Norwich: Old City, New Attitude

1 February 2026

Norwich: Old City, New Attitude

by Katie Thompson

Norwich is a maverick city- don’t let our old walls fool you. It’s like nowhere else, one that’s creative, welcoming and full of tales to tell. So, when you’re looking for a mid-week stay or short trip away to make the most of balmier weather this spring, where else than the City of Stories?

Follow our 2-day, 1-night itinerary below- we may be biased, but we think you’ll be wowed. Make your way from the outside in, from our innovative art museum to our impressive Norman architecture. Then throw in a leisurely boat trip, lunch at our 900-year-old market and locally brewed craft beer.

Take your time, take it all in and explore the City of Stories!

Itinerary Inspiration
For First-Timers: A Weekend Getaway | Take Your Time: A Slow City Break | Feeling Hungry?: A Foodie’s Weekend

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Did you know Norwich is the ideal spring break from Cambridge and London? If you’re driving, it’s just 1hr 30 from Cambridge and 2hrs from London via the A11. And for those taking the train, it’s only 1hr 45m from London Liverpool Street and 1hr 15 from Cambridge, both with Greater Anglia. So, there’s really no better time for a seasonal stay in the City of Stories!

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Day One
Sainsbury Centre/ Norwich Market/ Norwich Cathedral

//Visit: Sainsbury Centre, Tuesday – Sunday; Norwich Cathedral, Monday – Sunday.
//Eat: Norwich Market, days and times vary for individual stalls, Monday – Sunday; Turtle Bay, Monday – Sunday; Saporita, Tuesday – Saturday.
//Stay: The Assembly House, 2 adults from £170 per night including breakfast.

Norwich is a city where old meets now. And nowhere does it ring true more than the Sainsbury Centre (pay what you can). You can take the 25/26 bus (a 25-minute journey) from the city centre to get here. This innovative art museum is home to thousands of years of history- spanning everything from Mesoamerican ceramics to 21st century photography.  

Here in this Norman Foster-designed building, where light spills in through floor to ceiling windows, art is seen as living. As you explore the permanent Living Art collection, feel the smooth stone of Henry Moore’s ‘Mother and Child’, contemplate Giacometti as you lounge beneath his ‘Diego Seated’ or become your own work of art in a life-size glass case. Their exhibitions ask the big questions, while the Sculpture Park (free) invites you into the museum’s luscious green surroundings, home to twittering birds and a rich biodiversity. You pay what you can to enter, so this art really is for everyone to enjoy.

Hop back on the bus to make your way into Norwich’s buzzing centre. When you arrive, you’re bound to be drawn to our thriving medieval marketplace, where you’ll encounter worldwide aromas on every stall. It’s hard to know where to start, so we suggest following your nose! Perhaps you’ll devour a donburi bowl or savour steaming ramen. One thing’s for certain, everything is bursting with flavour! Savour your choice and take a seat looking out across the multi–coloured rooftops towards Norwich Castle.

Spend the afternoon at a slower place and make your way along cobbled streets towards our historic Cathedral Quarter. Through the grand Ethelbert gate, you’ll enter picturesque Cathedral Close, where quaint cottages line characterful lanes and blush pink blossom trees flutter in 44 acres beneath the towering spire of Norwich Cathedral (free, and known locally as ‘the village within a city’). Here you can wander through hallowed monastic cloisters (the largest in the country), under magnificent medieval roof bosses and into our beautiful nave.

If you’ve time, join a free hour tour to uncover even more secrets, from Elizabethan graffiti to an important pre-Reformation altarpiece. Then head upstairs to the cathedral’s light and airy Refectory Cafe. It’s a Norwich-favourite where locals go for electric-roasted espresso and flaky cinnamon swirls.

After all that exploring, it’s time for a well-deserved dinner. In the heart of the Lanes, embrace Turtle Bay’s vibrant Caribbean flavours and laid-back air. With a menu that boasts tropical cocktails and deliciously spiced dishes, we recommend sharing street food-inspired plates or trying their typical Jamaican brown chicken! 

Or if you taste is more European, try Saporita. This Italian is family run and a tasty example of authentic street food– from pizza to panini, panzerotti to taglieri. Think fresh ingredients and tempting combinations like gorgonzola and courgette or nduja, spianata and mozzarella, followed by their special tiramisu or salame al cioccolato! 

Spend the night at The Assembly House (2 adults from £170 per night including breakfast). This Grade I listed Georgian gem offers an indulgent B&B experience that’s akin to the glamour of Bridgerton. In each room, you’ll encounter sleek bathrooms and sumptuous furnishings that’ll welcome you after a day of exploring.

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Day Two
Norwich Castle/ Bishy Barney Boats/ Redwell Brewery

//Visit: Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery, Monday – Sunday.
//Do: Bishy Barney Boats.
//Eat: Redwell Brewery, Friday – Sunday.

//Top Tip: We suggest loading the car and packing your suitcases before you head out for the day, so you can get the most out of your second day in the city! 

After breakfast, begin your second day with a trip to our iconic Norwich Castle (adults from £15.30, family discount adults from £13.95 with paying child, from £13.05- prebook for the best prices)– it fully opened last summer after a £27.5 million redevelopment!

This isn’t just any old castle. For starters, it’s completely accessible from basement to battlements, meaning you’ll be treated to some incredible views of our city skyline where wide-open skies meet leafy green streets. . With its original floors reinstated, you really get a sense of what life was like here. Immerse yourself. From a larger-than-life projection of its history to authentic Norman dress-up (there’s no age limit here!) to the beautifully finished Gallery of Medieval Life (in partnership with the British Museum, no less). And that’s without exploring the castle’s other fascinating galleries- from mummies to modern art.

While you’re here, treat yourself to a slice of quiche in the bright cafe or check out nearby Castle Quarter or sit alfresco at Marmalades in our Art Nouveau Royal Arcade for more tempting lunch options. 

Norwich’s rippling waterways and proximity to our varied coastline mean it’s not hard to see why this was a strategic city in medieval times. With Bishy Barney Boats (a 15-minute drive or bus journey from Castle Meadow to Thorpe St Andrew), you can motor along this once medieval trade route (from £25 for 1 hour for 4 people). Get a new perspective from the water as you meander peacefully along the willow-lined banks of the River Wensum, past sights like Carrow Road, Pull’s Ferry and towards Cow Tower- 2 hours will get you there and back and leave time for a refreshing drink at a waterside pub in dappled shade.

Or head east to the fringes of the Broads National Park, where luscious vegetation hugs the waterway and it’s not uncommon for birds of prey, herons, and even the beautiful but elusive kingfisher to flit past! On the way back, moor up (it’s free!) at Thorpe Ferry Cafe for a light lunch amid peaceful surrounds. (It’s popular with locals and less than 30 minutes from where you started yet feels a world away from the bustling city.) 

Squeeze in one more moment of you visit in Norwich before your journey home. From Thorpe, hop over to local Redwell Brewery– just a 10-minute drive away (35 minutes on the bus). This microbrewery not only brews a refreshing selection of local craft beers (including non-alcoholic options for anyone driving!), but you can experience them in their working taproom or sun-drenched beer garden (don’t forget your sunglasses)! We suggest making the most of Norwich’s mouthwatering food and drink with a final slice (or three) of stone-baked pizza from their resident Redwell Vault Pizzeria! (And from spring, you can soak up the warmth with pop-up street food and live music to accompany (May – September).)