East of England
Rainy day date ideas in Norwich
Updated
Norwich has plenty under a roof for when the east wind blows. The cathedral is free and deeply peaceful, and the castle’s restored Norman keep is laid out as the royal palace it once was. The Sainsbury Centre is pay what you can, with art from around the world in a striking building. For a film, Cinema City sits in a medieval merchant’s house, and the Theatre Royal brings in the big touring shows. The Assembly House does afternoon tea in grand Georgian rooms, the Adam and Eve is small and old enough that you can hear each other, and Benedicts is the one for a special tasting menu built on Norfolk produce.
Our picks
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)
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 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)
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)
Quick answers
What's free to do in Norwich when it rains?
Norwich Cathedral is free, and the Sainsbury Centre is pay what you can, from nothing up.
Where can we have afternoon tea in Norwich?
The Assembly House does afternoon tea in its Georgian rooms, with a themed menu that changes through the year. Book ahead, and pair it with a matinee at the Theatre Royal next door.
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