How to Spend a Day in Ely, Cambridgeshire, Ely, England

A note to my readers: The world is still dealing with Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, and it will be a long time before we can travel freely again. For many of us that will mean staycations and more local travel, but I will continue posting new content for you to read at home and to inspire your future travels. Happy reading and stay safe!

Ely in Cambridgeshire is a must-see if you are taking a tour around East Anglia. It also makes a good day trip from London or from Cambridge. Visit for the Cathedral, historic buildings and riverside location. And the eels! Here’s how to spend a day in Ely, England’s second smallest city.

Ely is the largest “island” in the Cambridgeshire Fens. Still known as the “Isle of Ely” it was once literally an island, a small hill surrounded by waterlogged fenland, and accessible only by boat. The history of the city goes back to 673 CE when an Anglo Saxon princess established a monastery on the island.

Ely was later the home of the folk hero Hereward the Wake, who led the Anglo Saxon resistance to the Norman invasion of 1066. However, his efforts were ultimately unsuccessful and nothing now remains of the Saxon town. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).