Central & West Cambridge

Central Cambridge centers on the colleges and the River Cam. King's College and its chapel sit beside the Backs, a linear stretch of lawns and college gardens fronting the river where punts run and college bridges cross the water. Market Square hosts stalls and retail along streets such as Petty Cury and St Andrew's Street. Narrow lanes lead to college courts and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre sits within easy reach. Queens' College spans the Cam with its timber-framed Mathematical Bridge linking the two banks and the riverside paths trace the line of several colleges.

West Cambridge lies west of the city centre, with the university’s West Cambridge Site along Madingley Road hosting research buildings and teaching laboratories, including the Department of Computer Science and Technology in the William Gates Building. Cycleways and frequent buses connect the site to central streets; residential areas near Storey's Way and Castle Hill sit close by. The layout of roads and green verges around the site supports direct routes into the centre while keeping the research campus distinct.