Car Hire Cambridge

A quick guide to Cambridge

Home to one of England’s most prestigious universities, Cambridge is a city that is as English as they come. With striking architecture, winding rivers and imposing college buildings, it’s a truly picturesque part of the country. Whatever brings you here, chances are you’ll fall in love with this wonderful city.

Home of the academics

You can’t walk around Cambridge without stumbling upon one of the many historic buildings that form part of Cambridge University – no surprise at is has a history dating back to its foundation in 1209. The great and the good have studied here over the centuries, and it continues to enjoy a world-class reputation today.

King's College is one of the most famous college buildings in the city and is certainly worth a visit. It has a breathtaking interior that is home to the King’s College Choir and the 16^th century Gothic chapel is a landmark.

Feed your soul with a trip to the Fitzwilliam Museum. The neoclassical exterior of this building can only be topped by an interior filled with English pottery and china, as well as ancient Egyptian antiquities, all of which have a fascinating story to tell. Art lovers can enjoy works by Da Vinci, Rubens, Constable and more in this treasure trove of a building

Horses for courses

There are a number of places within an hour of Cambridge that are worth a detour. Newmarket is a charming market town less than 30 minutes away. It’s considered to be the home of horse racing, with an impressive track used for regular race meetings as well as the National Heritage Centre of Horse Racing and Sporting Art, which tells the history of the sport and how Newmarket became so popular.

Ely Cathedral is also easily reached from Cambridge. The cathedral is truly epic and is renowned around the world not just for its imposing size, but also for its exquisite beauty. It dates from 1083 and additions and amendments over the centuries have given it a wealth of detail. Highlights include the phenomenal Lady Chapel, the nave ceiling, rood screen and choir.

Take in Trinity

Back in Cambridge, Trinity College contains multitudes for you to discover. Its vast Great Court, Tudor entrance, statue of Henry VIII and more lend an air of grandeur that is only reinforced by the roll call of famous alumni. This is where Isaac Newton, Tennyson, Byron, Wittgenstein and various prime ministers have all been educated. The splendid Wren Library is also hosted here, designed by Sir Christopher Wren and home to a mind-boggling collection of rare manuscripts and books. Alumnus Newton’s notebooks and a first edition of his Principia Mathematica, valuable medieval works and the manuscript of Winnie-the-Pooh are among the riches inside.

Driving in and around Cambridge

The roads of Cambridge are flanked with wonderful architecture, making this a fine city to drive in. Though the city can get congested during the busiest commuter hours, driving through the city shouldn’t be too difficult with a little forward planning

Cambridge is surrounded by A-roads – the A14 runs through the heart of the city, the A10 connects to the A14 in the north-east and the A428 leads off to the west. The M11 runs south and opens up more of southern England to you, should you be planning a road trip.

There are plenty of car parks around the centre, many of which are open 24-hours a day, seven days a week. You’ll also find metered parking areas and limited on-street parking.

Once you leave the heart of the city you’ll find that Cambridge is well connected to the rest of the UK. You can take the M11 down to the capital, London, or take the A1(M) and travel to Yorkshire to see another side of England, with rapturous countryside.

Speed limits vary in the UK depending on the type of road, however when travelling on the motorway the speed limit is 112 km/h and in built-up areas, it drops to 48km/h. The UK uses miles on signs and miles per hour for its speed limits. If you decide to take the smaller country roads the journey will take longer, however, the incredible landscapes often make it worth it. As you would expect, phone use is banned while driving and all passengers must wear a seatbelt.