Cambridge ♥♥♥ is a gem in its own right, given the architectural grandeur of several of the colleges that comprise the famous university.
Of those, King’s, with its splendid chapel, and Trinity, Newton’s alma mater are probably the most magnificent.
The town is very compact and pleasant in itself, with small, winding streets, albeit packed with tourist shops, and a bustling central market square.
Behind the colleges runs a small river Cam, traversed by dozens of bridges. The opposite bank of the river, called The Backs, is the succession of meadows and wooded alleys, with idyllic, and at the same time imposing, views onto the colleges.
The river is no more than 15 meters across, but it is very busy with boats, steered by using a pole, not unlike what gondoliers do in Venice. You may hire one (£10 per adult for a 40-minute ride), or, if you feel up to it, you can get a boat and try punting yourself (£12 per boat for up to an hour, with potentially long waits at busy times).
Places to Eat
Half a block from the market, there is La Raza ♥♥. Not exactly a tapas place (although marketed as such), it has a menu with manu tasty items on it, from seafood paella to lamb cutlets to Broad Bean salad to roast potatoes. There is a dining area outside on the pedestrian street and a bar and a dining room in the basement level of the building. Pleasant service and an all-around good meal. The damage: £65 for two appetizers, three mains and three sides, shared by five people, including one glass of wine and the 10% service charge. Last visit: Spring 2008.