Your Guide to Walking Tours in Norwich
Your Guide to Walking Tours in Norwich
by Katie Thompson
When you’re visiting somewhere new, what better way to get acquainted with the area and its history than a walking tour? They’re fantastic for getting you orientated, seeing the major sights, and learning some facts that some of the locals might not even know! And here in Norwich, you’re not only spoiled for captivating tales, but a choice of the people who tell them too.
From hidden streets tucked away from unknowing passersby to fascinating stories told with an electric eccentricity, read on for our top picks for walking tours in the City of Stories!
Get to Know Norwich: Paul Dickson Walking Tours
Paul Dickson’s Tours are a fantastic way to get acquainted with the city across his variety of tours!
You’re in safe hands with Paul Dickson! He’s got 18 Norwich-based tours to choose from (not to mention a selection into Norfolk, too), so you’re sure to find one that takes your interest.
For Norwich first timers, you can see the major sights and find out everything you need to know across 1000 years of history with Norwich, an Introduction (1 hour 45 minutes, £9). Explore our ancient Cathedral Quarter, learn about the city’s textile and shoemaking industries, hear stories of Norwich Castle, waltz through our Art Nouveau Royal Arcade, and more.
Paul’s other tours include: Norwich, the City of Stories, where you’ll find out more about our literary heritage, and Norwich on the Dark Side, looking at crime, punishment, filth, and misery in the city’s darker and lesser-known history. Whichever tour you choose, you can’t go wrong.
Find out more and book your tour on Paul Dickon’s website.
Norwich Like a Local: Norwich Free Story Walks
Whether you’re new to Norwich or you’ve always lived here, there’s always a tale or two to discover. Norwich Free Walking Tours takes you through the heart of our medieval streets and introduces you to intriguing spots and stories you may not have noticed before. And it’s not just iconic sights, but local recommendations, too. Think popular coffee stops, photo opportunities and favourite indie shops!
Over almost two hours, see Norwich like a local- from The Forum to Norwich Cathedral, soaking in Elm Hill, Norwich Market, the Lanes, the Guildhall, Tombland and more! Local guide Tom is passionate about the city he lives in and it shows– groups are kept small, so you can get to know your guide and he can tailor the walk to you.
What’s more, there’s no booking fee and nothing to pay upfront. All you have to do is reserve your spot, enjoy the walk and at the end you pay what you think the tour was worth (with most guests opting from £10 – £20 per person).
Tours run daily, Monday to Saturday. Book via the Norwich Free Walking Tours website!
See the City in a New Light: Norwich Story Walks
If you want to see the city in a different light, look no further than Norwich Story Walks.
If you want to see a different side of the City of Stories, Norwich Story Walks is ‘where history meets eccentricity in a whirlwind of storytelling adventure’. It’s great fun and a brilliant way to see the city from an alternative perspective.
Uncover Norwich’s more unusual tales with the Weird & Wonderful Story Walk (90 minutes, £10). It’s our pick for an evening full of laughs and mystery, light-hearted stories and darker secrets from Norwich’s many legends. See sights like City Hall alongside lesser-seen locations like Augustine Steward’s House and the Maddermarket Theatre.
And with other tours like Her Story Walk and Norwich Spooky Story Walk (October & November), you’ll discover even more stories about the brilliant women and eerie events that have left their mark on Norwich!
Book your spot on the Norwich Story Walks website!
Get a Taste of Norwich: Cheryl Cade
Eating good food, sipping on something delicious, and learning more about the city is on the menu on a Cheryl Cade tour.
Sometimes, the best way to experience a city is through its food and drink. For that, there’s no-one better than Beer Sommelier, Academy of Cheese Trainer, and International Food & Drink Judge Cheryl Cade. It’s safe to say she knows what it takes to impress your tastebuds!
The main event? The Beer & Cheese Tour (4 hours, 18+ years, £46)– where you’ll sip on local beer (or a non-alcoholic alternative) and tuck into a specially selected local cheese across five different venues. On top of that, Cheryl has the answer to all your questions, will show you how to judge both beer and cheese like a professional, and introduce you to the history of Norwich along the way.
And if you’re looking for other ways to enjoy Norwich’s delights, then check out probably the UK’s only Sausage Roll Tour, the Gin Tour, Cheese Tour and Naughty Norwich (18+).
Find out more on Cheryl’s website!
Go Underground: The Shoebox Experiences
The Shoebox Experiences Hidden Street Tour is perfect for seeing more of what many didn’t know existed!
The Shoebox Experiences offering is full of must-dos for everyone – visitor and local alike! Whether it’s one of Norwich’s best-kept secrets or a twist on the typical tour.
The real highlight is Norwich’s Hidden Street Tour (1 hour, adults £16.50, children £8.50), which takes you beneath Castle Meadow into a real former street of the city. It’s full of stories about the street itself– the exposed former buildings are still visible, who lived in them, and how the street was covered over to never be seen in the public eye again… until now!
Elsewhere, The Shoebox Experiences’ tours include The Old Rifle Range and Underground Norwich, Carrow House and The Forgotten Vaults (the Colman family’s former residence), and Magnificent Marble Hall tour, which opens up this breathtaking interior to the public!
Find the full range and book your spot on The Shoebox Experiences website!
For the Brave: Norwich Ghost Walks
For spooky secrets, choose a Norwich Ghost Walk if you’re brave enough!
If you’re looking for something spookier, no matter the time of year, then take a walk through the haunted streets of Norwich with Norwich Ghost Walks (2 hours, £12)! Thrilling visitors with real-life stories of mysterious goings-on, are you brave enough to join in?
The choice is yours. Explore the oldest part of Norwich and its famous cobbled streets on the Elm Hill Walk (Tuesdays), where dark alleyways twist and turn into hidden yards that you’re likely to miss. Or for an eerie stroll along the Wensum, opt for the River Walk (Thursdays), to learn the secrets of local landmarks like Fye Bridge and tales of its haunted past.
Don’t forget to keep an eye out for special shows throughout the rest of the year– including Halloween, Christmas and summertime (wheelchair accessible)!
Find out more on their website!
Drink in the City’s History: Norwich Pub Tours
Norwich Pub Tours offers fascinating tales and the chance to visit the city’s best pubs!
For another flavour of Norwich’s history, take a tour with Norwich Pub Tours (4 hours, £20). As a city known for its abundance of pubs, you can only imagine the tales that go with them!
Drink in every detail as you stop in up to four of Norwich’s most historic and character-filled public houses– where you can grab a drink and hear some of Norwich’s most unforgettable stories. From rebellions to murders, plague to witch trials, and not forgetting that all-important sense of humour.
Norwich Pub Tours are a brilliant way to spend a few hours with friends. They’re suitable for all ages too- so families can be regaled with some slightly less gruesome stories. And you can sip on a soft drink if you’re looking for something with less alcohol.
Next on the List
Discover what goes on behind the scenes at the Maddermarket Theatre
For those of us who have ticked off all of the above- or are looking for one that’s guaranteed to keep you dry on a rainy day, check out some of the city’s other tours!
Go backstage at the Maddermarket Theatre (1 hour, £5), exploring behind-the-scenes, including the bits the public don’t get to see! (We love the costume department.)
Or get closer to Norwich’s cathedrals! Spot unassuming details and admire little known stories of roof bosses, Elizabeth I and graffiti at Norwich Cathedral (1 hour, FREE); while at The Cathedral of St John the Baptist, you can take a tower tour (1 hour, adults £12.50, children £7.50) for a close up of the magnificent architecture and unrivalled panoramic views of the city from the top!
With Go Quest Adventures, you can take it at your own pace (£28.95 for up to 5 people, takes approximately 2.5 – 3.5 hours). This self-guided tour merges a tour with interactive questions that will reveal facts about the city that even locals don’t know, whilst taking you to all the significant sights.
And if you love a roof-top bus tour, make sure to hop on (and off!) First Bus’ Explore Norwich open-top bus in the summer (adults £10, children £8, May – September)! Taking you past Norwich’s must-see sights, including Norwich Castle, and its prettiest, like Quayside, you can stay on for the whole journey or get on and off as suits you and your plans for the day.
