The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

What it’s like

Free wander round a proper Gothic Revival cathedral, with a garden café for afterwards and no ticket to buy.

Walking in costs nothing, which is rare for somewhere this grand. It's a Victorian Gothic Revival building, so you've got the tall arches, the stonework and the sheer scale of it to point out to a curious seven-year-old, even if a toddler will be more interested in running down the middle of the nave than admiring the architecture.

There's no set trail to follow and no age given for who it suits best, so this works better as a stop you fold into a wider day in Norwich rather than the whole trip. Give it half an hour if you're just having a look, longer if anyone in your group actually reads the information boards. The Children's Pilgrimage to Walsingham is one specific event worth knowing about if your visit lines up with it.

The Garden Café does breakfast and lunch Monday to Saturday, with longer hours in the summer months. It's a ten minute walk from the city centre, and buses 25 and 26 stop right beside the cathedral on Earlham Road if you don't fancy the walk from the station, which takes more like 25 to 30 minutes.

Parking on site is limited. There are two small car parks, but the spaces right beside the cathedral are permit holders only, so don't count on pulling up close. The whole place is wheelchair accessible, and there's a gift shop if anyone wants a postcard on the way out.

Facilities

Need to know

Parking

Two small car parks on site. Spaces beside Cathedral are permit holders only

Food

Garden Café with breakfast and lunch served Mon-Sat

Getting there by bus or train

10 minute walk from Norwich city centre

• Entry is free every day, 7:30am to 6:00pm.
• The café keeps shorter hours outside July to September, so check the season before you plan lunch around it.
• The shop and café both close earlier than the cathedral itself, around 2:30pm most of the year.
• Permit holder parking sits right beside the building, so the two general car parks are your best bet.

Plan your visit

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