Guidebook for Peterborough
Shopping
This is a huge Tesco (with homewares, electricals, toys, lots of fresh food counters etc) which is in a shopping centre called 'Serpentine Green' which is just a short drive away. In the shopping centre there is also an H&M, Outfit, WHSmith, Game, Holland and Barratt, River Island, Next, Costa and M&S Food.
11 locals recommend
Tesco Extra
This is a huge Tesco (with homewares, electricals, toys, lots of fresh food counters etc) which is in a shopping centre called 'Serpentine Green' which is just a short drive away. In the shopping centre there is also an H&M, Outfit, WHSmith, Game, Holland and Barratt, River Island, Next, Costa and M&S Food.
Our local Waitrose has the usual supermarket plus fresh bread, a bakery with many cakes, a juice bar, a butchers, freshly made sushi and a cafe.
11 locals recommend
Waitrose & Partners
Mayor's WalkOur local Waitrose has the usual supermarket plus fresh bread, a bakery with many cakes, a juice bar, a butchers, freshly made sushi and a cafe.
Parks & Nature
This is a lovely city centre park which we use often as we live just nearby, enter via gates on either Princes Gate, Broadway or Park Crescent. There's a cafe, two children's play areas, a paddling pool open in the summer, outdoor gym equipment and if you look on Facebook you'll find details of exercise classes and bootcamps etc people hold in the park.
7 locals recommend
Central Park station
This is a lovely city centre park which we use often as we live just nearby, enter via gates on either Princes Gate, Broadway or Park Crescent. There's a cafe, two children's play areas, a paddling pool open in the summer, outdoor gym equipment and if you look on Facebook you'll find details of exercise classes and bootcamps etc people hold in the park.
This is a nature reserve with huge holes in the landscape which were made from the stone being dug from here to build the cathedral. To enter, look for the gates at the side of the road with a map next to them, drive slowly as they're easy to miss! Great for a walk / explore (kids love walking along the top of the 'hills') and very close to a great pub which I'll list on here too - The White Hart at Ufford.
Barnack Hills and Holes National Nature Reserve
This is a nature reserve with huge holes in the landscape which were made from the stone being dug from here to build the cathedral. To enter, look for the gates at the side of the road with a map next to them, drive slowly as they're easy to miss! Great for a walk / explore (kids love walking along the top of the 'hills') and very close to a great pub which I'll list on here too - The White Hart at Ufford.
Huge country park, great for walking, activities and families. Cycle hire, big swan-shaped pedalos on the lake, sailing, boat rides, a mini train, play areas, water and sand play areas, adventure playgrounds, den building areas, weekend park runs, the list goes on!
26 locals recommend
Ferry Meadows Country Park
Ham LaneHuge country park, great for walking, activities and families. Cycle hire, big swan-shaped pedalos on the lake, sailing, boat rides, a mini train, play areas, water and sand play areas, adventure playgrounds, den building areas, weekend park runs, the list goes on!
Food Scene
This is a Thai / Malaysian restaurant on the same barge on the river as Charters, but upstairs. The food is great and there's a Sunday buffet at lunchtime.
East
Town BridgeThis is a Thai / Malaysian restaurant on the same barge on the river as Charters, but upstairs. The food is great and there's a Sunday buffet at lunchtime.
This is a lovely pub, really cute inside with great food and a friendly landlord. Kids are really welcomed too. Perfect to go to after a walk at Barnack Hills and Holes which I've also listed.
15 locals recommend
The White Hart
Main StreetThis is a lovely pub, really cute inside with great food and a friendly landlord. Kids are really welcomed too. Perfect to go to after a walk at Barnack Hills and Holes which I've also listed.
Great pub / restaurant (more restaurant than pub) with fantastic food, in a cute little village. if you fancy walking off your lunch after, go to the spot where Fotheringhay Castle stood, ask the bar staff to direct you to the path leading to it as it's tricky to pinpoint on here!
The Falcon Inn
Great pub / restaurant (more restaurant than pub) with fantastic food, in a cute little village. if you fancy walking off your lunch after, go to the spot where Fotheringhay Castle stood, ask the bar staff to direct you to the path leading to it as it's tricky to pinpoint on here!
Part of the Cote chain, this is nice if you are looking for something different (and slightly French influenced) in the centre of town.
Cote Brasserie - Peterborough
4 Church StPart of the Cote chain, this is nice if you are looking for something different (and slightly French influenced) in the centre of town.
A lovely pub which serves great food and has a kitchen garden where you can eat from the main pub menu or, on Thursdays, Saturdays & Sundays between April and September, they serve pizza from their pizza potting shed. On Thursdays and Sundays between April and September, you can eat and drink while you watch a film in the heated outdoor garden cinema. Seats are not bookable in advance, if the weather is good, arrive early to secure a seat. The Garden Cinema will show films, come rain or shine.
10 locals recommend
The Bull and Swan
24 High Street St Martin'sA lovely pub which serves great food and has a kitchen garden where you can eat from the main pub menu or, on Thursdays, Saturdays & Sundays between April and September, they serve pizza from their pizza potting shed. On Thursdays and Sundays between April and September, you can eat and drink while you watch a film in the heated outdoor garden cinema. Seats are not bookable in advance, if the weather is good, arrive early to secure a seat. The Garden Cinema will show films, come rain or shine.
This is our favourite, it's in a nice village and is run by a friendly, helpful team. It has a large garden, has pizza nights and an outside bar in the summer and the food is great, they do really good roasts too.
6 locals recommend
The Black Horse
3 Main StThis is our favourite, it's in a nice village and is run by a friendly, helpful team. It has a large garden, has pizza nights and an outside bar in the summer and the food is great, they do really good roasts too.
Nice, relaxed, vintage styled bar with dining tables and breakfast, brunch, tapas and pub food, with drinks and cocktails.
10 locals recommend
Argo Lounge
Nice, relaxed, vintage styled bar with dining tables and breakfast, brunch, tapas and pub food, with drinks and cocktails.
Tap & Tandoor
Really good selection of different, Indian food, craft beers and great cocktails.
Really lovely coffee shop so close to the house which does everything from coffee and cake to pizza and cocktails! Please do book if you are a group.
The Coffee Hive
142 Fletton AvenueReally lovely coffee shop so close to the house which does everything from coffee and cake to pizza and cocktails! Please do book if you are a group.
Sightseeing
Our cathedral is beautiful and worth a wander round or a sit on the grass outside. It's free for people to look round and there's a museum too, in the building with the black door on the right as you look at the cathedral (it's not very well signposted!) There's also a cafe, Becketts, which overlooks the cathedral through an enormous stained glass window.
44 locals recommend
Cathedral Church of St Peter, St Paul and St Andrew
Our cathedral is beautiful and worth a wander round or a sit on the grass outside. It's free for people to look round and there's a museum too, in the building with the black door on the right as you look at the cathedral (it's not very well signposted!) There's also a cafe, Becketts, which overlooks the cathedral through an enormous stained glass window.
Really lovely beach with sand dunes and beach huts, Wells and Brancaster are also nice beaches.
55 locals recommend
Old Hunstanton Beach
Really lovely beach with sand dunes and beach huts, Wells and Brancaster are also nice beaches.
Burghley House is a grand sixteenth-century country house set in beautiful grounds with a deer park, woodlands, river, gardens and orangery, sculpture garden and 'Garden of Surprises' which has fun water features which children love to play in. The house was built by and is still lived in by the Cecil family and the park was laid out by Capability Brown. Visitors can go inside the house for tours, to see a circuit of grand and richly furnished state apartments. The house hosts many events such as the Burghley Horse Trials and various Food and Drink and Country Fairs.
150 locals recommend
Burghley House
Burghley House is a grand sixteenth-century country house set in beautiful grounds with a deer park, woodlands, river, gardens and orangery, sculpture garden and 'Garden of Surprises' which has fun water features which children love to play in. The house was built by and is still lived in by the Cecil family and the park was laid out by Capability Brown. Visitors can go inside the house for tours, to see a circuit of grand and richly furnished state apartments. The house hosts many events such as the Burghley Horse Trials and various Food and Drink and Country Fairs.
Arts & Culture
A great museum with art, nature, wildlife and history exhibits. Very child friendly with a nice cafe too.
13 locals recommend
Peterborough Museum
51 PriestgateA great museum with art, nature, wildlife and history exhibits. Very child friendly with a nice cafe too.
Theatre and cinema in the centre of Stamford, which also hosts exhibitions, visit www.stamfordartscentre.com for more info.
Stamford Arts Centre
27 Saint Mary's StreetTheatre and cinema in the centre of Stamford, which also hosts exhibitions, visit www.stamfordartscentre.com for more info.
Getting Around
Trains to Cambridge, London (only 40 mins to Kings Cross), Norfolk, Stamford, Birmingham etc.
11 locals recommend
Peterborough Station
Trains to Cambridge, London (only 40 mins to Kings Cross), Norfolk, Stamford, Birmingham etc.
Gold Star Cars
Maskew AvenueThe taxi company which we use - always reliable and on time, call 01733 575555.
Europcar Peterborough
London RoadThe closest car rental to the house.
Entertainment & Activities
Great cinema with big comfy, reclining seats. Be sure to book online before you go.
15 locals recommend
Showcase Cinema de Lux Peterborough
Mallory RoadGreat cinema with big comfy, reclining seats. Be sure to book online before you go.
A climbing centre with brightly coloured climbing walls, all different, with timed challenges and daredevil extras you can sign up to do. Great for kids and adults, it's not huge but great fun and your hour-long session could make up part of a nice day out in Cambridge.
7 locals recommend
Clip 'n Climb Cambridge
Clifton RoadA climbing centre with brightly coloured climbing walls, all different, with timed challenges and daredevil extras you can sign up to do. Great for kids and adults, it's not huge but great fun and your hour-long session could make up part of a nice day out in Cambridge.
A great leisure park with watersports such as water ski-ing, paddleboarding, sailing, canoeing etc and also climbing, tobogganing, dry-slope ski-ing. See their website for more info and to book.
12 locals recommend
Tallington Lakes Leisure Park Ltd
Barholm RoadA great leisure park with watersports such as water ski-ing, paddleboarding, sailing, canoeing etc and also climbing, tobogganing, dry-slope ski-ing. See their website for more info and to book.
Local theatre - current shows are listed online at https://vivacity.org/theatre-arts/on-stage-whats-on/ which shows shows and events at all venues across Peterborough.
13 locals recommend
Key Theatre
Embankment RoadLocal theatre - current shows are listed online at https://vivacity.org/theatre-arts/on-stage-whats-on/ which shows shows and events at all venues across Peterborough.
Vivacity is the local organisation which runs the leisure centres, swimming pools, cultural activities, museums etc in Peterborough so a great place to start planning days out locally is here: https://vivacity.org
Vivacity
Vivacity is the local organisation which runs the leisure centres, swimming pools, cultural activities, museums etc in Peterborough so a great place to start planning days out locally is here: https://vivacity.org
A huge country park with a watersports centre where you can hire canoes, paddle boards, pedalos, sailing boats etc, lots of play areas, great dog walks and a selection of big wooden play areas and a little train too!
26 locals recommend
Ferry Meadows Country Park
Ham LaneA huge country park with a watersports centre where you can hire canoes, paddle boards, pedalos, sailing boats etc, lots of play areas, great dog walks and a selection of big wooden play areas and a little train too!