Lincoln travel guide

Lincoln is a city in the East Midlands of England and the county town of Lincolnshire, with a population of 97,541 in 2019.

It has a well-preserved medieval centre, with the cathedral, once the tallest building in the world, and castle atop its cobbled Steep Hill. Lincoln High Street is bustling, with numerous independent and chain retailers.

The city also has a strong industrial and military history, being the city where the military tank was first invented, and having a lot of Royal Air Force bases close to the city, which is celebrated in the city.

Understand

Lincoln has a population of approximately 104,000 according to the 2021 UK census, and approximately 128,000 when including villages that effectively act as suburbs of Lincoln. The city sits to the west of the historical county of Lincolnshire, relatively close to the border of Nottinghamshire.

A topographical map of the Lincoln Cliff, showing Lincoln at the centre. (Photo: Goran_tek-en, CC BY-SA 4.0)

Geographically, Lincoln is built on the Lincoln Cliff, which runs north to south through the county of Lincolnshire, and creates a natural north-south route through the county avoiding the traditional wetlands. However, a valley runs through the centre of the cliff, with the River Witham, the main river in Lincoln, flowing through this valley. Because of this natural geography, it created an ideal point at which to set up a settlement in the area.

Due to the cliff, the modern-day city is essentially divided into two, uphill and downhill Lincoln. Uphill Lincoln contains the historical centre, castle and cathedral, whereas downhill Lincoln is newer and was historically more industrial and working-class in flavour. The contrast between the two halves is less noticeable in the 21st century, but there can still be some noticeable differences.

History of Lincoln

The first evidence of settlement in Lincoln was in the Iron Age, approximately the 1st century BCE, around the Brayford Pool area, at the foot of the hill formed by the Lincoln Cliff. Historians have hypothesised that this is where the city gets its name from, with lindon meaning "the pool" in Celtic.

Roman Lincoln

The Romans conquered Lincoln in 48 CE and built a legionary fortress on the top of the hill formed by the Lincoln Cliff, overlooking the Brayford Pool. The Romans Latinised the name of the city to Lindum. When the legion moved up to York (Roman Eboracum) in 71 CE, the city became a colonia to secure it against any future invasions. Therefore the name of the city became Lindum Colonia.

The River Witham provided an easy access point to the River Trent and then the Humber Estuary, allowing the Brayford Pool to become an important inland port for a time. The Romans also built two important roads through the city: the Fosse Way, providing a route south-west towards modern-day Exeter (Roman Isca Dumnoniorum), and Ermine Street, connecting modern-day London (Roman Londinium) to York. These routes now form the modern-day A46 and A15 respectively, not straying much from their Roman alignments.

Viking and Anglo-Saxon Lincoln

Between the 5th and 6th centuries, Germanic tribes started to settle in the city. The name then changed to Lincylene, a shrinking of the Latin name.

Around the 10th century, Lincoln became one of the five East Midland Boroughs of the Danelaw, and became a flourishing city with its own mint.

Norman conquest and medieval Lincoln

The Nornam conquest of England in 1066 caused Lincoln to be taken over by the Normans. William the Conqueror, the new king of England, ordered Lincoln Castle to be built to secure Ermine Street and the Fosse Way. Lincoln Cathedral was also built just after the conquest to provide a mother church for the newly created Diocese of Lincoln.

Lincoln became a wealthy city in the 1100s, with money flooding in due to exports of cloth and wool. The most famous cloth was "Lincoln Green", with its reputation enhanced due to being worn by Robin Hood.

Robin Hood keeps his coat of Lincoln Green nice and dry across the wetland (Photo: Howard Pyle, Public domain)

The Jews' House on Steep Hill (Photo: Dave Hitchborne, CC BY-SA 2.0)

Lincoln had one of the largest Jewish communities in England in the 1100s, but anti-Semitic riots spread to the city, causing the eventual expulsion of the Jews in 1290. The Jews' House sits on Steep Hill, bearing witness to this population.

Lincoln in the Middle Ages

Lincoln declined in importance in the 14th and 15th centuries as industry moved elsewhere - the Dissolution of the Monasteries cut ecclesiastic income, reducing the city's fortunes further.

In 1549, the great spire of Lincoln Cathedral collapsed and was not repaired, symbolising the city's misfortunes at the time.

In addition, during the English Civil War, many buildings became badly damaged, and the easy access the city had enjoyed to the sea was lost, causing many residents to flee by the 1700s.

Georgian and Victorian Lincoln

The Agricultural Revolution changed Lincoln's, and indeed Lincolnshire's, fortunes significantly. Lincolnshire became the "bread basket" of England, and this new wealth flooded into the city. A significant expansion of the city happened during this period, with new areas such as the West End being built.

The former Lincoln St. Marks railway station (Photo: Nigel Thompson, CC BY-SA 2.0)

In the 1840s, the railways came to the city, with two competing lines being built - the Midland Railway opening Lincoln St. Marks station, and the Great Northern Railway opening Lincoln Central station.

Heavy industry also developed during the 19th century, with companies such as Ruston's, Robey's and Willam Foster's building engines for agricultural and railway applications. This caused Lincoln to grow significantly, with people moving to the city from the countryside and new housing being built around the city centre.

The railways were concentrated downhill, around the River Witham, meaning that heavy industry was concentrated there as well. The Great Northern Railway chose not to build their primary route through the city due to protests from Lincolnshire aristocracy, and the Great North Route (the modern day A1) was also built towards the west of the city to avoid the Humber.

This meant that the medieval centre never saw major re-development, and remains one of the most attractive in Britain.

Modern day Lincoln

Lincoln in the 21st century is a prosperous and lively city, less reliant on industry and more on services, with many amenities offered by larger cities but also having a small-town feel. The two local universities, the University of Lincoln and Lincoln Bishop University, have brought with them a more youthful feel to the city, and regeneration of the downhill city centre has made it a much more attractive place to visit.

Compared to other similar-sized cathedral cities, such as York or Durham, Lincoln is a little off the beaten track on the UK's rail and road networks so it sees fewer visitors. It loses none of its appeal for that, and you can explore the cathedral, castle and historic streets without the crowds.

When to visit

The most popular time to visit Lincoln is in the summer, when the weather is best and all attractions are open. Summer is also the busiest time in the city's event calendar.

However, autumn and winter also offer good opportunities to visit, with a lot going on around the city and a chance to explore the city more easily at night.

Spring is also a good time to visit, as the surrounding countryside comes alive and is a popular time to visit the city's parks.

Visitor information

Visitor Information Centre is at 9 Castle Hill at the crossroads with Bailgate and the cathedral precinct's Exchequer Gate. It's open M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 11AM-4PM, tel +44 1522 545458.

Get in

By plane

Lincoln does not have its own airport but it is relatively easy to get to and from many UK airports.

• Humberside Airport (HUYIATA) is the closest airport, located north-east of Lincoln and around a 50-minute drive. However, as of September 2026, it is only served by KLM flights to Amsterdam, and public transport to Lincoln is poor.
• East Midlands Airport (EMAIATA) is the closest airport with some choice of destinations, primarily served by low-cost and holiday airlines. Driving time is around 1 hour and 20 minutes. It is possible to get the Skylink bus service from East Midlands Airport to Long Eaton or Nottingham railway stations, and then get a train to Lincoln.
• Manchester Airport (MANIATA) is the main airport in the North of England, and as such has a good choice of airlines, destinations and onward connections. Driving time is around 2 hours. It is possible to get the train to Lincoln with a change at Sheffield.
• London airports, such as Heathrow (LHRIATA), Stansted (STNIATA) or Luton (LTNIATA) are relatively convenient to get to from Lincoln.

By train

The primary railway station is

• Lincoln railway station, formerly called Lincoln Central railway station. It is situated in the city centre on St Mary's Street and is therefore close to all major attractions. Facilities include a staffed ticket office, ticket vending machines, an ATM, toilets, and a Costa Coffee shop.

It is possible to buy a Plusbus ticket which gives unlimited travel around the Lincoln area for the validity period of the ticket.

The primary intercity train operator is LNER who operate trains every two hours between London Kings Cross and Lincoln via Peterborough, Grantham and Newark Northgate.

Regional trains are mostly operated by East Midlands Railway with regular service towards Newark Castle, Nottingham, Crewe, Matlock, Doncaster, Grimsby, Cleethorpes and Peterborough.

Northern Railway also operate regional services to Sheffield via Gainsborough, Retford and Worksop, with many of these continuing to Leeds via Barnsley.

Hykeham railway station is the secondary station in Lincoln, mainly serving the southwestern parts of the city, as well as North/South Hykeham. However, services and facilities are much more limited.

By bus

Jew's House on Steep Hill (Photo: Marek69, CC BY-SA 4.0)

The main bus station in Lincoln is Lincoln Central Bus Station, which is located across from the railway station. It is a modern building, with a covered waiting area and good signage, as well as a cafe and paid public toilets.

National Express is the only long-distance coach operator operating to/from Lincoln, with two return services a day:

151 between Grimsby and Birmingham.

• 451 between Kingston upon Hull and London Victoria coach station.

It is possible to use the 151 to get to London with a change in Leicester.

Regional buses converge on the city from across Lincolnshire, for instance from Grimsby, Market Rasen, Louth, Skegness, Horncastle, Sleaford, Grantham, Gainsborough and Scunthorpe.

By road

From the south, take the A1 north to Newark, and then the A46 north to Lincoln. This becomes the Lincoln bypass and continues towards Grimsby. If you are using the M1, leave at junction 21A and join the A46 near Leicester.

From the south-east via Peterborough and Sleaford, take the A15, the Roman Ermine Street, towards Lincoln. It forms the eastern section of the Lincoln bypass and then continues north towards Scunthorpe, the Humber Bridge and Hull. On the sections approaching Scunthorpe, be very careful, as the road is single-carriageway and has many drivers attempting dodgy overtakes.

The Starbucks at Markham Moor, designed by Lincoln architect Sam Scorer. (Photo: TheCarStalker, CC BY-SA 4.0)

From the north, one route is to join the A1 southbound until Markham Moor (look out for the Lincoln signs and the Starbucks with a parabolic roof, designed by Lincoln architect Sam Scorer). Then, use the A57 eastbound to get to Lincoln. Dunham toll bridge is on the border between Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire, with the toll charge for a car being 70p as of September 2026. Cash is preferred, as card payments often take a very long while.

Another route from the north is to use the M18 and then join the M180, Lincolnshire's only motorway, eastbound until it meets the A15.

Parking

Most car parks in the city are operated by the City of Lincoln Council. The largest is

• Lincoln Central Car Park, which is at the end of the A57 near the railway station, and is close to the major attractions.

For the uphill area, around the Cathedral and Castle, The Lawn Car Park is the largest, next to the west gate of the Castle. Otherwise, the Westgate 1 and 2 car parks are only a short drive away.

If you are doing a day trip into Lincoln, you may want to consider the Lincoln Park and Ride which departs from the north-east of the city.

Street parking is limited around Lincoln, and many of the residential streets around the city centre now operate a residents permit scheme.

Get around

Lincoln city centre is very compact, so lends itself well to walking. The medieval spine of the city centre isn't suitable for anything more elaborate than a pack-mule or hand-cart.

However, beware of Steep Hill - it is called Steep Hill for a reason and can be a challenge for some people, for example if you are unfit or less able.

By bus

The main bus operators within Lincoln are Stagecoach and PC Coaches.

Most of Lincoln's buses follow a radial path, with buses starting or terminating at Lincoln Central bus station.

The most up-to-date bus information is given on the LincsBus.com website, and a route planner is available through Citymapper.

Stagecoach publish a map with the key routes and points of interest identified.

The Walk & Ride bus performs a circular route connecting the lower part of the High Street to the Castle and Cathedral Quarter. It operates approximately every 20 minutes Monday-Saturday (not including bank holidays).

By car

It is not recommended to drive within Lincoln city centre if you can help it - it is very compact and walkable, and the road layout, especially in the uphill area, is very confusing even for locals.

However, you may want to rent a car to explore more of Lincolnshire, and Lincoln has branches of Enterprise and Switch Car Rental. A couple of local companies are Feathers Rental and Ready Rent a Car.

By taxi

The main taxi operators are Handsome Cabs (☏ +44 1522 545352), Direct Cars (☏ +44 1522 567567) and A2B Cars (☏ +44 1522 533433). Uber also operates in Lincoln. There is a large taxi rank outside the railway station.

By cycle

Lincoln has several cycle paths within the city, similar to other cities/towns within the UK.

See

Lincoln has a lot of attractions for a city of its size - of course the most well known are the Cathedral and Castle, but there is plenty to discover in the city besides.

Landmarks

Lincoln Cathedral (Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lincoln), Minster Yard LN2 1PX, ☏ +44 1522 561600. Mon-Sat 10AM-4PM, Sun noon-3PM. One of the finest Gothic buildings in Europe, at the heart of the medieval city. It was completed in 1092 but torn asunder by Britain's strongest recorded earthquake in 1185. Rebuilt, it became a great ecclesiastical centre, though the tower collapsed in 1237 and the spire in 1548. Notable features are the vaulted ceilings, the rose windows, the 1422 Medieval and 17th-century Wren libraries, the 18th century clock tower, and the baleful Lincoln Imp — look for him just left of the great east window. 21st-century repairs found that many flying buttresses had lost contact with the walls, so the cathedral was being kept upright by little more than the power of prayer, which perhaps has advanced since the last major collapse, and is another motive for the regular Anglican services here. Adult £9, conc £7.20, child £4.80.

• Lincoln Castle, Castle Hill LN1 3AA, ☏ +44 1552 554559. Daily: Apr-Sep 10AM-5PM, Oct-Mar 10AM-4PM. There's been a fort here since Roman times and probably earlier, but the stone castle was begun in 1068 by William the Conqueror. It has a large enclosure within its curtain walls, which from the 18th century was the obvious place to site a court house, jail and gibbet. So it feels Victorian or Georgian, though it holds an original copy of Magna Carta, and its most striking features are the jail museum and apparatus of punishment. The Crown Court is still in use. Adult £14.50, conc £13.50, child £8.
• Medieval Bishops' Palace, Minster Yard LN2 1PU (south side of cathedral), ☏ +44 1522 527468. Very limited opening hours, check with English Heritage. This English Heritage building was built in the 12th century when the bishop was the temporal landlord of a great swathe of eastern England. It was ruined in the Civil Wars and never rebuilt; Victorian additions became a hotel. Free entry but donations recommended.
• Exchequer Gate. Impressive 14th-century gatehouse by the cathedral west entrance. This was where tenants of church land came to pay rent — lots of them, for it was a big diocese. Their money was counted out on a chequered cloth, and "Exchequer" came to mean the government finance department.
• Eastgate. The 'east gate' of the Roman city of Lindum Colonia - a fragment of the 3rd century wall and gatetower are still visible
• Priory Arch. Replica stone arch - a reconstruction of the medieval stone gate which led to the cathedral close.
• Westgate Water Tower is a water tower built in 1911 to improve the city's water supply after a typhoid epidemic claimed 113 lives in 1904/05.
• Brayford Pool or Mere is the marina at the upper limit of navigation on the River Witham, though small craft can continue on the Foss Dyke all the way to the Trent at Torksey, thence to the Humber. Lincoln was a river port even in Roman times, when the Witham flowed into the Wash at Drayton, but in 1014 the estuary was shifted by flooding, and Boston supplanted Lincoln as a port. However the channel was also important for drainage and flood protection of Lincolnshire, and acquired a leash of branch waterways, many navigable by small freight barges. The railway was its commercial death-knell but it was revived by 20th-century leisure boating, and the north wharf of the Pool is lined by bars, restaurants and apartments.

Museums

• Lincoln Museum, 1 Danes Terrace LN2 1LP, ☏ +44 1522 782040. Thu-Mon 10AM-4PM. Museum purpose-built to exhibit the area's many archaeological finds. It includes the extensive Usher Gallery of art. The main museum is closed for refurbishment, but is expected to reopen at the end of 2026. Free.
• Museum of Lincolnshire Life, Burton Road LN1 3LY, ☏ +44 1522 782040. Apr-Sep: daily 10AM-5PM; Oct-Mar: daily Mon-Sat 10AM-4PM. Fascinating museum of the area's agricultural, industrial and social history from 1750, housed in a Victorian militia barracks. Free.
• International Bomber Command Centre, Canwick Ave LN4 2HQ, ☏ +44 1522 514755. Tue-Sun: Mar-Oct 9:30AM-5PM, Nov-Feb 9:30AM-rPM. In the Second World War, Britain's bombers were based across Lincolnshire. They took off at dusk and assembled in formation over the Home Counties, where they were joined by their fighter escort, and headed to targets. IBCC is a memorial and museum dedicated to all sides involved in this and later conflicts. Adult £9, conc £8, child £5.50, plus parking £3.
• Ellis Mill, 21 Mill Road LN1 3JJ (a block west of museum). Closed. A preserved windmill built in 1798, the last of the nine mills along the Lincoln Edge which ground corn into flour for the city. It's run by the adjacent museum but is closed to visitors.

Other sights

Church rents were paid at Exchequer Gat (Photo: John Sutton, CC BY-SA 2.0)

• The Lawn is a Greek-revival building just west of the castle on Union St. It was completed in 1820 as a lunatic asylum for "persons of the superior class who shall contribute to the general expense of the establishment according to their ability..." in which spirit it became an events venue and then the offices of a coffee company. You can still look in on the walled garden in daylight hours but the prize exhibit, the Joseph Banks tropical glasshouse, moved to Woodside Wildlife Park in 2016.
• Bailgate is the thoroughfare heading north from the city crossroads between cathedral and castle. Circles of stones set in the road mark the foundations of Roman pillars along Ermine Street, and there's an ancient well at the junction with Westgate. Newport Arch is the 3rd century north gate of Roman Lindum. Here you emerge from the traffic restricted area; the route continues north into B1226 and then A15 all the way to the Humber. The Romans crossed by ferry at Winteringham then headed northwest to Eboracum, York.
• Steep Hill is the well-named street descending south from the city crossroads. It's a delightful cobbled lane lined with old buildings, but cling onto the handrails. Norman House may have belonged to Aaron the financier (1125-1186), who advanced money for many Norman abbeys. Jew's House is late 12th-century Romanesque: it was seized from its Jewish owner during the anti-semitic violence of that century, and is now a restaurant. Jew's Court adjacent is now a bookshop but also hosts the Lincolnshire Jewish Community. The descending lane narrows into The Strait, then levels out as High St, pedestrianised but more modern.
• Temple Gardens is the bosky green space between The Collection and Bishop's Palace.

16th-century High Bridge (Photo: Brian from UK, CC BY-SA 2.0)

• High Bridge 100 yards east of the Pool is the picturesque 12th-century bridge (rebuilt in the 16th) carrying High St over the Witham. It's built on with half-timbered shops, and is pedestrianised. It's a charming impediment to navigation and drainage, anything-but-high with normal water levels and impassable in spate.

Further out

Newport Arch was the Roman north gate (Photo: Marek69, CC BY-SA 4.0)

Lincoln Cathedral (Photo: Richard Croft, CC BY-SA 2.0)

RAF Scampton Heritage Centre, Ermine Cres, Scampton LN1 2ST. Arrange tours by email. This was the First World War RFC airfield of Brattleby, which returned to farmland in peacetime, then was re-activated in the 1930s. Early pilots used the line of Ermine Street to find their way home. Scampton was among the bomber bases - one famous unit was 617 Squadron, known as the "Dambusters" for their bouncing-bomb raid on the Ruhr valley dams in 1943. RAF Scampton is no longer active as an RAF base and has now been converted to a heritage site. Free.

• Museum of RAF Firefighting was also at RAF Scampton until 2017, but put into storage and still seeking a home in 2022.
• Mrs Smith's Cottage, 3 East Rd, Navenby LN5 0HF, ☏ +44 1529 308207. Fri-Mon noon-4PM. Mrs Hilda Smith cared little for modern frivolities. This mid-19th-century redbrick cottage got electricity in the 1930s but she held out against running water and an inside toilet until the 1970s, when the council were minded to declare the place unfit for habitation. Hilda died in 1995, aged 102, and the place has been preserved although the pigs have been banished. Adult £3.50, child £2.
• St Peter's (Anglican) 100 yards west of the cottage in Navenby is a mishmash of styles, but parts are 13th century.
• Temple Bruer Preceptory 3 miles south of Navenby is the tower of a church of 1150. The Preceptory was a base of the Knights Templar until their Order was suppressed in 1312, then passed to the Knights Hospitaller. "Bruer" means heather or heathland, as in French bruyère and Scots "broom".
• Bardney is a tiny village 9 miles east of Lincoln. To its north, the site of Bardney Abbey is just an outline in the fields. Two miles east along B1190, only a single wall remains of Tupholme Abbey.
• Whisby Nature Park is a wetland and lagoons created from former sand and gravel pits. There's a visitor centre with a cafe and exhibits.
• Doddington Hall, Main St, Doddington LN6 4RU, ☏ +44 1522 694308. Wed Fri Sun noon-4PM. Grand pile built from 1595, the exterior is Elizabethan but the interior is mostly 18th-century. With extensive gardens. Hall & gardens adult £13, child £6.50.

Do

As a spectator

The main spectator sport in Lincoln is football, with the main team being

• Lincoln City F.C., Cross Street LN5 8LD, ☏ +44 1522 880011. Open on match days. Lincoln City are in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football, as of 2026. Their home ground is Sincil Bank, with a 10,000-seat capacity, known as the ProAmpac Stadium for sponsorship purposes. Adult £32, concession £27, under 18 £13, 18-21 £24.

As a participant

The main leisure centre in the city is Yarborough Leisure Centre, Riseholme Road LN1 3SP, ☏ +44 1522 581345. Mon-Fri 6:30AM-9PM, Sat-Sun 8AM-4PM. Comprehensive leisure centre with gym, pool and athletics track. Varies, check website.

• Lincoln has two parkruns, both on a Saturday morning at 9am:
  Lincoln parkrun at Boultham Park.
• Yarborough Leisure Centre parkrun at Yarborough Leisure Centre.
• The main golf course in the city is Carholme Golf Club.

Walking and cycling routes

• The Water Rail Way is a long-distance path between Lincoln and Boston. It follows the River Witham and is a former railway trackbed, so it's level and suitable for cycling. Join it on Waterside South, which is south bank of the river but north of Sincil Dyke, so the first few miles to Bardney are on a ribbon of artificial island.
• The Viking Way is a 147-mile route running between the Humber Estuary and Rutland via Lincoln.
• You can walk or cycle alongside the Fossdyke Navigation between Lincoln and Torksey, where it joins the River Trent.

Performing arts

• New Theatre Royal, Clasketgate LN2 1JJ, ☏ +44 1522 519999. Box office open Mon-Sat 10AM-2PM and 5PM-7:30PM on show evenings. Grade II listed theatre hosting theatre, pantomimes, musicals and ballet
• The Drill, Free School Lane LN2 1EY. Box office open Mon-Fri 10AM-2PM. Former army drill hall turned music venue and community hub. Was almost closed down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but now under the stewardship of Lincoln College. Has a capacity of around 500, and often hosts up-and-coming bands.
• The Engine Shed, Brayford Wharf East LN6 7TS. Former Great Northern Railway maintenance shed turned into Lincoln's largest music venue as part of the University of Lincoln development. Often the main venue that larger bands and artists play at. Also used for other events such as stand-up comedy and record fairs.
• Lincoln Arts Centre, Brayford Pool LN6 7TS, ☏ +44 1522 837600. 450-seat theatre with a focus on live shows and contemporary arts.
• Southside, Colegrave Street LN5 8DW, ☏ +44 1522 837600. Former church turned venue, with a focus on community events.

Waterside Empowerment sculpture (Photo: Foto43, CC BY 2.0)

Other activities

• Lincoln Observatory, 23 Westcliffe Street LN1 3UA. Nov-Mar: Tue 7:30PM to about 10PM. The Lincoln Astronomical Society has public viewing nights in winter. In summer the evening sky is too bright.
• What's on? Listen to BBC Radio Lincolnshire on 94.9 FM, Lincs FM on 102.2 FM, or Siren on 107.3 FM. Or read Lincolnshire Live (incorporating the Echo).
• Boat trips ply the Witham and Foss Dyke daily April to September, starting from around the Pool.
• Cinema: Odeon is on Brayford Wharf North, and Everyman is on Sincil St just north of the railway station.
• Lincolnshire Showground five miles north on A15 hosts regular events. The largest are the Lincolnshire Show in June, and the Food & Gift Fair in November.
• Truckfest Lincoln celebrates heavy haulage and monster trucks, at Lincolnshire Showground in May. Similar events are held at seven other locations across Britain.

Buy

Lincoln has the usual range of high-street chains, mostly found downhill, but also has a good range of independent shops, mostly found uphill.

Shopfronts on Steep Hill (Photo: Richard Croft, CC BY-SA 2.0)

• Bailgate. Just north of the Castle and Cathedral, with a lot of small independent boutiques including a fabric shop, butcher, whisky shop and fashion shops.
• Steep Hill. Picture-postcard shopping area, with independent shops, mostly food and drink oriented.
• High Street. Main shopping street in Lincoln, with many major chains such as M&S, Waterstones, Primark and JD, as well as independent shopping, especially towards the north end.

Waterside Shopping Centre, High Street LN2 1AP, ☏ +44 1522 529566. Mon-Sat 9AM-5:30PM; Sun 10:30AM-16:30PM. The only indoor shopping centre in Lincoln, with mostly chain retailers, as well as a small food court on the lower floor.

• Cornhill Quarter. Recently redeveloped part of the city centre, close to the railway and bus stations, and filled with a mix of chain retailers (mainly higher end) and independent shops.

Eat

Local specialities

Lincolnshire is a predominantly agricultural county, and this is reflected in the speciality food within Lincoln itself - many residents are very proud of the local produce, and it is very easy to find at local restaurants.

Example of Lincolnshire sausages and mash. (Photo: Andy Li, CC0)

Some of these include Lincolnshire sausages, which are well-known across the UK, and differ from other British sausage types by using coarser-ground pork and a heavy use of sage for flavouring. Locally-grown fruit and vegetables, especially root vegetables, are widely available. Other specialities include haslet, which is a pork meatloaf flavoured with herbs, and Lincolnshire Poacher cheese.

Eating out

Lincoln has a surprisingly good food scene for a city of its size, with varied outlets to suit all budgets. As well as the typical chains found in a lot of UK cities, there are numerous independent offerings across the city.

Budget

• Mint Lane Cafe, 12 Mint Lane. Wed-Fri 9:30AM-3PM. Community cafe run by volunteers, and open to all, using surplus food donated by local businesses. Mains under £5.
• Arboretum Cafe, Monks Road, ☏ +44 1522 801556. Mon-Fri 9AM-3:30PM. Training cafe run by a local training organisation, providing local opportunities for local people to get qualifications, as well as serving cheap food. Mains between £3-£6.
• Sign of the Fish, 42 Sincil Street, ☏ +44 1522 540604. Mon-Thu 11AM-4:30PM; Fri-Sat 10:30AM-5:30PM; Sun 11AM-4PM. Traditional fish and chip shop in Lincoln city centre with a takeaway downstairs and seating upstairs. Mains up to £15.
• Cafe @ The Rest, 55a Steep Hill, ☏ +44 1522 247888. Mon-Fri 10AM-4PM, Sat 10AM-5PM, Sun 10AM-3PM. Cafe half-way up Steep Hill serving light bites. Approximately £10 per person.
• Curtis of Lincoln, 20 Bailgate, ☏ +44 1522 525118. Mon-Sat 7:30AM-5PM, Sun 10AM-4PM. Local butcher and bakery, with a few branches around Lincoln. Known for Lincolnshire meats, sausage rolls and sandwiches. £5 per person.
• Bailgate Deli, ☏ +44 7407 821343. Mon Tue Thu-Sat 9AM-5PM; closed Wed and Sun. Vegan deli serving coffee, sandwiches, salads and other light bites. Around £12-15 for lunch and a drink..

Mid-range

• Little Korea, 47 Silver Street, LN2 1EH, ☏ +44 7505 403049. Tue-Sat noon-10PM, Sun noon-9PM. Korean BBQ restaurant, also serving other traditional Korean dishes such as bibimbap and Korean drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. £20-30 per person.
• Hobbsons Pie Shop (Browns Pie Shop), 33 Steep Hill, LN2 1LU, ☏ +44 1522 527330. Wed-Sat 11:30AM-8:30PM, Sun 11:30AM-4PM. Restaurant known for their meat pies, as well as serving local specialities such as Lincolnshire sausages. In a very historical building with famous residents including T. E. Lawrence. Around £30-40 per person..
• Gastronomico, 2 Alfred Street, LN5 7QZ, ☏ +44 1522 244470. Wed-Sat 5PM-10PM, Sun 2:30PM-9PM. Greek and other Mediterranean dishes - a little bit away from the city centre but has a great reputation amongst locals and with generous portions. £20-30 per person.
• Olé Olé Tapas Bar and Restaurant, 3 Ingleman Place, LN1 3BU (Inside the Lawn complex), ☏ +44 1522 534222. Mon-Fri noon-2:30PM & 5:30PM-9PM; Sat noon-9:30PM; Sun noon-2:30PM. Tapas and other Spanish dishes such as paella, designed for sharing. Very close to the west gate of Lincoln Castle. £20-40 per person.
• Slow Rise, 8-12 St Martin's Ln, LN2 1HY, ☏ +44 7858 164932. Tue-Thu 5PM-9PM; Fri-Sat noon-10PM; Sun noon-9PM; closed Mon. Neapolitan pizza restaurant and takeaway, serving only vegetarian and vegan pizzas. Around £20 for a pizza and drink..

Splurge

• Jew's House, 15 The Strait LN2 1JD, ☏ +44 1522 524851. Thu-Sat 6:30PM-11:30PM. Upscale cosy dining in one of Britain's oldest dwellings. From £100 per person.
• The Old Bakery, 26/28 Burton Rd LN1 3LB, ☏ +44 1522 244646. Lunch Thu-Sun 12PM-3PM; Dinner Thu-Sat 6PM-9PM; may be open longer on term times, check website. Fine dining restaurant showcasing Lincolnshire produce. Run as a non-profit by Lincoln College, and used as a training kitchen and restaurant for advanced catering and hospitality students Around £80-100 for a 3-course meal and drink..

Drink

Lincoln has a wide variety of pubs and bars throughout the city, many of which serve local ales. The student population ensures a healthy nightlife scene, but perhaps not as good as Nottingham's or Sheffield's, both of which have more variety.

Pubs

Most pubs in Lincoln are along the High Street or just off the High Street, with many of these growing with the city and having a long history.

Uphill

• The Victoria, 6 Union Rd LN1 3BJ (west flank of castle), ☏ +44 1552 541000. Mon-Fri noon-11PM, Sat noon-midnight, Sun 2-8PM. A city institution, this is a grand old pub with food and drink a-plenty.
• Strugglers Inn, 83 Westgate LN1 3BG, ☏ +44 1522 535023. Mon-Tue noon-11PM; Wed noon-11:30PM; Thu noon-midnight; Fri-Sat noon-12:30AM; Sun noon-11:30PM. A real ale pub, dating from 1841 and filled with brewery paraphernalia. The name comes from the nearby hangings that would occur at Lincoln Castle. Has a sun trap beer garden, popular during summer
• Magna Carta, 1 Exchequer Gate LN2 1PZ, ☏ +44 1522 538884. Every day 11AM-11:30PM. Closest pub to the cathedral, overlooking the Castle Square. Very popular with tourists due to its location, with an outdoor terrace on the square and lots of seating
• Widow Cullens' Well, 29 Steep Hill LN2 1LU, ☏ +44 1522 523020. Mon-Sat 11AM-11PM; Sun noon-10:30PM. Samuel Smiths pub, so stocks the cheapest drinks uphill as long as you are fine with Samuel Smiths drinks. Very well-maintained historical building on Steep Hill. Has the typical Samuel Smiths rules (no phones, no swearing etc.).
• The Morning Star, 11 Greetwell Gate LN2 4AW, ☏ +44 1522 514269. Daily 11AM-11PM. Pub near the east of the Cathedral with very small rooms but an extensive beer garden.

Downhill

• The Cardinal's Hat, 268 High Street LN2 1HW, ☏ +44 1522 527084. Mon-Thu & Sun noon-11PM; Fri-Sat noon-midnight. Claims to be the oldest pub in Lincoln, and was first opened as a pub in the 1500s. The building was used as offices for a while but reopened as a pub in the 2010s, with a good selection of real ales
• The Treaty of Commerce, 173 High Street LN5 7AF, ☏ +44 1522 255458. Mon-Thu Sun noon-9PM; Fri noon-10PM; Sat 11AM-10PM. One of the oldest buildings on the Lower High Street - a former tea trader and became a pub in 1862. Now run by Batemans Brewery of Lincolnshire. Very popular with Lincoln City FC fans on matchdays.
• The Tiny Tavern, 107 High Street LN5 7PY. Wed-Fri 3-10PM; Sat noon-10PM; Sun noon-9PM; closed Mon-Tue. A micropub across from St Mary's Guildhall with a good range of rotating guest beers.
• Golden Eagle, 21 High Street LN5 8BD, ☏ +44 1522 521058. Mon 1-11PM; Tue-Wed 1-10PM; Thu-Fri 1-11PM; Sat noon-11PM; Sun noon-10PM. Regency coaching inn, run by the Castle Rock Brewery from Nottingham. Has a good selection of ales and draught beers, and an expansive rear beer garden

Sleep

Lincoln has a reasonable choice of hotels and other accommodation, most of them mid-range. Compared with cities like York, there's less at either end of the scale, and the city has long had fewer hotel rooms than its visitor numbers would suggest, so book ahead for busy weekends and big events at the Lincolnshire Showground.

Budget

• Hartsholme Country Park, Skellingthorpe Rd LN6 0EY (off B1378), ☏ +44 1522 873578. Well-run council caravan park and campsite open March-Oct. Dogs welcome on lead. Around a 15-minute drive to the city centre, or catch the number 6 bus to/from Ashby Avenue Pitch £21.60 per night, with electric hook-up £24. Camping pods also available for £39 per night for 2 nights or more.
• Stay @ St Marks, Tritton Road LN6 7TW, ☏ +44 1522 886300. Dedicated building within the St Marks student accommodation area of the University of Lincoln for short stays. Self-catering accommodation in flats of 12 en-suite rooms with communal kitchen. Rooms are single occupancy and 18+ only. Between £45 and £60 per night for a single room.
• Travelodge Lincoln Thorpe-on-the-Hill, Thorpe on the Hill LN6 9AJ, ☏ +44 871 984 6085. A budget hotel on the very outskirts of Lincoln, located at the A46 service station Typically £50-60 per night for a single room.

Mid-range

The Witham is navigable up to Brayford Pool (Photo: Dave Hitchborne, CC BY-SA 2.0)

• Poplars B&B, Beaumont Fee LN1 1EZ, ☏ +44 1522 510170. Charming friendly B&B near castle. B&B double £90.
• Castle Hotel, Westgate LN1 3AS, ☏ +44 1522 538801. Grand little hotel between cathedral and castle, good dining. No dogs. B&B double £120.
• Lincoln Hotel, Eastgate LN2 1PN (just north of cathedral), ☏ +44 1522 520348. Convenient comfy modern hotel. B&B double £120.
• Premier Inn, Broadgate LN2 5AQ (200 yards north of bus & railway stations), ☏ +44 333 321 9305. Reliable comfy chain hotel. Nearby parking is £6 a day. See also their Canwick branch. B&B double £70.
• Holiday Inn, Brayford Wharf North LN1 1YW (north bank of Pool), ☏ +44 333 320 9338. Comfy chain hotel, 10 min walk west of stations. B&B double £110.
• DoubleTree by Hilton, Brayford Wharf North LN1 1YW (next to Holiday Inn), ☏ +44 1522 565180. Boxy modern hotel but close to station. B&B double £120.
• Eagles Guest House, 552a Newark Road, North Hykeham LN6 9NG, ☏ +44 1522 686346. Pleasant welcoming guest house, southwest edge of city. B&B double £90.
• Holiday Inn Express, Ruston Way LN6 7DB, ☏ +44 371 902 1617. Modern midrange place with 118 bedrooms, bar and restaurant. B&B double £130.
• Bridleway B&B, Riseholme Gorse, Hall Lane LN2 2LY (off A15 four miles north of city), ☏ +44 1522 545693. Smart countryside B&B with four rooms in converted farm buildings. Open Jan-Nov, 2 nights minimum, no children under 15 or dogs. B&B double £100.
• South Park Guesthouse, 11 South Park LN5 8EN (on A1434), ☏ +44 1522 887136. Smart friendly B&B south of centre. B&B double £70.
• Premier Inn Canwick, Lincoln Rd LN4 2RF (1 mile south of stations), ☏ +44 333 321 1092. Another location of this chain hotel. B&B double £70.
• Pyewipe Inn, Saxilby Rd LN1 2BG (off A57, no access from A46 bypass), ☏ +44 1522 528708. Pleasant pub with rooms on Foss Dyke. A pyewipe is a plover or peewit, fond of soft ground for catching worms. B&B double £80.
• Travelodge Lincoln City Centre, 16 Tentercroft Street, Lincoln, LN5 7DB, ☏ +44 8719 846543. Modern budget hotel south of the train and bus station. Around £70 per night for double room.
• Creston Villa, 27 St Catherines, Lincoln LN5 8LW, ☏ +44 1522 872511. Very well-regarded bed and breakfast in the St Catherine's ares of Lincoln, south of the city centre. Around a 15-20 minute walk or on many bus routes from the city centre. £90 per night B&B double room.

Splurge

• Lincoln Holiday Retreat, Pig Lane LN6 0SB (off B1378), ☏ +44 7427 727711. Plush inclusive resort in self-contained cottages. B&B double £300.

Stay safe

Lincoln is a very safe city for visitors, and the historical uphill area is calm at almost any hour. Most problems are the usual ones for a small British city with a large student population, and there are a couple of hazards that are uniquely Lincoln-related.

In an emergency, you can call 999 or 112 as with the rest of the UK. For non-urgent police matters, you can call 101, but this may not work on non-UK mobile phones.

Nightlife

Weekend evenings, and student nights during term, can get rowdy around the Brayford Pool, Silver Street and the lower High Street. Trouble is rarely aimed at visitors. If someone who has had too much to drink tries to pick a fight or pester you, keep walking. The uphill pubs around Bailgate and the castle are usually a quieter bet. Lincoln also gets its share of hen and stag parties, and pubs, especially along the lower High Street, get very busy on Lincoln City FC home match days.

Steep Hill

The name is not a joke. The cobbles on Steep Hill and The Strait are polished smooth by centuries of feet and become treacherous in rain, frost or ice, especially going downhill. Make sure to wear shoes with grip, use the handrails, and especially be careful descending Steep Hill after a heavy session in the uphill pubs. If you're less mobile, the Walk & Ride bus avoids the climb entirely.

Water

Brayford Pool and the River Witham look placid, but the water is deep, cold and has sheer edges with few ways to climb out. Unfortunately there have been tragic incidents where people have been injured, sometimes fatally, after falling into the Brayford Pool, especially after drinking or taking drugs.

Level crossings

A train crossing the Lincoln High Street level crossing with the barriers down. (Photo: Paul Harrop, CC BY-SA 2.0)

The railway cuts straight across the High Street and Brayford Wharf East near Lincoln Central station. During busy times, the barriers can stay down for minutes at a time. Wait or use the footbridges. Don't be tempted to climb over the barriers, as trains can often come faster than anticipated.

Stay healthy

As with all of the UK, the numbers to call for a medical emergency are 999 or 112.

111 can be called for non-emergency NHS medical help, but may not work on non-UK mobile phones.

Hospital

• Lincoln County Hospital, ☏ +44 1522 512512. 24 hours. Primary NHS hospital for Lincoln and the whole of Lincolnshire. Includes an accident and emergency department.

Late night pharmacies

• Boots, Carlton Centre, LN2 4WA, ☏ +44 1522 511890. Mon-Sat 8AM-10PM; Sun 10:30AM-4:30PM.

Connect

Lincoln Imp spying on your online passwords (Photo: Hongking ( talk ), Public domain)

Lincoln has 5G from all UK carriers.

Go next

Lincoln is near the centre of Lincolnshire, and close to much of Nottinghamshire as well, so makes the ideal place to explore much of the eastern part of the East Midlands.

Nearby

• The 'cliff villages' along the A607, especially Navenby, are worth a visit for their historical buildings and antiques shops. They are around a 20-minute drive from Lincoln city centre, or you can take the InterConnect 1 bus from Lincoln.
• Grantham is a 45-minute drive from Lincoln. It's perhaps most famous these days for being the birthplace of Margaret Thatcher, the first female British Prime Minister, but also has a lot of history in and around the town. Sites such as Belvoir Castle and Belton House (National Trust) are very close by, with Belton House being on the way into Grantham from Lincoln. Grantham is around a 40-minute drive from Lincoln, or around 1 hour on the train or InterConnect 1 bus. The InterConnect 1 bus also stops at Belton House.

Slightly south of Grantham is the village of Woolsthorpe by Colsterworth, which has Woolsthorpe Manor, the birthplace of Sir Isaac Newton, now a National Trust property (albeit very small when compared to a lot of National Trust houses).

• Newark-on-Trent is just over the Nottinghamshire border and is a historical market town, known for battles in the English Civil War, as well as its castle. It is easy to get to by train from Lincoln, taking around 30 minutes, and is south-west along the A46.
  Southwell is another Nottinghamshire market town, best known for its minster, as well as having one of the best preserved Victorian workhouses in the UK.
• Tattershall is a village to the south-east of Lincoln, with Tattershall Castle, a 15th century red brick castle. The 55 bus runs between Lincoln and Tattershall, and it is around a 40-minute drive from Lincoln

Further out

• Nottingham is the closest major city to Lincoln, around 1 hour away by train or driving. It's very much worth a visit with a lot of attractions and shopping opportunities.
• Stamford is the southernmost town in Lincolnshire, with a well-preserved Georgian town centre and lots of independent shopping.
• Louth is a pleasant market town and the Lincolnshire Wolds offer some rare hills in the Lincolnshire countryside.
• North of Lincoln the A15 (the Roman road Ermine Street) leads to the Humber Bridge into East Yorkshire. Hull is just across the bridge, and must-see York is another 30-min drive.
• West of Lincoln beyond the vale of the River Trent lies Sherwood Forest.
• Old-style beach resorts along the coast are Cleethorpes, Mablethorpe and Skegness. These had their heyday in the late Victorian and Edwardian era, and some would argue they are a shadow of their former selves, but they can be very pleasant places to visit especially when the weather is good.

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