A charming cathedral city in the English countryside has been compared to Oxford because of its beauty and charm – but is hardly ever visited by tourists.

Ely’s beauty is packed into 22 square miles, making it the UK’s second-smallest city. Founded in 673 AD, it is also one of the oldest and lies just 38 minutes from Cambridge.

This means almost every street is full of British history, all accessible by foot. Visitors can expect historic buildings, a range of museums, a bustling food scene, and plenty of family-orientated activities. This is all easy to reach – Ely trainstation runs direct to London King’s Cross, and also to Peterborough, Norwich, Birmingham and the Midlands.

It boasts a range of spectacular Norman, Romanesque, and Gothic architecture in its “impressive” cathedral, which has been called “one of the wonders of the Medieval world”. This has caused many to compare Ely with the UK’s famous cathedral-city Oxford, although Ely is far less busy, despite how easy it is to get to. According to travel experts Big World Small Pockets, “Ely is a real gem if you’re looking to escape the crowds and get a full slice of local feels”.

Ely Cathedral remains at the heart of the community, welcoming locals and visitors alike to vibrant Christmas events including a Christmas Tree switch-on, Christmas By Candlelight, and Advent services.

Ely also offers at least a full day’s activity for tourists. The city centre boasts art shops, jewellery shops, markets and stalls.

One reddit user recommended checking out Ely’s market: “Silver Oak Coffee have something on the market most days and also run The Yard on Newnham Street with regular events in the evenings.”

They added that “if tea is your thing” then visitors should check out the “wonderful” Peacock’s Tearoom by the river. Packed into Ely is a great selection of food and drink, including Thai, Turkish and traditional British cuisine. Fine dining is also on offer at restaurants like Amelie and Le Spice.

For the more adventurous, Ely also boasts several escape rooms. South Angle farm features one such experience, which users on Reddit described as “amazing”. Another said: “We’ve done two rooms there and they’ve been great!”

Ely’s outskirts give way to Cambridgeshire’s Fenlands, a huge marshy region covering 1,500 square miles which boasts two National Nature Reserves. Usually being next to the fens means buildings are damp or at risk of flooding, but Ely sits on an “island” of higher ground that prevents flooding and allows for gorgeous views of the landscape.

Ely’s Fen View Lakes offers a selection of huts and lodges on the edge of the fens for those after a peaceful getaway.