The ancient city of Ely lies on an “island” of rock which rises above the alluvial Fens, a natural region of reclaimed marshland.
Here, the River Great Ouse weaves its way through the city and its many wonders, with the famous Ely Cathedral being among them.
This cathedral, known as the “ship of the Fens” due to its shape, is like no other. Its stained glass, wooden lanterns, and massive Octagon Tower have led many to regard it as “one of the wonders of the medieval world.”
Ely is also populated with great shops, restaurants and cafes, making it a popular choice among those looking for a getaway.
Best of all, there are hardly any tourists, when compared to more famous English cities.
In fact, East Cambridgeshire, which includes Ely, sees roughly four million visitors per year, which includes 3.76 million day trips and roughly 271,600 overnight trips.
This is a stark contrast compared to other parts of the UK, with Bath receiving roughly six million visitors each year, Oxford counting seven million, Cambridge receiving over 7.6 million and York receiving nine million visitors.
As such, this pretty little city not only packs a punch despite its size but meandering your way through this magical spot is an ease due to less heaving crowds.
Ely is the fifth smallest city in England by population, with only 15,000 residents.
Described as a bijou city, its streets are lined with picture-postcard historic houses with a cornucopia of cobbled squares.
The picturesque River Great Ouse is a significant waterway due to its historical importance for navigation and drainage, and it is a dream for walkers and rowers.
The former home of Oliver Cromwell is found here, which is now a tourist information centre with many other noteworthy spots to visit.
Ely offers a wealth of attractions including Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve, Ely Markets, The Stained Glass Museum, the Babylon Gallery and Ben’s Yard, to name a few.
“Upon entering Ely you can tell the atmosphere is very different. Everyone is dressed well, the streets aren’t dirty and there’s plenty of infrastructure set up for day visitors,” read one review on TripAdvisor.
Another shared the love of Ely, writing: “The scale and beauty of this city is phenomenal”.
With another adding: “Beautiful place – so much history and wonderful architecture”.
Ely has a train station that includes direct, semi-fast trains to London Kings Cross taking roughly 70 mins with the same line going through Cambridge that takes 19 mins.
