Peterhouse is the oldest college in Cambridge, founded in 1284, and it feels smaller and quieter than the colleges that draw the biggest tour groups. Its courts sit just off Trumpington Street, close to the Fitzwilliam Museum, making it an easy stop on a central Cambridge walk.
The gardens are the reason to linger. The Scholars' Garden and Deer Park are unusually open by Cambridge standards, so visitors often have more freedom here than at some better-known colleges. Check access at the porter's lodge, as college opening arrangements can change.