# Norwich

Norwich, a two-cathedral city, is the capital of the English county of Norfolk, within the larger region of East Anglia. It lies some 185 km (115 miles) NNE of London, and as well as being a convenient base for exploring the Broads and the North Norfolk Coast is also a superb destination in its own right, with a lot more to see, do and enjoy than might otherwise be expected from one of England's smallest cities.

## Understand

Norwich is by no means the United Kingdom's biggest city - indeed, with a population of about 140,000, it ranks as Britain's 41st most populous city, far from a major metropolitan centre. It's frequently, and unfairly, maligned in British culture as an inbred backwater - partly due to the typical (and grossly inaccurate) Norfolk stereotype more generally, but mainly not helped by most peoples' exposure to it being solely through the comedy character Alan Partridge and his various shows portraying it as exactly that. But in reality, Norwich is nothing like what these stereotypes might suggest. Its constantly changing student population, as well as a strong professional base, a blooming retail sector, a vibrant cultural scene and a strong tradition of political radicalism and liberalism all combine to make it a liberal, cosmopolitan place to live, work in and visit.
In the 1960s, Norwich became a university city with the foundation of the University of East Anglia (UEA). In 2013, Norwich's second university, Norwich University of the Arts (NUA) was established from the much older College of Art and Design. The universities, UEA in particular, have provided an influx of new and young residents to the area, many of whom fell in love with the city and chose to stay, as do many to this day. This constant supply of "new blood" has helped the city maintain and nurture its vibrant, young and open nature.
To add to that, Norwich is a historically important city, being one of the main cities of medieval England and retaining to this day a significant heritage of medieval buildings, including the famous cathedral and the castle at the very centre of the city. Norwich also has a smaller, Roman Catholic cathedral called St John the Baptist Cathedral. One can start at the new, modern and airy Chantry Place shopping centre, with its array of big household name brands, and after only a few minutes' walk be in amongst stunning medieval buildings on cobbled streets, with much to see and do in between. Norwich manages to maintain both the convenience and excitement of a modern city while also having the feel of a small, bucolic town.
The city maintains a strong base of professional workers, with two large multinational employers, insurers Aviva and the insurance brokers Marsh, maintaining large base offices in the area, contributing hugely to the local economy and further acting as a "pull" factor into the area.

### Visitor information

* Visit Norwich tourism information

## Get in
### By road

There are several major routes into Norwich.
From the south:
* into Norwich city centre from: London, , Harlow and London Stansted Airport (via - exit at Junction 9), also from Cambridge, Huntingdon and Northampton (via - exit at Junction 38), and Thetford and Wymondham
* around Norwich's western edge from: Ipswich and Felixstowe (via - exit at Junction 51), also from Colchester (via then ) and'Diss
* into southern Norwich from: Beccles and Lowestoft
From the west:
* around Norwich's southern edge from: Dereham, Swaffham, King's Lynn, Wisbech, Peterborough, and Leicester
* into Norwich city centre from: Fakenham, also from Walsingham and Wells-next-the-Sea (via B1105) and Burnham Market (via B1355)
From the north:
* B1149 into western Norwich from: Holt
* around Norwich's western edge from: Aylsham and Cromer
* into Norwich city centre from: Wroxham, Hoveton and Stalham
From the east:
* around Norwich's southern edge from: Acle, The Broads National Park and Great Yarmouth

#### Parking

There are several surface and multi-storey car parks in the city centre, operated by private companies and Norwich City Council. These are signposted. The largest are:
* 52.631261.2932691 St Andrews multi-storey, Duke Street, NR3 3AJ. (updated Sep 2024)
* 52.6259591.2883282 Chantry Place, NR2 1SF. (updated Sep 2024)
There are several Park and Ride sites, connecting car parks in the edge of the city to the city centre. Parking is free but bus fares apply:
* 52.6701531.2713073 Airport Park and Ride, Buck Courtney Crescent, Norwich, NR6 6JT (Off A140 Holt Road from Cromer). Route 501 into Anglia Square, Upper King Street, Castle Meadow and Norwich bus station. Also for route 512 for Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (updated Sep 2024)
* 52.5887961.2716954 Harford Park and Ride, Ipswich Road, Norwich, NR4 6US (At the A140 and A47 interchange, south of Norwich). Route 502 for City College, County Hall, Norwich bus station, Castle Meadow, Upper King Street, Anglia Square (updated Sep 2024)
* 52.6245271.3789365 Postwick Park and Ride, Yarmouth Road, Norwich, NR13 5NP (At the A47 and A1270 interchange, east of Norwich). Route 503 for Norwich railway station, Norwich bus station and County Hall (updated Sep 2024)
* 52.6656461.3337866 Sprowston Park and Ride, Wroxham Road, Norwich, NR7 8RN (Off A1151, from Wroxham). Route 502 into Anglia Square, Upper King Street, Castle Meadow and Norwich bus station (updated Sep 2024)
* 52.6029751.220137 Thickthorn Park and Ride, Norwich Road, Hethersett, NR9 3AU (At A11 and A47 Thickthorn Interchange). Route 501 into Norwich bus station, Castle Meadow, Upper King Street and Anglia Square (updated Sep 2024)

### By train

52.6271.3078 Norwich railway station is the city's only railway station, a short walk from both Norwich City FC's Carrow Road stadium and the city centre's Castle Quarter.
There are trains from:
* London Liverpool Street (in the City of London, change: CEN  CIR  H&C  MET  ELI  OGD ) also London Stratford (change: CEN  JUB  ELI  OGD ), Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Stowmarket and Diss - operated by Greater Anglia
* Stansted Airport and Cambridge (trains from Brighton, Gatwick Airport and Stevenage) also Ely (trains from King's Lynn), Lakenheath, Brandon, Thetford, Attleborough and Wymondham - operated by Greater Anglia
* Sheringham and Cromer also West Runton, North Walsham and Hoveton and Wroxham - operated by Greater Anglia
* Great Yarmouth also Acle and Brundall - operated by Greater Anglia
* Lowestoft also Reedham and Brundall - operated by Greater Anglia
* Liverpool Lime Street (change: City  Wirral ), Manchester Piccadilly (change: Purple  Blue  Orange  Yellow ), Sheffield (change: B  P ), Nottingham (change: 1  2 ) and Peterborough (trains from Yorkshire, the North East and Edinburgh), also Chesterfield, Grantham, Ely and Thetford - operated by East Midlands Railway

### By bus

52.62431.29299 Norwich bus station is off Surrey Street and Queens Road, in the city centre. It is near the Chantry Place shopping centre and a short walk from the Castle Quarter in the city centre. Local bus routes depart Norwich bus station. Longer distance routes include:
* Coastlink X1 - from Lowestoft, Gorleston-on-Sea, Great Yarmouth and Acle
* Coastlink X11 - from Belton, Gorleston-on-Sea, Great Yarmouth and Acle
* Coastlink X2/X21/X22 - from Lowestoft and Beccles
* First Pink Line 12 - from Hoveton, Wroxham and Hethersett
* First Turquoise Line 13 - from Attleborough, Wymondham and Spixworth
* First Yellow Line X29 - from Fakenham, Bawdeswell, Lenwade and Taverham
* Sanders X40/44/44A/X44 - from Holt (44 only), Sheringham, Cromer and Aylsham (not X40)
* Sanders X55 - from North Walsham
* excel A/B/C - from Peterborough, Wisbech, King's Lynn, Swaffham and Dereham (not excel C)
* excel D - from Dereham
* National Express 490/491 - from London Victoria, London Stratford, Thetford and Great Yarmouth
* National Express 727/728 - from Heathrow Airport, Stansted Airport, Cambridge, Newmarket, Thetford and Great Yarmouth

### By plane

* 52.67581.2827810 Norwich International Airport (NWI ), ☏ +44 1603 411923, fax: +44 1603 487523, infodesk@norwichinternational.com. Norwich is home to a minor regional airport – with worldwide connections via Aberdeen (with Loganair) or Amsterdam (with KLM). (updated Apr 2020)
Buses connect Norwich International Airport with the city centre, including routes 35 - CanaryKonect, X40/X44 and 501. The journey typically takes less than 30 minutes.
Other airports with connections to Norwich are:
* London Stansted Airport - regular Greater Anglia rail connections direct to Norwich, and also National Express routes 727/728. By road: exit northbound at Junction 9 and follow to Norwich
* London Heathrow Airport - National Express 727/728 direct to Norwich, or Elizabeth Line to London Liverpool Street and change for Greater Anglia rail connections to Norwich
* Liverpool John Lennon Airport - regular East Midlands Railway connections from Liverpool South Parkway direct to Norwich, but the journey may take more than five hours

### By boat

The city is on the River Wensum, a navigable tributary of the River Yare, which flows into the Broads National Park immediately after quitting the city.
* 52.628171.3061111 Norwich Yacht Station, Riverside Rd, Norwich, NR1 1SQ (15-minute walk to the city centre, 2-minute walk to Norwich train station), ☏ +44 1603 612980. Mooring for approx. 50 boats. Toilets & showers. Free water. Pump out facility £12 for 1 tank, £15 for 2 and £18 for 3; electricity charging point (£1 cards sold). Rubbish disposal. Day mooring £5. Overnight mooring until 10AM the next day £12. (updated Apr 2017)

### By bicycle

* National Cycle Route 1. It runs through the city, running N to the North Norfolk Coast (through Wells-next-the-Sea, Hunstanton and beyond to Shetland Islands) and S to Beccles, Ipswich and on to Dover). (updated Jun 2017)
* 52.66261.229712 Marriott's Way. This 26 mi (42 km) path connects Norwich to Aylsham, following disused railway lines (updated Jun 2017)

### On foot

There are several long distance footpaths connecting Norwich to other towns and cities.
* 52.66261.229713 Marriott's Way. This 26 mi (42 km) path connects Norwich to Aylsham to the N, following disused railway lines (updated Jun 2017)
* Boudicca Way. This 35 mi (56 km) path connects the city to Diss to the S. full details about route and current status/closures see Norfolk Council web site (updated Nov 2017)
* 52.57071.498314 Wherryman's Way. This 36 mi (58 km) path connects the city to Great Yarmouth to the E (updated Jun 2017)
* Cross Norfolk Trail. A 96 mi (154 km) path from King's Lynn to the W across to Great Yarmouth to the E. This path is made up of a number of other trails linked together to form a longer continuous trail. Sections include Nar Valley Way (King’s Lynn to Gressenhall), Wensum Way (Gressenhall to Lenwade), Marriott's Way(part) and Wherryman's Way (Norwich to Great Yarmouth). (updated Jun 2017)

## Get around

Norwich city centre is fairly compact and can be explored easily on foot; in many cases this will be the quickest and easiest way to reach your destination. It is also a cycle-friendly city, with many major streets having separate bike lanes and also several cycle tracks along the two rivers. That said, whilst on paper there appears a significant network of cycle lanes, in practice many of these are just where somebody with a pot of white paint has marked a narrow strip in the gutter for bicycles or painted an arrow suggesting cyclists share a pavement with pedestrians which just wide enough for mother and baby buggy. Don't let that discourage you from cycling around, just be aware of the limitations of the mapped "cycle network".
City buses are mostly operated by First Nortfolk and Suffolk and are handy for reaching the train station and Riverside entertainment district, the university and the airport; however point to point journeys may be more difficult and involve changing in the city centre, where bus stops to and from different destinations are spread out along a mile of crowded pavement. The buses are in theory segregated into coloured "lines" (e.g. "Pink Line", "Blue Line"), but in truth nobody will ever refer to these and the actual colour of a bus may have no bearing on its actual route; you should instead take note of the route number as displayed on its front. Tickets can be bought from the driver using contactless payment (Visa and Mastercard only, American Express is not accepted); fares change regularly but expect to pay around £2.30 for a single-trip adult ticket. Return tickets and day pass tickets are also available from the driver (change available), via the First mobile app or from the ticket machines at the bus stops. Timetables should be taken as strictly advisory; if you are doing anything truly time-critical it's strongly recommended to get a taxi instead.
Metered taxis are fairly cheap (by British standards) and are of the purpose-built 'black cab' variety as in London, whilst telephone-booked minicabs are cheaper for longer trips. The largest minicab firm is ABC, others are Courtesy Cars and Enterprise Private Hire (not to be confused with Enterprise car hire); all of these have mobile apps. They do however book solid at peak times, so be aware you may struggle to book a cab at short notice. There is a black cab rank on Guildhall Hill (across the street from Jarrold's in the city centre) and another immediately outside the rail station; at the latter, you may need to wait for a while before one appears.
Car hire is possible, with various brands of such available, however unless you are intent on specifically travelling somewhere that's wholly inaccessible with public transport (e.g. some of the minor outlying settlements), driving within the city is very unlikely to be the best option for you. Most of the city centre core is either pedestrianised or closed to private cars. What parts of the city centre are open to cars are frequently very congested, especially on weekends and during the morning and evening rush hours, and in many cases it will be far quicker to walk directly to your destination. The "outer ring road" and "inner ring road" especially are a good way to waste twenty minutes in traffic if you happen to hit them at a bad time.

## See

* 52.6319441.3011111 Norwich Cathedral (Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity), 65 The Close, NR1 4DH. The 900-year-old Norman cathedral church. Don't miss 'old As I Am', a grinning skeleton on the south aisle wall. The surrounding Close is also very quiet, with statues of Nelson and Wellington.
* 52.62861.29642 Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery. 'Pop in for a pound' in the last hour of opening.
* 52.62531.30143 Dragon Hall. Restored trading hall from medieval era, unique in England. Guided tours available once or twice a month.
* Many fine medieval churches including St John Maddermarket, St Peter Mancroft by the Forum, St Stephens, all of which are usually open
* 52.62751.2905564 The Forum. A landmark building opened in 2001, architecturally dynamic, housing one of the best public libraries in the UK, BBC East, arts and information centre along with the large and popular Cafe Bar Marzano and a branch of the pizza chain Pizza Express. There are regularly changing events and exhibitions that are almost always free. (updated Jul 2019)
* 52.62031.23475 Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts. Located on the campus of the University of East Anglia (UEA) - well worth the visit, lovely building and an underground section with changing exhibitions in art, ceramics, textiles... creative and imaginative. It was designed by Norman Foster and it is an example of an early work of his in the 1970s. Housed in the building is a permanent exhibition of the Sainsbury supermarket family pottery, glass and sculpture collection with a lot of rare Chinese and tribal stuff. It is worth spending at least half a day there. (updated Mar 2017)
* 52.63421.308286 Cow Tower, Cotman Fields, off Bishopgate, Norwich, NR1 4AA. A fortified gun tower built between 1398 and 1399; inside not open to public. Free. (updated Apr 2017)
* 52.635241.30117 John Jarrold Printing Museum, Whitefriars, Norwich, NR3 1SH (Adjacent to Saint James Mill.), ☏ +44 1603 677183 (only when museum open), enquiries@johnjarroldprintingmuseum.org.uk. W 9:30AM-12:30PM. Small printing museum. (updated Apr 2017)
* 52.6326671.3042958 The Great Hospital, Bishopgate, Norwich, NR1 4EL, ☏ +44 1603 622022. 10:00 (only visit on monthly tour). Built in the 1200s, the site is an Almshouse for the citizens of Norwich. It is open to visitors only once a month with tours that must be booked in advance and start at 10AM. £10 (incl. tea/coffee & biscuits). (updated Apr 2017)
* 52.62921.2849 The Cathedral of St John the Baptist (Catholic Cathedral), Cathedral House, Unthank Rd, Norwich, NR2 2PA, ☏ +44 1603 624615, admin@sjbcathedral.org.uk. Daily 7:30AM-6:30PM. Tower tours Saturdays from early May-late Sept (tel:+44 1603 724381 email:heritage@sjbcathedral.org.uk, age and height limits apply) (updated Apr 2017)
* 52.62991.282610 Plantation Gardens, 4 Earlham Road, Norwich, NR2 3DB. 9AM-6PM, to dusk in winter. Beautiful secluded gardens just west of the Roman Catholic cathedral, created from a disused chalk quarry. Hosts semi-frequent events as well as an annual firework display. £2 per adult, cash only. (updated Jun 2022)
* 52.68021.27611 City of Norwich Aviation Museum, Old Norwich Road, Horsham St. Faith, Norwich, NR10 3JF, ☏ +44 1603 893080, admin@cnam.org.uk. Closed Mondays; opening hours vary between winter and summer, see website. Houses a collection of 19 military and civil aircraft, plus aircraft engines and other artifacts Adult £4.50, concession £4.00, children £2.30. (updated Feb 2018)

## Do

* Norfolk and Norwich Festival is held in May in the city and beyond.
* Football: Norwich City FC were relegated in 2022 and now play football in the Championship, the game's second tier. "The Canaries" are a yo-yo team between the two upper tiers; their home ground (capacity 27,000) is Carrow Road NR1 1JE, half a mile south of the railway station.
* 52.65271.2671 Crystal Seas (Scuba Diving School & Trips), 62 Whiffler Rd, Norwich, NR3 2AY, ☏ +44 1603 485000. PADI & SSI courses, dive centre, dive trips and shop. (updated Apr 2017)
* 52.624061.240762 SportsPark (Sports Centre), University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, ☏ +44 1603 592398, sportspark@uea.ac.uk. Swimming pool, gym, climbing wall, martial arts, squash, etc. (updated Apr 2017)
* 52.630931.295683 The Halls (Events venue, concerts, antiques markets, etc.), St Andrews Plan, Norwich, NR3 1AU, ☏ +44 1603 628477, thehalls@norwich.gov.uk. Built as a Friary complex. (updated Apr 2017)
* 52.61021.269354 Eaton Golf Club, Newmarket Road, Norwich, NR4 6SF, ☏ +44 1603 451686. (updated Apr 2017)
* 52.63161.28785 Norwich Arts Centre, 51 St. Benedict’s Street, Norwich, NR2 4PG, ☏ +44 1603 660352. Music and comedy venue housed in a 15th century, former church. A small venue, yet it has hosted well known bands such as Nirvana, Oasis, The Stone Roses, Manic Street Preachers, The Libertines and Coldplay. (updated Feb 2018)
* Norwich & Norfolk CAMRA Beer Festival. Held every October in The Halls (see listing above). (updated Apr 2017)
* Cricket: Norfolk CCC play in the National Counties Cricket Championship, the tier formerly known as "Minor Counties" below the first class competitions. They usually play at Manor Park Horsford at the north edge of the city.
* Marriott's Way is a 24 mi (39 km) hiking and cycling path along a former railway trackbed. It heads upriver from town through Drayton, Attlebridge, Lenwade, Whitwell and Themelthorpe, then turns east to Aylsham.

### Theatre

* 52.62721.290526 Norwich Theatre Royal, Theatre St, NR2 1RL, ☏ +44 1603 630000, info@theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk.
* 52.632191.294547 Norwich Playhouse, 42-58 St Georges St. (updated Dec 2023)
* 52.630561.292638 Maddermarket Theatre, St. John's Alley, NR2 1DR, ☏ +44 1603 626560, info@theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk.
* 52.6361.30019 Norwich Puppet Theatre (North of city centre, next to Barrack Street & Whitefriars roundabout), ☏ +44 1603 629921, info@puppettheatre.co.uk.

### Parks

Norwich also hosts some fine parks and gardens. Many of these parks were built in the early 20th century, as a form of unemployment relief:
* 52.62051.257110 Eaton Park. one of the city's finest green spaces, lying west of the city.
* 52.65891.295911 Catton Park. a nationally important green space located to the north of the city.
* 52.64511.289412 Waterloo Park. An 18 acres (7.3 hectares) park with a wide range of facilities located north of the city centre.
* 52.62751.287513 Chapelfield Gardens. A small and busy but pleasant park located in the very centre of the city, roughly adjacent to the Royal Theatre. Includes a hut selling refreshments and a wood-fired burger restaurant, Harry's.

## Buy

Norwich punches above its weight in retail terms and is regarded as one of Britain's major regional shopping centres. The Castle Quarter (formerly Castle Mall) shopping mall is joined by a major city-centre development, the Chantry Place mall (formerly Intu Chapelfield), on the site of a former chocolate factory. It has a big "Cigar entwined in a wire frame" sculpture on top to serve as a visible landmark.
Other than the shopping centres there is a big John Lewis, Marks and Spencer and local department store Jarrolds. This particular store is unusual in that it is still locally owned and gives 25% of its profits to the John Jarrold Trust, a charity that grant aids worthy causes. London Street is nearby and was England's first pedestrianised street. A wide range of independent specialist stores is concentrated around the Upper Goat Lane/Pottergate/St. Benedict's area of the city centre, known as the Norwich Lanes.
One street not to miss is Elm Hill. It's a medieval cobbled street near Norwich Cathedral that backs onto the River Wensum and is renowned for its antiques and tea shops. These include the 52.631341.296671 Britons Arms, an excellent coffee house and restaurant in a delightful thatched building dating from 1420.
That just leaves the market, which is the largest permanent outdoor market in Europe, and one of the finest city markets in the UK. Its roofs are a riot of primary colours. The market is home to over 150 stalls with an ever increasing variety of street food options and an ever changing series of pop up stalls. It was designed by the same architect as the Castle Mall, Michael Innes.
Just outside the city centre are a number of shops worth a look. Upper St Giles is home to a number of independent shops, restaurants and delicatessens. Over the bridge and down Earlham Road towards the University of East Anglia (UEA) is a fine independent organic and local food shop called the Green Grocers. You will find a good range of locally sourced food as well as catering for vegetarian and vegans. They have a Farmers' Market outside the shop every second Sunday of the month.

## Eat

Norwich has a vast array of small and independent restaurants catering to most tastes and budgets, as well as hosting most of the major chains. Many of the best restaurants can be found clustered around the Norwich Lanes, the loosely-defined area roughly bounded by and including St Benedicts Street, as well as the equally olden Triangle area between Colman Road, Newmarket Road and Earlham Road.

### Budget

In the 52.6285651.2929131 Norwich Market are a lot of food stalls . (updated Feb 2023)
* 52.6282481.2928772 Churros For The People, Stall 25, Norwich Market, Gentlemen's Walk. (updated Feb 2023)
* 52.6283581.2928973 Fresh, 32 Market Pl. (updated Feb 2023)
* 52.6293211.2895434 The Waffle House, 39 St Giles St. A daytime and late-opening classy waffle emporium, offering a variety of sweet and savoury Belgian waffles. Some are vegetarian, some not, but the produce used is almost all organic. There's great coffee there too, and the service is generally quick. (updated Feb 2023)
* 52.6276411.2982245 Loving Hut, 28 Cattle Market St. Vegan (updated Feb 2023)
* 52.6299591.2916616 Grosvenor Fish Bar, 28 Lower Goat Ln. Fish&chips (updated Feb 2023)
* 52.6254921.3012217 Butterfly Cafe, 114A King St. (updated Feb 2023)
* 52.6265071.2952098 Donnelli's Pizzeria, 17 Timber Hill. (updated Feb 2023)
* 52.6284191.289379 The Greenhouse Trust, 42-46 Bethel St. An environmentally friendly vegetarian cafe and shop. (updated Feb 2023)

### Mid-range
#### Asian cuisine

* 52.629661.296310 Thai Kitti, 4 Opie St, ☏ +44 1603 766755, Info@thaikitti.co.uk. Daily 11AM-3PM & 5-10:30PM. Restaurant and takeaway. £20-30. (updated Feb 2023)
* 52.630841.2987711 Giggling Squid, 24 Tombland, ☏ +44 1603 667341, norwich@gigglingsquid.com. M-Th noon-10PM, F Sa noon-10:30PM, Su noon-9:30PM. A major Thai food chain. £20-30. (updated Feb 2023)
* 52.63111.298312 Shiki, 6 Tombland, ☏ +44 1603 619262. A well-regarded and well-reviewed, if pricy, Japanese restaurant. (updated Feb 2023)
* 52.62481.277713 Blue Joanna, 103 Unthank Road, ☏ +44 7496 712942. Small restaurant serving Asian-style "street food" and cocktails, with live music later on in the evening. Good food and service, but be aware that options for non-alcoholic drinks are limited to tea, coffee, a couple of non-alcoholic beers and water. £20-30. (updated Feb 2023)

#### Indian cuisine

* 52.63391.29714 Ali Tandoori, 9-11 Magdalen St, ☏ +44 1603 632101. £20-30. (updated Feb 2023)
* 52.63191.298115 Spice Lounge, 8-10 Wensum Street, ☏ +44 1603 766602. £20-30. (updated Feb 2023)
* 52.63091.289216 The Bengal Spice, 38-40 St Benedicts Street, ☏ +44 1603 613444. £20-30. (updated Feb 2023)
* 52.62191.29617 Namaste Village, 131-139 Queens Road. Exceptionally well-regarded vegan and vegetarian Indian restaurant. £20-30. (updated Feb 2023)

#### Middle Eastern cuisine

* 52.63091.278818 Workshop, 53 Earlham Road, ☏ +44 7565 373017, workshopbar@outlook.com. Food served Th-Sa noon-4:30PM, Su noon-3:30PM; open earlier for drinks only. Also has a mezze breakfast served earlier which must be pre-booked in advance. Excellent cafe with friendly service selling great North African and Middle Eastern food, in a quirky environment that also sells plants and furniture. (updated Feb 2023)
* 52.63091.290919 Haggle, 13 St. Benedicts Street, ☏ +44 1603 633010, info@hagglerestaurant.com. Midday to 1AM every day. (updated Feb 2023)

#### Continental European cuisine

* 52.629871.2919120 Belgian Monk, 7 Pottergate, NR2 1DS (in the city centre), ☏ +44 1603 767222, belgianmonknch@aol.com. M-Sa noon-11PM. fantastic for mussels and does very good food at reasonable prices. They also do a variety of different beers: cherry beer is definitely worth a try. (updated Feb 2023)
* 52.629321.2883921 Italia Nostra, 52 St Giles Street, ☏ +44 1603 617199, info@italianostra.co.uk. Daily 5-10PM. Italian restaurant. £30-40. (updated Feb 2023)
* 52.6270791.29535622 Benoli, 5, Orford Street, ☏ +44 1603 633056, info@benoliresturant.com. W-Sa noon-10PM, Su noon-4:30PM. Independently owned Italian restaurant owned by chef patron Oliver Boon, a former ‘Masterchef Professionals’ finalist & previously head chef at the prestigious The Landau restaurant in London, run by Albert & Michel Roux Jnr. Private dining room for exclusive parties of up to 8 people. (updated Feb 2023)
* 52.62931.291823 Paolo's Restaurant, 1 St Giles Street, ☏ +44 1603 611857. M-Sa noon-3PM and 5-10PM. Good priced and good quality Italian restaurant in the city centre with great service in a beautiful art deco building. (updated Feb 2023)

#### Pubs

Norwich is reputed for its incredible number of pubs, and with that comes an incredible number of pubs serving incredible food. The Golden Triangle area to the west of the city centre in particular has more than its fair share of pubs serving good quality food.
* 52.59871.277824 The Marsh Harrier, 158 Ipswich Road, ☏ +44 1603 507513. Midday to midnight every day, except Sundays (midday to 11:30pm). Serves a "whale of a fish" exactly as filling as its name indicates. Selection of beer excellent, staff courteous. (updated Feb 2023)
* 52.6211.279125 The Unthank Arms, 149 Newmarket Street, ☏ +44 1603 631557, postbox@theunthankarms.com. Variable - check website for latest. Well-established gastropub that sells a good range of pub food and drink for moderate prices. (updated Feb 2023)
* 52.63061.278526 The Black Horse, 50 Earlham Road, ☏ +44 1603 630880. Food served M-Sa noon-9:30PM, Su noon-8PM. Popular pub serving good pub food, with roasts (and only roasts) served on Sundays.

### Splurge

* 52.62941.286327 Roger Hickman's Restaurant, 79 Upper St. Giles Street, ☏ +44 1603 633522. M-Sa noon-2PM, 7-10PM. Established modern British fine dining restaurant in the Norwich Lanes run by the titular Roger Hickman. Standard set menu will be around £55 per head (June 2022) plus service charge, but the food is exceptional. (updated Feb 2023)
* 52.6308821.29108528 Benedict's, 9 St Benedicts Street, Norwich NR2 4PE, ☏ +44 1603 926080. F Sa 2-4PM, Tu-Sa 5-10PM. Nationally-renowned fine dining restaurant with a constantly changing menu. £50-75 per head (June 2022). (updated Feb 2023)

## Drink

Norwich was once famous for having a church for every week in the year, and a pub for every day of the year. It had the highest number of pubs per square mile in the UK.
For real ale enthusiasts, Norwich is home to the multi award-winning Fat Cat, a real ale paradise serving over 25 ales, and the only pub in the UK to twice win the prestigious CAMRA National Pub of the Year. Other popular real ale pubs in the city centre include The Coach & Horses and the historic Adam & Eve. North of the city are the King's Head in Magdalen Street, the Shed (with Fat Cat Brewery), and the Duke of Wellington, all real ale pubs with an extensive selection of ales and some cider.
There is a major beer festival, organised by the local branch of CAMRA, held every year in St Andrews Hall. Beware that it gets extremely crowded though.
The local real ale of choice is Woodforde's Wherry. Woodfordes also brew Nelson's Revenge among others. Also popular in pubs around the area are the two popular Adnams ales, The Bitter and Broadside, brewed in the Suffolk coastal town of Southwold.
* 52.630881.290591 The Bicycle Shop, 17 St Benedicts Street, Norwich, NR2 4PE, ☏ +44 1603 625777, thebicycleshopnorwich@gmail.com. 10AM - midnight. A lovely choice is the Bicycle Shop bar/restaurant. Great for lunch or a drink in its downstairs bar. Good wines and local beers.

## Sleep

* 52.6321191.2984741 Maids Head Hotel, 20 Tombland, Norwich, NR3 1LB, ☏ +44 1603 209955, reservations@maidsheadhotel.co.uk. A bit old-fashioned and out of date. They tried refurbishing their restaurant so maybe they will sort the rest of the inside soon too. It is in a very pretty building so it is good for tourists who want a bit of old England. Queen Elizabeth the first is supposed to have slept in their Elizabethan suite. (updated Apr 2017)
* 52.627691.305212 Premier Inn Norwich Nelson City Centre, Prince of Wales Road, Norwich, NR1 1DX, ☏ +44 871 527 8842 (Premium Rate). Parking (£5 per night). By the railway station. Very convenient but full of middle managers who have come to do some work for Aviva/Norwich Union. Also can be very noisy at night as it is opposite Riverside (a big entertainment complex). (updated Apr 2017)
* 52.60131.27863 Holiday Inn (South Norwich), Ipswich Road, Norwich, NR4 6EP (Just south of the outer ring road), ☏ +44 871 942 9060 (Premium Rate). It has well-appointed rooms. The bar area is stocked with numerous local beers, as well as some of the more well-known continental brews. The restaurant is rather expensive, and breakfast is questionable. (updated Apr 2017)
* 52.66881.27394 Holiday Inn (North Norwich), Cromer Road, Norwich, NR6 6JA, ☏ +44 871 423 4896 (Premium Rate), reservations@hinorwich.com. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. Convenient for airport and Broads.
* 52.65451.26945 Mercure Norwich, 121-131 Boundary Road, Norwich, NR3 2BA, ☏ +44 844 815 9036, info@mercurenorwich.co.uk. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. Located between the airport and the city centre. Indoor pool with a sail-like canopy, air-conditioned gym. Pinewood Finnish sauna. Internet access available in every room.
* 52.623741.292196 Travelodge Norwich Central Hotel, 14 Queens Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 3PR (next to bus station), ☏ +44 8719 846297 (premium rate number). Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Wi-Fi. Chargeable parking nearby. Early check-in and late checkout available (charged). Situated directly next to the main bus station. (updated Apr 2017)
There are four hotel chains operating in Norwich: Premier Inn, Travelodge, Holiday Inn and Mercure. Out of the city there are some larger golf-type hotels. Dunston Hall (owned by the De Vere group) just south of the city, and 52.6645091.3410037 Sprowston Manor (run by the Britannia group) just north of the city. Both are OK and generally get 4-star ratings but they are hardly hotels you would choose to go on holiday to. They have lots of facilities (spas, gold pools, etc.) and are the best place to stay around Norwich if you don’t need to be in the city centre.
* 52.629181.289578 38 St Giles, 38 St Giles St NR2 1LL, ☏ +44 1603 662944. Upscale B&B in a Georgian townhouse. No dogs. B&B double £130. (updated Jun 2020)
* 52.62681.29079 Assembly House, Theatre St NR2 1RQ (next to Theatre Royal), ☏ +44 1603 626402. Grand Georgian place often used for weddings, the rooms are in the St Mary's House extension. No dogs. B&B double £170. (updated Jun 2020)
* 52.7631.11110 Dial House, Market Place, Reepham NR10 4JJ, ☏ +44 1603 879900. Amazing off-beat hotel in Reepham village north of city, great dining and service. Much of the decor is for sale so it's ever-changing. B&B double £170. (updated Jun 2020)
* 52.7261.36211 Norfolk Mead, Church Loke, Coltishall NR12 7DN (B1354), ☏ +44 1603 737531. Lovely relaxing hotel in a riverside Georgian house, great dining. B&B double £150. (updated Jul 2020)
You can also camp at the local campsite, which is roughly on the outskirts of the city centre:
* 52.6081.30312 Camping and Caravanning Club Norwich, Martineau Lane, Norwich, NR1 2HX, ☏ +44 1603 620060. Caravan and tent camping site, with a camping field surrounded by river on two sides. Cheaper rates if not keeping a car on the site. Includes showers and toilets; around half an hour's walk from the railway station. Approx £15 a night if just camping. (updated Jun 2022)

## Stay safe

Although Norwich is generally a safe city to visit, caution should be taken when wandering the city centre at night. Use common sense and avoid back streets; staying in groups is always a good idea. Areas to avoid during the night would be Anglia Square, Eaton Park and Cathedral Close, although there is not much to do there at night so reasons to be there are limited anyway.
Prince of Wales Road is the city's main nightlife area, and gets extremely busy and filled with drunk people on a Friday or Saturday night. The immediately adjacent Tombland is another nightlife hotspot that may be best avoided on weekend nights if you wish to avoid drunk people. Random assaults in these areas by people who are drunk beyond all reason are not unheard of.
An "SOS Bus" operates on a charitable basis from a literal yellow bus at the bottom of Prince of Wales Road (across the bridge from the railway station) as a support point late on Friday and Saturday nights. It is primarily intended for those who are out clubbing, but if you are just stuck and need help (or just somewhere safe to be) it may be of use.
The local police force are Norfolk Constabulary, with the central police station being on Bethel Street, adjacent to the large City Hall building (with a tall clock tower that acts as a local landmark) opposite the market. As with all of the UK, if you need emergency police or medical assistance, call 999. You can also reach the police on a non-emergency basis on 101, although expect to wait for your call to be answered.
Homelessness and begging is sadly a common sight in the city, as is the hard drug abuse and alcoholism that goes with it. The homeless will however generally leave you alone and do not cause much trouble; they are more likely to engage in conversation with you about their lives. Those who do pester you for money will give up if you make it clear you will not give them any.

## Respect

People from Norwich are very aware of the (again, inaccurate) stereotypes of the city and its surrounds as some sort of barely-industrialised backwater or a glorified livestock market, and attitudes to these will vary from self-deprecating humour (as in the quote above) to defensive anger. It's best just not to make light of these. Jokes about inbreeding or the "Normal For Norfolk" stereotype are, it goes without saying, going to be extremely unappreciated by everyone.
In the same vein, references to the Norwich-dwelling comedy character Alan Partridge and quotes from his programmes (especially anything about the "pedestrianisation of Norwich city centre") are played out at this point and will just get you eye rolls at best - not least since these references are now literally decades old.

## Stay healthy

For urgent care, the Norwich and Norfolk Hospital has an accident and emergency department, which is most likely where you will be taken if you call 999. Certain bus lines also go directly to the hospital from the city centre.
* 52.61731.21981 Nearest Accident & Emergency: Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital (Casualty or the Emergency Room), Colney Lane, Norwich, NR4 7UY. 24/7. (updated Apr 2017)
For minor health complaints, the walk-in centre on Rouen Road may be able to assist, but you should be aware that this is not quick and it may take you quite some time to be seen, and patients will not be seen in order of arrival:
* 52.6262931.2988032 Norwich Walk-In Centre, Rouen House, Rouen Road, Norwich, NR1 1RB. 7AM-9PM. (updated Oct 2019)

## Connect

Norwich and surrounds have 4G mobile connectivity from all UK carriers. As of April 2022, the city centre has 5G from EE, O2 and Three.
The city doesn't have any Internet cafes; Norwich Library (at the Forum in the city centre) has computers available for use however, and various coffee shops will have free Wi-Fi available.
* 52.638331.296943 Norwich Computers, 157 - 159 Magdalen Street, Norwich, NR3 1NF, ☏ +44 1603 765659, sales@norwich-computers.co.uk. 9am-5pm. (updated Apr 2023)

## Go next

* The Broads are a network of scenic and mostly navigable rivers, lakes and marshes. Stroll the footpaths, take a boat trip or hire your own small motor- or sail-boat.
* Great Yarmouth
* Aylsham
* Long Stratton
* Dereham