Compact, cultural and packed with history, Nottingham is easy to explore in a day. While you might not find all of the city's hidden gems in just 24 hours, you can certainly visit some brilliant museums, galleries, pubs and restaurants. This itinerary takes you to some of the most popular sights in Nottingham so you can get a flavour of the city's brilliant offer.
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Start your day right with a hearty breakfast by heading to Hockley Kitchen. A great spot in the heart of Hockley, particularly if you enjoy watching the world go by, this independent café serves up classic full English breakfasts, smoothies, sandwiches, great coffee, and milkshakes, with lots of specific dietary requirements catered for.
Take a walk through the historic Lace Market, passing the Grade 1 Listed St Mary’s Church, which is the largest remaining medieval building in the city. The Church is generally open to welcome visitors between 10am and 3pm Monday to Saturday, and for morning and evening services on Sunday, so pop inside if you can!
Head across the road to the National Justice Museum where you’ll meet characters from the past telling stories of life behind bars. Across five floors, explore medieval dungeons, Georgian cells and Victorian courtrooms in an 800-year journey through time. You can also be put on trial, browse exhibitions and check out their varied events programme.
Treat yourself to an exquisite lunch at Delilah, a traditional delicatessen, combined with a tapas-style food offering. Make yourself comfortable at their award-winning food bar and café, which offer an intimate casual dining environment.
Two very different, but equally fascinating attractions await nearby. Both could easily be fitted into a single day, but one can be chosen for a more leisurely pace. The City of Caves is located in Broadmarsh Centre and delves into Nottingham’s curious subterranean landscape which boasts over 800 caves! Go on a self-guided audio tour and learn about the previous purposes of Nottingham’s caves and their use during WWII. Don’t forget to pick up a joint ticket to the National Justice Museum and City of Caves and save 20%.
An alternative choice to visit is Nottingham Contemporary, which is one of the largest galleries of contemporary art in the UK and features work by international artists. Entry is free, the shop holds some brilliant gifts and the exhibitions change every three months, meaning this is somewhere to visit again and again.
Next, take a walk to Nottingham’s Old Market Square to check out the famous lions that wait by the Council House. Here you can also find a statue of the local and national football hero Brian Clough at Speakers Corner, and the Nottingham Tourism Centre if there are any questions you might have. Markets and events take place in the square regularly, with a beach transformation in the summer and a magical Winter Wonderland over Christmas.
Why not start the evening with some fun exercise? With evening skating available from Wednesday to Saturday, the National Ice Centre in the Lace Market is a great way to work up an appetite for the evening ahead whilst having fun. Look out for their themed party evenings including foam and neon paint parties with a DJ playing club classics for a livelier night too!
As the evening draws in take a walk over to the Castle Quarter to have your photo taken with a statue of our famous outlaw Robin Hood.
You really can’t come to Nottingham without visiting Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem. Reportedly the oldest pub in the country, this historic gem is carved into the cliff on which Nottingham Castle stands and is packed with historic images, artefacts and curiosities. It’s also a lovely spot to eat a delicious pub dinner, choose one of the cosy nooks to dine in, or enjoy the view from the spacious beer garden.
To top off your evening, why not check out what’s on at Nottingham Playhouse? One of the UK’s leading producing theatres since its foundation in 1948, their programme features original shows and touring classics to enjoy. Don’t forget to snap a photograph of Anish Kapoor’s wonderful Sky Mirror before you leave!
Looking for a nightcap? Head to Revolución De Cuba for late night cocktails, dancing, and live music on selected nights!
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Old Market Square, Nottingham
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From | To | Distance * (metric) |
---|---|---|
Hockley Kitchen (52.95366,-1.14401) | St Mary's Church Nottingham City Centre (52.9512,-1.14301) | 0.25 |
St Mary's Church Nottingham City Centre (52.9512,-1.14301) | National Justice Museum (52.9508,-1.14392) | 0.07 |
National Justice Museum (52.9508,-1.14392) | Delilah Fine Foods (52.95317,-1.14641) | 0.28 |
Delilah Fine Foods (52.95317,-1.14641) | City of Caves (52.95077,-1.14589) | 0.24 |
City of Caves (52.95077,-1.14589) | Nottingham Contemporary (52.95118,-1.14603) | 0.04 |
Nottingham Contemporary (52.95118,-1.14603) | Old Market Square (52.95343,-1.14921) | 0.3 |
Old Market Square (52.95343,-1.14921) | The Left Lion (52.95355,-1.14939) | 0.02 |
The Left Lion (52.95355,-1.14939) | Brian Clough statue (52.95311,-1.1485) | 0.07 |
Brian Clough statue (52.95311,-1.1485) | Nottingham Tourism Centre (52.95352,-1.14899) | 0.05 |
Nottingham Tourism Centre (52.95352,-1.14899) | Robin Hood Statue (52.94864,-1.15305) | 0.55 |
Robin Hood Statue (52.94864,-1.15305) | National Ice Centre (52.95264,-1.13927) | 0.92 |
National Ice Centre (52.95264,-1.13927) | Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem (52.94863,-1.15156) | 0.84 |
Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem (52.94863,-1.15156) | Nottingham Playhouse (52.95259,-1.1575) | 0.53 |
Nottingham Playhouse (52.95259,-1.1575) | Sky Mirror at Nottingham Playhouse (52.95397,-1.15665) | 0.15 |
Sky Mirror at Nottingham Playhouse (52.95397,-1.15665) | Revolución de Cuba (52.95459,-1.15133) | 0.33 |
Total Distance * | 4.64 miles | |
Estimated Journey Time | 9 minutes |
* Approximate distance by road