Hey Dolls! Hope everyone is well and safe during these unpredictable times!
Can I just say, I have weirdly enjoyed this lockdown experience…I’m sure I’m not the only one! I was really bummed when my holiday plans got cancelled this year but I told myself that I will still try to make sure I enjoy my summer one way or another – and that I did!
My pandemic summer has been filled with picnics, long walks, exploring hidden gems in London (say the Hampstead Pergola – Google it!) and countless day trips. I can definitely say I have grown a better appreciation for the many beautiful towns and cities we have in the UK and some are just a stones throw away from London. Cambridge was one of them!
I went to Cambridge for just the day as it was only an hour and a half drive away from where I live in London. I would highly recommend to try and spend a weekend break there if you get the chance!
Here is my short itinerary you can use for your day trip to Cambridge:
- Started off the day with traditional afternoon tea breakfast at Harriets Cafe Tea Room in the city centre. They provided a classic assort of finger sandwiches, scones and sweet pastries with a nice cuppa!
- Next stop: Punting! You can’t leave Cambridge without punting. This is the best way to admire the beautiful attractions whilst also enjoying a relaxing cruise along the River Cam. You can opt to hire a punt and row yourself or book a guided tour. I went on a guided tour with the Traditional Punting Company. Their service from beginning to end was excellent and I really enjoyed the fun facts and information provided during the tour by Rufus – thank you!
*The Traditional Punting Company have been kind enough to offer my lovely followers a 10% discount on their punting tours when booking online on their website!*
Visit www.traditionalpuntingcompany.com using discount code: ‘belle10amour!’.
- Admiring Cambridge from above was just as good from below! We headed to Great St Mary’s Church where you can climb to the top of the tower and enjoy panomaric views of this magnificent city. Ticket cost £6 per person. There are 123 steps you have to climb and it is very narrow so I would not recommend if you suffer from claustrophobia or anything similar!
View from Great St Mary’s church!
- For lunch, we stopped by the botanic garden where we found a spot to enjoy our picnic and admire the incredible selection of plants from all over the world. Remember to pre-book your tickets ahead on their website!
- Our last stop was away from the bustling town and to the serenity of Cambridge Central Mosque which is known to be Europe’s first eco-friendly mosque. Unfortunately the mosque has been closed to the public due to the pandemic and is only open for worshippers. The architecture was breathtaking and it was the perfect place to get some rest and shade from the 30 degree heat that day!
Unfortunately I did not get the chance to visit the colleges but next time I would definitely put that on the top of my list! There are many colleges to choose from and my brief research online found that St John’s College would be one of the best to visit as the grounds are huge and you will be able to get closer look at the Bridge of Sighs.
My day trip to Cambridge was perfect and I definitely want to return in the future! If anything, this trip has only encouraged me to explore more cities in the UK. Hmm where to next?
The Belle Amour Blog 