City of Caves
ENTRY
from £9.50
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
Nottingham
What it’s like
Sandstone tunnels under Nottingham with WW2 shelters and a medieval tannery, walked with an audio guide.
You go underground here, literally, into a network of caves hand carved into the sandstone beneath Nottingham. An audio guide takes you round at your own pace, through WW2 air raid shelters and a medieval tannery, with the passageways doing most of the storytelling. Bring your own headphones if you've got them.
It's not a long visit, about 45 minutes with the audio guide, so it slots in well either side of something else in town. Adult tickets are £12, kids aged 5 to 15 are £9.50, and under-5s go free. Family tickets bring the cost down a bit, £32 for two adults and two kids or £36.50 with three, and there's a joint ticket with the National Justice Museum if you fancy both in a day.
The catch is the site itself. Spiral staircases and uneven hand-carved floors mean it's not accessible for wheelchairs, prams or anyone with limited mobility, so this one's a walking trip only. There's no café or toilets on site either, both a five minute walk away at the National Justice Museum, and it's card only, so leave the coins at home.
Booking's recommended rather than compulsory. Slots are timed with limited capacity, and while walk-ins get squeezed in when there's room, you're better off booking ahead, especially since all bookings are non-refundable if plans change.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- School-age kids who can manage stairs and enjoy a bit of history underfoot
- Last entry
- 4:10pm (final tour)
- Booking
- Timed slots with limited capacity
- Parking
- No on-site parking. Nearby multi-storey and pay & display options within 6 minutes walk
- Pushchairs
- Not accessible. Prams cannot be brought due to historic nature of site
- Wheelchairs
- Not accessible. Historic caves with spiral staircase and uneven hand-carved sandstone floor unsuitable for wheelchair users
- Getting there by bus or train
- Nottingham Train Station 0.7 miles away (10-15 minute walk)
- Worth knowing
- General admission ticket grants unlimited entry for 12 months from purchase date
- General admission gets you unlimited entry back for 12 months from purchase, handy if you want to split the visit up
- Nearest train station is a 10 to 15 minute walk, or use the Lace Market tram stop
- Groups and schools need to book ahead by phone or email rather than online
- Last tour goes in at 4:10pm even though the site's open till 5pm
Plan your visit
How much are tickets?
£12 for adults, £9.50 for kids aged 5 to 15, and under-5s go in free. Family tickets run from £26 up to £36.50 depending on the mix of adults and children.
Do we need to book?
It's recommended since slots are timed with limited capacity. Walk-ins are accommodated if there's space, but that's not guaranteed.
How long does the visit take?
About 45 minutes with the audio guide, which they say is the best way to get the full experience.
Can we bring a pram or use a wheelchair?
The caves have a spiral staircase and uneven hand-carved sandstone floors, so prams and wheelchairs can't get round. It's not suitable for anyone with limited mobility either.
Is there parking?
Nothing on site, but there are multi-storey car parks on Stoney Street and at Lace Market within about six minutes' walk, plus pay and display on High Pavement.
Is there a café or toilets?
Neither on site, though there's a small gift shop. Both are available five minutes away at the National Justice Museum.
Can we pay with cash?
It's a cashless site, so bring a card. Cash payments can be made at the National Justice Museum nearby.
What if we need to cancel or change our booking?
Bookings are non-refundable, but the venue will exchange your date or give you a gift voucher valid for a year if you contact them.
Are you open on bank holidays?
Open daily 10am to 5pm, closed only on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Last tour goes in at 4:10pm.
Do carers get in free?
Carers and personal assistants go free but still need a ticket booked alongside the paid ones, done by phone or email in advance.
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