First time in Nottingham

Nottingham was new to me. The student population is obvious, and that happily means a lively independent coffee scene.

☕ Independent coffee

I was spoiled for choice. 200 Degrees won. The company started in Nottingham in 2012 and still has several city shops, including Flying Horse Walk near the Old Market Square and Carrington Street near the station. The coffee was so good I went back later the same day for a bag of beans to take home. Details at 200degs.com.

Then I played full tourist.

🏰 Nottingham Castle & Robin Hood

Nottingham Castle sits on Castle Rock. What you see today is largely the later ducal palace rather than a Hollywood fortress, but the site has a thousand years of history, Robin Hood galleries, lace and art collections, and cave tours. Adult admission is currently around £18 with children going free under the usual conditions — check the latest at nottinghamcastle.org.uk. Just outside the walls is the famous Robin Hood statue, an easy free photo stop.

🍺 Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem

Lunch was at Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, the inn built into the sandstone cliff beneath the castle. It claims to be England’s oldest inn (the painted date is 1189, though documented pub use is later). The caves behind it were once the castle brewhouse. Address: 1 Brewhouse Yard, NG1 6AD. See Greene King and Visit Nottinghamshire.

One thing to note: ticket prices and opening times change — check the castle and museum sites on the day you go, especially if you want a cave tour or a costumed talk.

⚖️ National Justice Museum

I also visited the National Justice Museum in the Lace Market. It was interesting, fun and a million miles from a dry history lesson. Costumed characters bring the old Shire Hall, courtroom, Georgian gaol and cells to life. They hold two talks a day with a very knowledgeable person in full costume. These are included with the annual ticket and are well worth making time for. Official site: nationaljusticemuseum.org.uk. Combined tickets with the nearby City of Caves are often available: City of Caves.

💭 Final thoughts

If you have extra time, Old Market Square, Nottingham Contemporary and Wollaton Hall (the “Wayne Manor” house in the deer park) are all easy additions. Start planning at visit-nottinghamshire.co.uk.

Coffee, castle, outlaw statue, cave-pub lunch and a lively museum — Nottingham made an excellent first visit.

📋 Tips for a first visit

• ☕ Start at 200 Degrees if you want a proper independent coffee before the sights.
• 🎟️ Buy castle/museum tickets online where you can — saves queue time.
• 🥾 Wear comfortable shoes; Castle Rock and the Lace Market involve hills and cobbles.
• 📸 The Robin Hood statue outside the castle is free and an easy photo stop.

Have you done Nottingham as a day trip? Drop your favourite stop in the comments.