Just an hour away from central London, Cambridge is the perfect escape for a spring weekend away.
London has everything you might need: great restaurants, incredible immersive experiences, dreamy hotels, relaxing spas and luxurious afternoon teas to treat yourself during the weekend.
But, as much as we love walking around the city’s green spaces, London is not exactly the most relaxing place in the world.
Sometimes, after a long week of work and packed tube journeys, we need to escape – even just for one day. When catching a flight feels too stressful, and the Eurostar to Paris is looking a bit pricey for a quick trip, remember that the UK is full of wonderful places to go to when you need to run away from the city.
Just one hour away, Cambridge is the answer to your prayers and a known favourite of Londoners’ looking to escape for the weekend. Check out Stylist.co.uk’s list of the best things to do in Cambridge and get ready to book your next staycation.
Book a nice hotel
If you are only staying two days, you want a hotel that can offer you more than just a bed to sleep in. With the spring sun starting to shine over us, what’s better than a spacious roof terrace overlooking the city?
Comfortable rooms, a super central location and a spa right next door are some of the good points of The Varsity but the icing on the cake is definitely their terrace. A gorgeous spot to sip on a chilled glass of white wine while sinking in the sun and the great view.
Where to stay? The Varsity Hotel & Spa.
Go punting
This might sound like a tourist trap but, sometimes, doing touristy things is fun.
You will find many boat rentals around the city centre so don’t be shy and pop into one of the little caravels available.
Imagine a placid sun-kissed boat ride along the town and the parks – don’t you already feel more relaxed?
Check out the colleges
There is a reason why Cambridge is always super busy with tourists – it might be small but there is lots to explore.
With many beautiful colleges to visit, churches to sneak in and pebble streets to stroll along, Cambridge is a living museum. The town’s old English architecture is a stunner and you don’t need to be a foreigner to appreciate it.
From Trinity to King’s and Queen’s college, you can easily spend two full days just discovering these incredible buildings.
Indulge in a long Sunday lunch
When we spend the majority of our lunchtimes at our desks (or at the sandwich shop round the corner from the office), a long lunch can really be a rarity. But there is always a good excuse to take your time with your food, and even more so if the food in question is a delicious Sunday lunch.
When it comes to pubs you will be spoiled for choice, and pretty much all of them can provide a mouth-watering roast (or nut roast), a glass of cold beer to wash it down, and a sunny terrace – perfect for a spring day.
Where to go? The Eagle.
Visit Cambridge University’s Botanical Garden
8,000 species of plants in a 40-acres estate, only 15 minutes away from Cambridge city centre: the Botanical garden was founded by Charles Darwin’s mentor, Professor John Henslow, and is still one of the main attractions in Cambridge.
Free tours are offered every Sunday during May through to September while a seasonal highlights tour is held on the first Sunday of every month during February, March, April, October, November and December.
Located five minute from the Cambridge train station, the Botanical Garden is the perfect place for a Sunday stroll.
What to pack
Pictures: Getty / Unsplash
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