Nottingham Castle — Attraction in Nottingham

A Royal Experience Worth Every Moment: My Visit to Nottingham Castle

Stepping into Nottingham Castle was like taking a direct portal back through centuries of rich English history. From the moment I approached its imposing gates, I felt an undeniable sense of anticipation, and I'm delighted to say that the castle and its grounds surpassed every expectation.

The reimagined visitor experience is a triumph. The interactive exhibits, particularly those delving into the legend of Robin Hood and the castle's pivotal role in English civil wars, are both educational and thoroughly engaging. I especially appreciated the way historical facts were brought to life, making the past feel tangible and immediate. The visual displays and audio presentations are top-notch, catering to all ages and ensuring that even complex historical narratives are easily digestible.

Beyond the engaging indoor exhibits, the grounds themselves are a delight to explore. The views from the castle keep are simply breathtaking, offering panoramic vistas of Nottingham that stretch for miles. It’s easy to imagine archers standing guard here, surveying the landscape. The gardens are beautifully maintained, providing a serene escape and a perfect spot to reflect on the history that permeates every stone.

A highlight for me was [*INSERT YOUR SPECIFIC HIGHLIGHT HERE - e.g., "exploring the cave system beneath the castle," "the vibrant art galleries," "the ducal palace architecture," or "a particular re-enactment/display if you saw one"]. This unique aspect truly added another layer to the visit and provided a deeper insight into the castle's multifaceted past.

The staff were incredibly welcoming and knowledgeable, happy to answer questions and share their passion for the castle's history. Their enthusiasm was infectious and further enhanced the overall experience.

Whether you're a history buff, a fan of legendary tales, or simply looking for a fascinating day out, Nottingham Castle delivers on all fronts. It's more than just a historical site; it's a vibrant, immersive journey through time. I left feeling enriched, enlightened, and with a renewed appreciation for Nottingham's incredible heritage. I wholeheartedly recommend a visit – you won't be...

The castle is absolutely 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀! There is so much to do, you could easily spend the whole day here and then even have a bit of time to go into the beautiful city centre to explore more and fully immerse yourselves in all things Robin Hood!

We last visited the castle several years ago, and as lovely as it was, there wasn’t much to keep you engaged. Fast forward to 2023, and Nottingham Castle have reopened their gates once again to the public and it’s a brilliant full day out for families now!

First of all, it’s 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲. Most of the gallery rooms you go into have hands on activities. You can make your way to the 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 and enjoy the digital games on offer such as archery, you can try on some costumes and even learn more about Sherwood Forest. We loved this part of the castle.

There are 4 more floors of galleries to explore, and a cafe on site. There’s plenty of grass so you could take a picnic to save on cost. There’s also a lift within the castle too for access.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁?… 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁! £12 per adult Kids go FREE 15 years and under! (3 per paid adult) Plus you pay once, then you can visit all year round as many times as you like. It’s such brilliant value for money!

We also went on the 𝗰𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿. This is an additional £5 per person. It’s a 40 minute tour of the sandstone caves below the castle. We loved it and the guide gave lots of information too.

Lastly, the 𝗵𝘂𝗴𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸 is such a great asset and brilliant for kids to explore, play and use their imagination in the fort.

We parked in Broad Marsh Car Park. It’s a 11 minute walk to the castle which takes you through the city centre square where you’ll find restaurants and shops. Up to 6 hours is £11.00, which is quite expensive but think this is normal for Nottingham. Another option is park and ride sites with the tram too. The car parks are free and a group ticket for unlimited travel on 1 day is £8.00 (for 1 or 2 adults and up to 3 children). This is for weekends and school hols, term time is £12.00. The best one would be The Forest (NG7 6AQ). Free parking, a 7 min tram ride to Old Market Square. From there, the castle is an 8...

Unfortunately we were extremely disappointed. If it was called a Palace which it is maybe we wouldn't be but unfortunately talking to other people there we weren't the only ones extremely confused. If you're going in expecting to see the castle don't bother cause there isn't one. All that's left from the castle is the main gate and the wall and you can see both from the outside. Inside there was a land train you can take to get to the Palace. Our children loved it. There is also a castle themed playpark there. The Palace is just an art gallery really which unfortunately isn't our thing especially with 2 yound children. There was a Robin Hood themed story time which was good. The Robin Hood experience was good for kids as they were able to fight with little John and shoot like Robin. The cafe was very average but prices for what it was on the higher side. The staff also looked like they really didn't want to be there and weren't very polite. We've booked the cave tour which was ok but DON'T take young children! The guy doing the tour was very knowledgeable and clearly very passionate about the place. But I'd call it more of the history lesson in a cave and not the cave tour. We got to see 3 caves which were very interesting and listen to a lot of history which was very interesting but our 2 years old didn't think so. If it wasn't for a young lady / staff member who went out of the way to keep her entertained I wouldn't be able to listen to any of it. But still definitely worth doing while you're there. The grounds are lovely with deckchairs scattered around allowed us to have a lovely break especially in the extreme heat. Also the reception staff or at least a lad that served us wasn't very helpful, didn't know answers to any of the questions and was rude, very long wait to enter as well as they're doing a yearly pass while you're entering and trying to collect a lot of additional information from you. We didnt do it as it was taking people in front of us that long the kids were getting restless but to be honest it's not worth visiting more than once.Over all good if you don't expect to...