What better way to extend a micro city break than to add to an easy afternoon out onto it. That’s exactly what we did when we headed to Cambridge for 24 hours. Ely is 12 miles outside of Cambridge. The best way to get there is by jumping on the train, taking less than 15 minutes and costing a little over £3 return.
We left our bags at the hotel we’d stayed at in Cambridge – I always recommended on ditching the bags if possible, even if it adds a little more time on to your day it’ll be worth it as you won’t be dragging them around and will be free to explore.
Ely’s skyline is dominated by the imposing Cathedral – read more about our visit to the cathedral here – and no visit to Ely would be complete without a heaven gazing stroll around the magnificent cathedral which dates back to 1083, you may even find yourself recognising parts as scenes of The Crown were filmed there.
As well as Ely Cathedral, Ely is home to Oliver Cromwell’s House – somewhere I wish we‘d visited; a reminder to plan our next trip as there would have been ample time.
Thirsty from our cathedral gazing we settled in at one of the many pubs and spent a few hours playing backgammon and drinking beer – a truly indulgent way to spend an afternoon.
A cathedral city, Ely is compact and more like a small town – easy to find your way around whether you’ve parked up or walked in from the train station.
A very late lunch beckoned so we headed to the Royal Standard – a pub and hotel – and the oldest building on Ely’s Fore Hill, dating all the way back to the 15th Century; perfect for a lazy lunch with a great gin selection. There was plenty of seating available, yet it was an off season Friday afternoon so something to bear in mind if planning a trip in the summer holidays.
The quaint streets that surround the medieval masterpiece that is the Cathedral offer plenty of exploring with lots of small independent shops – the charm of Ely is you can come just for an afternoon and be satisfied or decided to return with your bags next time for an extended stay.
Ely is I imagine just one of the many destinations that I’ve overlooked and will be added to the list of places I’m looking forward to revisiting.
