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Cambridge
A city of quirky rituals, riverside gardens and rolling meadows,
Cambridge is an idyll of gastronomic, cultural and intellectual
feats – rumour has it that the Latin edition of Scrabble is popular
here. While a college tour would be no doubt be dull in most
places, for Cambridge we make an exception; the honey-hued
university buildings are among the city’s most spectacular. With
spiral staircases and boundless bookshelves, this is Hogwarts
territory. The line for evensong at King’s College often winds down
the street but we suggest you join it, religious or not; the mass
is a spectacle of bygone tradition and Catholic opulence.
It’s not all medieval art and dusty books, however. The
university’s Kettle’s Yard showcases 20th century
art; distinctive paintings, sculptures, ceramics and glass offer a
bubble of modernity in this city of antiquity. The culinary
offering here is small but flavoursome; grab a hearty brunch at
Stir near Jesus Green before rubbing shoulders with patch-elbowed
professors at Hot Numbers café. A Chelsea bun from Fitzbillies is
also a must. Finish an evening, cocktail in hand, in the sunken
garden of Hidden Rooms before hopping aboard the service from
Cambridge Station to either Liverpool Street or King’s Cross. PSA,
plan ahead: you won’t get last-minute deals here.
Journey: 50 minute train from King’s Cross