Best Cave Tours in Nottingham

Explore Nottingham's extensive network of over 800 sandstone caves carved beneath the city over centuries. These underground tours reveal medieval storage areas, Victorian cellars, and wartime shelters. We reviewed 5 options ranging from £8 to £12. Best for: history enthusiasts, families, unique experiences.

Most cave tours in Nottingham cost £8-15 per person. Difficulty ranges from easy to moderate. Group sizes are typically 2-40. Tours available in English, French, German, Spanish. Book online in advance for the best prices.

City of Caves Standard Tour

This foundational tour threads through Nottingham's sandstone network, exposing layers of occupation from Triassic periods to medieval times.

Price: £8 | Duration: 45 minutes | Difficulty: easy

Best for: first-time visitors and families with children

• Walk through 450 million years of Nottingham geology and habitation
• See carved medieval doorways and storage alcoves still intact
• Constant cool temperature (11°C) year-round

Full details and booking info

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Behind the Scenes Cave Tour

This extended experience ventures beyond the standard route into passages rarely opened to tourists, including unstabilized chambers and sections under ongoing archaeological investigation.

Price: £12 | Duration: 1 hour | Difficulty: moderate

Best for: serious cave enthusiasts and repeat visitors

• Access restricted passages and unstabilized chamber networks
• See active archaeological excavation areas and recent discoveries
• Maximum 12 people per tour ensures intimate, specialist-level interpretation

Full details and booking info

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Ye Olde Trip Brewery Caves

The Trip to Jerusalem claims to be England's oldest pub (open from 1189), and its caves served as medieval breweries and storage for the Crown.

Price: £10 | Duration: 30 minutes | Difficulty: easy

Best for: pub visitors and those wanting a quick cave experience

• Medieval sandstone brewery chambers with original barrel-storage features
• Carved tax records and graffiti dating back centuries
• Pub setting combines cave history with traditional English drinking experience

Full details and booking info

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Galleries of Justice Underground

The Galleries of Justice occupies a converted Victorian courthouse and jail, with its caves serving dual roles across centuries: medieval magistrates used sandstone chambers as dungeons for serious offenders; Victorians later installed iron-barred cells within the same cavities for capital offenders awaiting trial.

Price: £15 | Duration: 1 hour | Difficulty: easy

Best for: those interested in crime and punishment history

• Medieval sandstone dungeons used for capital offenders and serious criminals
• Victorian iron-barred cells still installed within 700-year-old caves
• Original case files and court documents showing real crimes and sentences

Full details and booking info

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Mortimer's Hole Historical Tour

Mortimer's Hole is the sandstone passage through which Edward III's forces allegedly captured the powerful court regent Roger Mortimer in 1330, a pivotal moment in English medieval politics.

Price: £12 | Duration: 40 minutes | Difficulty: moderate

Best for: medieval history enthusiasts

• Walk the actual medieval passage linked to 1330 capture of Roger Mortimer
• Explore a natural cave system integrated into Norman castle defenses
• Learn 14th-century English politics through a specific historical event

Full details and booking info

Best season: Tours run year-round, but May to September when weather is warmest and outdoor events run. University term time is most comfortable for outdoor cave tours.

Cancellation: Most operators offer free cancellation 24 hours before booking. no refund within 24 hours unless group cancels entire time slot..

Watch out: Trying to see everything in one day - caves tours and major museums need separate visits

Compare prices across multiple platforms before booking. GetYourGuide, Viator, and direct operator websites often have different rates.