Cambridge All Over The Place

If you go to Cambridge looking for the University you may be surprised to find that it's all over the place - literally. A journey around its many locations will take you down narrow ancient lanes, through courtyards that echo with history and immaculate gardens that burst with colour. It's a patchwork of scholarly splendour. Most colleges allow entry to the general public to certain areas. There are a total of 31 colleges in all!

Peterhouse is the oldest college in Cambridge founded in 1284. Situated south of the city centre it has been rebuilt and added to many times over the years. Lord Kelvin, creator of the Kelvin temperature scale, was one of the notable Petreans who attended the college in the 19th century. Lord Kelvin provided the first electric lighting for Peterhouse's 600th anniversary, the first such for any Cambridge college.

Crossing over Trumpington Street to the east will take you to Pembroke College. It is one of the larger colleges with a mixture of buildings from most centuries since its foundation in 1347. The Baroque chapel was the first building by Sir Christopher Wren and was consecrated in 1665.

Trinity College has perhaps the grandest scholarly record of all the colleges and boasts 32 Nobel prizes amongst members. Founded in 1546 by Henry VIII it has been preferred by royalty down the ages and has educated 6 Prime ministers. Isaac Newton studied here in the 17th century. The first formalised rules of football were formulated here in 1848. As you enter the great gate at Trinity be sure to check to see what the statue of Henry VIII holds in his hand.

Kings College is home to the iconic Kings College Chapel. A punt along the river Cam will take you past the magnificent Gothic facade which overlooks a beautiful green to make it one of the defining views of the city. The chapel is home to the famous Nine Lessons and Carols broadcast every year on the BBC on Christmas Eve. It also features the world's largest fan vault ceiling and the painting "The adoration of the Magi" by Rubens.

Moving south will bring you to Queens College founded 1448. It is one of two colleges that have buildings either side of the Cam. The Mathematical Bridge joins the two sides using tangential timbers and makes a great photo.

That's just a short tour of some of the many colleges that make up the University of Cambridge. Bed and Breakfast or one of the many Hotels in the area will give you a warm welcome and a base from which to explore the varied history of a great city.