Nottingham

There is a second city beneath Nottingham: Since the Middle Ages, residents have dug more than 800 caves into the soft sandstone, using them as cellars, tanneries and air-raid shelters. A city break in Nottingham takes you into this underworld, onto the trail of Robin Hood, into old pubs and to a district that once supplied lace to half the world.

Robin Hood's Hometown

The legend of the outlaw who robbed the rich to give to the poor is closely tied to Nottingham and nearby Sherwood Forest; his adversary was the Sheriff of Nottingham. A bronze statue of the archer stands below the castle walls. Nottingham Castle sits on a sandstone rock; the medieval fortress was destroyed in the 17th century and replaced by a ducal palace, which today houses a museum and an exhibition on Robin Hood. In the rock below, passages such as Mortimer's Hole lead through the cliff, the route the young King Edward III used in 1330 to break in and seize his mother's lover.

Sights in Nottingham

In the City of Caves beneath a shopping center, guided tours show you a medieval tannery and air-raid shelters from World War II. At the foot of the castle is Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, which advertises the year 1189 and is considered one of the oldest pubs in England; some of its rooms are carved directly into the rock. The heart of the city is Old Market Square with the Council House and its dome, where an urban beach appears in summer and a Christmas market in winter. To the west lies Wollaton Hall, an Elizabethan mansion in a deer park that served as Wayne Manor in the film "The Dark Knight Rises."

Lace Market and Hockley

In the 19th century, Nottingham was the world center of machine-made lace. The Lace Market still has the large red-brick warehouses where the goods were stored and sold, now home to apartments, bars and the art center Nottingham Contemporary. Right next door is Hockley, the creative district with independent shops, record stores, cafés and art-house cinemas. Nottingham is a UNESCO City of Literature: Lord Byron lived at nearby Newstead Abbey, and D. H. Lawrence grew up in the mining town of Eastwood.

Food, Nightlife and Sports

As a student city with two large universities, Nottingham has a lively nightlife, especially in Hockley and around the Lace Market. Traditional pubs serve regional real ale. On the banks of the Trent in West Bridgford are the stadium of Nottingham Forest FC, which won the European Cup twice in the late 1970s, and the Trent Bridge cricket ground. In October, the Goose Fair takes place, a funfair whose roots reach back to the Middle Ages.

Getting There and Best Time to Visit

East Midlands Airport is about 25 kilometers (16 miles) to the southwest, and London St Pancras is just under two hours away by train. The tram connects the center with suburbs such as Bulwell, Wilford and Clifton. The best time to visit is from May to September. Day trips lead to Sherwood Forest with the Major Oak, an ancient oak tree, and to the Peak District.