To think Norwich is overrated?

[MissManda]

I hope I don't cause offence to anyone with this post. However, I visited Norwich for the first time today after people telling me it was lovely and worth the visit. I expected it to be similar to York...but..it just wasn't. It seemed quite rundown and dirty, difficult to navigate, and literally the only nice bit was near the cathedral. However, even that was still not anywhere near as nice as somewhere like York...

I spent 6 hours there exploring. Am I missing something or is Norwich hugely overrated?

I like Norwich but I wouldn’t make a big trip to see it.

@Excelthetube

Did you walk round tombland? St Benedicts Lots of nice restaurants and pubs. The market Little streets off it.

Norwich has never been wealthy ( well apart from the 13th -15th century) but there are loads of nice places.
Round the train station is a bit grim.

The river walks are lovely. It also doesn’t have quite the horrible drunk tourism that York has.
But it’s a working city, not a theme park. And it’s pretty beautiful IMPO

Stop! Let people believe the OP and they'll stay away.
I do live not for from Norwich and I've lived close to York. The last time I was up in York I felt very disappointed, it seemed to have changed such a lot. All places have their grotty parts and their often photographed parts, Norwich and York are no different, visiters who leave the main places in London are often horrified.

I love Norwich but then I am absolutely mad about medieval churches so I would do.

Are you from Ipswich, OP?

I visited Norwich about 4 years ago and I really liked it.
I particularly liked the Victorian Mall & I had a nice meal in the the Jamie Oliver restaurant that was at the entrance.
The cathedral is really impressive, as it the whole Tombland area. I loved wandering around all the little medieval streets and checking out the shops. I had coffee and delicious cake in the cafe in Jarrolds, a beautiful old time department store.
There's a fab cinema in an historic building where you can get a drink and bring it in with you to see the film ..

There's a great art college and the Sainsbury Centre is world class.

All in all it really surpassed my expectations. I was there for work and had a bit of free time which I spent exploring on my own and it is definitely a place I would like to visit again!

@BrozTito

Did you visit the spice museum?

That's Longstanton.

If you’ve based your view in Norwich on places like the Riverside development you didn’t do it right.

The Cathedral /Tombland area are beautiful, as is the riverside walk from Pulls Ferry, past Cow Tower etc.
The Castle (although there is building work on at the moment).
The Lanes - great selection of independent shops, pubs and food places.
So many quirky pubs, some with great history behind them
Plantation Gardens
Sainsbury Centre and Sculpture Park
The Market
Roman Catholic Cathedral
Theatres - particularly Playhouse, Maddermarket & Puppet Theatre (although latter currently closed)
Jarrolds
Assembly Rooms
Whittlingham Country Park
Thorpe Marshes
Dragon Hall
Strangers Hall
Currently there’s the dinosaur sculptures and accompanying food trail plus Dippy at the Cathedral

There really is so much, and that’s before looking at Norfolk more widely.

I don’t think you just chose the areas within Norwich to visit particularly well. Many cities have an area that is exactly like riverside. Summer school holidays are never a great place to visit cities either IMO. There are lots of great areas in the city as others have mentioned, depends what you are looking for. The museum on the hill in the city centre is another great place, there are also some fabulous restaurants and places to eat that aren’t chains. I like it because it’s not been too commercialised, but we can’t all like everything . You’ve done it now, hopefully you will enjoy your next visit elsewhere more.

@newnortherner111

Are you from Ipswich, OP?

🤣

I went to UEA and stayed in Norwich for a few years afterwards. My walk to walk used to take me along the river, through the cathedral close and just out into Tombland. I really liked living in Norwich.

@Rayna37

Is it that highly rated though? I've lived in Chester, York and close to Bath and would never have thought as Norwich as somewhere along those lines! You hear plenty of love for parts of North Norfolk but I'd always assumed (on limited evidence) Norwich was just a small provincial city? "Normal for Norfolk" and all that!

I'm actually going next month so hoping it is lovely. Talk of good pubs is a promising start.

This. Not sure. Norwich would be in anyone's list of places that are "rated" in that they are considered good/pretty places for tourists.

It's just a UK city. Nice bits, not so nice bits.

So it is overrated? No.

@SmidgenofaPigeon

I can’t believe Winchester gets missed off all these ‘charming’ city suggestions! Another place that has charm in spades. Like Norwich.

Winchester is lovely. I lived in York and have a huge soft spot for it but it’s like Disneyland these days, so’s Bath. I’d be just as happy with a weekend in Norwich, the pubs and tearoom are good, so are the shops - lots of cool little independents.

........

.........some people

.....or the owl sanctuary

We are visiting there today as sil moved there I've heard good things about it

Was born and breed in Norwich, some of the older bits are okay, lots of areas are pretty run down, best thing to happen recently is the new NDR so you don’t need to drive through the city any more on the way to the coast

Wtf there really is a spice museum?does it have an exhibition that goes 'euggggggggggh'?

Go to Norwich, a bonfire fine city (fully recognise this is a 90s joke).
I spent my formative years in Norwich and visit occasionally, it's full of fascinating history, great buildings, wonderful shopping experiences, loads to do and visit. I live near Bath and would spend a day in Norwich over Bath or York every time.

Did you go to the castle? Into the cathedral? Look round the market or pop into The Forum?

It's a shame the Castle was on prebooked visits and that work is on (though pretty vital). The tiny Bridewell museum is well thought out and child friendly. Had friends visit and they loved the mixture of shops, tiny streets and mediaeval city centre, the market etc. The cathedral is one of the earliest in Britain so Romanesque with one of the highest spires in the UK. And a resident cathedral cat. Norwich was not only the preeminent city after London in England for some mediaeval centuries, but also revitalised by weaving. I agree they could up the street cleaning in some areas.

WHO does rate Norwich?

Strangers for coffee and Biddys tea room for afternoon cake.

Bicycle cafe on st Benedicts for brunch.

Playhouse bar is one of my favourites in the evening, or the Rumsey Wells for a pie and a pint.

Norwich is much smaller than York so not really comparable. It was the second city to London in medieval so lots of interesting medieval buildings. Like a lot of cities there is a lot of deprivation in some parts of the city. Then there are other lovely parts.

Well Glinner lives there, so that's a pretty decent reason to avoid like the plague, I'd say.

@hocusspocuss

Well Glinner lives there, so that's a pretty decent reason to avoid like the plague, I'd say.

Nah. Glinners great. I'd be more than happy to live near him. ☺️

I'd actually move there for that reason

@hocusspocuss

Well Glinner lives there, so that's a pretty decent reason to avoid like the plague, I'd say.

Does he? Fuck that then.