Things to see and do in Cambridge

The Backs

A tour of Cambridge isn't complete unless you've taken a punting trip along The Backs. Much like the wooden gondolas in Venice, Cambridge has its own kind of small wooden boats, pushed by 20-something year olds up and down the River Cam. Sitting close to the water, this really is the best way to see 'the Backs' up close-the picturesque view of the Christopher Wren library, seven of the colleges and eight of the bridges, including Einstein's Mathematical Bridge, and the 'Bridge of Sighs', modelled after the one in Venice. The 45-minute-long tour is the perfect way to see Cambridge at a leisurely, romantic pace, with a cup of the summer 'Pimms' drink in hand.

The Eagle Pub

After a morning of sight-seeing, it's time for lunch. And, what better way to take a break than with a cool cider in hand, and some thick-cut fries at a local English pub? The old wooden beams, ageing pictures on the walls, and cozy beer garden (complete with heaters), is the perfect place for respite. Opened in 1667, this is the second oldest pub in Cambridge. And, since you can't go a stone's throw without bumping into a major historical site: In 1953, genetics scientists Francis Crick and James Watson ran straight from the laboratory into the Eagle Pub to announce for the first time that they had discovered the secrets of DNA-the double helix.

Grantchester Meadows and Tea Rooms

Grantchester Meadows: An idyllic pastoral view of long, green grass, brown cows, and the River Cam, flowing lazily beneath overhanging trees. A tranquil path leads you through the meadows to The Orchard Tea Garden, in the quaint village of Grantchester. Here, you can enjoy a traditional afternoon tea and scone, as you kick back in deck chairs, bathed in the dappled sunlight. For the art and history lovers among you: This was a favorite haunt of the so-called 'Grantchester Group', an intellectual gang including, among others, novelists Virginia Woolf and E.M. Forster, poet Rupert Brooke, and philosopher Bertrand Russell.

Markets

Behind Great St Mary's Church, in the center of Cambridge, stands Market Square, which runs every day of the week. Here, you can buy delicious home-made bread, cheese, flowers, Cambridge University sweaters, and light bites for lunch. If you walk down Trinity Street in the direction of The Round Church-a 900-year-old Anglican church, still in use-you will find the smaller All Saints Garden Art & Craft Saturday Market. Jewellers, glassblowers and other craftspeople sell a collection of work, perfect for gifts, and there's good Italian coffee too.