Cambridge is one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious universities. At over 800 years old, there’s plenty of history to unpack on a visit to the city; that’s why we’d recommend doing a tour, either on foot or by punt.
Punting is arguably the best way to see Cambridge. The university is made up of 31 colleges, ageing from hundreds of years old to the most recent Homerton being granted college status in 2010. A few colleges have areas which are open to the public, usually with a small fee, and restrictions around exam times when the students need some peace and quiet.
But many of the oldest colleges — King’s, St John’s, and Clare to name just a few — are located along the river and you can get the best view of them from a punt. While you can hire a punt and take it out yourself, and plenty of locals and students do so, we wouldn’t recommend it if none of your group has done it before. There is a certain knack and we wouldn’t want you to get stranded out on the River Cam without a paddle (or pole in the case of punting).
A much easier and more relaxing experience is to go on a punting tour, where an experienced guide does all the hard work while also telling you about the history of Cambridge as a city, the university and any colleges you pass.
But there are lots of parts of the city you can’t see while relaxing on a boat. Whether it’s the intricacies of King’s College Chapel or the sceptre that’s been replaced with a chair leg in a famous statue of King Henry VIII at Trinity College, a guide will let you in on the city’s best-kept secrets.
Here are the best punting and walking tours to go on in Cambridge this year.
Best Cambridge punting and walking tours at a glance
- Alumni-led walking ghost tour from £18.50
- Virtual audio-guided walking tour from £24.99
- City and university tour including King’s College Chapel from £24.99
- Historic guided walking tour from £20
- Guided punting tour for two people from £25
- Student-led punting tour from £26
- Alumni-led walking and punting tour from £45.99
- Chauffeured punting tour for three people for £70
- Punting tour for up to 12 people from £85
Best Cambridge punting and walking tours to do in 2023
Guided punting tour for two people
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This tour takes you from the north of Cambridge through to the centre, passing the seven most historic colleges along the river. You’ll get to hear historical information about the university, as well as fun facts about punting, along with stories of famous students and professors at the university, from King Charles III to Isaac Newton.
This tour is available for groups of two people.
Buy tickets for a guided punting tour for two people from £25 at Get Your Guide
Student-led punting tour
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No one knows the secrets of Cambridge quite like a student. On this tour, you’ll pass under the eight famous bridges of Cambridge including the Mathematical Bridge, which was famously built into a curve with entirely straight timbers in 1749 to connect two parts of Queens’ College.
On this tour, you can also have a go at punting yourself if you’re feeling brave. If you’re planning this, maybe bring a dry set of clothes just in case!
Buy tickets for a student-led punting tour from £26 at Viator
Alumni-led walking and punting tour
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If you want a full Cambridge experience, this is the one for you. You’ll get a walking tour of the historic aspects of the city, plus a chance to see the colleges and bridges from the water on a punting tour. Sites you’ll see include Senate House where graduation ceremonies are held — ask your guide to tell you about the van which got stuck on the roof of the building for a week!
This tour is led by university alumni, which means it would be perfect for getting some advice if you’re thinking of applying to the university yourself, too.
Buy tickets for an alumni-led walking and punting tour from £45.99 at Viator
Chauffeured punting tour for three people
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Nothing says luxury like being chauffeur driven, and on this punting tour all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the ride as your tour guide steers you effortlessly through the winding bends of the river. You’ll get to hear all about the most famous landmarks of the university, including King’s College Chapel which is home to the famous Christmas carol service, the Wren Library at Trinity College and the clock-less clock tower in St John’s College.
Buy tickets for a chauffeured punting tour for three people for £70 from Virgin Experience Days
Punting tour for up to 12 people
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If you’re looking around Cambridge in a big group, this is the tour for you. Available for up to 12 people, this tour has flexibility on timings and dates, letting you plan your day in Cambridge however works best for you.
We think this private tour will book up quickly, so if you’re planning a trip to Cambridge we’d recommend you book sooner rather than later.
Buy tickets for a punting tour for up to 12 people from £85 at Viator
Alumni-led walking ghost tour
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Cambridge University is over 800 years old and the city is even older than that. If there’s one thing that comes with historic places, it’s the supernatural – and Cambridge is no different. This is a walking tour with a difference, where you’ll be able to see spots where ghosts have been sighted in the past. Guides for this tour are all current or former students of the university, and have their own tales to tell of living and studying in these old and spooky buildings.
Did you know Cambridge was also once known for its witches? You’ll be able to learn all about them on this tour, but be warned: you might have trouble sleeping afterwards!
Buy tickets for an alumni-led walking ghost tour from £18.50 at Get Your Guide
Historic guided walking tour
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This tour combines historic aspects of the city and the university. You’ll get to see features of the city like the Roman Road as well as churches dating back to the 12th century. Then you’ll be guided past some of the most historically significant colleges like Gonville & Caius, which was Stephen Hawking’s college.
You’ll also get to see one of the most iconic locations where the history of the city and university intersect: the Eagle pub, where Watson and Crick famously announced their discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA.
Buy tickets for a historic guided walking tour from £20 at Get Your Guide
Virtual audio-guided walking tour
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This is a great option if you’d like a bit more flexibility when walking around Cambridge, but still want to learn historical facts. This virtual audio tour gives you access to the Cambridge Podcast Tour collection, where instead of getting just one tour guide, you have access to the words of former students, historians and storytellers.
You’ll hear all about the meaning behind some of Cambridge’s more quirky traditions and get away from the crowds with guides to some lesser-known gems.
Buy tickets for a virtual audio-guided walking tour from £24.99 at Virgin Experience Days
City and university tour including King’s College Chapel
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On this tour, you’ll get to see and hear about the architectural landmarks of the city. The highlight of the tour is entry into King’s College Chapel – arguably the most recognisable building in Cambridge. It was built in 1446 under the reign of King Henry VI, but took over 70 years to complete and was finished by his grandson, King Henry VIII. Home to the largest fan-vaulted ceiling in the world, the chapel is best known nowadays for the carol concerts which are televised every Christmas.
What is punting?
Punts are flat wooden boats, originally used for moving cargo on the river Thames in the 1800s. Rather than being rowed along, a long metal pole is pushed along the river bed, which makes punts ideal for shallow rivers. They were brought to Cambridge in the early 190os for pleasure rather than for moving cargo, and have been synonymous with the city ever since.
There are a couple of different routes you can take by punt in Cambridge. The main one is along The Backs, which refers to the stretch of river that snakes through the back of a number of colleges. If you’re hiring a punt yourself, you can start from either end of The Backs, but if you’re taking a tour, make sure you check where you need to meet your guide.
If you know Cambridge well and want to do something different, you can go punting out of Cambridge which will bring you to Grantchester Meadows, which you might know from the crime series Grantchester. This route is particularly popular in the warmer months as you can stop on the river bank and go for a swim — we’d definitely recommend bringing a picnic!
What you need to bring for punting in Cambridge
Punting can usually take place in all weathers – one of the RadioTimes.com team even saw some people out in the snow! We’d recommend checking the forecast before you leave home and bringing a raincoat or umbrella if it’s looking like it might rain, plus a warm layer, although most tours provide blankets.
You will probably also need some relatively comfortable shoes — we wouldn’t want to try getting into a boat with high heels on! Otherwise, all you’ll need is your sense of curiosity and maybe some snacks to eat along the way.
Check out our Going Out section for more activities to get up to around the UK. We’ve got everything from the best candlelight concerts across the UK to the best Harry Potter experiences around the UK.