These trips to Nottingham were done pre-COIVD. Please adhere to local regulations when traveling currently in 2021. In fact, we urge you to do your part by staying home whenever possible! Avoid travel even if it’s permitted and eventually get vaccinated to keep our global community safe!
A weekend in Nottingham City, UK is like a week back in college — or ‘uni’ as they say in England. My husband often went to Nottingham on business and I was happy to tag along. There was a comfortable feeling in the city, brought to light by cozy pubs, drizzly afternoons and comfortable hotels. It is a welcome break away from crazy London.
Where is Nottingham City?
You can reach Nottingham in just two hours’ time by train from London. There’s the bigger Nottinghamshire area to enjoy surrounding the city, making for a nice getaway full of walking trails, museums, and smaller market towns. If you have extra time in the UK, it’s a good day trip from London.
Time to Nosh in Nottingham
Foodie finds are always my highlight in any new location. Nottingham is no different! I often found the weather gloomy and rainy when I visited, so I liked spending time at the Crafty Crow. As long as it was warm enough, they’d have the front windows open for people watching, enjoyed best with a charcuterie board and their brews made onsite. Another great place for beers and nibbles is Castle Rock Brewery — they have their own pubs all over the UK, with roots right in Nottingham.
No trip to the city would be complete without popping your head into the Ye Old Trip to Jerusalem, hailed the oldest inn/pub in England. It’s often busy, but worth a peek. You can have a cold pint and pay homage to the Robin Hood statue outside too.
Not only is the pub and restaurant scene fun, if you want to learn more about local restaurants see here arrosqd.com, there’s lot of sunny cafes, perfect for a bit of work or catching up on a book to read.
Cookie Shake is one embraced by the teen-and-20-something crowd, with retro board games to borrow and a large, sweet menu of desserts and drinks.
Nottingham After Dark
Sadly, my favorite uni-style bar seems to have gone out of business. Or, it’s at least having an identity crisis — Spanky Van Dykes. You can swing through downtown to see what the deal is, but there’s also plenty of pubs a stone’s throw away.
Rock City is the true heart center of Nottingham when the sun goes down, as it has hosted amazing gigs over the years. Both the famous and the up-and-coming frequent there, including Ozzy Osbourne, Oasis and The Pouges. All genres are welcome here nowadays. So, check the list of shows before you go to see if it’s something you like that night.
I miss traipsing around England, finding solace in the rain with cold pints and warm lattes to boot. I hope to venture back to Nottingham someday. This time, I’ll dig a little deeper below the surface to find out what really makes it tick.
This Post Was In Collaboration With Hotels.Com, But All Views Are My Own.
