Nottingham has a whole range of tourist attractions which are perfect for taking a break or showing to friends/family who come to visit. We went to City of Caves, located in the Broadmarsh Centre, here’s what we thought!
Rating: 4/5
When entering the reception area and gift shop with various Robin Hood and caving souvenirs, it’s hard to imagine that by taking a few steps downstairs you’ll immediately be in one of Nottingham’s ancient sandstone caves. The City of Caves experience starts when you put on a very attractive hard hat, so that you don’t bump your head on any low doorways or get sand in your hair. On weekends, there is a tour guide who leads you through a small part of the large network of underground caves that exist in Nottingham.
Leona experiencing the caves for the first time. Credit L Hinds
The tour guide was very knowledgeable about the history of the caves and Nottingham itself. He told us about the old streets of the city, what type of people lived where, the different uses of the caves across different periods of time and brought history to life when explaining the tanning process of leather, which isn’t for the faint-hearted! He also explained why caves and beer go together so well, take the tour if you want to find out why, we aren’t giving away any clues. There are other secrets of the caves which we will leave you to discover when you go yourself.
The caves are in good condition, although slippery in some places. Tall people will have to mind their heads but there is nothing to be afraid of (although they do offer paranormal events for those who are interested). Although the caves had a smelly past, they don’t smell unpleasant now.
Learnings about the history of the caves from a medieval beer cellar. Credit L Hinds
The tour lasts about 45 minutes in total and there is the opportunity to ask questions too. It was nice to escape from the city for a bit and get to see a hidden part of history. Other UK cities have caves too, but Nottingham is renowned for theirs and it’s really worth a trip to appreciate the cave experience.
The City of Caves is closely linked with the Galleries of Justice Museum, if you want to visit both, see the website below as you can buy a joint entrance ticket and save money.
Tickets: £7.50 (£5.50 with your student ID)Opening times: Audio tours – Mon – Fri 10.30am – 4pmGuided tours Sat – Sun 10.30am – 4pmLocation: Upper level Broadmarsh Centre, Nottingham, NG1 7LS
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Edited by Mackenzie Orrock