London to Cambridge Series: Explore The Historic City This Winter

Cambridge; a city known across the world for being home to one of the UK’s most prestigious universities. A quick 48-minute journey from the bright lights and skyscrapers of London makes this weekend getaway well worth the trip to the illustrious locale in our books.

Trawl through quaint antique shops on an old street, learn about Cambridge through art at a world-class hotel, blend your own bottles of gin or wander along the river Cam, ice cream in hand.

Bridge the gap between London and Cambridge and experience opulent glamour with a lavish trip outside the city. Discover our collection of the best things to do in Cambridge - your secret escapes will never be the same again.

Explore a Hotel with the historical city at the heart of its interiors

Aside from the plethora of activities to do, the city is a haven of history: founded in 875, it has been for time immemorial a hub of cultural and critical thought. The earliest school in the borough, The School of Pythagoras, was founded in 1200, closely followed by Cambridge University in 1209 as well as many more colleges up until the 16th century.

The Fellows House Curio Collection by Hilton is situated just outside the city centre in a residential location near Jesus Green just 20 minutes walk from the centre.

Each corner of The Fellows House echos an historical University alumni. Guests are welcomed by a centrepiece oil painting of Dr Davidson Nichol (the first black African fellow at Cambridge) and a quirky bicycle feature - a nod to the city’s penchant for two wheels. A wall panel with DNA-inspired test tubes and art pieces are the focal point of the moody private members club-esque lounge.

A pool table, novels written by Cambridge alumni and the chic Folio Bar serve up curated cocktails named after acclaimed books such as Stephen Hawking’s ‘History of Time’, Alan Turing’s ‘Enigma’ and Alfred Tennyson’s ‘The Day-dream’.

Premium rooms at The Fellows House pay poignant homage to Cambridge alumni including the Darwin, Kipling, Gormley and Blake rooms and range from double rooms right the way through to the more long term suited apartments across two floors.

Dining at The Folio Kitchen is another luxurious and inclusive affair; options are plentiful for vegans, vegetarians and meat-lovers and range from prime steaks, a lentil cassoulet, marinated tempeh and slaw and a sweet treat of delightful chocolate cheesecake.

The hotel caters for short weekender excursions and lengthy business trip stays thanks to apartment-style suites featuring spacious kitchens and stylish living rooms.

Marble-topped bathrooms add a certain je ne sais quoi to the room rarely experienced in other hotels at this price point. Shortly after a nightcap at the bar in the exquisite lounge, warm, fluffy bathrobes and soft pillows await the weary traveller.

For your dose of history on the cobbled streets of the city, The Fellows House is your destination for all things quintessentially Cambridge.

Rooms at The Fellows House Cambridge, Curio Collection by Hilton, start from £170 per night for two people staying in a Kipling King room on a B&B basis.

Blend your own gin at the Cambridge Gin Laboratory

A favourite tiple of the British public can only be a crisp, fragrant gin and the pace at which it has reinvented itself as a fashionable spirit is one of the most dramatic changes to have occurred in recent times.

Queue the team at Cambridge Gin Laboratory, producers of the freshest and most delicate Gin botanicals achieved only via their unique distillation process - and they want you to make your own.

From local, seasonal botanicals distilled to perfectly evoke the English country garden, to Scandinavia where they collaborate with pioneers in Nordic cuisine to reinvent the gin experience, all the way to the Far East to create the world’s first gin made exclusively with Japanese botanicals.

Visit their distillery a 10-minute drive out of the city or book an hour-long experience at the Cambridge Gin Laboratory in the centre of the city hosted by a gin lab expert, revealing some of the history and production methods of gin and some tips on how to taste gin like a true professional.

Delve into the world of priceless antiques and unique collectables

Cambridge has undergone a great metamorphosis; in its infancy, it was an administrative town, a market town and a thoroughfare for goods making their way up the river to Kings Lynn. Today, the city is a hub for globetrotting anglophiles, antique hunters and Londoners looking to escape the Big Smoke for the weekend.

Located just off Mill Road in Gwydir Street's Dales Brewery building, Cambs Antique Centre boasts an eclectic selection of retro antiques. Another great opportunity to rummage for old collectables can be found along the same street called The Hive. Here you’ll find a myriad of items from furniture and antique tiles to carvings, jewellery and rugs. Keep an eye on their Instagram for up to date stock.

Have a browse around The Old Chemist Shop Antiques Centre nearby on Mill Road. The antique emporium is home to a medley of antique brands; Vintage in Vogue, Vintage Home & Wear, Winnie's Bikes and Paul's Ephemera.

Each store holds an endless array of one-of-a-kind antiques so set aside a slow afternoon and discover the magic oof old Cambridge on Mill Road.

Explore live music and dine in chic surroundings

Live music is a great experience outdoors and Cambridge is no stranger to hosting bands from across the globe each year. From Music in the Parks on selected Sundays throughout the summer across many of the leafy parks in the city to the epic Cambridge Club Festival, the city is alive with energy all year round.

Dine at The Roof Terrace At The Varsity Hotel with a fabulous view of the city (it’s dubbed an iconic roof terrace for a reason) and nibble on canapes and cocktails. For a more authentic city experience, eat out at a steak restaurant, MillWorks, on Newham road where you’ll find a fully working water wheel in the middle of the dining room. Enjoy a pint of your favourite beer at The boathouse, or watch punters cruise along the river Cam at The Anchor Pub. If you’re looking for a more opulent way to take in the sights and sounds of the river, Garden House serves up sumptuous grill focussed cuisine in their outdoor gardens overlooking the river.

With only a 50 minute train journey between London and Cambridge, discovering the historic city is an essential getaway destination for the summer in 2022.