THINGS TO DO IN NORWICH

Norwich is small enough to explore on foot, but full of independent cafés, brilliant restaurants, green spaces, historic streets and places to try something new. Whether you’re new to the area, visiting for the day or staying for a week, The Lions’ Den team has plenty of recommendations to share.

We’re lucky enough to live, work and spend plenty of time in Norwich, so we asked the team to tell us their favourite places. This guide brings together the local spots we recommend to friends, visitors and anyone looking to experience more of the city. So, if you’re looking for the best things to do in Norwich, from where to eat and drink to walks, culture and places to stay, keep reading.

START WITH THE NORWICH ESSENTIALS

If it is your first time in Norwich, begin in the city centre.

Explore Norwich Market, then wander through the independent shops, cafés and restaurants of the Norwich Lanes. From there, walk towards the Cathedral Quarter and along Elm Hill, one of the city’s most recognisable cobbled streets. Norwich Cathedral, the riverside and Tombland are all within easy walking distance.

Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery is another team favourite. Following its major redevelopment, visitors can explore the Norman keep, galleries and battlements, with panoramic views across the city from the top.

While you are in Norwich City Centre, our team also recommends:

Exploring the shops in the Royal Arcade
Visiting Jarrolds
Walking through Chapelfield Gardens
Stopping for afternoon tea at The Assembly House
Heading up to a rooftop bar for views across Norwich
Returning to Norwich Market hungry and trying something different for lunch
Sauna, ice baths and paddleboarding in Norwich

We know we’re slightly biased but we can’t help it (and it is our website), our team love spending time at The Lions’ Den and so no guide to things to do in Norwich would be complete without a mention of The Lions’ Den ...

The Lions' Den City

The Lions’ Den City is our social space in the centre of Norwich. Head to the rooftop for a sauna overlooking the city, cool down in an ice bath, take a movement class or stop for coffee and food in the café.

There is plenty happening throughout the week, from regular studio classes and social sauna sessions to workshops, talks and community events. It is a place to slow down, move, meet people or spend some time by yourself.

Visit City

The Lions' Den RIVER

The Lions’ Den River sits on the banks of the River Wensum, close to Norwich Cathedral. Book a riverside sauna and ice bath session, hire a paddleboard or join a lesson or social paddle during the warmer months. It is one of our favourite ways to experience a quieter side of Norwich and see the city from the water.

You can also pick up a coffee, sit beside the river and continue along the riverside path towards the Cathedral Quarter.

Explore River

THE BEST CAFÉS AND COFFEE SHOPS IN NORWICH

Norwich has an exciting independent café scene, and this was one of the most competitive categories when we asked our team for recommendations.

For brunch, we had lots of recommendations for No33, either on Exchange Street or in Chapelfield Gardens. For coffee and pastries, try Devecchio Bakery, Two Magpies, Strangers Coffee Company or Flock.

If you want somewhere relaxed to spend a little longer, try The Merchant’s House, which serves coffee during the day and drinks later on. The Green Grocers is a neighbourhood wholefood shop, bakery and café, while ORA Wellness Café is a good choice for a nourishing brunch, matcha or smoothie.

A little further from the city-centre streets, our team also recommends Dyrrah, Blue Bear, OP’s Coffee, River Green Pantry and The Street Kitchen for a traditional breakfast.

And, of course, you can visit us at The Lions’ Den City for coffee, breakfast, lunch or something to take away.

CAFE 33 IN THE PARK

image credit: instagram.com/cafe_no33

The Lions’ Den team’s Norwich café picks:

Devecchio Bakery
No33 and No33 in the Park
Strangers Coffee Company
Two Magpies
Flock
The Merchant’s House
The Green Grocers
ORA Wellness Café
Dyrrah
OP’s Coffee
Blue Bear
River Green Pantry
The Street Kitchen
The Lions' Den City
The Lions' Den River!

TALLOW

image credit: Barney Goodman, Unsplash

OUR FAVOURITE NORWICH RESTAURANTS

There are enough good restaurants in Norwich to plan an entire week around eating!

XO Kitchen was one of the most recommended Norwich restaurants by our team. Head there for Asian-inspired food, rice and noodle bowls at lunch or sharing plates in the evening.

For Italian food and handmade pasta, try Benoli. For a special meal, Benedicts is another firm Norwich favourite.

If you want a lively evening with plenty to share, look at Haggle, or try Gem of Norwich for Mediterranean and Turkish food. We also had recommendations for The Kimchi and Shiki for Korean and Japanese food, Mango-T for Thai, and Nergiz or Souk for Middle Eastern flavours.

For a more casual meal, try Bun X, Moto Pizza, Tallow, Yard on Pottergate, Yalm, AVO or The Waffle House. Meat lovers should add Brix and Bones to their list, while Redwell Brewery is a popular choice from the team for pizza and after work drinks.

Booking ahead is sensible for restaurants in Norwich, particularly on Friday and Saturday evenings.

The Lions’ Den team’s Norwich restaurant list:

XO Kitchen
Benoli
Benedicts
Haggle
Gem of Norwich
The Kimchi
Shiki
Mango-T
Nergiz
Souk
Tallow
Brix and Bones
Bun X
Yalm
Moto Pizza
Yard
AVO
The Waffle House
Redwell Brewery
The Rushcutters

WALKS AND OUTDOOR THINGS TO DO IN NORWICH

We all agreed that one of our favourite things about Norwich is you do'nt have to travel far from the city centre to find water, woodland and open green spaces.

Norwich Cathedral and the River Wensum

Start close to Norwich Cathedral and follow the riverside path along the Wensum. You can stop at The Lions’ Den River, continue towards Cow Tower or explore the Cathedral Quarter and Elm Hill. This is one of the easiest Norwich walks to combine with sightseeing, coffee or lunch.

Mousehold Heath

Head to Mousehold Heath for woodland paths and views across Norwich. The viewpoint near Britannia Road is particularly good at sunset, and some of our team also use the area for cycling.

Whitlingham Country Park

Walk around Whitlingham’s broad, stop at the café or spend time beside the water. It is close enough to Norwich for an easy morning or afternoon outside.

UEA Lake and Earlham Park

Walk around the UEA Broad, explore Earlham Park and continue through the university grounds. You can combine this with a visit to the Sainsbury Centre and its outdoor sculpture park.

Marriott’s Way and Sweet Briar Marshes

Follow part of Marriott’s Way, a long-distance walking and cycling route that begins in Norwich. The section around Sweet Briar Marshes offers an accessible way to escape the city without travelling far.

WHITLINGHAM COUNTRY PARK

More Norwich (and close to Norwich) walks recommended by our team:

Bowthorpe Marshes and Bowthorpe Southern Park
Marston Marshes
Danby Wood
Caistor St Edmund and the Roman remains
Taverham Mill
Thorpe St Andrew riverside route

SAINSBURY CENTRE

image credit: instagram.com/sainsburycentre

ART, HISTORY & CULTURE IN NORWICH

The Sainsbury Centre at the University of East Anglia is one of the most frequent recommendations from our team. Explore its art collections and exhibitions, then walk through the free outdoor Sculpture Park, which is open during daylight hours.

Other cultural places to visit in Norwich include:

Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery
Norwich Cathedral
The Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell
Strangers’ Hall
The South Asia Collection
Norwich Theatre Royal
Norwich Arts Centre
Cinema City
The Forum and Millennium Library

It's worth checking the city’s events calendar before visiting. Norwich hosts exhibitions, festivals, performances, markets, talks and community events throughout the year.

We also host plenty of events at The Lions' Den, check out our events calendar for what's on.

THINGS TO DO NEAR NORWICH

Staying for more than a day? Use Norwich as a base for exploring more of Norfolk and Suffolk.

Our team recommends hiring a boat on the Norfolk Broads, visiting Winbirri Vineyard or Flint Vineyard, and heading to the Norfolk coast for a walk and fish and chips.

Other ideas include:

Walking along Cromer Pier
Visiting Happisburgh Lighthouse
Swimming at Beccles Lido
Exploring the market towns and villages around the Broads
Taking the train to Gunton and visiting The Suffield Arms
Spending a day at one of Norfolk’s beaches

CROMER PIER

image credit: Patrick Bate

38 ST GILES

image credit: instagram.com/38stgiles

WHERE TO STAY IN AND AROUND NORWICH

38 St Giles

For a central Norwich stay, choose 38 St Giles, a boutique bed and breakfast in a historic building close to the Norwich Lanes, market and city-centre restaurants. Its location makes it easy to explore most of the city on foot.

Fritton Lake

For a countryside stay, Fritton Lake is set within a large Norfolk rewilding project and offers individually designed hotel rooms, woodland cabins and cottages.

Guests can spend time wild swimming, paddleboarding, walking, playing tennis or using the heated outdoor pool and floating sauna.

Enjoy Norwich

There’s plenty more to Norwich than we could fit into one guide, but we hope this gives you plenty of inspiration.

Whether you’re visiting for the weekend, new to the city or have lived here for years and want to discover new places, Norwich has plenty to explore, eat, drink and experience.

And while you’re exploring Norwich, come and spend some time with us at The Lions’ Den. We'll be here to welcome you in.