I love traveling - and probably travel more than anyone I know - so it makes sense that I write about it. Get Lost is a series of short, snappy travel guides (250 words or under) where I write about the places I visit.
WITH ITS AIR OF CEREBRAL CALM, CAMBRIDGE IS A UNIVERSITY TOWN PAR EXCELLENCE. A BEACON OF ACADEMIC BRILLIANCE SINCE 1209, THE CITY HAS PLAYED HOST TO SOME OF HISTORY'S MOST INFLUENTIAL FIGURES, FROM NEWTON AND DARWIN TO KEYNES AND HAWKING.
Cambridge’s compact centre is dominated by its tight cluster of ancient colleges, each an intriguing ensemble of grandiose buildings set around secluded courtyards and immaculate lawns. The most impressive of these buildings, the iconic Gothic masterpiece of King’s College Chapel, dominates the city’s diverse streetscape. Behind King’s College you’ll find The Backs, an elegant sweep of lawns and gardens along the banks of the languid River Cam that drifts through the city. On summer days, this stretch of water is busy with locals and tourists enjoying that most Cambridge of traditions, punting.
Explore the university’s arts and antiquities — including works by Monet, Gainsborough, and Cezanne —at the ornate, neoclassical Fitzwilliam Museum or head south to the University’s tranquil Botanic Gardens. Central Cambridge has an impressive spread of shops and restaurants, particularly among its many meandering backstreets where you’ll find offerings for every eclectic taste. In the city’s main square, the daily market buzzes with stalls selling everything from fresh fish to second-hand bikes, before giving way to a specialised arts and crafts market every Sunday.
Immerse yourself in the living museum of Cambridge, where streets and colleges hark back to an alumnus of intellectual masters and leave you wondering what great minds are yet to call this city home.