Pembroke College — Local services in Cambridge

Gorgeous college ground, but had an abysmal interaction/experience with its porter. Probably the most awful porters I've seen at Cambridge.

Went back to Cambridge as an alumnus after finishing my studies 8 years ago. Had uneven experiences visiting the various colleges.

Here are the admissions policies of all colleges we visited (or attempted to visit) between July 28 and August 3:

Open to all visitors Jesus (open to all visitors) St. John’s (open to all visitors) King’s (open to all visitors) Downing (open to all visitors) Emmanuel (open to all visitors) Corpus Christi (open to all visitors) Queen’s (open to all visitors) Newnham (open to all visitors) Pembroke (open to all visitors, closed on one day for a wedding; has the rudest porters out of all colleges)

Open to any alumni, regardless of college Trinity (only open to any alumni, likely due to construction work) St. Catherine’s (only open to any alumni) Magdalene (only open to any alumni)

Only open to their own alumni Peterhouse (only open to their own alumni; exceptions may be made for other alumni) Christ (only open to their own alumni, likely due to construction work and wedding on one day) Sidney Sussex (only open to their own alumni – could not visit) Gonville & Caius (only open to their own alumni – could not visit) Trinity Hall (only open to their own alumni – could not visit) Clare (only open to their own alumni – could not visit; second...

Pembroke College surprised me in the best way. It’s one of the oldest colleges in Cambridge, but it doesn’t feel overly formal or stuffy — more like a hidden treasure that rewards anyone who takes a moment to explore it properly. The architecture is a beautiful mix of medieval and later periods, with ivy-covered walls, quiet passageways, and little pockets of green space that make you want to slow down and take it all in.

The chapel here is definitely a highlight — it was the first designed by Christopher Wren, and you can tell. It's elegant but not over-the-top, with a peaceful, refined interior that feels very different from the grandeur of King’s Chapel. I ended up spending longer there than expected just taking in the space.

The courtyards themselves are some of the nicest I saw — well maintained but still full of character, not sterile or too polished. It felt like a real working college, not just a museum for visitors. Also, the staff at the entrance were genuinely friendly, which made a difference after some of the more "look but don’t touch" spots.

Overall, Pembroke has this quiet beauty to it — not shouting for attention, but really memorable once...

It's the third-oldest college of the university. The old and well conserved buildings and the beautiful gardens are impressive. The Ridley's walk is a very nice path into the gardens, and there's plenty of space to rest and enjoy the birds, squirrels, and very ancient trees. William Pitt, the youngest prime minister in Britain, studied here. There's a statue in his honour, and the students touch his toe to good luck in exams. The peaceful atmosphere is due to not allowing big groups to visit the college. It is open from 9 to 5, and the Chapel, built by Christopher Wrend, is opened to visit. One of the most beautiful colleges in...