Cambridge Punting - Top 5 things to do in Cambridge

Discover what Cambridge is all about with this list of the top things to do when visiting Cambridge.

1. Go punting - Of course the number 1 thing to do in Cambridge. What else?
2. Visit the Fitzwilliam Museum. Cambridge’s main art museum has a wide and varied collection of ancient artifacts from the Egyptian and Chinese civilizations, English porcelain, with an art collection which includes works by Titian, Matisse and Picasso. A recent renovation has massively improved the displays and made it a delightful place to spend an hour or two, all free of charge!
3. Christ’s College. Founded in 1505, with a beautiful courtyard, two of its most famous students were the poet Milton, author of Paradise Lost, and Charles Darwin, author of The Origin of Species.
4. Emmanuel College. American visitors will want to see the chapel window with its portrait of John Harvard, who studied here before going off to America in the 1630s, later to found Harvard University. Emmanuel itself was founded in 1584 and parts were designed by Sir Christopher Wren.
5. Cambridge has an abundance of old pubs to enjoy. The Students ensure that the majority remain busy. One of the most famous is the Eagle pub. It is said to be the pub at which Watson and Crick discovered the form of DNA, an occasion marked by a blue plaque. It certainly seems cosy on a winter afternoon. The pub is divided into 5 rooms, each with a traditional pub decor, and has two bars. The RAF bar to the rear of the pub has writing burnt into the ceiling with cigarette lighters dating from WWII. By contrast, at the front is a no-smoking area, which before the renovation was a lawyer’s office. These rooms surround the picturesque heated courtyard, which offers plenty of seating around octagonal tables. The beer garden, which is overlooked by college rooms, is lit by colored bulbs. Food is served from a counter close to the rear bar. The menu is typical pub food (e.g. fish and chips, steak and ale pie, lasagna) all priced at around £7.00. The portions are very filling. Popular during the day with tourists, in the evenings this pub employs doormen.