Cambridge Walking Tour: Historic Colleges & University Stories

Eight centuries of Cambridge in one afternoon, told by someone who studied here

A walking tour of Cambridge's historic centre and the Backs with a live English-speaking guide, covering Trinity College, St. John's, Kings College, and Queens' College. You'll hear how the university began after a riot in Oxford, learn the bitter rivalry between its greatest colleges, and see the landmarks and bridges that shaped the city. The tour lasts roughly two hours and includes all your questions answered and dining recommendations. College visits are available by separate arrangement with your guide, subject to access on the day.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Cambridge's historic landmarks

• Pass by graduation ceremony building
• View Trinity College and Great Court
• Discuss Trinity and St. John's rivalry
• Enter Trinity College grounds and see Wren Library
• Admire Clare Bridge and Kings College Bridge
• See Kings College from the Backs
• View Queens' College from the river
• Visit 19th century science lab if open
• See the unusual clock
• Visit Cambridge's second oldest pub

The experience

You start in the city centre and walk toward the Backs, the riverside stretch where Cambridge's most famous colleges line the water. Your guide, an ex-student of the university, walks you past Trinity College, the richest and most prestigious in Europe, with 34 Nobel Prize winners among its alumni. If the Great Gate is open that day, you'll step into the Great Court, where the famous race from the film Chariots of Fire took place. If not, you'll stop outside and hear the stories anyway: the statue above the gate, the tree beside it, and the dastardly history that explains why Trinity and St. John's next door are bitter rivals.

The tour moves along the river, where you'll see Clare Bridge and Kings College Bridge, each with its own tragic and romantic history. You'll learn about the weakest king of England and how his wife saved the university, and you'll hear about the two rival queens (the Red Queen and the White Queen), who both founded Queens' College. The Backs themselves are free to walk. Entry to the colleges themselves costs extra and depends on whether the gates are open that day, but your guide can arrange visits if you want them. You'll watch the punts drift past and take in the view that inspired David Attenborough.

The walk includes stops at a 19th-century laboratory that was once the world's greatest science centre (if the door is open), a clock that's deliberately disgusting in a way that makes it strangely fascinating, and Cambridge's second-oldest pub, where DNA was discovered and where a war memorial and a ghost story sit side by side. Your guide answers all your questions as you go and gives recommendations for where to eat and what else to do in the city. The whole thing takes roughly two hours.

What’s included

• A live guide in English who answers all your questions.
• recommendations for dining and other activities in Cambridge.
• access to the city centre and the Backs, where you'll see Trinity College, St. John's, Kings College, Queens' College, and the river landmarks.

Options for this experience

3 options

Public TourGuide in English · 11:00 and 13:00Join this public tour of Cambridge's world-famous university, with its landmarks and the fascinating stories behind them.

Private TourGuide in English · 09:00, 11:00, 13:00 and 15:00A private walking tour of Cambridge's major landmarks and sights, created around your group's interests and only for you. Length: 1 hour 40 minutes, up to 2 hours.

Tour for Teams in the EveningGuide in English · 17:00Evening tour for groups: an entertaining tour of Cambridge University, where you pick either the City Tour or the Ghost Tour. For groups of 8 or more, call to choose a start time between 5 and 8 pm (the standard start is 5 pm). Length: 2 hours. The route covers the streets of central Cambridge.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day5 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 17:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (18 to 64 years) · Senior (65 and older) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (4 to 11 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 40

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditions

Operated by DC

Is this one for you?Choose the public tour if you're happy joining other visitors and want the full two-hour walk at a set time; pick the private tour if you're traveling with your own group and want the flexibility to linger on stories that interest you or arrange college visits on the spot; book the evening tour if you're part of a team and want to explore Cambridge's history together after work.

Traveler reviews

4.97★★★★★★★★★★

68 verified traveler reviews

5 ★66

4 ★2

3 ★0

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (4 to 11 years); Infant (under 4): free.

Can we actually go inside Trinity College and the other colleges on the tour?

Trinity College and the other colleges can be visited if the gates are open that day, but entry is not included in the tour price. Your guide can arrange visits by separate negotiation, depending on access and availability at the time.

How long does the walking tour take?

The tour lasts roughly two hours, covering the city centre, the Backs, and the main college landmarks along the river.

What's the story behind the rivalry between Trinity and St. John's?

Your guide will tell you the despicable reason why Cambridge's two greatest colleges are bitter rivals. It's one of the darkest stories on the tour and explains a lot about how the university developed.

Is this tour suitable if I'm not very fit or have mobility concerns?

The tour is a walking route through the city centre and the Backs, so it involves being on your feet for roughly two hours. It's wheelchair accessible, and infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller. If you have poor cardiovascular health, it's not recommended.

What makes this tour different from other Cambridge walking tours?

Your guide is an ex-student of Cambridge University, so the stories go beyond the standard facts. You'll hear about the religious schools that started it all, the famous people who changed the world, and the hidden histories behind the colleges and their rivalries.