Norwich is a Fine City as the road sign proudly declares when you arrive; it’s also an exciting and vibrant place to come and visit. With fast and reliable rail connections, Norwich is less than 2 hours journeying from the capital. With the completed dualling of the A11, it’s fast by car too.
Once here, you’ll discover all that this cosmopolitan city has to offer, as well as using Norwich as a base from which to explore other parts of Norfolk – namely the north Norfolk coast, Thetford Forest, the Norfolk Broads and the many picturesque market towns that are the ‘real hidden gems’ of Norfolk!
The city is a hub for culture lovers and was nominated as a UNESCO city of Culture in 2012, the UK’s first city to be awarded this accolade. Norwich has always been a place to enjoy entertaining, and often eclectic, arts events.
The Sainsbury Centre art gallery and museum, located in the grounds of the UEA features a sculpture park and regularly changing exhibitions.
The Norfolk and Norwich Festival
Every May the Norfolk and Norwich Festival brings a huge array of art and cultural events for everyone to enjoy. The festival is a two week extravaganza of theatre productions, outdoor performances, circus and street theatre from all over the world.
Some of the events are free of charge – just come along to the venue at the time printed in the festival guide and feast your eyes on an astonishing selection of world class entertainment.
Go Go Elephants, Gorillas, Dragons, Hares and Dinosaurs…
Beginning in 2008, Norwich has featured several trails of animals to raise money for charities. This began in 2008 with Go Elephants which raised funds for Young Lives vs Cancer and the Born Free Foundation.
Since then, raising funds for Break Charity we’ve had GoGoGorillas in 2013, GoGoDragons in 2015 and GoGoHares in 2018.
2021/22 sees the arrival of GoGoDiscover, featuring dinosaurs.
Award winning shopping!
The Royal Arcade, Norwich
Unlike some UK cities, Norwich is modest in size and there are still lots of truly quaint cafes, shops, tea rooms and restaurants to visit. Many of them are tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the main shopping areas: Gentleman’s Walk, Castle Quarter and Chantry Place, Chapelfield.
Norwich has consistently been voted as one of the top ten cities to go shopping in the UK. The city boasts two shopping malls, Chantry Place and Castle Quarter, plus several major department stores.
The Norwich Lanes and St. Benedict’s are where you’ll find many independent shops and lots of charming boutiques. Gentleman’s Walk is home to the elegant art nouveau Royal Arcade and a host of familiar high street stores.
Close by is the Norwich market that has dominated the city centre since the end of the 11th Century. Norwich market is a very popular place to shop; in 2006 it was completely modernised and is one of the largest markets in the UK, with 200 stalls to browse.
The Forum
Since it’s construction in 2001, The Forum has become one of the most popular and well known locations in Norwich. The Forum is home to the Millennium Library but is also home to the local tourist information centre and the BBC (including Look East and Radio Norfolk).
It’s a hot venue for arts and cultural events and almost every weekend there are fun and interesting events to attend – from food festivals, showcasing local produce to careers and educational days. There are frequent art exhibitions and interesting craft stalls.
Enjoy unrivalled panoramic views of the Millennium Plain and St Peter Mancroft Church (looks great at night) from the Pizza Express restaurant with its own mezzanine floor at the front of the building. The downstairs Cafe Bar Marzano is also very popular, with both indoor and outdoor seating. It’s a delightful place to sit, relax and watch the world pass you by.
The Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library is located at the rear of the building. For 7 consecutive years the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library has been voted the most popular library in the UK! This is a state of the art library; there’s also an ‘express’ library, children’s library and the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library.
The Forum
Norwich Tourist Trails
There are plenty of ways to see the tourist sights of Norwich; you can hire a boat and sail along the river Wensum which meanders through the city, climb aboard the sightseeing bus, jump on a cycle or go for a stroll along the riverside.
A new walking route ‘Norwich’s nooks & crannies’ is complimented with a free PDF available for download from Norwich City Council called ‘Norwich’s nooks & crannies’. This offers three short walks. The route takes people on a journey of discovery through many of the city’s historic alleys, courts and lanes. Each walk is peppered with stories, some of which go back centuries.
