A local’s guide to Cambridge – from art at Kettle’s Yard to picturesque picnic spots
As Zadie Smith, the novelist and a former Cambridge resident, once said: “Cambridge was a joy. Tediously. People reading books in a posh place. It was my fantasy. I loved it. I miss it still.” Arranged around the River Cam and best known for its university, Cambridge is a postcard-pretty city of two parts. The University of Cambridge was founded in 1209 and was granted a royal charter by Henry III just over 20 years later. Now composed of 31 colleges, its sheer size means, if you’re a teacher or student, it is possible to navigate the city almost solely on college-owned land. If you’re a visitor or resident, however, it is more likely that you will be skirting around it. Either way, the university’s historic buildings are magical to view. But, as our guide to Cambridge shows, there is more to the city than academia. It also has beautiful architecture, wonderful expanses of parkland, natural swimming spots and is appealingly close to the countryside. And then there’s the wonderful Kettle’s Yard and the Fitzwilliam Museum, where a healthy dose of art and culture awaits.
SEE
1. Kettle’s Yard
If walking from the heart of Cambridge, Kettle’s Yard is found at its topmost tip, towards the end of a particularly pretty street lined with independent shops and restaurants, each with pastel-painted window frames. Kettle’s Yard itself is composed of a gallery, hosting a variety of modern and contemporary art exhibitions each year, and the former house of collector and Tate curator Jim Ede. It was remodelled and extended in 2018, a project led by Jamie Fobert Architects, and has since been described by the Guardian as “a magical sequence of spaces”. Ede and his wife, Helen, filled the house with an incredible collection of 20th-century art and furniture, which has been open to the public since 1970. It overlooks St Peter’s Church, one of the oldest and smallest buildings in Cambridge, which has also been home to many art installations over the years.
2. The Fitzwilliam Museum
Opened in 1848, this grand neo-classical building houses a vast and varied collection of more than half a million works of art and historical artefacts – from Old Master paintings to suits of armour. In 2014, the museum was extended with a new wing housing a fantastic shop, cafe and exhibition space, often dedicated to more contemporary art.
3. King’s College
Located in the centre of Cambridge on a street named after it, King’s Parade, King’s College is famous for both its chapel and the choir that sings there. Regarded as one of the best examples of late Gothic architecture, the chapel possesses awe-inspiring stained-glass windows and the world’s largest fan vault and has become the unofficial emblem of the city. Here’s a tip: while its main entrance sits on King’s Parade, King’s College is best seen from the river, by punt or across the greenery of the Backs. Each year, on Christmas Eve, the choir sings its Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. For many, it marks the real beginning of the festive season and is broadcast across the world.
4. Faculty of History, University of Cambridge
Built in 1968, the Grade II*-listed building has been somewhat controversial during its lifetime. Designed by the esteemed post-war architect James Stirling, it had numerous issues when it was first built. The large amount of glass meant that loud extractors were needed to cool the building from the sun, which would have been frustratingly noisy for those using the library inside. There is, however, much to be admired about the architecture, hence its listed status. In fact, it was deemed to be a “highly creative reworking of a familiar formal language, executed with a masterful handling of form and colour, characteristic of [Stirling] style”.
EAT
5. Fitzbillies
Fitzbillies is like an institution in Cambridge. The beloved bakery is most famous for its Chelsea buns: a delicious pastry that the cafe has been serving since its original Trumpington Street shop opened. And for good reason: they’re wonderfully sticky, filled with cinnamon and raisins and topped with iced glazing. Happily, both Fitzbillies outposts are conveniently located near the city’s cultural highlights – Trumpington Street by the Fitzwilliam, and Bridge Street by Kettle’s Yard – so why not treat yourself to a pick me up once your legs get tired.
6. Vanderlyle
Situated on Mill Road – one of the city’s main tributaries known for its more alternative independent shops – Vanderlyle is a small sustainably minded restaurant. It works with farmers, growers and producers to source ingredients for its plant-focused tasting menu, which includes savoy cabbage with a curried butter sauce and smoked celeriac and pineapple tacos. The extensive wine list celebrates low-intervention and natural wines. Cheers to that.
7. Hot Numbers
Hot Numbers has two brilliant cafes in the city of Cambridge and a voluminous roaster and cafe in the outlying village of Shepreth. Its ethos is to produce “better coffee and a better living for coffee farmers.” Upon your visit, select the beans of your choice sourced from around the world for the barista to whip up into a delicious coffee. The cafes also have a brunch menu with all the classics, including a great avocado on toast or sausage sandwich, while the roastery serves fresh pizza. Hot Numbers is big on music too and hosts jazz nights every month.
8. Fancett’s
Fancett’s uses superior ingredients to create dishes inspired French food. The environmentally conscious restaurant sources its produce from small farms and fishermen. Its menu changes regularly to reflect what’s in season and can be previewed on its Instagram stories. The team is particularly welcoming too, making a visit even more of a delight.
9. The Garden Kitchen
This Cambridge cafe has spots on Mill Road, within Kettle’s Yard and in the university’s botanic gardens, which are themselves worth a trip – open to the public, they grow more than 8,000 species of plants. The Garden Kitchen champions healthy food serving fresh and tasty plates and pastries. Or you can pick up a picnic to go, best enjoyed in one of the city’s parks.
SHOP
10. Sevenwolves
Sevenwolves is a menswear store selling timeless essentials from contemporary brands, including Folk, Universals Works, Patagonia and Norse Projects. Whether shopping for Japanese socks or a tailored jacket, there’s plenty of things likely to slip straight into your everyday wardrobe.
11. Heffers Bookshop
This fantastic independent bookshop has been servicing Cambridge’s literary needs since 1876. Alongside a spectrum of fiction and non-fiction, Heffers is known for selling a brilliant range of board games. It’s found on the cobbled Trinity Street, arguably one of the prettiest in Cambridge.
12. Market Square
At the core of the city is a charming square home to a daily market – in fact, the only three days it closes are Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Traders have been selling goods since the time of the Saxons – yes, really. Each and every stall is defined by bright and cheery striped awning, inviting shoppers to peruse everything from sweets and pastries to plants, clothes and jewellery.
DO
13. Punting
There isn’t a better way to see the city than from the water. It might be a cliche, but punting is a Cambridge must. You can either punt down River Cam on your own, or you can take a tour – often by someone decked out blue and boat shoes, a straw hat atop their head. The views of the colleges are breathtaking. Float by the landmark Mathematical Bridge and you might just overhear someone reciting a fable about Isaac Newton. The story goes that the physicist designed the bridge without the use of nuts or bolts. Since then, apparently, various students have dismantled the bridge and attempted to put it back together again without screws. Legend has it that, as yet, no one has been successful, which is why there are now bolts in the bridge. This is, of course, completely untrue: Newton died more than 20 years before the bridge was built and bolts have always been integral to the design – but a little local tale never hurt anyone.
14. Granchester Meadows
A much-loved walk among locals is from the city centre across bucolic meadows to the nearby village of Grantchester. It’s possible to punt or even swim the route if the weather is warm enough and you are feeling plucky. Grantchester is famous for its residents and guests: the war poet Rupert Brooke studied at King’s College and used to live in the village, eating at the Orchard House Tea Gardens (which still exist and are worth a visit for afternoon tea and scones), while Lord Byron is said to have swum further upstream, in a pond now named after him, a local nature reserve. And the best bit? The very lovely village is arranged around three pubs, all of which are perfect for a pint in the sun.
15. Wimpole Hall
This beautiful National Trust building sits just outside Cambridge and has expansive undulating grounds that include a large lake and a folly. The estate totals about 3,000 acres, its manicured gardens giving way into farmland with an abundance of footpaths for circular walks. There is also a cafe for grabbing a coffee and a slice of cake before you make your way back into the city.
16. The Petersfield
What better way to end a tour of Cambridge than at one of its pubs? The Petersfield is a community favourite, best visited on a Sunday. Its roast menu includes chicken with sage-and-onion stuffing, and a plant-based mushroom and cashew nut Wellington. We’ll have ours with a pint, please.
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