Cambridge is a relatively small city with a population of just over 125,000 but is famous for being home to one of the world’s most prestigious universities. The university is known for a horde of famous graduates and its grounds also contain the well-renowned Cavendish Laboratory. Approximately 20% of the population are students so as you can probably already tell, there are a number of amenities and leisure activities on offer. Cambridge is occasionally known as Silicon Fen because of the high density of technological incubators and high-tech businesses located there. Companies such as Microsoft, Abcam and Sinclair have offices in the city. Cambridge may be small in terms of population but is massive in terms of employment and entertainment opportunities.

Prices

With such a famous university to back the city up, Cambridge’s businesses are not shy when it comes to charging for their services. Getting a regular meal for under £20 is not easy in the city. Even a basic three course meal for two is likely to set you back in excess of £30 and there is a seeming lack of low-cost, high-quality eateries. With so many students living in the city and with property close to the university desirable, it’s no surprise that rent is relatively high in comparison to similarly sized areas in the UK. Expect to pay in excess of £650 for a single bedroom apartment in the city centre. You’re unlikely to get a three bedroom apartment for less than £1,100 in the city centre. Even a single bedroom apartment away from the city centre is likely to cost you in the £575 range.

Transport

You might expect traffic in the city to be relatively serene but in actual fact, the city centre can become extremely congested during rush hour. Locals say that the local road network is overly congested and are hoping that the City Council will intervene. The reason for these issues is because Cambridge has grown so rapidly in the last 30 years. It isn’t easy to find parking spaces, which is why the city has more bicycles than any other UK city. The train station is around 20 minutes from the city centre and was originally built in 1845. It is an excellent train station and has access to a huge number of local and national locations.

Amenities

One of the major benefits of living in Cambridge is that you get access to all the goods and services of a large city without the hassle of being forced to travel very far. Cambridge is known for being compact and has a number of huge shopping centres located within minutes of one another. The major shopping outlets in the city include the Christ’s Lane Centre, the Grand Arcade and Lion Yard.

Oddly enough, it is not all that easy to find high quality restaurants in the city though there are a number of Mediterranean, Bistro or vegetarian options available. The best bars are found along Castle Hill, Bateman Street and Bridge Street. The Champion of the Thames is one of the most famous bars in the city and is unique in that the act of drinking alcohol is seen as a sport. It is not a place for teetotallers! The major night clubs are Fez and KamBar. It should be noted that Cambridge clubs have a tendency to change ownership/name every few years.

As you may expect, Cambridge also has a host of pursuits of a more intellectual nature. As well as the University itself which is a noteworthy attraction, there is also Fitzwilliam Museum and the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences which holds more than one million fossils.

Sport

Cambridge is also known for its sporting exploits with Cambridge United the local football team who are playing in the lower leagues at present. American Football is also played in the city but The Boat Race against Oxford is the highlight of the sporting calendar. The first race was held in 1829 and it has been an annual event since 1856 with only two World Wars interrupting the event. It takes place on the River Thames each year and is watched by more than 250,000 people by the river and millions more on national television. Cambridge narrowly leads the event with 80 wins to Oxford’s 76. (as of 2011)

Come to Cambridge for leisure, academia, elegance and all the facilities of a large city without the crowds.