The Historic City of Lincoln, UK

When travelling around the world, it is often easy to forget to recognise your home country and celebrate what makes it a great place to travel to. We will be posting a series of blog posts in relation to some of our favourite places to visit in the U.K, we first must start with our current home, the city of Lincoln.

It is sometimes hard to believe that we live in a city, Lincoln is quite small compared to most cities and even some towns in England, but it is saturated with important history to the whole of the country.

Lincoln’s famous landmarks are the Cathedral and the Castle, both of which overlook the city.

The city has a large student community with an established University, the economy of the city is helped massively by the income of student spending, this also brings a variety of cultures into the community.

We love hosting friends from around the U.K who have never visited before, we take them on our own little tour of the city- we are proud to live here.

Places of Interest

The Castle & Cathedral

A trip to Lincoln is not complete without visiting the magnificent cathedral. Construction of the cathedral started in 1185, an imposing Gothic building standing at 83 metres (272ft) high and 147 metres (482ft) in length it is something to marvel at. It was the tallest building in the world at the time of the tower’s completion in 1311. There is an entry fee of £9 ($10.05) to look inside the cathedral but you can visit the surrounding grounds for free. The castle is an 11th century building, still in-tact, it also houses a Victorian prison in the centre grounds. The Castle is home to an original 1215 Magna Carta- the document that stated the King is not above the law! It is free to enter the castle grounds and there is an entry fee of £10.50 ($11.72) to walk the castle walls, you can pay £15 ($16.75) for a Day Ticket that includes the wall walk, a tour of the prison and the Magna Carta.

Always check for events that might affect your visit: Lincoln Cathedral | Lincoln Castle

Up Hill/Bailgate Area

This is the area which surrounds the Cathedral and Castle. The area is considered an ‘upmarket’ area and is home to many luxury brands- mostly independent. We will warn you that the area is accessed (if travelling by foot) via the aptly named Steep Hill- a cobbled path with a 16.12-degree angle. Once you reach the summit of the hill you are greeted by refreshing tea rooms, fudge parlours and plenty of pubs to quench your thirst! If you are unable to use the hill to access the Cathedral Quarter, there is a regular shuttle bus that runs from the park and ride near Waitrose, all information on the Visit Lincoln website

Walking up steep hill…

The Brayford Pool

England’s oldest in-land harbour, this picturesque waterside contains multiple national chain restaurants such as Wagamama, Zizzi, ASK, Prezzo and Harvester as well as independent bars such as the Barge (a fully-fledged bar on a boat!) and The Royal William Pub & Kitchen. It is a pleasant place to spend a warm evening, watching the boats pass. Opposite the Brayford Pool is the University of Lincoln which is home to the Engine Shed- an entertainment venue that hosts regular events. The area is only a 2-minute walk away from the city centre.

The City Centre

The long high-street is mostly pedestrianised with a mixture of traditional and modern buildings. In the city centre you will find many well-known brands as well as plenty of independent shops that reflect the spirit of the city itself. Within the city centre is the Cornhill Exchange which is a recently developed area, containing mostly bars and restaurants as well as a cinema, it has been lovingly restored and some parts rebuild to reflect the traditional architecture that surrounds it.

Our Favourite Restaurants & Bars

This is only a summary of our favourite bars and restaurants- we will be writing in-depth posts about some of these places as they are too good for just a few words!

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The Birdcage Pub: This is without a doubt our favourite pub in Lincoln, it is only a 10-minute walk from the city centre. It gives traditional English pub vibes whilst maintaining a diverse set of customers. The owners are very friendly, and they host so many events throughout each month! They change their guest beers regularly and have always got a few different boxes of cider (with interesting flavours such as pina colada) to try! Be sure to check out their website for updates to their event schedule. If you are visiting in summer, their beer garden is an extremely pleasant place for a cold pint.

Shanti Vegan Restaurant: If you are looking for hearty, homemade comfort food, then Shanti is the place for you. Decorated with a bohemian theme, the cosy restaurant is the perfect place to find an extensive menu of fully vegan dishes! The owners are friendly and welcoming, and they use much of the profit from the restaurant to fund their charity Lincs2Nepal where they help to support some of the poorest areas in Nepal - they go out to the country throughout the year to do hands-on work in the communities. (Click on the link to the charity website to donate, volunteer or even sponsor a child). Gary and Tracey are some of the nicest people we’ve ever met, incredibly generous and they make amazing food!

Goods Plant-Based Bakery: This lovely little cafe/bakery is a 15-minute walk south of the main city, but it is sooo worth it! The friendly, family-run establishment has a wonderful selection of plant-based treats, as well as savoury lunch dishes. They regularly host pop-up events in collaboration with other eateries as well as taking their creations to various pop-up stalls at events in the city. This is a great local restaurant to support. Keep an eye on their upcoming events on their website.

Cosy Club (this is a chain restaurant within the U.K but each of their restaurants is unique in décor & building heritage): If you enjoy indulgent interiors then you need to book a table at cosy club! Each Cosy Club restaurant has a different personality based on the heritage of the building they are in, with an overall theme of Art Deco. Lincoln’s cosy club is set in the old corn exchange building, and the original marketplace adverts have been lovingly restored on the walls. The food is incredible, there is a large menu with plenty of vegan options! The cocktails are high-end and made with quality ingredients. This is a popular Instagram spot; it is normally busy, and we highly recommend booking to avoid disappointment.

The Bailgate Deli: The Bailgate deli is nestled within a side street near the castle in the Cathedral quarter. The restaurant offers many vegan dishes including breakfast! They sell vegan pantry items to aid your plant-based home cooking. It is delicious food and placed in a lovely setting. During events in Lincoln such as the famous Christmas Market, they host a BBQ outside of the restaurant, giving vegans more choice at the event.

Mailbox: Our favourite bar in the main city. Mailbox is part of the Stonegate Pub network but has an independent menu and drink choice. They serve a wide range of ‘pub food’ which is delicious! The décor is fun and quirky, there is a mixture of age ranges that frequent the bar, many of them students and young professionals. They have a secret DJ app where you can queue 5 free songs of your own choice (providing there isn’t an actual DJ on). There is a large beer garden with huts and heaters, they are considered a sports bar so will regularly show live games of Football, Cricket, Rugby, and boxing. It is always worth double checking whether there are any events on at your time of visit.

Cognito: This is a new restaurant and bar in Lincoln, occupying a three-story building, they serve a Japanese inspired menu and have an impressive rooftop bar. The rooftop has a clever retractable roof system, which comes in handy with the unpredictable British weather! The restaurant and bar inside the building has luxurious feel, with plush seating and sultry lighting.

Akedo gaming bar: Fancy playing Mario kart whilst enjoying a drink? Akedo is a funky bar serving canned drinks whilst allowing you to play video game consoles, from old-school to next gen, as well as a room for events such as live music and DJ nights.

Electric Bar at the Hilton Double Tree: If you wanted to treat yourself and your friends/family for an evening, then get dressed up and visit the Electric Bar, overlooking the Brayford Pool. This up-market bar, inside the Hilton hotel has beautiful views overlooking the Brayford water and is a lovely place to enjoy an evening cocktail (or two!). Our favourite drink here is called tap-water, amazingly it is not tap water- it is not on their cocktail menu so we cannot tell you what is in it, but it is boozy and tasty… just ask for a ‘Tap Water Cocktail’ at the bar, the staff will almost definitely ask to confirm it is the cocktail you want and not just water!! Be warned that a cocktail here costs a minimum of £9.50

The Famous Christmas Market

We cannot talk about Lincoln without mentioning the Christmas Market. This Market is famous around the globe due to its size and the number of independent stalls, it is one of the biggest Christmas Markets in Europe, attracting over 250,000 people during the four-day event! Be prepared to put in a few steps as the event is spread around the city, incorporating a variety of the historic buildings the city is known for.

We always visit the market to get us into the Christmas spirit… it is a great place to buy quirky gifts for those hard-to-buy-for friends and relatives. Enjoy a mulled wine whilst taking in the sights and smells of Christmas. There is fun for all ages to be enjoyed from fairground rides to live performances, as well as free food and drink samples! This year (2022) the market is being held from Thursday 1st December to Sunday 4th December.

We hope you enjoyed our summary of our place of dwelling, Lincoln City… as you can probably tell from our writing, we love this city. If you are visiting England from overseas, we highly recommend Lincoln as well as the typical tourist attractions such as London. Lincoln will provide you with a true sense of historic England.

Send us a message on our contact form if you are planning a visit to Lincoln or the U.K in general, we will be happy to help you plan your trip!