A Charming Walking Tour of Ely UK

The English country side is beautiful. Driving away from a major city like Cambridge will give you a great surprise especially when stoping in a much smaller town like Ely. Ely has amazing history and it's small enough that it can easily be visited in a day. We enjoyed Ely very much ourselves. Read on to see what's worth seeing and doing in Ely, England.

Ely is a great day trip from the nearby Cambridge. Old English history weaves its way through every old street in Ely. Come along with me on a historical walking tour of Ely, England.

My favorite tourist attractions in Ely, England

Visit the Ely Cathedral. Yes, there are many cathedrals and churches in England, but the Cathedral at Ely is much different even if only by its size.
Visit Oliver Cromwell’s house. Oliver Cromwell is the most important historical figure in these parts and his house will give you a glimpse of his life.
Take a stroll on High Street and come back up on Market Street. This is pretty much the center of Ely. At the end of Market Street you will find Ely Museum which shows a small slice of Ely’s lifestyle back in the day.
Take a break in the Jubilee gardens and enjoy the view of the Great River Ouse and the many boats traveling up and down the river.
A visit to the Ely Museum, while interesting, it’s not worth your time unless you have seen everything else.

1. Ely Cathedral

Ely, England – The East half of Ely Cathedral seen from the south from Black Hill.
See my photos from Ely, England

Let’s start our walking tour of Ely with the most imposing site în town: Ely Cathedral. This is one large cathedral and it’s well worth your time to visit. You can admire intricate interior decorations and a beautiful Stained Glass Museum. Visiting Ely Cathedral will take you around one hour and then another 30 minutes for the Stained Glass Museum. In addition to the cathedral interior, you can also climb in the tower for an additional fee.

2. Cromwell House

The kitchen inside Oliver Cromwell’s house in Ely.
See my photos from Ely, England

Continuing our tour of Ely we come to the simple Cromwell House. Oliver Cromwell is the most important historical figure in Cambridgeshire. In Ely you will find one of his houses, where the Cromwell family lived most of their lives. It houses the Ely Tourist Information Center as well as the Cromwell Museum. While it’s a bit pricey, the rooms and furniture on display really give you a good glimpse into daily family life a long time ago.

3. Jubilee Gardens

The River Great Ouse seen at Ely, next to the Jubilee Gardens.
See my photos from Ely, England

We continue our walking tour of Ely by walking through the park south of Ely Cathedral. This way we quickly arrive at the Jubilee Gardens and right next to the River Ouse. This is a very nice area for relaxing after all the walking through the town.

4. Ely Museum

Ely, England – Very old bicycles used for winning many cycling races.
See my photos from Ely, England

Depending how much time you have, you can also visit Ely Museum at the end of Market Street. The admission price is part of your visit at Cromwell museum and it is a short visit. There is not very much to see at Ely Museum other than a reconstruction of a room with furniture and old artifacts.

Plan Your Trip to Ely UK

The easiest way to get to Ely is to come north on the A10 from Cambridge. It’s only about 30 minutes north east from Cambridge. The A10 motorway becomes Cambridge Road and it will take you straight to the city center. From Cambridge Road follow Saint Mary’s street all the way to High Street. Then you’re in the center of the town. Parking is tough in general near the city centers in England but you can generally find parking on nearby streets.

We found free parking near the roundabout on Black Hill and Silver Street. This was located on the southern entrance to the Ely Cathedral area. Anywhere in the area will do as far as parking goes because Ely’s city center is very small and any parking place somewhat close to High Street will allow you to explore the town.

Map of Ely, England and surrounding area.

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Is Ely Worth Visiting?

It is worth your time to visit Ely, England. We enjoyed our visit very much and we learned a lot about local history in Cambridgeshire. Ely maintains the small town feel even though it’s very close to the much larger and busier Cambridge.

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