East of England
Date ideas in Norwich
Updated
Norwich packs a cathedral, a Norman castle and more medieval churches than anywhere north of the Alps into a city you can cross on foot. In between there are cobbled lanes, one of the oldest markets in the country and a river path that winds past old towers and watergates. The Broads and the north Norfolk coast are close enough for a day out, and there's plenty to do indoors when the east wind blows. These are our picks.
Our picks in Norwich
Walk round the largest cloisters in England, crane your necks at the carved and painted roof bosses, and look up at one of the tallest spires in the country.
Why it's a good date: Free to visit and deeply peaceful, even on a busy Saturday. Have tea in the Refectory café, then wander the Close down to the river.
Photo: Sumit Surai, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Norwich Castle
Castle Hill, city centre
Address: Norwich Castle, Castle Meadow, Norwich NR1 3JU- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Mid-price
Explore the restored Norman keep, laid out as the royal palace it once was, then climb to the battlements and see the medieval galleries and art collections below.
Why it's a good date: The keep reopened after years of work and it's well worth the climb, with the whole city spread out from the top. Leave a good couple of hours for it.
Photo: Jeff Buck, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Elm Hill and Tombland
Elm Hill, between Princes Street and Wensum Street
Address: Elm Hill, Norwich NR3 1HG- Outdoors
- Free
- Romantic
Wander up the cobbled street of Elm Hill, lined with timber-framed houses and little shops, then out into Tombland and through the old gates to the cathedral.
Why it's a good date: The prettiest street in the city and free to stroll. Go early or late in the day when it's quiet, and stop for coffee on the way.
Photo: Christopher Hilton, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Norwich Market
Market Place, by Gentleman's Walk
Address: Market Place, Norwich NR2 1ND- Other
- Cheap and cheerful
- Foodie
Graze your way round the rows of stripy-roofed stalls in the market square below City Hall, with street food from all over the world alongside chips, fresh fish and flowers.
Why it's a good date: Lunch for two for not much, and the stalls are covered if it rains. Split up, pick a dish each, and meet back to share.
Photo: Chris Holifield, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Sainsbury Centre
University of East Anglia, Earlham
Address: Sainsbury Centre, University of East Anglia, Norfolk Road, Norwich NR4 7TJ- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Free
See Picasso, Bacon and Giacometti alongside art from around the world in Norman Foster's great glass-and-metal hangar on the university campus.
Why it's a good date: Entry is pay what you can, from nothing up, and the building is worth seeing on its own. Afterwards, walk down to the lake on the edge of the campus.
Photo: Ian Beales, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Cinema City
St Andrew's Street, city centre
Address: Cinema City, St Andrew's Street, Norwich NR2 4AD- Event
- Rain-proof ☔
- Cheap and cheerful
- Cosy
Watch a film at the independent cinema set in a medieval merchant's house, with a bar and courtyard for a drink before or after.
Why it's a good date: A cinema date with more character than any multiplex. Book ahead for new releases, and get there early for a drink in the courtyard.
Theatre Royal Norwich
Theatre Street, city centre
Address: Theatre Royal, Theatre Street, Norwich NR2 1RL- Event
- Rain-proof ☔
- Mid-price
- Big night
- Culture
See a touring musical, ballet, comedy or the Christmas panto at the big theatre in the middle of the city.
Why it's a good date: The touring shows that play the West End come here, so it's a proper big night out. Book ahead, and have dinner or a drink at the Assembly House next door first.
Photo: habiloid, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
The Riverside Walk to Pull's Ferry
Riverside Walk, from Bishopgate to Pull's Ferry
Address: Pull's Ferry, Ferry Lane, Norwich NR1 4DZ- Outdoors
- Free
- Romantic
Follow the path along the River Wensum past the round medieval Cow Tower and Bishop Bridge to Pull's Ferry, the old flint watergate below the cathedral.
Why it's a good date: A quiet, green stretch of the city that feels miles from the shops. Start with a pint at the Adam and Eve and finish by cutting up through the Close to the cathedral.
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
The Plantation Garden
Earlham Road, just west of the city centre
Address: The Plantation Garden, 4 Earlham Road, Norwich NR2 3DB- Outdoors
- Cheap and cheerful
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Romantic
Step down into a Victorian garden tucked inside an old chalk quarry, with a Gothic fountain, terraces, rockeries and palm trees.
Why it's a good date: Lots of people who live in Norwich have never found it, which is half the charm. Bring cake for a bench by the fountain, and look out for summer evening events in the garden.
Photo: Amitchell125, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
A Broads boat trip from Wroxham
The Bridge, Wroxham, about 15 minutes by train
Address: Broads Tours, The Bridge, Wroxham, Norwich NR12 8RX- Trip
- Outdoors
- Mid-price
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Out of town
Take the train out to Wroxham and hire a day boat, or join a river trip, to potter along the Bure past thatched boathouses, reedbeds and open broads.
Why it's a good date: Taking the helm of your own little boat is a lot of fun, and no experience is needed. Pack a picnic, book ahead on sunny weekends, and moor up at a riverside pub.
Photo: Colin Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
The Adam and Eve
Bishopgate, by the cathedral
Address: 17 Bishopgate, Norwich NR3 1RZ- Bar
- Rain-proof ☔
- Cheap and cheerful
- Cosy
- Culture
Have a drink in the flint-and-brick pub near the cathedral that calls itself the oldest alehouse in Norwich, with low beams inside and a flowery terrace out front.
Why it's a good date: Small, old and full of character, so you can actually hear each other. It's right by the river path, so it makes the perfect start or end to a walk.
Photo: Colin Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Cromer Pier
Cromer, about an hour by train
Address: Cromer Pier, The Promenade, Cromer NR27 9HF- Trip
- Outdoors
- Free
- Out of town
Take the Bittern Line train to the coast at Cromer, walk out along the Victorian pier, then share fish and chips or a famous Cromer crab on the clifftop.
Why it's a good date: A classic seaside day that's lovely even out of season. Check what's on at the Pavilion Theatre at the end of the pier, as the summer and Christmas shows are a tradition.
Photo: Scribwik, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Benedicts
St Benedicts Street, Norwich Lanes
Address: 9 St Benedicts Street, Norwich NR2 4PE- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Book a table at the small, relaxed restaurant on St Benedicts Street, where the tasting menus are built on Norfolk produce and change with the seasons.
Why it's a good date: Seriously good food without any stuffiness, which makes it a favourite for anniversaries. Book ahead, and mention the occasion when you do.
The Assembly House
Theatre Street, next to the Theatre Royal
Address: The Assembly House, Theatre Street, Norwich NR2 1RQ- Café
- Rain-proof ☔
- Mid-price
- Romantic
Have afternoon tea in the grand Georgian rooms of the Assembly House, where the themed menu of sandwiches, scones and cakes changes through the year.
Why it's a good date: A proper treat in one of the city's most elegant buildings. Book ahead, and pair it with a matinee at the Theatre Royal next door.
Photo: David Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Mousehold Heath
St James' Hill, off Gurney Road, Thorpe Hamlet
Address: St James' Hill, Mousehold Heath, Norwich NR1 4HR- Outdoors
- Free
- Dog friendly
Climb up to St James' Hill on the edge of Mousehold Heath for the view across the city's spires and towers, then wander the woodland and heath paths behind it.
Why it's a good date: The best view of Norwich, and a favourite with local dog walkers. Go up at sunset with a flask, when the cathedral spire catches the last of the light.
Photo: Bill Boaden, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Dates in Norwich: quick answers
What are good rainy-day dates in Norwich?
The cathedral is free and indoors, and so, more or less, is the Sainsbury Centre, where entry is pay what you can. Norwich Castle, a film at Cinema City, a show at the Theatre Royal and afternoon tea at the Assembly House will all keep you dry, and the Adam and Eve is a cosy place to sit out a shower.
Are there free date ideas in Norwich?
Lots. The cathedral costs nothing to visit, and Elm Hill, the Riverside Walk to Pull's Ferry and the view from Mousehold Heath are all free. The Sainsbury Centre is pay what you can, and a day at Cromer only costs the train fare.
Can you get to the Broads and the coast from Norwich without a car?
Yes. Trains on the Bittern Line run from Norwich to Hoveton and Wroxham in about 15 minutes and on to Cromer in about an hour, so a boat trip or a day at the seaside is easy by rail.
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