It is said that Cambridge is a university that just happens to have a city built around it. Home to Pink Floyd, the origins of soccer (football), and a large student population, the city of Cambridge is steeped in historic landmarks and, of course, a reputation for good pubs.
Each college within the University of Cambridge has its own culture and traditions, such as punting (using a pole to steer your flat-bottomed boat along Cambridge’s waterways), not walking on the lawns of campus (that privilege is reserved only for professors), or dressing formally for meals in the hall. Participating in your college’s way of life is an excellent way to immerse yourself in the daily life of a British student.
Cambridge also hosts a number of festivals throughout the year, including the Cambridge Folk Music Festival, the Cambridge Film Festival, and the Cambridge Shakespeare Festival, during which theatrical performances are staged in the gardens of various colleges. The University and the city are inextricably linked—the Cambridge Corn Exchange is a well-known concert venue in the city that has seen the likes of Queen, The Who, and David Bowie…but it also sometimes serves as an examination hall for university students.
An important piece of University of Cambridge culture is its rivalry with Oxford University—or as students call it, “the other place.” The competition between these two highly esteemed universities is fierce, which comes to a head in The Boat Race: a yearly crew race between the two schools on the Thames River.
Partner programs provide students with day-trips and overnight excursions, but solo traveling in and around the city is also easy. Bicycling through Cambridge is very popular and the Cambridge Railway Station connects directly to major train stations and airports in London, which is just one hour away.