Cambridge Colleges Audio Guide: From King's to Trinity and St John's

(353 reviews)

Cambridge audio tour: Cambridge Colleges Audio Guide: From King's to Trinity and St John's

This is a 1.6mi walking tour

It takes an average of 75 mins to complete.

Cambridge

The United Kingdom

$8.99

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About the Tour

Cambridge is a city where academia and architecture blend into a seamless tapestry of historical significance. On this walking tour, you'll explore the magnificent college buildings that have housed some of the world's greatest minds, from Sir Isaac Newton to Stephen Hawking. As you stroll through narrow lanes and across picturesque bridges, you'll discover the stories behind Cambridge's most iconic structures and the brilliant individuals who studied within their walls.

The tour begins at King's College, home to the renowned King's College Chapel with its stunning Gothic architecture and remarkably preserved 16th-century stained glass windows. You'll walk past Great St Mary's Church, the historic heart of both the university and town, and explore the gateways of Gonville & Caius College, where DNA structure co-discoverer Francis Crick studied. Following the old Roman road, you'll visit the magnificent Trinity College, founded by Henry VIII, and see St John's College with its multiple courts built across different centuries.

Along the way, you'll climb Castle Mound for panoramic views across Cambridge, visit Kettle's Yard contemporary art gallery, and cross the River Cam for a view of the famous punts. You'll also see Christopher Wren's Trinity College Library, which houses original manuscripts including Newton's Principia Mathematica and Winnie the Pooh. The tour ends back near King's College, where you began your journey through Cambridge's architectural and academic history.

On this 75-minute tour, you'll have a chance to:

See the magnificent King's College Chapel, one of the world's finest examples of Gothic architecture
Discover Sir Isaac Newton's rooms at Trinity College and learn about his groundbreaking work
Explore Castle Mound, the highest point in Cambridge and site of the original Norman castle
Learn how Cambridge's unusual college system evolved over its 800-year history
View Trinity College's Great Court, famous from the movie Chariots of Fire
Hear amusing stories of Lord Byron's bear and other eccentric Cambridge characters
Walk along The Backs, the picturesque college gardens that line the River Cam
Visit Kettle's Yard, Cambridge University's modern and contemporary art gallery

This walking tour offers a perfect introduction to Cambridge's rich academic heritage and architectural splendor, providing context and stories that bring these historic buildings to life.

Tour Producer

Anna Granta

5 tours

Before children, I was passionate about traveling the world and explored 4 continents. Now I enjoy a slower pace exploring cities around the UK. I especially enjoy destinations with plenty of independent cafes, restaurants and shops so I can get a sense of the culture through food. I love telling unexpected and inspiring stories through the medium of walking tours. We can learn a lot from the past and retelling these stories through new mediums keeps them from being forgotten, while being an entertaining day out.

I love to explore the people, history and stories that make a place unique.

Preview Location

Location 6

Trinity College

On our left is the Great Gate of Trinity College. Please stop here, while we have a look around. You can wander up the cobbled path to the entrance, if you like.

Above the gate you can see a statue of the founder of the College. It's right in the centre, on the second floor... On our left is the Great Gate of Trinity College. Please stop here, while we have a look around. You can wander up the cobbled path to the entrance, if you like.

Above the gate you can see a statue of the founder of the College. It's right in the centre, on the second floor. Do you recognize who it is? Think back to your history lessons. Okay, I'll tell you – it's King Henry the 8th. You may remember that he abolished the Catholic Church in England. When he did this, he also abolished or took over their institutions, like monasteries and scholarly groups. In Cambridge he took three existing colleges, seized their lands and formed a new college, called Trinity.

Henry is holding an orb with a cross in one hand. This represents his new church, with himself as the leader. The globe represents his ambition that one day his sect will replace the existing Catholic Church as the universal Christian faith.

In his other hand Henry is holding a wooden chair leg. This was originally a golden sceptre, but was replaced by students as a prank. Trinity is the largest and richest of the colleges and so gets pranked a lot by rival students. More recently, the chair leg was replaced by a bicycle pump, but Trinity authorities decided to reinstate the chair leg.

Now look at the structure to the right of the gate, with four windows. There is a black drain pipe in the centre. The two windows on the top floor are where Sir Isaac Newton lived. It was here that he wrote his mathematical principles of natural philosophy, in which he describes the laws of gravity and calculus.

Look at the short tree on the grass patch in front of these rooms. It has a narrow trunk with a wider part joined on higher up. Tour guides like to claim that this is the tree Isaac Newton was sitting under when an apple fell on his head, giving him the idea of gravity. This isn't quite true. The apple tree that Newton used to sit under was on a country estate. Part of it has been grafted onto this tree, and it has become a memorial to Newton and a descendant of his thinking tree.

When you are ready to move on, just keep following the road. I'll be back at the next intersection. Read More

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Major Landmarks

King's College
Great St Mary's
Gonville & Caius College
Trinity College Great Gate
Great Gate
The Round Church
Magdalene College
Castle Mound
Kettle's Yard
St Peter's Church

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Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
1-2 Trinity St, Cambridge CB2 1SZ, UK
Total distance

3km
Final location
King's Parade, Cambridge CB2 1ST, UK
Distance back to start location

216.53m

Directions to Starting Point

King's College, King's Parade, Cambridge CB2 1ST, United Kingdom

This tour begins outside the gates of King's College, on King's Parade.

Cambridge is well connected by train, and fast trains from London Kings Cross take under an hour. From the train station you can take buses 1 or 7 into the center of town. It is then a five minute walk to King's. Alternatively take a taxi from the station.

Anyone in Cambridge will be able to give you directions to King's College, but be sure to ask for directions to King's and not for 'The University'. The University is made up of hundreds of buildings spread over the city and you may get pointed towards an uninspiring outpost.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

Fitzwilliam Museum, Great St Mary's Church, King's College Chapel, The Round Church, Trinity College Library, River Cam

Best time of day

During summer the best time to visit is in the morning, before central Cambridge gets too busy. The rest of the year it's fine to take this tour anytime during daylight hours.

The main route goes through the grounds of Trinity College, and the gate closes at 5pm. If the gate is closed, there is an alternative route that will take you around the block, but I would recommend trying to start the tour before 4pm to include the college grounds.

The Round Church is open from 10am to 5pm on week days, 1.30 to 5pm on Saturdays and 1.30 till 4pm on Sundays.

Great St Mary's is open from 10 am to 5pm on Mondays to Saturdays.

Precautions

Beware of bicycles, which often go the wrong way down one way streets.

In winter you should come dressed for a cold wind, but the good news is that Cambridge, while often overcast, has one of the lowest average rainfalls in the country.

Many of Cambridge's old streets have uneven paving, so wear comfortable shoes.

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“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”