Cambridge itinerary: 1, 2 and 3 days

Start early in the historic centre before the coach groups arrive. Walk the core on foot: the streets around King's College, Trinity and St John's are compact and the one-way system makes driving pointless. Most visitors spend the morning on colleges and the afternoon on the river.

A one-day route that works: King's College Chapel and the Front Court first, then Trinity and St John's, a look at the Round Church, and the market square for lunch. After lunch, walk the Backs — the college gardens along the river — and take a chauffeured punt for about 45 minutes. Finish with the Fitzwilliam Museum if time allows, or an evensong at a college chapel.

If you only have a few hours, choose one college, one punt and one museum. Trying to see every college in a day means seeing none of them properly.

Two days is the sweet spot. Day one covers the colleges, the Backs and a punt. Day two adds the museums, the quieter colleges and the parts of the city most day-trippers skip.

On day two, start at the Fitzwilliam Museum on Trumpington Street, then walk to the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology and the Sedgwick Museum on Downing Street — all free and close together. After lunch, cross to the other side of the river for the University Botanic Garden, or walk to Jesus Green and the riverside meadows. In the late afternoon, visit a college you missed on day one, such as Jesus, Magdalene or Queens'.

Two nights lets you eat dinner in the city after the day-trippers leave, which is when Cambridge is at its best. Book accommodation early for graduation and May Ball season.

A third day is best spent outside the city. Ely is the obvious half-day: a small cathedral city about 15–20 minutes away by train, with a cathedral visible for miles and a compact centre. Peterborough is a longer train ride and works as a half-day for the cathedral too.

If you would rather stay in Cambridge, use day three for the American Cemetery and Memorial at Madingley, a few miles west of the city, and the village of Grantchester south of the river — a flat walk or a short bus ride. Both are quiet and rarely crowded.

A third day also lets you slow down: repeat a favourite walk, sit in a college garden, or take a longer punt upstream past the Backs towards Grantchester Meadows.

Cambridge is not a cheap day out, but the biggest costs are transport and accommodation, not the sights. Most museums are free, the river walk is free, and college entry fees are small. Budget for a punt and for meals in the centre, where prices are closer to London than to a small town.

Advance rail tickets from London are much cheaper than walk-up fares. If you are coming from London for the day, an off-peak return booked ahead is the usual way to keep the cost down. Staying one or two nights often works out better than a rushed day trip once you add the train fare.

Cambridge is small and walkable, but the colleges keep their own hours. Term dates, exams and private events close chapels and courts with little notice, so check the college you most want to see before you travel. Outside term, more colleges open to visitors and for longer.

The city is busiest from late morning to mid-afternoon, when day-trippers arrive. Early mornings and evenings are calmer. If you are visiting in July or August, expect queues at the popular colleges and punts.

For getting around, local buses and the park and ride are useful if you are staying outside the centre. From the station to the centre is a walk of about 25–30 minutes or a short bus or taxi ride.