Primavera

Primavera is a contemporary art gallery just outside Cambridge, and it's the sort of place you stumble into expecting five minutes and leave an hour later, slightly annoyed you didn't bring a notebook. The space itself matters - clean lines, good light, the kind of room that lets the work breathe rather than shouting over it.

The gallery focuses on modern and contemporary pieces, with rotating exhibitions that take themselves seriously without the pretension you sometimes get in university towns. If you're into painting or sculpture, this is proper worth the detour from Cambridge centre. Families with older kids who can handle quiet spaces will get something from it; younger ones might fidget.

Admission details are thin on the ground online, so ring ahead before you go - nothing worse than turning up to a locked door. Reckon on ninety minutes if you want to see everything without rushing. The exhibitions change regularly, so there's reason to return if you're staying in the area.

If you're based at one of the nearby campsites - Fen End Farm is closest at 3.5 miles - Primavera works nicely as a rainy afternoon plan, or a break from park life if the kids need a bit of culture. Cambridge itself is only a short drive, so you could easily combine it with the colleges and the Backs. The rural Cambridgeshire setting means you're not far from the Fens either, if you fancy stretching your legs afterwards.