Lincoln: A perfect UK city Break

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Lincoln is an often overlooked city, being less famous than the likes of York, Oxford or Bath if you’re looking for a multi-centre UK trip. However, it really is beautiful and worth visiting if you’re in England. I personally think it’s perfect if you only have a weekend – 1 night and 2 days is the exact amount of time you need to make the most of the city.

I visited on a day where the weather was awful and I was dodging rain and thunder in between the light breaking through the clouds intermittently – so my photos are moody, but in their way I hope showcase the city is worth visiting even in bad weather! If you do decide to visit the city, here are 10 things to do there during your stay.


Lincoln castle was originally built in the 11th century by William the Conqueror. If you’re a castle geek, it has 2 mottes (one of only 2 castles in England to do so), but for the majority of us that aren’t history geeks, it’s main draw is the wall walk. The castle walls remain in tact and are beautiful to walk around. I visited on a cold, crisp autumnal morning and had the walls to myself. The views out across to Lincoln cathedral are absolutely beautiful.

Lincoln cathedral was also built in the 11th century, with construction starting in 1072. One of the things about living in England that lockdown has really made me appreciate is the amount of history on my doorstep which so many other countries don’t have. The fact we have buildings from 1,000 years ago still in tact and in every day use really is mind boggling.

The cathedral remains the dominant feature of the skyline in Lincoln, as it has done for 1,000 years. The cathedral is absolutely huge, and stunningly ornate inside. My Granny actually lived in Lincoln when she was a little girl, and used to run up to the cathedral roof to play – that is definitely not allowed anymore but it was lovely to walk around knowing she had been in the cathedral so many years ago.

Like many other castles, the Victorians turned it in to a prison for a period in the 1800s. The prison at Lincoln castle is well preserved – it housed men, women and children as young as only 8! You can walk around it and learn the stories of many inmates there. A particular highlight is the chapel, which is odd to say the least!

Lincoln castle and cathedral are on a hill. Steep Hill is as suggested – a steep hill up from the waterfront to the castle square. And it really is steep. On the hill are lots of gorgeous shops, cobbled streets and pretty views. There are a number of tea shops on the way up, so I recommend having afternoon tea and watching the world go by (puffing and panting) on the hill.

Next to Lincoln cathedral, the medieval bishops’ palace was once among the most important buildings in the country. The administrative centre of the largest diocese in medieval England, stretching from the Humber to the Thames, its architecture reflected enormous power and wealth.

Bayford waterfront is England’s oldest inland harbour – nowadays it’s a good spot for dinner and drinks with lots of restaurants. Also near by is the historical High Bridge, which is the oldest bridge in England which still has buildings on it.

Another really interesting thing to do in Lincoln is to take a short 5 minute drive out of the city centre and visit the International bomber command centre. This centre is a museum and memorial relating the historical legacy of and on Bomber Command during the Second World War. The museum is a tribute to the 1 million+ men and women who served or supported Bomber Command, and tells their story.

International Bomber Command Centre

The Collection is a museum in the centre of Lincoln which tells the story of the history of Lincolnshire and England, from the very first human species all the way to the present day – via the stone age, ice age, Roman empire, Anglo Saxons, William the Conqueror, Medieval and modern times. It’s definitely worth a visit. Did you know there would once have been elephants in Lincoln?!

The Arboretum is a nice park area a 10 minute walk from the cathedral. Visiting in autumn was perfect as it was a great time to see the trees in all their autumnal colours. There’s also a nice lion statue in the middle of the park.

The Magna Carta is one of the most famous documents in the world. It was originally issued in 1215 by King John of England. It established, for the first time, the principle that everybody (including the King) was subject to the law. It remains the cornerstone of the British constitution.

Around 250 Magna Cartas were issued to each of the cities in the country – signed between King John and the local barons. However, only 3 remain in existence today. These are held in London, Salisbury and Lincoln. To be able to see part of the Magna Carta in a vault at Lincoln castle is quite an incredible experience – for something that was written over 800 years ago to still be there to see is amazing!

This copy does get loaned out for exhibitions – in fact it even gets its own seat on airplanes when it travels (so check it’s there before visiting).

Entrance to the vault (no photos inside allowed)

  • Getting to Lincoln from London is simple in a 2hr train journey – perfect for a quick weekend trip and night away
  • Lincoln is easy to access from Cambridge, in a 1.5hr short drive
  • It’s also easy access to other major cities across England, including Sheffield, Nottingham, York and Derby

Thank you for reading! Have you ever been to Lincoln? If you’ve been or are planning a trip soon then I hope this post can be helpful. Stay safe and happy travelling!

21 responses to “Lincoln: A perfect UK city Break”

  1. A great post and I agree, Lincoln is well worth a visit!!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you! Yes it’s definitely a beautiful city 🙂 Have a lovely evening

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Agreed! Thank you, you too!!

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    1. Yes there is definitely enough to do to fill a weekend! Thanks for reading 🙂

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  2. Such an aesthetically pleasing town! Love your pictures.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks so much! Even in the moody weather it’s a beautiful place to visit 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  3. I’ve heard of Lincoln through another travel blogger’s post on it, and yours confirm all the more reason to go there some day…whenever I’m back in the UK!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hopefully one day – it feels like these restrictions are going on forever!

      Liked by 1 person

  4. It looks absolutely charming! I was able to see the bit of the Magna Carta in Salisbury, and admittedly didn’t know there were two more pieces out there. Thanks for sharing!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It was definitely charming, with a surprising amount to do! I need to get to Salisbury to see that version. I think there were 250 Magna Cartas to start with (each local area having a separate agreement with the King at the time), but yes only 3 survive which is quite incredible given how old it is!

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  5. I’ve never been to Lincoln, I feel like the cities up north don’t get the credit they deserve! Will definitely be venturing that way soon!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Ah definitely, it’s a lovely city to visit – hope you get to visit soon!

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  6. So much history in such a small town! Would love to spend a weekend exploring Lincoln.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Yeah it’s definitely worth a visit and I think a great choice for a quick weekend stay 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  7. Lincoln looks so beautiful and having this showcase in the UK seems like double the experience Han. I’m super glad that we’ve passed such ages of having toddlers in jail!

    Great work here, and I’m expecting more adventures with the Steep Hill. 😏

    Liked by 1 person

  8. […] Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire making it a great vantage point. On a clear day you can even see Lincoln Cathedral 30 miles […]

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  9. […] visited and written about Lincoln before – you can see my post of what to do there HERE (including a Castle, Cathedral, Victorian prison and even the Magna Carta), but on this return […]

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  10. […] also do-able as a day trip from nearby cities including Derby (30 mins), Sheffield (50 mins) and Lincoln (1 hour). You could also visit as a day trip from the Peak District, being around 35 minutes from […]

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  11. […] Fenland city and offers lots to see, including the Cathedral where Catherine of Aragon is buried. Lincoln is the northern most tip of the Fens and Cambridge the southern most tip so both also make good […]

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About the author

Hi! My name is Hannah, I’m a travel blogger from the UK who fits travel around a full time (and full on) job. In this blog I share my adventures around the world and hopefully help you to find some inspiration for destinations, things to do or places to stay. Thanks for stopping by – stay safe and happy travelling.

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