The 7 essential things to do in Nottingham

Are you going to travel and visit the cities of England? Here’s most of the best activities to visit Nottingham!

City located in the east of the Midlands north of the England Nottingham is – with only 308,700 inhabitants and 729,977 people in the urban area (data 2011) – the seventh largest city in the United Kingdom. It is one of the few industrial cities in Great Britain that could have kept a trace of its medieval past while becoming an outpost of the Industrial Revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries. During its long history, the city was successively occupied by the Romans, subject to the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia, at the mercy of the Viking raids, dominated by the Normans, influenced by the Carmelites before being a prominent English city in the contemporary era. Located between Birmingham and Leeds, Nottingham has various attractions to offer to its visitors.

If you're looking for what to do in Nottingham, here's a non-exhaustive presentation, things to do in this city and around.

1. The Castle of Nottingham

The Château de Nottingham is inevitably worth visiting Nottingham: it is built in the 12th century on the basis of a first castle built in 1067 after the Battle of Hastings on the orders of Guillaume the Conqueror . Located in height, it overlooks the city and has a vast network of underground caves.

The castle is known for the legend of Robin Hood, telling the story of the confrontation between the bandit and the sheriff of Nottingham. The museum of the castle today exhibits objects dating from the age of bronze, Greek and Roman antiques and paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries. In the park you will find ruins of the old medieval wooden castle. A statue of Robin Hood (" Robin the Truand", wrongly translated into Robin Hood) make us revisit the famous legend of the hero, who would have been detained in Nottingham Castle by the sheriff of the city.

2. City of Caves

The underground caves of Nottingham are a major tourist attraction in the city: many tourists come to visit Nottingham each year. It is a vast network of cavities directly carved in the rock, which was used over the centuries as tanneries, cellars of public houses and anti-aircraft shelters during the Second World War. There is also the oldest pub in the city, dating from 1189 and under the castle: " Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem".

3. Old Market Square

Located in the heart of the city centre of Nottingham, Place du Vieux Marché is the Place de l’Hotel de Ville, recognizable to its dome-coated building. This is the second largest public space in the UK after Trafalgar Square in London. A few days to visit Nottingham, you’ll be sure to go there to stroll for a while or enjoy a beer on the terrace. There is also a large wheel with stunning views of the rest of the city. With an area of 22,000 square metres, it would be the largest public square in the United Kingdom: it is a bit the Constitution Square in Mexico City, an English version.

4. Council House

Council House is the Town Hall, located on Old Market Square. This Greek architecture building houses several shops and paintings that trace the history of the city, including Robin Hood and Guillaume the Conqueror. Its dome perched at 61 meters high recalls the French, Italian or American institutional buildings, such as the Cape of Washington, the Parisian or Roman Pantheon. Built between 1927 and 1929 in a neo-baroque style, it is an emblematic monument that cannot be missed by visiting Nottingham.

5. The Arboretum

Located north of the city centre, Parc Arboretum is one of the most important green areas and the oldest park in the city. More than 1,000 specimens of centuries-old trees live peacefully. Many cultural events take place throughout the year, including Green Festival In September, a renowned music festival. If nothing happens when you visit Nottingham, you can always enjoy beautiful walks away from concrete and urban tumult.

6. Brewhouse Yard Museum

If you love history, don’t miss this museum, which retraces the sometimes enlivened past of the city. There are reconstructions of rooms and shops dating back to the 17th century, allowing to rebound in the economic and social life of the past, a leap from 350 to 400 years back.

7. The Sherwood Forest

Located in Nottinghamshire north of the city, on the road to Sheffield, this forest would be legendary to be the place where Robin Hood hid with his companions and victoriously confronted the sheriff of the city of Nottingham. L’ Nature – a British government agency responsible for the protection of nature – classified the forest and its floral richness (fish, birch and fern) in 2002 as a natural national reserve.

How do I get to Nottingham?

To visit Nottingham, the nearest airport is located about 30 kilometres away: the East Midlands Airport, also serving the cities of Derby and Leicester in Leicestershire. It offers 30 regular national and international flights. You will find a cheap flight on our partner's website Ulysses

To come to Nottingham by train from France, you will have to cross the Channel tunnel. The Eurostar line from Paris or Lille joins the city via London. Attention, you will have to take two separate tickets (Paris-London and London-Nottingham) with Go Euro and ACP Rail.

Where to stay in Nottingham?

To stay and visit Nottingham in the best way, the most recommended areas and the most popular of the city are Basford, Sherwood north of the centre, Wollatonet Lenton west and Beeston southwest. Do you opt for a hotel? See you on this. Compare hotels which offers the best offers available on the market. For those who would prefer a nice typical ground foot, you will find your happiness among the Airbnb .