Stand on Castle Road and you can take in two sides of Nottingham at once: the walls of Nottingham Castle on the hill above, the Robin Hood statue on the road itself, and just below, the sandstone caves that lie under this part of the city. In his Life of King Alfred, the Welsh cleric Asser refers to Nottingham as Tigguocobauc (modern Welsh Tŷ Gogofawg), meaning "cave house", though it is unclear whether this is a genuine Welsh name for Nottingham or an invention of Asser's. It is a compact city centre, easy to cross on foot, with the Old Market Square at its middle and the former industrial buildings of the Lace Market, restored and put to new uses, elsewhere in the centre.
Nottingham suits travellers who want a walkable city with a deep literary and industrial past, plus a strong theatre and gallery scene. It also works well for anyone using the city as a base for the surrounding country: the deer park at Wollaton is within the city's suburbs, while the historic sites out of town include the remains of Sherwood Forest and Lord Byron's home at Newstead Abbey, 12 miles north of the city.
This guide covers the sights and experiences in and around the city, with practical notes on what to combine and when to go.
Top things to do in Nottingham
1. Nottingham Castle
This is not a medieval fortress but a small stately home, with only the gatehouse remaining from the original castle. Inside you will find a museum with various exhibitions, including the country's first municipal art gallery, and after a refurbishment the castle reopened in 2021 with interactive exhibits and games. The grounds include a children's play area and extensive views over the region.
A tour of the caves under the castle can be booked for an additional fee. Entry is £15. Pair it with the Robin Hood statue just outside the castle walls.
2. Robin Hood statue
A statue of Nottingham's most famous hero, standing just outside the castle walls on Castle Road. It is free and accessible at any hour, which makes it an easy stop on the way to or from the castle.
Combine it with Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, a short walk away on the same road.
3. Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem Inn
One of various pubs claiming to be the oldest pub in Britain, the "Trip" traces its existence back over 800 years. It is built into the sandstone caves under the castle, which makes it worth a visit if you are in the city. It sits at Brewhouse Yard, home to the Museum of Nottingham Life, which shows the social change in Nottingham over the last 300 years.
Visit it as part of the same walk as the castle and the Robin Hood statue: the statue and the pub are on Castle Road, off Maid Marian Way, with the castle on the hill above.
4. City of Caves
A visitor attraction accessed from Garner's Hill, through a temporary entrance created from what used to be a fire exit of the now demolished Broadmarsh Shopping Centre. It consists of a network of caves carved out of sandstone, used over the years as a tannery, public house cellars and air raid shelters. Nottingham has more man-made caves than anywhere else in Britain.
Entry is £11, or £21 for a combined ticket with the National Justice Museum, which is the sensible option if you plan to see both.
5. National Justice Museum
Housed in Shire Hall on High Pavement, this museum offers a look at the sometimes rough justice meted out in years gone by. It is done as a guided tour lasting one to one and a half hours, so a specific time slot needs to be booked.
Entry is £15, or £21 combined with City of Caves. Book your slot before you travel, since the tour format limits capacity.
6. Nottingham Contemporary
This gallery presents major exhibitions of contemporary art, with associated education programmes for all ages. Entry is free, which makes it an easy addition to a day in the city centre.
It is a good indoor option if you are already in the centre and want something that does not need to be booked.
7. Wollaton Hall
A beautiful Elizabethan mansion set in Wollaton Park, a large suburban deer park. The hall houses the city's Natural History Museum, while the Industrial Museum is housed in an outbuilding. The hall was used in the 2012 film Batman: The Dark Knight Rises as Wayne Manor.
Reach it by bus 35 or 36 (NCT, from Victoria Centre) or the i4 (trentbarton, from Broadmarsh). Allow time for the park itself, not just the hall.
8. Nottingham Council House
A neo-Baroque building where Nottingham City Council meets, standing in the Old Market Square. Tours are free but must be pre-booked.
Since it is in the Old Market Square, it fits naturally into a walk through the centre rather than a separate trip.
9. Industrial Museum
A museum dedicated to industrial heritage, run by volunteers and housed in the 17th-century stables block of Wollaton Hall. Its collection covers machinery from industries including textile, transport, telecommunications, mining and engineering technology, along with a collection of cycles, motorcycles and motor cars. Among the top pieces are significant lace-making machinery and operational beam engines from the Basford pumping station.
It opens Saturday and Sunday, 11AM to 4PM. Adults £4, seniors and students £3, children free. See it on the same visit as Wollaton Hall.
10. Green's Windmill
George Green (1793-1841) was a mathematician whose work unifying magnetism and electricity laid the foundations for James Clark Maxwell. Remarkably self-taught, he laboured all hours here in his father's mill. As well as the working machinery, there is an exhibit on his contributions to science.
It is on Windmill Lane in Sneinton and opens Wednesday to Sunday, 10AM to 4PM. Entry is free.
11. Haunted Museum
A paranormal museum blending witchcraft, haunted objects and pop-culture horror, in the basement of Hopkinsons, 21 Station St, next to Nottingham train station. It opens 11am to 6pm, and adult entry is £8.
Its position beside the train station makes it convenient at the start or end of a visit by rail.
12. Newstead Abbey
The home of local poet Lord Byron, 12 miles north of the city. It is well worth a visit, and the website supplies extensive information on how to travel to the site.
Lord Byron was buried in Hucknall Church, and his tomb can be seen inside the church at the end of Hucknall's high street, a few minutes' walk from the Hucknall tram stop.
13. Sherwood Forest Country Park
The ancient royal hunting forest to the north of Nottingham, stretching throughout Nottinghamshire and up to South Yorkshire. The remnants of Sherwood form a number of country parks and estates. Sherwood Forest Country Park has the historic "Sherwood" that visitors may be looking for: the Major Oak, said to be the hideout of Robin Hood and his band of outlaws.
Many visitors are surprised to find the Oak is actually in the Birklands, an area of birch trees, and the tired visitor centre is due for replacement. Closer options include Clumber Park, a vast area of parkland and woods owned by the National Trust, good for walking and cycling with bicycle hire available, and Sherwood Pines Country Park, which has woodland walking.
14. Great Central Railway - Nottingham
At Mere Way in Ruddington, south of Nottingham, this offers journeys on historic steam and diesel locomotives. It also has a collection of historic buses on display along with three model railway exhibits.
It runs Saturday and Sunday, 10AM to 5PM.
15. Papplewick Pumping Station
Twin beam engines installed in 1884 to lift water from an underground reservoir to feed the city supply. The interior is richly, almost riotously decorated, as if to out-do the fountains of Alhambra.
It opens Sunday, 11AM to 4PM, on Rigg Lane in Ravenshead. The engines are in steam one weekend a month, so check the website before you go. Adult £4; on steam days adult £10, concessions £9, child free.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start on Castle Road with the Robin Hood statue, then go into Nottingham Castle for the museum, the grounds and the views. Book a cave tour under the castle if you want to add it. Finish the morning at Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem Inn, built into the sandstone caves, and look in at the Museum of Nottingham Life at Brewhouse Yard.
Afternoon: Walk into the centre to the Old Market Square and pre-book a free tour of Nottingham Council House. Then head to the City of Caves from Garner's Hill, using the combined ticket if you also want the National Justice Museum on High Pavement, which needs a booked time slot. If time remains, Nottingham Contemporary is free and nearby.
Evening: Take in a production at the Theatre Royal on Theatre Square, or at Nottingham Playhouse on Derby Road, where the Sky Mirror sculpture stands outside. If you would rather end the day quietly, return to the Old Market Square area for the evening.
Frequently asked questions
Is Nottingham Castle a medieval castle?
No. Visitors with Hollywood expectations of Robin Hood films should be aware that it is not a medieval castle but a small stately home, with only the gatehouse remaining from the original castle.
Do I need to book the National Justice Museum in advance?
Yes. The museum is done as a guided tour lasting one to one and a half hours, so a specific time slot needs to be booked. A combined ticket with City of Caves costs £21.
How do I get to Wollaton Hall without a car?
It is accessible by buses 35 and 36 (NCT, from Victoria Centre) and the i4 (trentbarton, from Broadmarsh). The Industrial Museum in the stables block opens Saturday and Sunday, 11AM to 4PM.
When can I see the engines in steam at Papplewick Pumping Station?
The engines are in steam one weekend a month, so check the website. The station otherwise opens Sunday, 11AM to 4PM.
Use these notes to sketch your own itinerary, check the booking requirements for the castle caves and the justice museum, and start planning your trip to Nottingham.