College visiting hours
Cambridge Colleges are private communities, and each one decides when members of the public may walk in, which parts are open and whether visitors pay. There is no single timetable: access depends on the College, the time of year and what is happening that day.
In practice
Robinson College, for example, is open to the public from 10am to 6pm Monday to Saturday and from 2pm to 6pm on Sundays, and closes to visitors during exam season and at other set times. St John's College opens its grounds to visitors between 9.30am and 4.30pm and, in 2026, charged general visitors an entrance fee between 6 July and 30 September. St John's also warns that its grounds may close at short notice for events or operational reasons.
Why it matters to newcomers
Check the College's own visitor page on the day you plan to go rather than relying on a guidebook, because hours change with exams and events. If you are showing guests around, it helps to know that some Colleges charge in summer, and that public paths and bridges give views across several Colleges without a ticket.
Related
- College - what a College is
- Porter and the Porters' Lodge - where visitors should go first
- The Backs - views across the Colleges from the river side
- Cambridge cultural weekend guide
Sources: Visiting Robinson, Robinson College; Visitor information, St John's College.