzwilliam Museum.
Run by the University of Cambridge, this museum is filled with fascinating antiquities and art ranging from ancient Egyptian artefacts to impressionist paintings.
There are lots of collections to visit in the Fitzwilliam Museum and you likely could spend an entire day in this museum if you’re not careful, so it’s recommended to prioritise what appeals to your interest most.
The Fitzwilliam is home to a collection of Eqyptian artefacts that is rivalled only by the British Museum in London. Or, if you’re more interested in paintings, the museum houses collections from artists ranging from Monet to Picasso to Rembrandt to Cézanne to Degas to Van Gogh.
Like the majority of the wonderful museums in England, entry into the Fitzwilliam is free of charge, however, you do need to book a ticket in advance for some special exhibitions. You can do that online through their website.
Visit the Colleges
There are 31 colleges in Cambridge which are the residential halls of all the students studying in Cambridge. Some of the most famous colleges, including King’s College and Trinity College, are steeped in tradition, making them popular tourist destinations and hence charging admission to visit.
One way to get around this is to just visit the grounds of places like King’s College which lets you get a close look at the colleges without paying admission.
Alternatively, for Trinity College, there is a secret entrance to see the colleges by entering through the small gate on Trinity Lane which doesn’t charge admission.
If you do decide to visit the colleges during your Cambridge day trip, please be mindful that these are people’s homes and be respectful. Also during exam season, the colleges are closed to visitors so please respect that and don’t sneak into the colleges!
Go Punting
One of the most popular tourist activities during a Cambridge day trip is to go punting along the River Cam. The cheapest option to go punting is to share a boat with a number of tourists. You can also rent your own boat if you have the budget
If both these options sound too expensive, follow the lead of local students who sit along the banks of the River Cam and enjoy watching all of the tourists and amateurs who may not be the most adept at this activity.
The River Cam is quite narrow so on a warm sunny day when there are a number of boats in the river, there is plenty of carnage to watch as dumbfounded tourists struggle to navigate.
The highlight is undoubtedly watching some amateurs get their poles stuck in the river and then having to paddle backward to retrieve it.
If you want to go punting on the River Cam but don’t want to do the hard work yourself, then I recommend booking this affordable guided shared punting tour. It’s a 45-minute tour along the River Cam where you will learn more about the history of Cambridge.
Dinner at a Student Favourite or Cosy Pub
There is nothing students like more than cheap food and as Cambridge is predominately made up of students, there are a number of cheap restaurants where you can get a bite to eat.
In particular, there is some great cheap, tasty and filling Asian food for under £7-10 per meal. We can highly recommend Yippee Noodle Bar, for example, which is located in the centre of town and is extremely popular with students.
If you want to experience a traditional British pub during your one day in Cambridge then it’s best to head there during lunchtime if you are visiting England on a budget.
There are a number of pubs that offer significant discounts on meals during the rush hour which while probably won’t be as cheap as a meal deal or Asian food, can be incredibly good value for the price you pay.
There are countless pubs to choose from in Cambridge. The Eagle, for instance, has been open since 1667 if you’re looking for a bit of history with your pint. The Cambridge Brew House is also a great option, which serves out local craft beer if you’re after something a bit more trendy.
If visiting Cambridge on Sunday, you can also choose to indulge in a classic British Roast. For those of you not familiar with this quintessentially British tradition, on Sundays, pubs serve a roast lunch where you choose your roast meat (many pubs will also have a vegetarian option!) and it is served with potatoes, vegetables, gravy and a Yorkshire pudding.
Expect to pay around £15 however the plus side being you won’t need to eat again that day!
A Cambridge day trip is a fascinating day out and certainly doesn’t need to be expensive if you follow these tips!
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Have you been to Cambridge? What is your favourite part of the city? Let us know in the comments below!
Thanks for the detailed post and useful information, Maggie!
Thanks! Happy you found it helpful 🙂