Cambridge

Cambridge sits 95km north of London and is reached in about 55 minutes by direct Greater Anglia train from King's Cross or Liverpool Street, making it one of the most straightforward rail day trips from the capital. Arriving by mid-morning leaves a full day to explore the compact historic centre on foot. The morning is best used for King's College Chapel, whose late-Gothic fan-vaulted ceiling and Rubens altarpiece are among the city's most photographed sights, followed by a walk along The Backs, the riverside gardens running behind King's, Clare, Trinity, and St John's colleges. Trinity College's Wren Library, home to first editions of Shakespeare and Newton's own annotated copy of the Principia, sits nearby, as does the descendant of Isaac Newton's apple tree in Trinity's grounds. By early afternoon, visitors typically break for lunch at one of the cafes on King's Parade or Bridge Street, or a pub lunch at The Eagle, where Crick and Watson announced their discovery of DNA's structure in 1953. The afternoon suits a punting trip on the River Cam, with Scudamore's Punting Company offering both self-punt and chauffeured options departing from Silver Street and Magdalene Bridge, gliding past the Bridge of Sighs and the Mathematical Bridge. Free entry to the Fitzwilliam Museum, with its collection spanning Egyptian antiquities to Impressionist paintings, is a good alternative for a rainy afternoon. Spring and early summer bring the best weather for punting and garden viewing, though May Week exam period restricts access to some college courtyards. Arriving on an early train helps secure a place at King's College Chapel's timed entry slots before tour groups arrive later in the day.