Cambridge Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best Cambridge tours and things to do in England’s historic university city: glide down the River Cam on a punt past the “Backs”, tour the ancient university colleges with an alumni guide, uncover the city’s ghostly past on an evening walk, and day-trip from London to Cambridge and Oxford. Compare top-rated experiences and plan the perfect trip.
rating
Explore Cambridge by interest
Whatever brings you to Cambridge — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Punting
Glide the River Cam.
ExploreColleges
Historic university.
ExploreAlumni tour
Insider stories.
ExploreGhost walks
Haunted evenings.
ExplorePrivate punt
Your own boat.
ExploreFrom London
Cambridge & Oxford.
ExploreWalking tours
The historic centre.
ExploreCambridge highlights
Punting & colleges.
ExploreTop attractions in Cambridge
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
River Cam
Glide by punt.
The Colleges
Historic university.
King’s College
Alumni-led tour.
Haunted Cambridge
Ghosts after dark.
Bridge of Sighs
Private punt views.
Oxford & Cambridge
From London.
Old Town
Walk the centre.
Cambridge
Historic university city.
River Cam awayPunting
Glide the Cam.
Cambridge awayColleges
Historic university.
Cambridge awayAlumni Tour
Insider stories.
Cambridge awayGhost Walk
Haunted evenings.
River Cam awayPrivate Punt
Your own boat.
1 hr awayFrom London
With Oxford.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Cambridge visitor asks before booking.
Spring (Apr–Jun)
Blossoming Backs and mild days — ideal for punting.
Summer (Jul–Aug)
Warm and lively, the peak season on the river.
Autumn (Sep–Oct)
Golden colours and quieter streets.
Winter (Nov–Mar)
Cold and atmospheric, with festive colleges.
For punting
May to September for the warmest river trips.
Best overall
May, June and September.
Half a day
Punting and a quick college walk.
One day
Add an alumni tour and a ghost walk.
Two+ days
Add museums and King’s College Chapel.
For the river
A punt on the Cam.
For history
The colleges and university.
From London
An easy day trip with Oxford.
On foot
The colleges and centre are all walkable.
By punt
The River Cam links the college “Backs”.
By bike
Cambridge is famously bike-friendly.
From London
Trains reach Cambridge in about an hour.
Where to stay
Stay near the centre for the colleges and river.
Pound sterling
The UK uses the pound; cards are accepted everywhere.
Punting
Book a chauffeured punt to relax and learn the stories.
Colleges
Check opening days, as college access varies.
Alumni tours
Book ahead for the most personal college visit.
Ghost walks
Evening walks are atmospheric and family-friendly.
From London
Combine Cambridge with Oxford on a day trip.
Combos
Some tours bundle a college walk with a punt.
Punting
Chauffeured punts fill up — book ahead.
College tours
Guided walks fill up — reserve early.
Alumni tours
Small-group tours fill up — book ahead.
Ghost walks
Evening walks fill up — reserve early.
London day trips
Oxford-and-Cambridge tours fill up — book ahead.
Summer peak
July and August are busiest — book far ahead.
Punting
From about £16 for a shared punting tour.
College tour
Around £17 for a university walking tour.
Alumni tour
From £25 for an alumni-led college tour.
Ghost walk
About £21 for an evening ghost walk.
From London
From £73 for a Cambridge and Oxford day trip.
How to save
Join shared punts and walking tours rather than private ones.
Cambridge through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Festive & quiet.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Cold.
- Best for
- Blossom Backs.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Great.
- Best for
- Punting season.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Busy.
- Best for
- Golden colours.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Best.