The Coolest Spots To Take a Date in Cambridge, UK

With so many options, though, choosing the perfect date can feel overwhelming, and the last thing you want is to run out of time and end up sitting in the Grafton Centre Burger King wondering if your date really did just get an urgent call from their mother. Here are six options which will help you avoid this.

Cambridge Distillery has been making gin using the same method since the mid-18th century, taking the botanical surroundings the city is famed for as both resource and inspiration. You can sign up for a mixing, tasting or making course, or, if you’re feeling really daring, a molecular cocktail making lesson. You can book a session on the website, and the Laboratory can be found on Green Street, near Trinity College.

At first glance, a bat safari on the river might sound more terrifying than titillating, but it’s actually a unique, fascinating experience. After boarding your punt, your guide will supply you with warm blankets, and then point out bats as the punt wends its way down the Cam towards Grantchester. Tours meet at Granta Place Boatyard and run from May to July. You can book on Scudamore’s Punting website, and visitors are encouraged to bring their own drinks.

Beer drinking is woven into Cambridge’s DNA, and the Pint Shop is one of the best places for it. Built out of a Grade II-listed building (EM Forster’s old house, in fact), it features one of the most beautiful dining areas of any restaurant in the city and has a diverse, interesting menu to complement the wide range of local beers. You can find the Pint Shop on Peas Hill, just two minutes from the Grand Arcade.

Londoners might find some similarities between the Varsity Hotel’s rooftop bar and the ones you might find around hipster Shoreditch or Dalston. While not as lofty as the kind you find in the capital, it still offers an amazing view, complemented by a varied drinks menu. The Varsity sits on the bank of the Cam, just south of Jesus Green.

Cambridge natives will be familiar with Clown’s, a hugely popular local haunt that sadly closed down in 2017. Happily though, it was replaced by the Locker, a quaint, attractive little art café that has exhibitions running year round. You can find the Locker on King Street, next to Fellows’ Garden.

For a daytime date, Grantchester is hard to beat. Between the beautiful Meadows, the famous Orchard Tea Garden and the numerous pubs (all with beer gardens), you can while away hours in this gorgeous suburb. Several buses run from the centre to Grantchester, taking around 15 minutes.

Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.