Top things to do in Cambridge

The university city: 800 years of colleges on the Cam.

• King's College Chapel — The fan-vaulted Perpendicular masterpiece: the world's largest fan vault, Rubens' Adoration. Book ahead in season.
• The Backs & punting — The college backs along the Cam: punt it (or take a guided punt) for the classic view.
• Fitzwilliam Museum — The university's great museum: antiquities, master paintings — free.
• St John's / Trinity Colleges — The grand courts: Trinity's Wren Library, St John's Bridge of Sighs. College opening hours vary — check.
• Market Square — The daily market: produce, the food stalls, the city's working heart.
• The Eagle & Corpus Clock — The RAF-ceiling pub (Watson & Crick's announcement) and the Corpus Clock's time-eating grasshopper.

Free things to do in Cambridge

Cambridge is generous if your budget isn't. All of these cost nothing or close to it:

• The Backs (walking) — Much of the riverside path is free.
• Fitzwilliam Museum — Free general entry.
• Market Square — Browsing: free.
• Parker's Piece & Christ's Pieces — The city-centre greens.
• Great St Mary's (tower paid) — The church is free; the tower view is the paid extra.
• Kettle's Yard (house) — The house-gallery: free, booking advised.

Festivals & the religious calendar

The town's own festivals:

• Cambridge Folk Festival (late July) — One of Europe's great folk festivals at Cherry Hinton Hall: four days, big names, family camping.
• May Bumps / May Week (June) — The college rowing bumps races and May Balls season — the university's summer madness (balls are ticketed, the river is free to watch).
• The Boat Race (nearby) (March/April) — Oxford vs Cambridge on the Thames in London — the city's other team, watched in pubs everywhere.
• Christmas market (late November–December) — The city-centre market on the historic streets.

And the national calendar:

• Christmas / Boxing Day (25–26 December) — The big shutdown: Christmas markets from late November, pantomimes, Boxing Day football.
• Easter weekend (March/April) — Four-day weekend: the spring getaway moment.
• Bonfire Night (5 November) — Fireworks displays and bonfires for Guy Fawkes Night.
• Notting Hill Carnival (August bank holiday weekend) — Europe's biggest street carnival (London) — relevant for the whole southeast as a day trip.

Exact dates are confirmed yearly — check local listings before booking around a festival.

Sports: Rowing

Cambridge's sport is the river: the May Bumps, the Boat Race vs Oxford (March/April on the Thames). Cambridge United (the U's) play football at the Abbey Stadium; rugby union has the historic Varsity Match at Twickenham.

Cycling is the daily sport — the UK's most-cycled city. Cricket at Fenner's (university ground) in summer.

Tickets: official site

What's new in Cambridge

The Folk Festival's July dates are confirmed yearly. College opening policies change — check before visiting. The biomedical campus keeps growing the city's science-town side.

Submit your event

Running something in town? Dayfari lists community events free — gigs, markets, fundraisers, club nights, temple and church programmes. Submit your event and it can appear in the town feed within a day. No account needed to suggest; the Dayfari team reviews every submission.

Common questions

More to explore in Cambridge