Nottingham sits in the East Midlands, straddling the River Trent, and punches well above its weight for a city of its size. Most visitors arrive with Robin Hood on their minds — the outlaw is inescapable here, though historians place his exploits mainly in Sherwood Forest to the north and the surrounding Derbyshire hills rather than the city itself. No matter: the castle, the caves, and the folklore make for a genuinely engaging day out.
Beyond the legend, Nottingham is a confident, lively city. It has one of England's densest concentrations of bars and pubs, a reputation for nightlife that draws students from its two universities, and a restaurant scene that has improved considerably in recent years. The Lace Market district — the old Victorian warehouse quarter where the city's textile trade once thrived — is now the most interesting part of the centre to wander: independent shops, galleries, and good food packed into handsome red-brick buildings.
Nottingham also makes a practical base for the region. The Peak District is less than an hour west, Sherwood Forest (with its ancient oaks) is a short drive north, and Lincoln — one of England's finest cathedral cities — is an easy day trip east.