Nottingham – the perfect weekend away
Nottingham is often referred to as the ‘Queen of the East Midlands’ as the English Kings held court there when they went hunting in its surrounding forests. It’s famous for the legendary Robin Hood, lace making and much more. We’ve just returned from a fabulous short break so why not take a look at my guide of the best things to see and do in this intriguing city.
Getting there:
The city is easily accessible from all parts of the U.K. being 13 miles from Junction 26 of the M1 motorway and only 130 miles from London. East Midlands Railway (EMR) operate frequent services from London, Manchester and Liverpool, and Nottingham station is just a few minutes walk from the city centre making it easy to get around without a car.
Stay:
We stayed at the Leonardo Hotel, conveniently positioned five minutes walk from the railway station and only 10 minutes from the centre. Rooms are stylishly furnished, have comfortable beds, well stocked hospitality trays, large wall mounted TV’s and fast Wi-Fi.
Try to request a room on a high floor for far reaching city views. Start the day with a hearty breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant. With a vast selection of fresh fruit, cheese, yoghurt, porridge, pastries along with a cooked breakfast there’s something to suit all tastes. Leonardo Hotel Nottingham.
See and Do
City of Caves
Go underground at the City of Caves. It’s hard to believe that there are over 500 caves in Nottingham dating back to the Dark Ages with some pubs still having access to them today through their beer cellars.
Take a self-guided audio tour to explore the social history of the caves and view the only medieval underground tannery in the country. Explore the Anderson air raid shelter where thousands of people sought refuge during the Second World War and learn about life beneath the city streets. City of Caves
National Justice Museum
A five minute walk from the City of Caves lies the National Justice Museum on High Pavement. It’s located in Nottingham’s old Georgian courthouse and county gaol, the steps of which were the site of many public executions. Entrance tickets can be obtained separately or with discounted combination tickets available with the City of Caves. Visitors are given wristbands labelled with a convict’s number which it’s fun to search for in the galleries to discover the crime and length of sentence.
Discover how law and justice contribute to our lives, meet historical characters and take part in a range of interactive activities including a mock trial. This event takes place twice daily in the oak panelled Victorian courtroom where trials were still held as recently as 1986.
Visitors are invited to act as a judge and witnesses and are handed laminated narrative sheets with their own parts highlighted. With everyone in place, the accused is called into the dock and the trial gets underway. It’s a fun activity for all ages lasting around 30 minutes. National Justice Museum
Nottingham Contemporary
Just along the road from the National Justice Museum stands the Nottingham Contemporary, one of the largest contemporary art centres in the U.K. The gallery has been open since 2009 and its iconic green and gold exterior celebrates the Nottingham lace heritage with a nineteenth century cherry blossom lace design embedded into the concrete façade. The gallery offers free admission and its aim is to offer international art to everyone. Nottingham Contemporary
St. Mary’s Church
Also located on High Pavement, St. Mary’s Church is the largest medieval building in Nottingham and a fine example of the prosperity of the city during the 15th century. View its stunning interior, stained glass windows and monuments bearing witness to the funds donated by the guilds, merchants and nobility of the city. St.Mary’s Church
Take a walk along the canal towpath
Nottingham’s Castle Wharf is a delightful place for a stroll. The Nottingham and Beeston canal carves its way through the city centre and is a key feature of this vibrant waterfront district with its numerous bars with outside terraces offering alfresco dining during the summer months. The surviving canal was once part of a much longer route which is now derelict. The present-day stretch remains a vital link for boaters, allowing them to bypass an unnavigable section of the River Trent.
Shopping:
Old Market Square
Fancy some retail therapy, then Nottingham’s the ideal place. Start at the Old Market Square, a large pedestrianised plaza at the heart of the city with shopping streets leading off in each direction.
Dominating the eastern end of the square is the Exchange Building which was constructed in 1929. Wander indoors and admire its magnificent 200ft dome and take a look in some of the arcade’s exclusive stores. It’s definitely the place to go for designer shopping in Nottingham.
Flying Horse Walk
Don’t miss this upscale shopping arcade which lies close to the Exchange Building and is lined with designer boutiques and a wonderful independent cheese shop/ deli. Flying Horse Walk
Lace Market and Hockley
These are two of the oldest areas of the city with their own unique character and make up part of the Creative Quarter. Once the city’s industrial centre, the Lace Market produced intricate lace that was renowned throughout the world and is what put Nottingham on the fashion map. The grand red brick warehouses and factories are now home to creative businesses and quirky boutiques. After strolling through Lace Market continue onto neighbouring Hockley. The narrow lanes of Hockley exude bohemian charm and the district has become a foodie hotspot with its array of independent eateries alongside vintage clothes shops, second hand bookshops and independent boutiques.
Wollaton Hall
Located approximately 10 minutes drive from the city centre stands one of the country’s finest Grade II listed Elizabethan buildings which contains Nottinghamshire’s largest, dedicated Natural History Museum. The Wollaton Estate can also be reached by taking Bus 35 (journey time approximately 15 minutes). Entrance to the hall, museum and estate is free with visitors just needing to pay £5 for all day parking.
The Hall stands in 500 acres of beautiful parkland where herds of deer have roamed since the fourteenth century. Formal gardens are located to the rear of the magnificent Hall and include several statues, a Doric temple and the Camellia House. This is the oldest cast-iron-framed glass house in Europe dating from 1823, and is the only remaining one of its kind in the country. It’s open most days to sit and relax in and view the camellias when they are in bloom.
Don’t miss exploring the interior of the 16th century hall with its extensive natural history collection of animals, birds, minerals and insects on display. The attractively refurbished stable block contains gift shops and a cafe with both indoor and courtyard seating.
Food and Drink:
Bistrot Pierre
We enjoyed a three course evening meal including a glass of their signature Cuvée glass of red wine for just £22.95. Bistrot Pierre offers a range of classic French dishes and my choices of Fricassée de Champignons, Boeuf Bourguignon and sticky toffee pudding were all well prepared and flavoursome.
The ambiance of this French inspired restaurant is very relaxed with attentive service. Bistrot Pierre
Bar Iberco
For one of the best tapas restaurants outside of Spain head to Bar Iberico in Hockley. Located just a few minutes walk from the Old Market Square, this inviting restaurant is arranged over two floors with an outdoor terrace opening onto Carlton Street.
This independent Michelin listed tapas restaurant serves Spanish style sharing plates and we popped in at lunchtime and ordered from their excellent value £16.95 Rapido menu. This covers one item each from a ‘to pick’ section and two choices from their Tapas and/ or Josper Grill selection.
We opted for sourdough and a bowl of fresh juicy olives, baked blue cheese with beetroot, hazelnut honey and beetroot, the market fish of the day, crispy chicken with Jerez sauce and some tasty lamb pinchos. Portions are of a generous size, are freshly cooked and very flavoursome. With friendly service, refreshing glasses of Spanish beer and an open plan kitchen to watch the chefs in action, it’s a great place for lunch or an evening meal. Bar Iberico
The Magic Garden and Blind Rabbit cocktail bars
Hidden away behind the cobbled streets of the Lace Market lies the beautiful Magic Garden. An archway decorated with flowers at the entrance entices people indoors and with a secluded garden it’s the perfect place to sip cocktails on a summer’s evening.
Located close by but with a totally different vibe is the Blind Rabbit. This New York inspired cocktail bar is another city centre favourite serving early evening 2 for 1 cocktails, burgers and snacks.
From our window table we watched the world go by whilst sipping espresso martinis and nibbling nachos with guacamole and sour cream. The end of a perfect weekend in Nottingham.
During our visit we were guests of Visit Nottinghamshire and as always, all views and opinions are entirely my own.
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