The City of Nottingham

From the poet Lord Byron, to the designer Paul Smith, Nottinghamshire has always taken centre stage for creativity. After all, Nottingham is regional capital and one of the UK's most stylish cities. Set within a county of outstanding natural beauty that includes Sherwood Forest, lively market towns and wonderful historic buildings. Wander through the historic Lace Market, meandering through designer boutiques, bustling bars and lazy cafes. Discover contemporary and traditional art galleries by day and take in top theatre performances by night. It's also home to the world's best-loved outlaw, Robin Hood.

Arts

Are you a culture vulture? Excited by cutting edge art events? You won't be disappointed by Nottinghamshire, home to Europe's largest number of artists per capita. From the Pre-Raphaelites to British Art Show, Nottinghamshire attracts a wealth of arts events to keep the keenest art lover content.

Entertainment

You'll find a wide range of leisure and entertainment options throughout Nottinghamshire. From bowling and the cinema, to live music and the theatre, there's venues to suit all tastes and ages. The Cornerhouse, the Broadway, Nottingham Arena, The Royal Centre, and Nottingham Playhouse are right in the city centre, hosting concerts, shows, live film and music. If you love music there's World class symphony orchestras, musicals, superstar DJs and the coolest rock bands play; from Halle to Gatecrasher.

Sport

Nottinghamshire's home to Trent Bridge, Nottingham Forest FC, Notts County FC, the national ice and watersports centres, and a wealth of golf and race courses to keep keen sports fans entertained.

Shopping

Capital for culture, capital for shopping. Home to some of the best shopping in the UK, an exciting cultural events calendar and recognised nationally for the quality of its restaurants and bars, this city has it all. From Paul Smith and Hugo Boss to Top Shop and New Look, you can go from designer to the best of the high street in a couple of steps. Nottingham's compact city centre, pedestrianised streets and tram system make it easy to get around.

"Nottingham may be steeped in history, but it also has a lively contemporary arts scene, and the Angel Row and Surface galleries frequently host top-quality exhibitions. Exciting new work from South Asian and Afro-Caribbean artists is showcased at APNA Arts and EMACA Arts. The Lakeside Arts Centre has a year-round programme and film buffs should not miss the Broadway Cinema, which shows art movies and world cinema. The Royal Centre and the Nottingham Playhouse both present a range of quality theatre, including international productions of drama, West End musicals, dance, opera, ballet, concerts and comedy. The massive National Ice Centre and Nottingham Arena regularly bills spectacular ice shows, ice hockey matches and big-name rock and classical music concerts."
(Times Travel Online 2006)