Cambridge
One of the country's fastest growing cities, Cambridge is steeped in history, yet has the buzz of a cosmopolitan European capital. Legendary are the ancient heritage of the University's college fraternity and the relaxed atmosphere of The Backs, where punts glide along the River Cam and cows graze lazily on the verdant meadow grass. Yet these sit comfortably alongside a city centre packed with fashionable cafés, stylish galleries and designer boutiques, as well as luxury shopping at the Grand Arcade, and family favourite, the Grafton Centre.
An impressive range of eateries includes gastro-pubs, bistros and Michelin-starred restaurants. As for entertainment, there's everything from multiplex and art-house cinemas to theatres, concert venues and clubs, with a year-round programme of exciting events and festivals, including the world-famous Cambridge Folk Festival.
A hotbed of hi-tech industries, Cambridge also leads the world in scientific and medical research. Many of the most important scientific discoveries and revolutions have been made by alumni of the city's university, including Newton's Laws of Motion, the discovery of the electron by J J Thomson, Darwin's Theory of Evolution and the mapping of the structure of DNA by Francis Crick and James D Watson. Addenbrookes is one of the world's top teaching hospitals and medical research centres, and the Sanger Institute at Hinxton, just south of Cambridge, is a leader in the Human Genome Project, focused on the role of genetics in health and disease.