Cambridge – a world famous location

This historic university city boasts magnificent architecture with plenty of parks and unspoilt countryside close by. It is a safe and welcoming city with a large student community representing many nationalities.

Music, movies, fashion, food and shopping all cater for student tastes. 

Cambridge has venues for live bands, comedy, theatre and dance. 

It also boasts its own samba band and community circus alongside numerous salsa, tango, ballroom and capoeira groups. 

Find out about: Music | Theatre | Art | Shopping | Dance | Food | Festivals | Fashion & Design

Music
The two main venues for music in Cambridge are The Corn Exchange or The Junction with live music from internationally renowned rock, pop and world music acts.

Music can also be heard at various smaller and informal venues across the city, as well as live music nights in many of the cities pubs.

There is a thriving local music scene too, with many of the city's students and young people forming bands and competing in the annual "Battle of the Bands" competition.

In addition, annual festivals throughout the year offer the best in contemporary folk and jazz.

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Theatre

Cambridge boasts a large number of theatre companies. 

There are three main theatre venues: Cambridge Arts Theatre, The ADC Theatre and The Junction. 

These offer a wide range from nationally renowned touring companies to student productions. 

There are also many innovative theatre companies performing at sites across the city, as well as the annual outdoor Shakespeare festival.

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Art
The Fitzwilliam Museum is the art museum of the University of Cambridge and receives around 300,000 visitors annually.

It has five departments covering antiquities from Ancient Egypt, Sudan, Greece and Rome, Roman and Romano-Egyptian Art, Western Asiatic displays, Cypriot Art; applied arts, including English and European pottery and glass, furniture, clocks, fans, armour, Chinese, Japanese and Korean art, rugs and samplers; coins and medals; illuminated, literary and music manuscripts and rare printed books; paintings, including masterpieces by Simone Martini, Domenico Veneziano, Titian, Veronese, Rubens, Van Dyck, Frans Hals, Canaletto, Hogarth, Gainsborough, Constable, Monet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne and Picasso and a fine collection of 20th century art; miniatures, drawings, watercolours and prints.

Kettle’s Yard houses a unique collection of Modern and Contemporary Art and is one of the hidden gems of Cambridge City Centre.

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Shopping

The City centre has a great mix of large designer chains and smaller boutiques. Hotspots include:

• newly opened Grand Arcade: a focal point for shoppers looking for major brands
• daily market in the central square offering crafts, produce and bric-a-brac
• Sunday Arts & Crafts market on Trinity Street.

Dance
There are many local dance groups and clubs which can be spotted on noticeboards around the city or found on local listings directories such as Local Secrets.

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Cinema

Cambridge has three cinemas showing films from around the world seven days a week:

• Cambridge Vue: 8 screen multiplex shopwing mainly current Hollywood / British Blockbusters.
• Cineworld: 8 screen multiplex shopwing mainly current Hollywood / British Blockbusters.
• Picturehouse: Arts Cinema showing a large range of international films, smaller budget movies and current Hollywood / British Blockbusters.

Cuisine
Across Cambridge you will find restaurants offering a huge range of cuisine – Japanese, Thai, Chinese, Indian, Italian, Persian, Turkish, Middle Eastern, French, Polish, Spanish, Lebanese, American, Vietnamese – to name but a few! 

A particular favourite with our students is Teri-Aki Sushi restaurant.

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Fashion, Art & Design

CATS Cambridge shares a unique relationship with Cambridge School of Visual & Performing Arts and many of our students progress to this highly respected Art & Drama School. 

Our students gain unique access to this dynamic creative environment including:

• annual fashion show
• art exhibitions
• drama performances.

Festivals
Cambridge is host to a number of highly regarded festivals during which the city buzzes with excitement and activity, including:

• Folk Festival
• Jazz Festival
• Literature Festival
• Film Festival
• Shakespeare Festival.