Christmas parties Cambridge celebrates the season with style. With beautiful and historic examples of architecture lining the streets and a river winding through its core, Cambridge offers some of the best venues for Christmas parties in the UK. Whether your guest list is short or long, Cambridge’s offerings provide a festive and elegant backdrop to your Christmas party.
The most obvious option for want of something magnificent is the function rooms and halls in Cambridge’s colleges. There are a number of Cambridge colleges that rent out their rooms for Christmas parties. There is nothing quite like eating your dinner in a dining hall that predates the country you’re in. It is not the cheapest option, and the competition for booking such a unique venue gets quite fierce after the end of term, so plan accordingly.
If you are looking for something more casual, there are also options along the river which offer Christmas parties. Even though punting is not a winter activity, many of the restaurants on the Cam make good use of the view and decorate with lights. They offer good, quality food for a party, and so are a nice option for more casual Christmas parties.
Bars and restaurants that cater to groups? Check. Cambridge has that. Start with Bridge Street and the surrounding area of Market Square. The clubs and bars in the area are used to large bookings, and most of them are set up for bookings of any size, so check within that area first. The more centralized the location, the earlier you’ll need to make the booking.
Cambridge is difficult to navigate for drivers and even more so come December. The train station is a long walk from the city center, and taxis get booked early and quickly since the bars empty out in the evenings. If your group is traveling from out of the city, keep that in mind when scheduling or have everyone prepared for the trek.
Expect the weather to be fooling. December weather can throw you for a loop. Cobblestone streets can become treacherous from icy streets. The fens that surround Cambridge mean that the city is typically a few degrees colder than what is on the forecast. Keep in mind that a trek in heels down city streets after 10 may not be as short as you thought it was.
Budget options exist if you can’t afford to eat at college halls or riverside restaurants. Some of the larger pubs around the edge of the center offer discounted Christmas set menus, and they’re a better value than some of the more expensive pubs in the center. While the pubs out of the center may not offer the picturesque night out that some may desire, they’re still worth considering. Be sure to inquire about what you are actually getting and what you will need to pay for beyond the set menu as some venues tack on additional costs.
Once again, it cannot be stressed enough how important it is to book in advance. Cambridge is a small city with a large amount of demand for available booking dates during the holidays for the university, colleges, and for the local businesses as well. You should definitely make phone calls before the end of October, and by the time November comes around, all the good spots will be reserved.