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Famous for its university, Cambridge is full of history as well as a number of high tech modern companies, giving rise to the name "Silicon Fen". If you ever owned an Acorn computer, this is where it was made as were its rivals Sinclair, who were also based in the city.

There have been people living in the Cambridge area since at least 1,000 BC. The university has been in the city since 1209, although the earliest college that still exists is Peterhouse, which can trace its roots back as far as 1284.

Whether your visit to Cambridge is for business or pleasure, you will find plenty to do in this thriving city. Although because its older streets are narrow and congested, it could be worth thinking about renting a bicycle to get around ' the roads are fairly flat, so it won't be too strenuous! Alternatively, there is an excellent park and ride service to whisk you into central Cambridge.

If you are able to choose the time of your visit, you may wish to consider timing it to coincide with one of the many festivals and other events that are regularly held here.

For instance, there is an annual Midsummer Fair which features all the usual funfair rides as well as having a medieval market alongside.

Folk music fans will want to time their visit so that they can attend the annual Cambridge Folk Festival, although make sure to buy your ticket well in advance as they are in high demand.

The first Saturday in June sees a free event called the Strawberry Fair. This features a mixture of music, arts, crafts as well as lots of entertainment to keep you occupied. If you have children with you, they may well want to witness the colourful parade that starts off the fair.

Although not as famous as Cannes, the Cambridge Film Festival is one of the largest such festivals in Britain. It runs during early July and has been a feature of the city's calendar since 1977.

When you visit Cambridge, you will find a wide range of places to stay. If you venture outside the city, you could even decide to stay on a farm or in a secluded rural location. The city of Cambridge itself has a good choice of accommodation ' you could choose to stay in a small family run guest house or somewhere larger.

As you would expect from a large city with students aplenty, shoppers in Cambridge are spoiled for choice. Whether you are looking for something from one of the large national chains or would prefer something more unusual, you won't be disappointed. Look out for the arts and crafts markets if you want to buy that special gift for someone you know.

Fiction fans can explore Cambridge from the point of view of their favourite author, whether that is Douglas Adams (who set some of his less famous Dirk Gently novels in the city), Tom Sharpe, E M Forster or many other authors who have spent time in the city.