Cambridge Walking Tours

No city in the UK can rival Cambridge for its history, culture and unique blend of the arts. Taking it all in comes highly recommended – and that’s why walking tours are such a popular way to discover this culturally rich corner of England.

Punting tours are nonetheless a fantastic way to see this city via its waterways, but walking tours offer a different perspective that also comes highly recommended. Whether it’s a group tour or a private tour, exploring the sights of one of the most historic cities in the UK is certain to be a highlight.

With that in mind, where is best for visitors to explore in central Cambridge? Whatever kind of booking you choose – whether for dates, fun with friends, Cambridge alumni tours or walking tours in Cambridge to complement your favourite punting tours – your visit is certain to include plenty of history and sights. Why not combine the two and take a walking and punting tour?

Buy your walking tour tickets now, or read on for more information:

Tour departure points

The private tours and group tours start at regular intervals throughout the day. Please see the booking system above for the times that are available. Your tour departure point will be indicated on your booking confirmation email. Please make a note of this and be sure to arrive at the correct location in plenty of time.

What makes Cambridge perfect for a walking tour?

Many cities in the UK are designed to get everyone from A to B as quickly as possible – but with cities like Cambridge, zipping about in a car or on a bike means missing out on some incredible sights.

There is nowhere in England like this place. While the likes of Cambridge University, Great St Mary’s Church and stories of Isaac Newton enrich every stone and corner of the city, there are also plenty of hidden gems and funny stories to uncover if you know where to look.

The tour guides are able to help you discover some of the secrets hidden in plain sight, not only in famous landmarks like King’s College or Pembroke College, but you can also enjoy a relaxing walk along the banks of the River Cam – perfect for dates – or visit parts of town that contributed to British art, entertainment and technology.

Every trip is unique, and very much what you make of it. With our walking tours, you can stick to the famous sights or get off the beaten track for a trip into the unknown – and whatever your choice, you’ll have plenty of stories to take home with you too.

Open your mind with walking tours at the Cambridge colleges

Few cities in England can compete with the ways Cambridge continues to advance science, the arts, and learning of all kinds. This is where great minds like Sir Isaac Newton were honed throughout history – and today, Cambridge is where the breakthroughs of tomorrow are crafted and studied.

Student life plays a big role in Cambridge, and tales from times gone by are an active part of Cambridge alumni tours of all kinds. Cambridge University is admired the world over for the quality of education it provides – yet it’s also had a hand in shaping British comedy, from classic comedy giants like John Cleese and Peter Cook, to modern greats like Sue Perkins and Richard Ayoade.

More than one free Cambridge walking tour, in which you pay your tour guide what you like at the end if you wish, will help you explore historic Cambridge University and other famous landmarks. A frequent weekend tour, leaving Saturday and Sunday at 12:30PM for two hours, helps you soak in the sights of the university, as well as King’s College Chapel, Corpus Christi, Great St Mary’s Church, the Mathematical Bridge, as well as the Cavendish Laboratory.

Walking tours in Cambridge like this are a superb way to take a trip through both the Cambridge of old, but also the Cambridge at the cutting edge of our modern world. It’s great knowing it’s free too, although Cambridge tour guides are so knowledgeable that visitors are often inspired to make a thankful donation.

Getting a different perspective on Cambridge on foot

Cambridge punt tours are often the thing that people from across and beyond the UK think of when they imagine a visit to Cambridge. There’s plenty to be said for them too – it’s an idyllic way to see the waterways, and even Cambridge Alumni Tours offer them to visitors too.

Among all the cities in the country, Cambridge offers so much that even the top punting tour wouldn’t cover absolutely everything there is to see.

Senate House. It doesn’t usually look like this

It pays to go on foot – and it helps that walking tours make for such great date ideas and group outings too.

While there’s plenty to be said for the history of this city – King’s College, Corpus Christi, Pembroke College and more – a good guided walking tour can give you so much more to see than just famous old schools and student life.

One way to get a different perspective is to choose a walking tour that soaks in seats of power like the Senate House or the Round Church. The details on the architecture here are something to behold – yet even that is just the tip of the iceberg for a walking tour in Cambridge.

The round church

That’s because some of the most beautiful greenery and natural beauty in England can be found in Cambridge too. That’s not just the banks of the River Cam or the grounds of St Johns either – lush greenery is all around Cambridge, and it’s best experienced through a leisurely walk.

Few cities in England mix their town and greenery areas as well as Cambridge can. From the King’s College Fellows Garden to Sheep’s Green, Coe Fen and The Backs, guests on a walking tour may well feel inspired to tell as many stories of England’s green and pleasant hills as they do famous alumni and student life when they’re done.

Must-see landmarks in any walking tour of Cambridge

Pembroke College and King’s College are always on the agenda of any walking tours, but keep your eyes open for these famous sites and historic and iconic parts of the city centre too.

The Round Church

Also known as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, this ancient and impressive Cambridge landmark shows how this town has as much history in religion as it does science and the arts.

Cambridge is over 1,000 years old, and the Round Church is one of the oldest buildings in the city. It features some brilliant Gothic architecture throughout, and you’ll find a lot of walking tours actually set off from here too – it’s at a great central location.

Mathematical Bridge

A distinctive and famous part of Queens’ College, Mathematical Bridge is actually called the Wooden Bridge – but that name seriously undersells how ingenious it is.

The Mathematical Bridge is so nicknamed due to its unique shape – it’s not a massive bridge, but its engineering and structure continue to fascinate students and professors across Cambridge today.

It also spans the width of the River Cam – you might well pass under it when enjoying a punt tour too.

The Bridge of Sighs

Named after the bridge in Venice with which it shares its name, the Cambridge Bridge of Sighs is found in the grounds of St John’s College. The distinctive arches of this enclosed bridge give a wonderfully continental feel to your Cambridge visit – and through those carefully crafted glassless windows, you’ll see punting tours passing you by on the water below.

What makes a walking tour good?

Whether you’re seeking a private tour of student life or free walking tours that let you soak in the history and stories of this majestic city, few places in the UK can compare with spending a few hours on foot in Cambridge.

From its famous colleges and seats of learning to churches, scientific institutes, libraries and stunning gardens, Cambridge has a look and feel all its own. Visiting Cambridge for college tours with engaging guides or group tours that unveil the hidden secrets of Cambridge are certain to spark the imagination.

Need a sit down after all that learning and excitement? The fun doesn’t need to stop – a Cambridge punting tour as the sun starts to hang low in the sky could be just the ticket.

Cambridge Walking Tour Prices