Muddy Stilettos


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2021/08/Unknown-2-2.jpeg" alt="Cambridge" class="wp-image-23221" /></figure>



<p class="has-text-align-center has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-text-color">In association with PizzaExpress</p>



<p>Cambridge? She’s still got it. If the city were on Hinge, we’d be hitting <em>heart</em> faster than you can say “Newton’s apple”. The cobbled lanes, grand chapels, secret courtyards and willow-draped riverbanks make this one seriously good-looking date. History is everywhere: from the world-famous spires of King’s to the slice of Sir Isaac Newton’s apple tree still clinging on outside Trinity.</p>



<p>Of course, it’s not all about old bricks and scholars. Cambridge has grown into a buzzy, modern playground too – think chic boutiques, indie cocktail bars, cool hotels and one very iconic pizzeria (yep, that one). Here’s our insider lowdown for 2025.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-take-a-punt">TAKE A PUNT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2023/04/Untitled-design-250.png" alt="Cambridge punting" class="wp-image-45958" /></figure>



<p>No trip to Cambridge is complete without wobbling about on a punt. You can hire one yourself (cue hilarious family arguments and a very real chance of toppling into the Cam), or – if you’d prefer not to learn the art of balancing a pole while tourists watch gleefully from the bridges – leave it to the pros at <a href="https://traditionalpuntingcompany.com/">The Traditional Punting Company</a>.</p>



<p>The classic route runs the “College Backs”, starting near Silver Street or Magdalene Bridge and gliding past St John’s, Trinity, Clare and King’s. Keep your eyes peeled for the Bridge of Sighs (Queen Victoria’s fave), the Mathematical Bridge, and herons fishing lazily on the riverbank. Top insider tip: early mornings and late afternoons are quieter, and autumn punts through the willow-draped water are&nbsp;&#8216;chef’s kiss&#8217;.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-culture-fix">CULTURE FIX</h2>



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<p>The colleges are the real stars of the show (best explored with a witty guide from <a href="https://www.thecambridgetourcompany.co.uk/">The Cambridge Tour Company</a>) – each one with its own claim to fame. King’s College Chapel is the A-lister (you’ve definitely seen it on Christmas carol broadcasts), but don’t miss:</p>



<ul>
<li><strong>St John’s</strong>&nbsp;– the most Hogwarts-y, with that dreamy Bridge of Sighs and cloistered courtyards.</li>



<li><strong>Trinity</strong>&nbsp;– Newton’s apple tree, 34 Nobel Prize winners and a library designed by Sir Christopher Wren. Enough said.</li>



<li><strong>Clare</strong>&nbsp;– the prettiest of the bunch, all honey-stone elegance and riverside lawns.</li>



<li><strong>Queen’s</strong>&nbsp;– home to the Mathematical Bridge, often called the wooden “bridge with no nails” (spoiler: it does actually have bolts now).</li>
</ul>



<p>Film buffs might recognise these backdrops from&nbsp;<em>Chariots of Fire</em>,&nbsp;<em>The Theory of Everything</em>&nbsp;and even Netflix’s&nbsp;<em>The Crown</em>. Gossip hunters, meanwhile, will want to dig into the fact that Byron once kept a pet bear at Trinity because dogs weren’t allowed, he nicknamed Wordsworth he once called Wordsworth &#8216;Turdsworth&#8217; and you can discover how Henry VIII’s bloated body exploded posthumously.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Untitled-design-251.png" alt="Cambridge University Botanical Garden" class="wp-image-119469" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Untitled-design-251.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Untitled-design-251-600x600.png 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Untitled-design-251-300x300.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Untitled-design-251-500x500.png 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Elsewhere, plant lovers can lose themselves in the <a href="https://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University Botanic Garden</a> (founded by Darwin’s mentor, Professor Henslow, and home to 8,000 species and counting), while theatre fans should check the refurbished <a href="https://www.cambridgeartstheatre.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cambridge Arts Theatre</a> or the <a href="https://www.cornex.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Corn Exchange</a> for everything from&nbsp;<em>SIX</em>&nbsp;to big-name comedy.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-doing-it-for-the-kids">DOING IT FOR THE KIDS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="2048" height="1366" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/188724050_10157880942361890_2883440582593902270_n.jpg" alt="UNIVERSITY MUSEUM OF ZOOLOGY DINOSAUR BONES" class="wp-image-119471" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/188724050_10157880942361890_2883440582593902270_n.jpg 2048w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/188724050_10157880942361890_2883440582593902270_n-600x400.jpg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/188724050_10157880942361890_2883440582593902270_n-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/188724050_10157880942361890_2883440582593902270_n-1536x1025.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /></figure>



<p>Little explorers are well catered for. The Botanic Garden runs brilliant family events (moth hunts! mystery trails!). The Cambridge Science Centre and the <a href="https://www.museums.cam.ac.uk/museums/museum-zoology">University Museum of Zoology</a> smuggle learning in under the cover of giant whale fins and Darwin’s beetle collection.</p>



<p>For fresh-air antics, Parker’s Piece is Cambridge’s answer to Central Park – sometimes with a Ferris wheel, always with room for cartwheels. And don’t miss the Corpus Clock: a £1m golden beast topped with a time-eating locust demon. Kids will happily stare at it for half an hour (so will you).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ready-to-refuel">READY TO REFUEL?</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Untitled-design-268.png" alt="PizzaExpress Cambridge chef throwing pizza dough" class="wp-image-120013" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Untitled-design-268.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Untitled-design-268-600x600.png 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Untitled-design-268-300x300.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Untitled-design-268-500x500.png 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>You’re spoilt for choice here, if you looking for crowd-pleasing favourites for everyone, your marble table awaits…<a href="https://www.pizzaexpress.com/">PizzaExpress</a> has a stylish new home on Bridge Street, right by the Bridge of Sighs. The new restaurant is full of character, mixing period charm (the building is listed) and contemporary interior goals with botanical wallpaper, rattan lighting and a neon “Pizza Lovers” wall begging for a selfie.</p>



<p>On the menu: all the classics (Dough Balls and American Hot), plus newbies like the Calabrian Feast, Buffalo Chicken Wings and the White Chocolate Blondie. Whether you’re here with mates, a date or the whole fam, you’ll leave brimming with joy (and maybe dessert).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hammer-the-credit-card-nbsp">HAMMER THE CREDIT CARD<strong>&nbsp;</strong></h2>



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<p>Sure, the <a href="https://www.grandarcade.co.uk/">Grand Arcade</a> delivers the big hitters – John Lewis, Hobbs, The White Company – but the real joy of Cambridge shopping lies in its indie gems. Rose Crescent and Sussex Street are where you’ll stumble on the good stuff: <a href="https://arkcambridge.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ark</a>, crammed with quirky gifts from neon socks to Bauhaus chess sets, sits alongside fashion boutiques <a href="https://lilacrose.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lilac Rose</a> and <a href="https://irisandviolet.shop/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Iris &amp; Violet</a>, both of which punch well above their weight when it comes to covetable labels. <a href="https://www.cambridgesatchel.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Cambridge Satchel Company</a>, where Alexa Chung’s favourite leather bags were born, is worth a pilgrimage for arm-candy lovers, while bookworms should lose an afternoon at <a href="https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/home">Heffers</a> (now Blackwell&#8217;s), a city institution since 1876. If vinyl’s more your vibe, <a href="http://www.relevantrecordcafe.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Relevant Records</a> pairs crate-digging with a flat white. And don’t skip <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cambridgemarket/?hl=en">Cambridge Market Square</a> – buzzing daily since Saxon times – where jewellery, vintage books and sizzling halloumi wraps make it part shopping spree, part foodie pilgrimage.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-thirsty-nbsp">THIRSTY?&nbsp;</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Untitled-design-253.png" alt="COCKTAIL AT NOVI's CAMBRIDGE" class="wp-image-119475" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Untitled-design-253.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Untitled-design-253-600x600.png 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Untitled-design-253-300x300.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Untitled-design-253-500x500.png 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Novi&#8217;s</figcaption></figure>



<p>When it comes to drinking in Cambridge, the city caters to every mood. For rooftop glamour, <a href="https://novicambridge.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NOVI’s</a> terrace serves botanical cocktails under fairy lights – the “Don’t Dis-pear” is practically designed for smug Instagramming. If you fancy theatre and cocktails rolled into one, <a href="https://www.mcmullens.co.uk/local-pub/town-gown/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Town &amp; Gown</a> delivers with fringe shows upstairs and barrel-booth vibes downstairs, while its neighbour <a href="https://tabouche.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ta Bouche</a> keeps the dance floor shaking until the small hours. Riverside lounging doesn’t get more idyllic than <a href="https://www.thepuntercambridge.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Punter</a>, all fairy-lit courtyards and lazy afternoon pints, though <a href="https://www.thewatermancambridge.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Waterman</a>’s secret beer garden and app-ordering system is a godsend if queuing isn’t your thing. <a href="https://pintshop.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pint Shop</a> is a temple to craft beer and gin, lively and unpretentious, and when only a martini in polished surroundings will do, <a href="https://parkerstavern.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Parker’s Tavern</a> at University Arms brings the full sweep of old-school Cambridge glamour.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-too-tired-to-go-home-nbsp">TOO TIRED TO GO HOME?<strong>&nbsp;</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Untitled-design-252.png" alt="Fellowes House suite Cambridge" class="wp-image-119473" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Untitled-design-252.png 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Untitled-design-252-600x400.png 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Untitled-design-252-1000x667.png 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Fellows House</figcaption></figure>



<p>For families,&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://thefellowshouse.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Fellows House</a></strong>&nbsp;wins with suites, sofa beds, pool and sauna. Close to the station? Try the sleek&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.claytonhotels.com/cambridge/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Clayton Hotel</a></strong>&nbsp;with its buzzing courtyard. For riverside chic, check into&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/stngagu-graduate-cambridge/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Graduate Cambridge</a></strong>, with open-flame dining at its Garden House restaurant. Special occasion?&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/stngagu-graduate-cambridge/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gonville Hotel</a></strong>&nbsp;lays on Bentleys for city tours. <strong>University Arms</strong>&nbsp;brings grand old-school vibes, while&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.thevarsityhotel.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Varsity Hotel &amp; Spa</a></strong>&nbsp;has the city’s best rooftop bar (cocktail in hand, views for miles).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-kept-secrets">BEST KEPT SECRETS</h2>



<ul>
<li><strong>The ghost of the Eagle.</strong>&nbsp;The Eagle pub isn’t just famous for Crick and Watson announcing the discovery of DNA in 1953 – it’s said to be haunted by RAF pilots who drank there during WWII.</li>



<li><strong>Student pranks gone wild.</strong>&nbsp;In 1958, engineering students somehow hoisted an Austin Seven car onto the roof of Senate House. It sat there for a week before anyone figured out how to get it down.</li>



<li><strong>Secret gardens.</strong>&nbsp;Many colleges hide breathtaking private gardens, but Clare’s riverside lawn is considered one of the most magical picnic spots (you’ll need to know someone on the inside to get in).</li>



<li><strong>Hollywood calling.</strong>&nbsp;Cambridge has doubled as Oxford in&nbsp;<em>The Theory of Everything</em>&nbsp;and popped up in&nbsp;<em>The Crown</em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>Grantchester</em>. Film crews are a surprisingly regular sight.</li>
</ul>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-the-mood-for-more">IN THE MOOD FOR MORE?</h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/travel/uk/travel-guides/insider-guide-to-kingston-upon-thames-london/">Royal roots &amp; riverside vibes: The insider guide to Kingston Upon Thames</a></li>



<li><a href="https://suffolkcambs.muddystilettos.co.uk/travel/review-university-arms-hotel-cambridge/">Review: University Arms Hotel, Cambridge</a></li>



<li><a href="https://suffolkcambs.muddystilettos.co.uk/travel/review-the-fellows-house-cambridge/">Review: The Fellows House, Cambridge</a></li>
</ul>


Spires, scholars & river life: The insider guide to Cambridge

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