I spent a year in Cambridge as a post grad and met my husband who both grew up and studied in Cambridge. We visit frequently as my mother - in - law still lives in the city. I love it for all the reasons you’ve pointed out. Also, where else can one find cows in a meadow in the middle of a city?! I’ll often go Christmas shopping in Cambridge as it’s only an hour or so from where I live in North London and all the shops I need to access are concentrated in a far smaller area. I love Cambridge market for fresh produce, too. I can then go to Evensong at one of the colleges before driving home.