There’s no disputing that Cambridge is a stunning place to live, especially if you’re a student studying at one of the city’s two universities. However, since the city is pretty small, you might want to escape it from time to time. Luckily for you, we’ve put together a list of the top places to visit near Cambridge. They’re perfect for a day trip or for a weekend getaway, so read on for more. Whether you just want to get away from the exam stress or you need to go a day without running into your ex-situationship, we’ve got a destination for you!
Grantchester
Located just two miles south of Cambridge, Grantchester is super easy to get to, making it perfect for a spontaneous adventure. If you’re trying to get your steps in, you can walk to the village using a walking path in the centre of Cambridge. This only takes 15-20 minutes to do! The village is a great reward for all your steps – its thatched cottages are stunning and make for a fantastic photograph opportunity. There are also some fun annual events held in the village, like their pancake party in March or their Christmas barrel rolling in December. Even when there’s nothing on, Grantchester has a lot to offer with many traditional pubs and cafes for a memorable meal. If you’re a fan of the TV show Grantchester, you can also do walking tours around the filming locations!
Leicester
It’s a little bit expensive to get to Leicester, but it’s worth it! You can reach the city in just one hour and 40 minutes by coach (£17-£21) or in just under two hours by train. Travelling by train is definitely more expensive, costing you £50 for an open return without a railcard. There’s plenty to do in Leicester, like the National Space Centre or the Leicester museum and art gallery. Many of the city’s museums are also free or cheap to enter, which is great if you’d like to explore without spending a lot of money. Leicester also has some beautiful parks for you to walk or picnic in, like Abbey Park and Bradgate park! If picnicking isn’t your thing, there’s also no end of delicious independent restaurants in the city.
Norwich
If you’re searching for a historical city similar to Cambridge to explore, Norwich is for you. It’ll take you around two hours to get there by coach (£11) or just under an hour and a half on the train. The train is surprisingly cheap, costing you £25 for an open return without a railcard.
Norwich is also the most complete medieval city in the UK, so you can feel educated and historical while you explore (especially if you’re fleeing impending deadlines!). The city was also England’s first UNESCO City of Literature. Because of this it’s known as the city of stories, so this is the trip for book lovers! The centre of the city is home to a covered market and medieval shopping streets with lots of independent stores. I hope your student loan’s come in – you’ll want to spend it looking around Norwich’s shops!
Shepreth Wildlife Park
Towns and villages not really your thing? Don’t worry, there’s plenty of day trip options for you too! Shepreth Wildlife Park is a great option for a fun day spent looking at cute animals. It’s easy to get to, as well: just get a train to Shepreth station and then it’s only a five minute walk to the park from there. The train fare is cheap at just £4.30 for an open return without a railcard. Not to mention you can get discounted entry to the park if you show a valid train ticket to Shepreth station! The park is home many animals, from bugs to tigers, meerkats and red pandas. You can also listen to zookeeper talks in different areas of the park throughout the day to learn about the animals.
Hitchin Lavender
Do you need to quite literally touch grass? Then get yourself to Hitchin Lavender. You can get there by catching the train to Hitchin station – which costs just £16 for an open return without a railcard – and then getting a taxi from there. Hitchin Lavender, as the name suggests, is a lovely lavender field. As well as this, there’s the Old Barn which contains a tearoom, a farm shop, and a museum. The Old Barn and museum are always free to visit, but you do have to pay to access the lavender field and/or the pumpkin patch. Ticket prices for the lavender field vary between £7 and £8.50, while entry for the pumpkin patch is £3-£4. If you go in late July through to the middle of August, you could also see their beautiful sunflowers!
Ely
Ely is super quick and easy to reach on the train from Cambridge as it only takes £16 minutes. An open return also only costs £2.45 – that’s cheaper than your daily coffee. The town has a ton of history that makes it an interesting place to visit – it has a cathedral, a nature reserve and you can even visit Oliver Cromwell’s house!
If you’re a fan of cute little markets, Ely is also a great day trip option for you. Every Thursday, Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday features a market in the centre of town. Farmers Markets are also on every second and fourth Saturday of the month. As well as this, a smaller market where you can buy baked goods and flowers is held every Friday. There are also some cool niche museums, like the stained glass museum and the Pickwillow Drainage Engine museum – so Ely has something for everybody!
Brighton
As it takes two hours and 30 minutes on the train, Brighton is a bit of a longer trek but is still totally doable if you fancy a day or a weekend at the beach! The cost of the train is pretty cheap too, since you’ll only be paying £36 for an open return if you have a railcard.
Obviously, Brighton is perfect for a classic British beach day – you can sit on the beach (provided it isn’t raining!), swim in the sea and feast on fish and chips. However, there are other aspects of Brighton too. You could go and have some retail therapy in the trendy Lanes, the Open Market or North Laine. All of these places are home to quirky independent shops, especially jewellery stores if that’s your thing! You could also go on the rides and play the games on the Palace Pier. Or, if you’re after something a bit different, check out Brighton’s street art, like the mural on Kingsbury street.
Bury St Edmunds
Here’s another charming historical town for you to visit! Bury St Edmunds is just 38 minutes on the train (and an open return is just £15). The town has the beautiful Abbey Gardens, St Edmundsbury Cathedral and the Theatre Royal. That’s perfect for all you theatre nerds out there, since the Theatre Royal is one of the UK’s oldest theatres. Not only is the town centre home to unique independent shops, but the town is a Fairtrade Town. This means that many of the shops sell Fairtrade goods. You can also buy great quality, cheap produce and meats at the Bury St Edmunds Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. It’s perfect if the current supermarket prices are getting you down!
London
No list of day trips would be complete without mentioning London! Depending on what station you want to go to, it’ll only take you around an hour and a half to reach the capital city. The train ticket won’t break the bank (though London food prices might) as it only costs £32 for an open return to Kings Cross without a railcard.
There are so many things to do in London that you could do hundreds of day trips! Why not make a day of visiting the most famous museums, or do all the classic tourist attractions like the London Eye. You could also visit some other interesting attractions, like Brick Lane, Camden Market or the Race Across the World Experience. Or, you could also check out our list of the 10 best free things to do in London and let us do the planning for you!
There you have it! Your definitive list of the top places to visit near Cambridge, perfect for the next time you’ve got a free weekend. Or, if you’ve exhausted this list and are looking for some new things to do in Cambridge, why not check out our list of fun things to do in Cambridge. If you’re in need of some Vitamin D, you could look at our list of outdoor things to do in Cambridge to get yourself out and about!
Frequently asked questions
Where is Cambridge in the UK?
Cambridge is in the east of England, just 55 miles north of London
What are the three nearest cities to Cambridge?
The closest cities or big towns to Cambridge are Ely, Huntingdon and Peterborough
Hi, my name is Lili and I am currently studying for a Psychology degree! When I’m not studying, I love swimming, reading and writing.
