Norwich Travel Guide

Interested in visiting Norwich for a self-catering break?  This East Anglian has plenty to keep you entertained, either for a short break or a longer stay.

 

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Norwich’s Top Attractions include
 

• Norwich Cathedral
   
• Norwich Castle and Museum
   
• Shopping and Dining Out in Norwich
   
• Norfolk Coast and Norfolk Broads

 

Norwich's Historic Cathedral

Norwich Cathedral is a beautiful building with traditional services held regularly. We visited in early November and were delighted to see the Justice Service, an annual service that bewigged and robed dignitaries of the Justice system attend. This is highly recommended for anyone interested in English culture and traditions.

The vaulting and roof bosses in Norwich Cathedral are particularly splendid, and the cathedral boasts an interactive display complete with touch screen for those interested in the details. The cathedral grounds are delightful at any time of year. Entry to Cathedral Close is via two medieval gates where there is the old Bishop's Palace (now a school) and two British naval men stand proudly associated with Norwich: Wellington and Nelson.  

 

Norwich Castle and Museum

Norwich Castle is an interesting place.  This building appears quite fort like and has an interesting history, being built originally by the Normans for defensive reasons.  With this in mind, it will be no surprise to learn that some of the castle walls are 3 metres thick.  The Castle was used as a jail for around 600 years from the 1200s, and in the late 1800s was transformed in to a museum.

 

 

Shopping and Eating out in Norwich

In addition to many magnificent period buildings in Norwich, the modern glass domed Castle Mall and the Forum (contains the library, learning centre, shops, tourist information, pizza restaurant, Origins visitor attraction) buildings are particularly memorable.  A photograph of the Forum taken at night is shown on the left.

Major retail chains are well-represented in the extensive shopping centre. Largely pedestrianised and cobbled in parts with narrow winding lanes leading away from the main roads, Norwich offers an enjoyable shopping experience. There is the weird and wonderful with quasi-spiritual shops, book shops, fashion stores, and a great number of pubs, cafes and restaurants. The taste is international with cuisine from Lebanon, Morocco, India, Thailand, China, and Russia, as well as the everyday home-grown variety and fast-food outlets.   Norwich market is popular too, as is the historic grand Royal Arcade with its Art Nouveau style.

Norwich is a lively university town with plenty of young people about contributing to the air of vibrancy. There is an art gallery attached to the art school and plenty of other galleries and arts and crafts shops around the town. The streets are crowded with shoppers on Saturdays, the market in the centre appears to be thriving. Car parking is limited unless you're prepared to park a short way out of the town centre and walk.

 

 

Norwich at Night

The city centre is quite beautiful at night. The castle, cathedral and many of the churches are illuminated at night, so if you get the opportunity, do take an evening walk. The pubs and restaurants contributed their own coloured lighting to produce scenes reminiscent of Parisian street paintings. There's a tremendous selection of pubs, clubs, and wine bars, themed, or offering music, or other entertainment. An art house cinema is housed in a splendid period building with double doors containing leaded-lights. There are also multi-screen cinemas, theatres, concert halls, and a puppet theatre. With plenty of nightlife on offer, Norwich is a good place to visit at any time of year.      

Tourists may consider taking one of the boat excursions or open-topped bus tours for an introduction to the city. Walking tours, including a popular ghost tour, are held during the peak summer months. For families, the aqua park with its flumes and pools offers an enjoyable experience for the whole family, INSPIRE is a science based activity centre where children can gain a hands-on experience. The Castle museum and art gallery is open daily, plus there is a host of other museums and visitor attractions to provide interesting and amusing things to look at during your stay. 
 

 

Discover the Norfolk Broads and Norfolk Coast Nearby

For time out of the city in to a water wonderland with rivers, watermeadows and wild fowl galore, the Norfolk Broads is only around 20 minute’s drive from Norwich.

The beaches and resorts of the north and east coasts like Cromer, Sheringham and Great Yarmouth are all within easy reach by car.  The Norfolk Broads, are just a short distance to the east. Norwich is an ideal base for a touring holiday of Norfolk where you will discover nature reserves, stately homes and gardens, tourist attractions, flint houses and pretty villages set in peaceful countryside.