Cambridge: eight centuries of history, 31 colleges, and the energy of a living university town, all in one easily accessible package. It was here that James Watson and Francis Crick discovered the double helix, Sir Issac Newton deduced gravity, Lord Byron and John Milton wrote their famous poetry, and Winnie-the-Pooh was born. The city is dominated by its eponymous university—the school’s medieval buildings line the winding streets, and every pub, club, and cafe seems to exist to serve students. If you’re looking for the definitive Cambridge experience, try the “P and P” formula or Punting and Pimm’s—in other words, boating and boozing. This is best done in the summer, when the banks of the Cam turn green and flowers bloom in the college gardens, but to get a sense of the real Cambridge, you’ll have to come during term-time, when the town fills with its 18,000 students.