Norwich Weekend Escape

When to go: any season can be good to visit Norwich, we went in January and even though it was cold it was still nice, especially when the sun was out. Just check the forecast and try to look for a sunny weekend.

Where to stay: “The Maids Head Hotel” is a great option near the cathedral and the junior suites are beautiful.

General advice: you can actually reduce the itinerary to just one day however if you are travelling by train from London you might want to stay overnight as the train takes around 2 hours. As it is a small city so you can of course walk everywhere and the train station is very well located.

Day 1: Norwich Castle and Market

Start the day at the castle and museum, continue walking though the arcade and grab something to eat at the market stalls.

• Norwich Castle - is a medieval royal fortification which William the Conqueror ordered its construction in the aftermath of the Norman conquest of England. The castle was used as a gaol from 1220 to 1887. Unfortunately the castle was having improvement works done while we were there and we couldn’t go in. However, the museum of Norwich is also inside the Castle and we really enjoyed the visit. The museum is a mixture of natural history, science and Paintings.

• The Royal Arcade - it is a covered shopping street built in 1899 packed with classic and independent boutiques, even though is smaller compare to some of the arcades that you can find in London it is beautiful!

• Norwich Market - an outdoor market that has around 200 stalls. It was founded in the latter part of the 11th century to supply Norman merchants and settlers moving to the area following the Norman conquest of England. It is very nice to have a walk around and grab something to eat but try to go there on a Saturday as Sundays most of the stalls are closed.

• Plantation Garden - a 3 acre Grade II English Heritage registered garden established over 100 years ago. Huge gothic fountain, flower beds, lawns, Italianate terrace, ‘Medieval’ terrace wall, woodland walkways, 10 metre long Victorian-style greenhouse and rustic bridge.

A very nice stop for a drink in the city centre is “St Andrews Brew House” where they brew their own beer.

For dinner, a nice spot is “Brix and Bones” that changes their menu daily. They are especially famous for their daily steak cuts. It is fundamental to book in advance.

Day 2: Norwich Cathedral and Elm Hill

It can be a good idea to start the day with a brunch at “Café 33” which is apparently the place to be in Norwich, the problem is that they don’t take booking so you might have to wait for a table. However, there is a Cote next door so that is a good option as a plan B.

• Norwich Cathedral - is an Anglican cathedral that started the construction in 1096 and was completed in 1145. The bosses of the cathedral are one of the world's greatest medieval sculptural treasures that survived the iconoclasm of the Tudor and English Civil War periods. Norwich Cathedral has the second largest cloisters in England, only exceeded by those at Salisbury Cathedral. The cathedral close is one of the largest in Europe and has more people living within it than any other close. I highly recommend to visit the cathedral and for me it was one of my highlights of the weekend.

• Elm Hill - a historic cobbled lane with many buildings dating back to the Tudor period. It is a famous landmark and features the Briton's Arms coffee house, The Stranger's Club, Pettus House, The Tea House and the Dormouse Bookshop. Make sure that you have a quick walk around this lovely area.

• Wensum River Walk – go to the river walk part that crosses with Fye Bridge and there in Quayside, you will see one of the most well-known spots of Norwich

If you have travelled to Norwich by car, you can stop at the Norfolk Broads and try to visit the windmills.