Clare College
Clare College
4.5
About
Founded in 1326 as University Hall, this is the second oldest of the Cambridge colleges.
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience Clare College
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
615 within 3 miles
Attractions
191 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
83 reviews
Excellent
44
Very good
31
Average
7
Poor
0
Terrible
1
David C
Cotswolds, UK134 contributions
Oct 2017 • Family
Everyone has seen photos of "Kings college", but in nearly all of them you will also see Clare college's Old Court to the left of Kings chapel, when viewed from the River Cam. The second oldest of the Cambridge colleges, Clare has glorious gardens and a wonderful bridge - the oldest surviving bridge across the Cam. Old Court is a perfect secluded quadrangle with a friendly heart, often overshadowed by it's grand and far younger neighbour Kings College Chapel. If you're going to pay to go into Kings, spare a few minutes to pop next door into Clare (for free) and get a glimpse into the genuine history of Cambridge.
Written October 24, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dick C
Salisbury, UK28 contributions
Nov 2016 • Solo
Clare College has interesting buildings, well worth seeing, but its great glory is the Fellows Garden to the west of the Cam. Go and stroll around, enjoy the colours and the arrangements of the beds, be dazzled by beauty of horticulture. And then sit by the Cam and watch the antics on the water for a bit. Then stroll round the gardens some more. One of the best experiences available in Cambridge.
Written November 24, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jayne M
United Kingdom110 contributions
Oct 2016 • Family
we paid ÂŁ15 for one adult and child under 17 to get into Kings which is entered at the rear by the church, next to clare college. A young man told us as we entered Kings that there was a free recital in Clare's chapel and we were all welcome. We were treated to a 30 minute recital by 4 2nd year students all of whom had belonged to the National Youth Orchestra, playing Violins, viola and cello the piece from Pulp Fiction was amazing! The chapel was lovely and the grounds and the walk through the two colleges with their private gardens right next to the river and this one was free! Thank you for your hospitality.
Written October 27, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hormead598
Cambridge, UK8 contributions
Aug 2012
Very nice buildings and grounds, peaceful/beautiful on a summers day....ruined by the high volume of snobby upper class people
Written January 13, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DrBiagio1784
Charlotte, NC193 contributions
Aug 2016 • Solo
Was going to see Kings college but it was a madhouse. Stumbled upon Clare College which is around the right side of King's down a alley. So glad I found it!! Entry was only 4.5lbs. The college is beautiful and the garden/grounds are amazing! You can get lost in the magnificent gardens if you so choose or just rest at bench and take in the sites. The river also runs through the campus and there is a great spot to stop, either on the bridge or on the grass, to watch all the punters meander by. Especially fun to watch the tourists who rented their own and struggle to get through all the punting traffic. This college is a must visit and even though I didn't get to see Kings or Trinity, I felt like I missed nothing at all.
Written August 8, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Angelicamt
Saint Julian's, Malta361 contributions
Sep 2015
I stayed at Clare College while attending a conference there and it was a true experience.
How lovely to dine in the wood-paneled Great Hall, to enjoy drinks in Scholars Garden and to hear a concert in Clare chapel! The river cam divides the Clare College campus into two (old court and memorial court), offering lovely views from Clare Bridge.
Rooms are clean and of a good size (note they have no TV and no switch near your bed to turn out the room light - that's by the door).
The well-manicured green surroundings lend themselves well to study and reflection. It's a very serene place.
There's free wi-fi (get your access code from the porter) and you can also borrow a hairdryer from the porter.
There's a self-service buffet breakfast and excellent catering for lunch and dinner.
How lovely to dine in the wood-paneled Great Hall, to enjoy drinks in Scholars Garden and to hear a concert in Clare chapel! The river cam divides the Clare College campus into two (old court and memorial court), offering lovely views from Clare Bridge.
Rooms are clean and of a good size (note they have no TV and no switch near your bed to turn out the room light - that's by the door).
The well-manicured green surroundings lend themselves well to study and reflection. It's a very serene place.
There's free wi-fi (get your access code from the porter) and you can also borrow a hairdryer from the porter.
There's a self-service buffet breakfast and excellent catering for lunch and dinner.
Written September 16, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MPriaulx
London, UK176 contributions
Jun 2015 • Friends
Well worth the entry fee of a few pounds, the gardens on both sides of the river are beautiful and varied, the courtyard quad is tranquil and has stunning architecture, and the views from the bridge of the punting chaos below could hardly be better.
Written August 31, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
markj
Madrid, Spain354 contributions
Aug 2015
Second-oldest college in Cambridge. Also the nicest, but then, I am biased, because I studied there. The gardens alone are worth the visit. Don't forget to go punting on the river.
Written August 30, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chrishcardiff
London, UK170 contributions
Aug 2015
Extraordinary gardens. Fantastic borders with very clever planting and plant selection. This was featured on Gardeners World earlier in the year and didn't disappoint,
Written August 15, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jet18349
Cambridge1 contribution
Clare is one of the smaller colleges, but beautiful and not as crammed with tourists as King's, Trinity and St John's. Old Court looks like a Georgian palace and the porters are very friendly and helpful. Best of all, however, are the gardens (closed in winter)--hands down the most gorgeous college gardens in all of Cambridge and not to be missed.
Written July 10, 2006
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
No questions have been asked about this experience
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing