Things to do

Things to do in Nottingham

The legend is the hook; the caves are the surprise. Nottingham sits on 800+ man-made caves, has a castle on the rock, and two football clubs with European Cups.

Photos for Nottingham are still on their way. Every listing below is real.

Top things to do in Nottingham

Robin Hood's city: caves, the castle, and Forest.

Nottingham Castle — The ducal palace on the rock: the Robin Hood galleries, the cave tours below, the city views.
City of Caves — The Broadmarsh cave tour: the medieval tannery, the WWII air-raid shelters — the underground city.
Old Market Square — The city's square: the Council House, the lions (meet 'at the left lion'), the Christmas market.
Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem — The 1189 inn under the castle rock: England's oldest pub claim, the cave rooms.
Wollaton Hall & Park — The Elizabethan prodigy house (Batman's Wayne Manor): the natural history museum, the deer park — free grounds.
The Lace Market — The creative quarter: the old lace warehouses, independent shops, the nightlife.

Free things to do in Nottingham

Nottingham is generous if your budget isn't. All of these cost nothing or close to it:

Wollaton Park (grounds) — The deer park: free.
Old Market Square — The square: free.
The Arboretum — The Victorian park: free.
Highfields Park — The boating lake park: free.
Ye Olde Trip (entry) — The historic pub: free to enter.

Festivals & the religious calendar

The town's own festivals:

Goose Fair (early October) — The 700-year-old travelling fair: 500+ rides on the Forest Recreation Ground — the city's biggest week.
Robin Hood Festival (Sherwood) (August) — The Sherwood Forest festival: jousting, the Major Oak.
Splendour (Wollaton) (July) — The big park festival at Wollaton Hall.
Christmas market (late November–December) — The Old Market Square market and ice rink.

And the national calendar:

Christmas / Boxing Day (25–26 December) — The big shutdown: Christmas markets from late November, pantomimes, Boxing Day football.
Easter weekend (March/April) — Four-day weekend: the spring getaway moment.
Bonfire Night (5 November) — Fireworks displays and bonfires for Guy Fawkes Night.
Notting Hill Carnival (August bank holiday weekend) — Europe's biggest street carnival (London) — relevant for the whole southeast as a day trip.

Exact dates are confirmed yearly — check local listings before booking around a festival.

Sports: Football

Nottingham Forest: two-time European champions (1979, 1980 — the Clough miracle), the City Ground on the Trent. The Garibaldi red is the city's colour. Notts County (the Magpies, 1862 — the world's oldest professional club) share the city at Meadow Lane. The derby is the divide.

Cricket: Trent Bridge (Nottinghamshire CCC, England Tests). Ice hockey: the Nottingham Panthers (Elite League) at the Motorpoint Arena — huge local following.

Tickets: official site

What's new in Nottingham

The Broadmarsh redevelopment is reshaping the south of the centre. The castle's galleries keep rotating. Goose Fair's October dates are confirmed yearly.

Submit your event

Running something in town? Dayfari lists community events free — gigs, markets, fundraisers, club nights, temple and church programmes. Submit your event and it can appear in the town feed within a day. No account needed to suggest; the Dayfari team reviews every submission.

Common questions

How many days do I need in Nottingham?

Two full days covers the highlights above. Add a third for the day trips — see our day-trips guide.

What can I do in Nottingham for free?

Plenty — see the free list above. The town's festivals and markets are the other great free shows.

When is the best time to visit Nottingham?

Time it for a festival if you can — the calendar above is the cheat sheet. Otherwise, the shoulder seasons dodge the crowds.

More to explore in Nottingham

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