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Things to Do in Nottingham (2026)
Begin your visit at Nottingham Castle, perched on a sandstone outcrop with panoramic city views. The current building, a 17th-century ducal mansion, houses galleries and the… 🏰 Start at the Castle
Begin your visit at Nottingham Castle, perched on a sandstone outcrop with panoramic city views. The current building, a 17th-century ducal mansion, houses galleries and the Robin Hood legend exhibitions. Entry is around £13 for adults, and it's open daily from 10am to 5pm. Don't miss the underground caves beneath the castle, book a tour in advance.
🌳 Explore the Lace Market
Wander through the Lace Market, a historic quarter of red-brick Victorian warehouses that once dominated the world's lace trade. Today it's a creative hub with independent boutiques, cafes, and street art. Start at St. Mary's Church, then follow High Pavement to find the Galleries of Justice Museum. The area is a 10-minute walk from the city centre and free to explore.
🍺 Sample Local Ales
Nottingham is a beer lover's paradise, with more than a dozen microbreweries and historic pubs. Visit the Canalhouse, a pub with a canal running through its interior, or the Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, claiming to be England's oldest inn, carved into the castle rock. A pint of local ale costs around £4.50. For a brewery tour, check out the Nottingham Brewery on Alfreton Road, open Saturdays.
🛍️ Shop at the Market
Head to the Nottingham Contemporary Market, held in the city centre's Old Market Square on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. You'll find fresh produce, street food, and crafts. For a more vintage vibe, visit the Nottingham Vintage and Retro Market, which pops up monthly at the Nottingham Conference Centre. Prices are negotiable, and it's a great spot to pick up unique souvenirs.
🚶 Walk the Robin Hood Trail
Follow the Robin Hood Trail, a self-guided walking route that takes you past key sites linked to the legendary outlaw. The trail starts at the Castle and includes the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest, a 20-minute drive or bus ride away. The forest is free to enter, and the visitor centre offers interactive exhibits. Allow at least half a day for the full experience.
🎭 Catch a Show
For evening entertainment, book tickets at the Theatre Royal or the Royal Concert Hall, both on Theatre Square. The Theatre Royal hosts West End musicals and dramas, while the Concert Hall features classical and contemporary music. Ticket prices start at £15. Check the Nottingham Playhouse on Wellington Circus for more experimental productions, with student discounts available.
🚌 Getting Around
Nottingham's city centre is compact and walkable, but for longer distances, use the NET tram system or buses. A single tram fare is £2.80, and day passes cost £5.50. The Citycard offers discounts on attractions and public transport. If you're heading to Sherwood Forest, take the Sherwood Arrow bus from Victoria Bus Station, which runs every hour.
💰 Save on Attractions
Consider the Nottingham City Card, which gives you free entry to the Castle, the Galleries of Justice, and other top sights. Prices start at £25 for a 24-hour pass, and it includes unlimited tram travel. Many museums, like the Nottingham Contemporary art gallery, are free to enter. Look for student or senior discounts at major attractions, and book online to save up to 20%.
the robin hood trail is great but honestly the best part is just wandering sherwood forest itself, the major oak is cool but theres quieter paths if u go left past the visitor centre, way less crowds and you might spot deer. also if ur into food skip the market square stalls and hit the vietnamese place on hockley, banh mi for like £6 and it beats anything in the tourist spots. one thing the guide missed: the malt cross pub on fletcher gate does a proper cask ale rotation and it's a 2 min walk from ye olde trip, way less packed and the landlord actually talks to you. for the castle caves, book the 11am tour, the afternoon ones get busy with school groups. and if ur short on time, the net tram to the forest is fine but the bus from victoria is cheaper if u get a day rider, think it's like £4.50 and includes the bus back.
if ur into music check the rough trade on the flying horse walk, they do instores with local bands most fridays and the staff actually know their stuff, not just the popular indie shit. also the park estate is worth a detour, 10 min walk past the lace market, it's a proper victorian housing estate with loads of independent cafes and a farmers market on the last sunday of the month, way less touristy than the castle area. and for a cheap feed, the falafel place on gooses gate, near the old market square, does a massive wrap for like £5 and it's open late, perfect after a pint at the canalhouse. the guide's spot on about the citycard but if ur only here a day, the free walking tours from the tourism centre at 10:30 are a solid shout, the guides tell proper stories about the riots and the old pubs, not just the robin hood stuff.
ye olde trip is worth a visit but go at opening time, like 11am, before the tour groups pile in, you can actually get a seat by the fireplace and soak in the rock walls properly. for something the guide skimmed over, the city of caves tour that starts near the castle is different from the castle caves, it takes you through the old tannery and air raid shelters, way more underground history and it's like £8, booking ahead is a must though cos it sells out most weekends. also if you're into street art, the sneinton market area just east of the city centre has some proper murals hidden in the back alleys, grab a coffee from the cart outside the market hall and just wander, no map needed, you'll stumble on some gems.
3 Days in Nottingham: Itinerary 2026
Start your trip at Nottingham Castle (Lenton Road, NG1 6EL), open daily from 10am to 5pm, with adult admission around £13. After exploring the grounds and galler… 🗺️ Day One: Castle and Lace Market
Start your trip at Nottingham Castle (Lenton Road, NG1 6EL), open daily from 10am to 5pm, with adult admission around £13. After exploring the grounds and galleries, walk 10 minutes downhill to the Lace Market district, where you can see Victorian warehouses turned into boutiques and cafes. For lunch, try the contemporary British dishes at The Lacehouse (29 High Pavement, NG1 1HF), with mains averaging £15.
🚶 Day One Afternoon: Old Market Square
From the Lace Market, it's a 5-minute stroll to Old Market Square, the largest public square in the UK. Check out the Council House, where the clock tower chimes at 11am and 3pm, and grab a coffee at the nearby 200 Degrees Coffee (1 Flying Horse Walk, NG1 2HN). In the evening, catch a show at the Theatre Royal (22 Upper Parliament Street, NG1 3AG), with tickets from £15, or enjoy a pint at Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem (1 Brewhouse Yard, NG1 6AD), one of England's oldest inns.
🏛️ Day Two: Museums and Galleries
Dedicate your second morning to the National Justice Museum (High Pavement, NG1 1HN), housed in a former courthouse and jail, open from 10am to 5pm with tickets around £12. Afterwards, walk 15 minutes to the Nottingham Contemporary (Weekday Cross, NG1 2GB), a free art gallery with rotating exhibitions, open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm. For lunch, head to the trendy Hockley area, just 5 minutes away, and try the sourdough pizzas at Doughnotts (12 Goose Gate, NG1 1FF), with slices from £4.
🌳 Day Two Afternoon: Arboretum and Park
Spend your afternoon outdoors at the Arboretum (Waverley Street, NG7 4HF), Nottingham's oldest public park, just a 10-minute bus ride (Line 25) from the city center. The park is free and open all day, with Victorian greenhouses and a bandstand. For a relaxing break, walk 15 minutes to the Park Estate, a leafy residential area with grand Georgian houses, and enjoy tea at The Park Café (7 The Ropewalk, NG1 5DT), open until 4pm.
🍺 Evening: Breweries and Nightlife
In the evening, explore Nottingham's craft beer scene at the Canalhouse (48-52 Canal Street, NG1 7EH), a pub with a canal running through it, open until midnight. For a livelier night out, head to Hockley's bars like The Hockley Arts Club (2-4 Carlton Street, NG1 1NN), where cocktails cost around £9. If you prefer live music, check out the Rescue Rooms (Masonic Place, Goldsmith Street, NG1 5JT), with gigs most nights and tickets from £10.
🛍️ Day Three: Shopping and Markets
On your final day, browse the independent shops in the Flying Horse Walk and the Victorian Arcade, both in the city center. Visit the Nottingham Flea Market (Sneinton Market, NG1 1DW) on Saturdays from 9am to 3pm, where you can find vintage clothes and local crafts. For lunch, grab a bao bun at Bao (17 Carlton Street, NG1 1NL), with prices around £6 each, or a traditional pork pie from the Nottingham Pie Company (6 Goose Gate, NG1 1FF).
🚌 Getting Around and Transport
Nottingham's city center is compact, so most attractions are within a 15-minute walk. For longer trips, use the NET tram (single fare £2.50) or NCT buses (day pass £4.50), both running frequently from 6am to midnight. If you're arriving by train, Nottingham Station is a 10-minute walk from Old Market Square, and taxis are available outside the station for around £5 to most central hotels.
💰 Money-Saving Tips
Save money with the Nottingham City Card, which offers discounts at major attractions like the castle and justice museum, starting at £25 for a 48-hour pass. Many museums, including the Contemporary and the Galleries of Justice, have free entry on certain days, so check their websites before you go. For budget meals, look for lunchtime deals in the Lace Market, where many cafes offer two courses for under £10.
You've done a proper job with this itinerary, it covers the essentials without feeling rushed. Since you've got the castle and Lace Market sorted, I'd suggest taking a detour down to the Brewhouse Yard itself, the little cobbled street under the rock has a museum of everyday life that's a fraction of the castle price and way less crowded.
For your brewery evening, the Canalhouse is a decent gimmick but if you want something with more character, walk five minutes to the Neon Raptor taproom on Meadow Lane. It's in an old Victorian building, the beer list changes weekly, and they do a cracking loaded fries that'll sort you out better than the pizza spots. Also, if you're here on a Sunday, the Green's Windmill in Sneinton opens up and you can climb to the top for a couple quid, the view over the city from up there beats the castle terrace any day.
One thing I'd flag: the Nottingham City Card is worth it only if you're planning the castle, justice museum, and caves together. If you're skipping any of those, you're better off paying as you go, and the caves tour under the castle is the one hidden gem you shouldn't miss, it's proper atmospheric and only runs a few times a day so book ahead.
honestly this plan is so well put together, you've basically nailed the city in three days. one thing i'd say is don't bother with the castle if you're not a history buff, the views from the park estate behind it are free and way better for photos, plus you can grab a drink at the park cafe after and pretend you live in one of those georgian houses.
for day two, the arboretum is lovely but if it's a sunny morning, take the 25 bus one stop further to the forest recreation ground, it's got a huge open field and a proper old school playground, way less tourists and the tram stop right there makes it easy to head back. also for dinner that night, skip the hockley arts club if it's packed, go to the malt cross on fletcher gate instead, it's a proper locals pub with a jukebox and they do a decent cheap burger on weekdays.
one thing you missed is the sneinton market on a saturday for lunch, the bao place you mentioned is good but the jerk chicken stall at the back is the real deal, queues can be long but it's worth it. and if you're here on a sunday, the arboretum farmers market is a nice shout but it's tiny, more for picking up a jar of honey than a meal. overall, you're sorted.
good plan, you've covered the big stuff. one thing i'd say is don't sleep on the ye olde trip to jerusalem, even if it's touristy. the cave bar bit underneath is genuinely cool and it's the only place you'll drink a pint in a rock cellar. but if you want a quieter spot for a nightcap, the walton on park row is a proper local pub, ten minute walk from the square, they do a decent cask ale and it's never rammed.
for day three, if you're at the fleamarket on saturday, go hungry. the jerk chicken stall at the back is the one, but also there's a crepe van that does a mean nutella and banana one for like £5. and if you're after a proper nottingham souvenir, skip the castle gift shop and get a bottle of local gin from the notts gin company stall, they're there most saturdays and the rhubarb one is proper nice.
one thing you missed that's worth a look: the green's windmill on windmill lane. it's a restored working windmill, you can climb to the top for a few quid and the view over the city is better than the castle one honestly. it's a 20 minute walk from the lace market but it's a nice way to burn off a bao or two. and if you're here on a sunday, the arboretum farmers market is