Things to do in Norwich

Kick off your trip with a foodie treat on your feet. Meet at St Giles’ Pantry where local cheese sommelier Cheryl Cade will guide you to several speciality cheesemongers to sample their local delicacies. This tour takes you through the famous Norwich Market, with its colourful striped canopy – home to over 180 retailers, selling everything from clothes and toys to books and pies. And plenty of cheese too, of course!

Climb up Castle Hill to reach Norwich Castle which, when it was completed in 1121, was one of medieval Europe’s most impressive royal palaces. Today it’s chock-full of treasures to discover: from an Ancient Egyptian mummy to Viking jewellery and Victorian death masks. You can take a guided tour or explore on your own, and the castle will fully open in summer 2025 after an extensive refurbishment – allowing you to snoop inside the dungeons, gaze out from the battlements, and much more.  

Serving fish and chips for more than 90 years, Grosvenor Fish Bar is steeped in history. You won’t miss it either, as it usually has a huge queue snaking out of its doors. Enjoy classics like battered cod, fishcakes and beef dripping-cooked chips, or Grosvenor-exclusive options like Six-quid Squid, Loony Toony (battered tuna), and Krusty Krab Po’Boy (soft-shell crab in a roll). One of the top foodie attractions in Norwich.

The Gothic House, on the edge of the Cathedral Quarter, a two-bedroomed wisteria-festooned B&B that wouldn’t look out of place in New Orleans’ French Quarter. It serves up sustainable breakfasts and plenty of knick-knacks to catch the eye, while its central location makes it a great base for places to visit in Norwich – with a wealth of restaurants and shops within a few minutes’ walk.

Fancy a night out with a difference? Grab your smartphone and comfy shoes for the self-guided Mayor Murder Mystery – one of the quirkiest things to do in Norwich. Follow the clues around a two-mile (3.2km) circuit in the city; you can go at your own pace, and even stop off for a cheeky pint on the way.

Breakfast at The Waffle House provides sustenance for your day ahead – with a side of fun. Choose from waffles topped with streaky bacon and maple syrup, cinnamon-spiced granola or cheesy beans – and more. Its dessert waffles are oh-so sweet, featuring Belgian chocolate mousse, fruit salad and cherry Bakewell. 

Spend the morning at Norwich Cathedral, a magnificent Romanesque cathedral with the largest monastic cloisters in the country and secret medieval graffiti. Once you’ve admired its incredible interiors, which featured in several Harry Potter films, walk over to Norwich’s most complete medieval street – Elm Hill. You might recognise it from Netflix’s hit Christmas flick Jingle Jangle. Its cobbled road is lined with old merchants’ houses, which now contain independent shops and cute cafés – one of the top places to visit in Norwich.

Head into Norwich Lanes to discover independent fashion boutiques, galleries and jewellery shops. For vintage gems, check out Magdalen Street – while The Royal Arcade, with its colourful tiles and stained-glass windows, has even more independent shops to explore. Jarrolds, the city’s five-floor award-winning department store, is the spot for upmarket brands and local artisan treats.

Tucked away on the University of East Anglia campus is the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts. This modern, cuboid structure (which starred as Marvel’s Avengers headquarters in three movies – Avengers: Age of Ultron, Antman 2 and Spiderman: Homecoming) houses a vast collection of art by the likes of Francis Bacon and Picasso. Spend the afternoon poring over its abstract, constructivist and art nouveau wonders; for art lovers, this is one of the best things to do in Norwich. 

Round off your trip with an evening of live music and good cheer at the Bowling House. As its name suggests, it has its very own bowling alley – as well as a cocktail bar, karaoke venue and restaurant under one roof. One of the top places to go in Norwich for date nights and group visits, with live comedy on selected nights too.