Getting a true sense of any destination relies on more than just seeing the most popular sights. Living like a local and going off the beaten track from time to time during your trip is the key to experiencing everything a town or city has to offer. Cambridge is one place where living like a local really pays off. The city’s sense of community and utter charm are renowned around the UK and the rest of the world, which makes experiencing this as a visitor a top priority.
Here we reveal the top ways to live like a local on your upcoming trip, whether you’re coming to Cambridge for business or pleasure.
1. Taste the destination
Food is such a vital part of any travel experience. Tasting local food and drink, and even sampling a few delicacies, offers an important insight into the place’s culture. A destination’s history, traditions and societal norms are all able to be captured in just a couple of bites.
When tasting a destination, you’ll discover foods you’ve never tried before, learn so much more about a destination’s identity and come face to face with the local people that make the city what it is. You can do all this and more in Cambridge. Here’s just five places to eat in Cambridge to get you started courtesy of Cambridge based travel blogger Jessica.
2. Get involved in the community
Cambridge runs a number of great events, many of which put you at the heart of the community. Cambridge University sits at the centre of this city’s community, with its student population an important part of Cambridge’s wider identity and history. Go beyond the touristy tours of the university grounds and adopt local traditions first hand as Cambridge expat guide This is My Happiness recommends:
“It was amazing to take part in college and university traditions like formal halls, where students don their university robes (called sub fusc) over tuxes and dresses and the meal starts with an invocation in Latin. Aaron tried his hand at rowing (which takes a lot of coordination), and we cheered on Jesus College during the freezing Lent bumps (rowing races where you bump the boat in front to move ahead) and lounged in the grass on the rare warm and sunny days during May bumps.”
3. Speak to the locals
Getting inside tips straight from the locals can take you to places you never dreamed of when travelling to Cambridge and other destinations. Locals are the perfect tour guides for taking you off the beaten track. Make friends with the locals and ask what they’d recommend to ensure you go above and beyond the standard Cambridge tourist’s itinerary.
4. Adventure on foot
There’s a lot to discover in the city of Cambridge, and exploring on foot is the perfect way to see the sights you planned to see and the ones you didn’t. If your itinerary takes you a little further out of town than your feet can handle, take public transport instead of travelling privately by car or taxi to witness a very different, more local side of the city.
5. Go serviced with your stay
Unlike hotels, serviced apartments give you the freedom and flexibility to explore the city of Cambridge as you see fit. You can also come back to complete comfort at your apartment after a long day exploring. A stay in a serviced apartment makes sense for so many reasons when visiting Cambridge. Our serviced apartments are situated at the heart of the action and the community meaning everything you need to live like a local is on your doorstep.
Book one of our award winning serviced apartments online today and find the perfect base for an unforgettable trip to Cambridge.