Punting in Cambridge & King’s College Chapel

Nothing says Cambridge like drifting along the River Cam in a punt, gliding past the manicured lawns of the Backs while eight centuries of golden college architecture slide by. It’s the definitive way to see the university city — and the undisputed showstopper of the trip is King’s College Chapel, rising sheer above the river, which you can step inside afterwards to complete a perfect Cambridge day.

Punting the Backs

A chauffeured punt tour lasts around 45 to 50 minutes and drifts past eight colleges and under nine bridges, with a student guide poling you along and spinning stories of Newton, pranksters and college rivalries. You’ll pass the Wren Library at Trinity, slip beneath St John’s romantic Bridge of Sighs and puzzle over Queens’ Mathematical Bridge. The braver can hire a self-hire punt and have a go themselves — falling in is a Cambridge tradition all of its own. Blankets and umbrellas are usually provided; booking ahead beats the touts on the day.

King’s College Chapel

Begun by Henry VI in 1446 and finished under Henry VIII, King’s College Chapel is one of the greatest Gothic buildings on Earth, crowned by the largest fan-vaulted ceiling in the world — a stone forest that seems to float overhead. Inside are dazzling Tudor stained glass, the carved initials of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn on the oak screen, and Rubens’ Adoration of the Magi above the altar. This is also home of the famous choir whose Nine Lessons and Carols is broadcast worldwide every Christmas Eve — and attending a term-time evensong is free, and utterly magical.

Visiting Cambridge

Punt stations cluster at Quayside (by Magdalene Bridge) and Mill Lane; King’s College entry is ticketed, with the best prices booked online in advance — check ahead, as the chapel closes for services and events. Cambridge is best done on foot or by park-and-ride, and there’s plenty more for a full day: the free Fitzwilliam Museum is one of Britain’s finest galleries, and the Imperial War Museum Duxford is just down the M11.

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