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Date spot in Cambridge

Ely Cathedral

Take the train fifteen minutes north to Ely and its vast cathedral, the Ship of the Fens, then climb the Octagon tower on a guided tour.

Ely Cathedral's great carved west tower and nave rising above a green, under a soft sky

Ely, fifteen miles north of Cambridge

The Chapter House, The College, Ely CB7 4DL
  • Trip
  • Rain-proof ☔
  • Culture
  • Out of town

Why it's a good date: A breathtaking building in a small, friendly market town, with a riverside walk and tea rooms for after. An easy half-day out with no car needed.

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Photo: Bs0u10e01, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)

More from our Cambridge guide

  • Punts on the River Cam along the Backs, with a stone college bridge and trees behind

    Punting on the Cam

    Quayside, off Bridge Street, or Mill Lane

    Quayside Punting Station, Magdalene Bridge, Cambridge CB5 8AB
    • Activity
    • Outdoors
    • Romantic

    Hire a punt, or sit back on a chauffeured one, and glide along the Backs under the college bridges, past King's, Clare and Trinity.

    Why it's a good date: The most Cambridge thing you can do, and a great laugh if one of you is in charge of the pole. Go early or late in the day when the river's quieter.

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    Photo: Hugh Chevallier, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)

  • King's College Chapel's tall pinnacled Gothic end beside the pale classical Gibbs Building, under a clear blue sky

    King's College Chapel

    King's Parade

    King's Parade, Cambridge CB2 1ST
    • Culture
    • Rain-proof ☔
    • Romantic

    Stand under the great fan-vaulted ceiling of King's College Chapel, then come back for choral evensong, when the choir sings in the candlelight.

    Why it's a good date: One of the most beautiful buildings in the country, and evensong is free to attend. Check the service times first, as the choir sings mostly in term time.

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    Photo: Dmitry Tonkonog, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped and resized)

  • A riverside path on the Backs beside the Cam, with the stone arches of Clare College Bridge ahead

    A walk along the Backs

    Queen's Road and Garret Hostel Lane

    Queen's Road, Cambridge CB3 9AJ
    • Outdoors
    • Free
    • Romantic

    Walk the lawns and paths behind the colleges on the west bank of the Cam, crossing to look at Clare Bridge and the wooden Mathematical Bridge at Queens'.

    Why it's a good date: Postcard views of the colleges without paying to go in. Come in spring for the crocuses and daffodils, or on an autumn afternoon when the trees turn.

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    Photo: Ardfern, CC BY-SA 3.0 (resized)

From our guide to date ideas in Cambridge

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