Things to Do in Ely
Prices, opening hours, best times to visit and the stuff nobody tells you, everything you need for a first trip to Ely, England, plus one pigeon's opinions on all of it.
Ely's cathedral is nicknamed the Ship of the Fens for good reason, from certain angles across the flat, low-lying landscape it genuinely looks like it's sailing. This is the proper guide to things to do in Ely, what things actually cost, when to go, and which bits are worth the visit. Four main stops below, plus a quiz at the bottom to see if you were paying attention.
Ely Cathedral & the Fens
I asked in the quiz what the flat, low-lying landscape surrounding Ely is called, and it's the Fens, extensive wetlands that once made Ely a genuine island, hence the ship nickname, before major drainage schemes from the 17th century onward turned the surrounding land into some of the most fertile farmland in England. Towering above the city skyline for over 900 years, the cathedral remains one of the most striking buildings in the country, its silhouette visible for miles across the surrounding flatness.
General admission includes a tour of the cathedral itself, and you can upgrade on the day to include the Stained Glass Museum, housed on an upper level, without needing to book that part separately.
Hours Mon-Sat 9.30am-4.30pm, Sun 12pm-3pm (visitor entry, check current times)
Address The College, Ely CB7 4DL
Official site elycathedral.org
The Octagon Tower
The answer to the second quiz question: the Octagon Tower is Ely Cathedral's unique feature, built to replace the original Norman crossing tower after it collapsed in 1322, and completed by 1342 as a genuine feat of medieval engineering, a wooden lantern structure suspended over the centre of the cathedral that floods the space below with light through its many windows.
The Octagon Tower Tour, a separate paid add-on, takes you up 170 spiral stairs to see the wooden lantern up close and, weather permitting, out onto the tower roof for views over the city and the surrounding Fens. Book ahead, spaces are limited to small groups and it's a popular add-on.
Hours Tours run several times daily, Mon-Sat 11am-3.15pm, Sun 12.30pm and 1.45pm
Oliver Cromwell's House
I asked in the quiz which future Lord Protector of England lived in a house in Ely for around a decade before the Civil War, and it's Oliver Cromwell, whose family home here has been restored into rooms recreated in 17th-century period style, complete with an audio guide covering his life and the Civil War. Cromwell remains a genuinely divisive figure in British history even centuries later, and the museum doesn't shy away from that complexity.
It now also serves as Ely's tourist information centre, so it's a natural first stop to plan the rest of your day, with the self-guided Eel Trail, a walking route past the city's historic highlights, available to pick up at the front desk for a couple of pounds.
Address 29 St Mary's Street, Ely CB7 4HF
Official site olivercromwellshouse.co.uk
The Porta & the riverside
The Porta, a medieval gateway leading from the cathedral into the old monastic precinct, opens onto one of the most intact collections of monastic buildings surviving in Western Europe, genuinely peaceful and easy to miss if you head straight from the cathedral into town. Ely's riverside, a short walk from the centre, is worth combining into the same visit, boat trips, waterside pubs and a gentler pace than the cathedral quarter.
Best time to visit Ely
May to September gives the most reliable weather for the riverside walk and exploring the Porta and monastic precinct, and it's when the Octagon Tower tours run most frequently. The cathedral itself and Oliver Cromwell's House both work fine year-round, so a wet day doesn't rule out a good Ely visit.
Getting around Ely
Ely's centre is small and entirely walkable, the cathedral, Oliver Cromwell's House and the riverside all sit within about 10-15 minutes of each other on foot. Ely railway station sits a short walk from the cathedral, and the city works well as a day trip from Cambridge, Norwich or London given its direct rail links.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Ely worth visiting?
- Yes, particularly for the cathedral itself, one of the most striking in England thanks to its unique Octagon Tower, alongside a genuine and directly-told slice of Civil War history at Oliver Cromwell's House.
- How many days do you need in Ely?
- A day comfortably covers the cathedral, the Octagon Tower and Oliver Cromwell's House, and it works well as a day trip from Cambridge or London rather than needing an overnight stay.
- Is Ely expensive?
- Moderate. The cathedral and Oliver Cromwell's House are the main paid stops, though the cathedral ticket includes a free return visit within a year; walking the Porta and the riverside costs nothing.
- What is Ely famous for?
- Ely Cathedral, nicknamed the Ship of the Fens for its dramatic silhouette, its unique Octagon Tower, and Oliver Cromwell, who lived here for around a decade before the Civil War.
That's everything I've got.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government's latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
