Living in Ely – an essential guide

Ely in Cambridgeshire is often billed as one of the best places to live in the UK. It regularly ranks in The Times’ comprehensive guide, and was featured highly in the rundown back in 2021. Even in 2023, Ely’s charm, character and close-knit community meant it was among the ten Cambridgeshire areas shortlisted in this year’s Muddy Stilettos Awards.

Known for crowning the ‘best of the best’ places to visit, Muddy Stilettos describes exactly why Ely was given a top spot:

“Ely Cathedral is one of the wonders of eastern England and seeing this marvel of architecture rising above the flat vista has to make living here a daily delight. But Ely isn’t just amazing because it’s home to The Ship of The Fens. The streets of the bijou town are lined with picture-postcard historic houses and cute little cobbled squares and it lies on the beautiful River Great Ouse, where you can row and walk to your heart’s content.”

For those looking to ‘visit’ Ely for the long haul by settling in the iconic cathedral city with a property purchase, here’s why this East Cambridgeshire haunt makes a fantastic place to live…

Food and drink

Ely offers a varied food and drink scene, which means, whatever your taste or budget, you’re certain to discover a bar or eatery that tickles your fancy.

From country pubs serving home cooked meals and restaurants offering a taste of cuisines from around the world to tearooms, cafes and delis providing equally mouth-watering menus, there’s a lot to explore.

Activities and attractions

While known best for its cathedral – which just so happens to be the third longest medieval cathedral in England and dates back to 673 AD – Ely has a number of other attractions and activities to discover. In fact, no two weekends have to be the same!

Explore history at the area’s many museums (including Burwell Museum, Ely Museum and Prickwillow Museum), watch world-class horse racing at Newmarket, sample the delights of Dojima Sake Brewery at Fordham Abbey, and solve mysteries and puzzles with friends at Ely’s Escape Room.

Don’t forget, Ely is also home to Oliver Cromwell’s House, an award-winning, VisitEngland accredited attraction that offers a captivating view of the former Lord Protector via a trip through his 17^th century dwelling.

Work and education

Learning and working in Ely is also a joy. Ely has several Ofsted outstanding nurseries and schools, including King’s Ely School, one of the oldest in the UK. The University of Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin University are also based just a stone’s throw away in Cambridge. The area’s concentration (and love) of independent shops makes it a prime location for those wanting to finally pursue that business idea and branch out on their own too.

For those looking to work, live and grow in Ely, the area’s house prices will help you lay roots more affordably, especially when compared to the house prices in East Anglia, and more specifically nearby Cambridge.

Transport and travel

Ely is a paradise for commuters, with Cambridge just a short, 19-minute journey by train. For locals working in the capital, commuting by train is just as easy, with King’s Cross Station 70 minutes away on the same line.

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