Grab a couple of crumpets at the Thea Caffea tea room (14a Low Pavement, $4) for breakfast, before heading to a network of man-made caves under central Nottingham. Tours at the City of Caves go into their former incarnations as leather tanneries, illegal bars, air raid shelters and slum housing. The $27 joint ticket also gets you into the Galleries of Justice , for a look at the spectacularly horrible application of law and order over the years. Actor-led mock trials and dungeon visits are all part of the entertaining education. In between the two, stop for a Cajun chicken panino at the Atlas delicatessen is the oldest pub in Britain and serves up good $19 steak and ale pies. Stay at the quirky Igloo Backpackers (igloohostel.co.uk, doubles from $92).
TOTAL: $151
A hearty $15 "homemade works" breakfast at the colourful Homemade Café should set you up for exploring Nottingham Castle does an excellent $19 porcini mushroom tagliatelle for lunch. Then take a number 30 bus ($7 for all day ticket) to Wollaton Hall . Tours of the Elizabethan mansion, which doubled as Wayne Manor in The Dark Knight Rises, cost $10. The surrounding deer park makes for wonderful sunshine strolling too. In the evening, try the seasonal, modern British concoctions at the Larder On Goosegate . The outdoor terrace/garden is tremendous on a sunny day. Embrace your inner geek for the afternoon at the newly-opened National Videogame Arcade (gamecity.org, $16). It's part museum, part classic games to play and part inventive installations designed to offer different perspectives on game playing and making. Go for globe-spanning tapas under vaulted roofs at Iberico (ibericotapas.com, about $42) for dinner. Decidedly non-standard small dish options include pheasant wellington and salmon miso. Stay in a plush suite at the design-focused Hart's (hartsnottingham.co.uk, $432 including breakfast) for superb views out over the city.
TOTAL: $692
The writer travelled at his own expense.
