Lincoln offers several distinct ways to explore its history: a castle with a medieval Wall Walk and Magna Carta, a cathedral with seasonal tours, museums and traces of the Roman city. The city’s character is also shaped by award-winning parks, community gardens and nature reserves. When planning your accommodation, your travel dates are especially important if you want to take a particular tour: some options are seasonal or subject to specific admission conditions.
Lincoln Castle and Cathedral: Castle and views
Lincoln Castle was built by William the Conqueror nearly 1,000 years ago. The castle houses one of only four surviving original copies of the 1215 Magna Carta. The medieval Wall Walk offers a different perspective on the castle, with 360-degree views of Lincoln Cathedral and across Lincolnshire.
Visitors with a Castle Day Ticket with Grounds Tour, as well as Annual Pass holders, can join a free guided tour of the castle grounds. It is led by a specialist guide from the Friends of Lincoln Castle. If this tour is important to your visit, check the current participation requirements and arrangements in advance.
Cathedral tours explore stories from the sacred site’s more than 950-year history. Visitors can climb more than 300 steps to the top of the Central Tower, where 360-degree views take in the city, the county and beyond. The tours run seasonally. Unlike the Wall Walk, this experience combines views of the surrounding area with a climb up the Central Tower. Check tour dates before planning your visit around one.
Museums and remembrance
The Museum of Lincolnshire Life explores the culture of Lincolnshire from 1750 to the present day. It is housed in a Victorian barracks built in 1857 for the Royal North Lincoln Militia. The exhibition’s historical scope and the building’s own history are both part of the experience.
The International Bomber Command Centre commemorates almost 58,000 men and women from 62 nations who lost their lives supporting Bomber Command during the Second World War. Free tours cover the gardens, the Memorial Spire and the Walls. Their frequency varies by season: in winter, they run once an hour; in summer, every 30 minutes. As tour frequency and arrangements can change, it is worth checking the current times before your visit.
Roman heritage and green spaces
On the Roman Trail of Lincoln, visitors can see remains of the ancient Roman city. Other Roman traces in Lincoln include a surviving arch that is still used by traffic.
The city’s green spaces offer another way to explore: Lincoln has award-winning parks, community gardens and nature reserves. Alongside the castle, cathedral and museums, these provide more landscapes to consider when planning your trip.
Getting there and planning your stay
Lincoln is easily accessible by road and rail. Check current connections before you set off. If a tour is essential to your plans, confirm its dates and any participation requirements before choosing your travel dates around it.
Discover more destinations: Friskney, Messingham, Leadenham, Hackthorn, Binbrook, Market Rasen, North Scarle, South Witham.
For the wider travel guide: Lincolnshire.
