Cambridge is one of England's oldest centers of learning----with its first college founded in 1284. Its 31 colleges have produced alumni as varied as John Milton, Stephen Hawking, Iris Murdoch, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and Oliver Cromwell, and it consistently ranks among the world's top universities.

Greatest of all its historic sights is King's College Chapel. Begun in 1441, it remains the country's finest example of the late-Gothic English style known as Perpendicular. Ruben's 17th-century Adoration of the Magi hangs behind the main altar, softly lit by vast 16th-century stained-glass windows beneath an awe-inspiring fan-vaulted ceiling. If you're here on Christmas Eve and join the long line early, you may get to attend the much-loved Festival of Nine Carols and Lessons sung by a student choir, a tradition since 1918.

In spring and summer enjoy a classic view of the chapel from the Backs, the mile-long strip of emerald green lawns along the banks of the lovely River Cam, where "punting"----floating on a wooden, flat-bottomed boat slowly maneuvered by a pole----is a pastime not to be missed. Be sure to include a visit to the Fitzwilliam Museum.

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Location: Cambridgeshire, England

Website: www.visitcambridge.org