Cambridgeshire's wealth of historical and cultural sites will leave you reciting the old adage, "So much to do, so little time." Start with the gleaming spires of Cambridge University, established more than 750 years ago, but don't overlook such lesser known gems as Peckover House, in the heart of Fenlands. Cambridge has more history and culture per square inch than any other city in Britain. Within minutes, you can walk from Egyptian antiquities in the Fitzwilliam Museum to modern art in Kettle's Yard. Visit Peterborough and Ely, both of which have magnificent cathedrals, and the interesting National Trust properties Anglesey Abbey and Wimpole Hall.

1 Kettle's Yard
Kettle's Yard offers two very different experiences. The gallery is devoted to contemporary art, while the house retains the character of a home. Once the residence of Tate Gallery curator Jim Ede, it contains works by Ben Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore and other luminaries of the early 20th century.
However, 'The Glen', an eerie landscape located above the downstairs bureau, was painted by 12-year-old Winston McQuoid. None of the objects are labelled, so enjoy the paintings on their own terms. If you want to find out more, sit down and flick through the reference books. On the whole, it's the total experience, rather than individual highlights, that make the house such an unusual experience.

2 The Fitzwilliam Museum
This grand neo-classical building houses some of the world's most important art, including works by Titian, Picasso and Cezanne. Among the highlights are Van Dyck's portrait of the third Countess of Southampton and Rodin's sculpture of a large clenched hand. The new wing contains modern gems, including Colin Reid's magical Pyramid Form. The museum is impressively and eclectically stocked with ancient and modern pottery, and other artefacts. The Fitzwilliam also has a display of armour, including a life-size model of an armoured knight on his steed.

3 Peckover House
Boasting 300-year-old orange trees and more than 70 species of roses, Peckover is a great place to visit if you like your culture mixed with great gardens. According to Jim Marshall, gardens adviser for the National Trust, Peckover has 'probably the finest town garden in England'. The Georgian house, at the heart of historic Wisbech, is renowned for its fine plaster work and marvellously quirky details. Don't miss the 'modesty locks' in the bedrooms, which allowed the affluent to open their doors for servants from the comfort of their beds.
In the library, you can admire a 900-year-old religious manuscript that's just been returned following a six-year restoration. Rooms in Peckover, unlike many National Trust properties, are not roped off, so you can inspect any item that takes your fancy.

4 Ely Cathedral
Christian worship in Ely began more than 1300 years ago. St Etheldreda, a Saxon princess from East Anglia, founded the original monastery, of which no trace remains. After its destruction by the Danes in 870, Ely was re-established as a Benedictine community in 970 and has since been associated with a string of powerful men. Commemorated by plaques around the cathedral, these men include Nicholas West (wild-boy student, diplomat and bishop for Henry VIII) and Bishop Thomas Goodrich, the lord chancellor from 1534 to 1554.
At the end of the nave stands Ely's greatest glory: the Octagon tower. A masterpiece of 14th century design, it comprises 200 tons of timber, glass and lead on eight massive pillars.

5 Peterborough Cathedral
Like Ely, Peterborough started life as a monastery only to be destroyed by rampaging Danes. The present building dates from 1118 and took more than 120 years to complete. The nave ceiling is the oldest painted wooden ceiling in Britain. It dates from the early 13th century and measures 205ft by 35ft.
The cathedral celebrates the lives of two women. Katharine of Aragon, the first of Henry VIII's six wives and mother of 'Bloody Mary', has her tomb at Peterborough. Mary Queen of Scots, who was eventually beheaded by Elizabeth I, was once buried at Peterborough in the south presbytery aisle. For a taste of the ancient, look for the Monks' Stone. The 12 carved figures are thought to depict monks who were slain by the Danes in 870.

6 King's College
Henry VI laid the college's first stone on Passion Sunday in 1441. Henry VII supported the project and his son, Henry VIII, oversaw its completion. The result, including the magnificent chapel, draws many thousands of visitors every year. Services are held there daily, but the best time to visit is Christmas Eve, when the choir's performance is broadcast all round the word. Once inside the chapel, look out for Henry VII's money chest and the 1634 Rubens masterpiece, 'Adoration of the Magi'.
To view the whole college, walk through it towards the river Cam. On the way, you will pass the grand, 1724 Gibbs building and, in term time, lots of students.

7 Trinity College
The roll of famous Trinity alumni reads like a 'Who's who' of the previous millennium: 30 Nobel Prize winners, six prime ministers (including Jawaharlal Nehru, the first premier of India) and contentious figures such as Lord Byron, who – barred from keeping a dog at college – kept a pet bear in his room. Stroll the immaculate grounds and then head for the Wren Library, whose collection includes an 8th century copy of the Epistles of St Paul.
For a hint that Cambridge is an idiosyncratic place, listen out for the clock: it chimes the hour twice, on a high note and then on a low note. For confirmation of its quirkiness, visit at midday before matriculation dinner, during Freshers' Week, when students try to run around Trinity Great Court (367 metres) in the 43 seconds before the clock finishes striking noon.