Peterborough was once voted the worst place in England, but as a visitor, it doesn’t seem that bad. The cathedral is stunning, there are many more beautiful old buildings in the city centre, and it’s all within walking distance of the station (and passport office). There are a lot of nice cafes and you can go shopping if that’s your thing.
Everything on this list is free to admire and within walking distance of the railway and bus stations, so they’re perfect to fill a few hours or an afternoon in Peterborough.
Peterborough Cathedral
This is on every list of things to do in Peterborough and for good reason. It’s a beautiful cathedral that’s free to enter, although donations are appreciated.
If you’re interested in history, Catherine of Aragon was buried here. It was also the original resting place of Mary Queen of Scots, before she was moved to Westminster Abbey. It became a cathedral in 1542, but its history goes back as far as 655.
Cathedral Precincts: Infirmary Arcade, Dean’s Court and Table Hall
Don’t hurry off after visiting the cathedral, because the surrounding streets are equally beautiful. The arches are the remains of the church hospital. The orange building is Table Hall. There are some historic cottages on Dean’s Court. In the summer, there are hydrangeas outside some of the other old buildings.
Peterborough Guildhall
The guildhall was originally built to host a butter and meat market in 1671. The upper floor was used by the local council until the new Town Hall was built in 1933.
St. John’s Church
St. John’s Church is right behind the guildhall. It was completed in 1407 and hosted the funerals of Katherine of Aragon and Mary Queen of Scots.
Peterborough Museum & Art Gallery
This museum in an old townhouse is free to enter and close to St. John’s Church and the guildhall.
Admire the many more old buildings in the city centre
The city centre is full of these old buildings (albeit amongst some not-so-quaint brutalist architecture). So look up and around while you walk from the station to the cathedral, because you’ll pass a lot of them.
The River Nene
The River Nene runs through Peterborough. There are some benches where you can sit and read or watch the world if you’ve got a while to wait until your train or bus.
Faizan al-Madina Mosque
The Faizan al-Madina Mosque is very pretty for a British one. It opened in 2006 and is the largest in the area. There are also even more old buildings and some cute murals in the area.
Going further afield
If you’ve got more time in Peterborough, you could check out Burghley House, Ferry Meadows Country Park and the Nene Valley Railway.
Is Peterborough worth visiting?
If you like architecture and history, then yes, I’d say it’s worth spending an afternoon around the cathedral, especially because everything is so close together and within walking distance of the railway and bus stations.
If you don’t care about history or pretty buildings, there isn’t really anything else to see or do. Whilst there are a lot of shops and some theatres in Peterborough, you won’t find anything you can’t find elsewhere in the UK.
I hope this post has helped you find some things to do or decide whether or not to visit Peterborough! If you’ve got any questions, feel free to comment.
Atlas and a Camera 