Getting There -- The best rail connection is via Lincoln, from which 28 trains arrive Monday to Saturday and about 8 trains on Sunday. The trip takes about 45 minutes. Trains also leave from London's St. Pancras Station; the trip takes about 2 1/2 hours. For information, call tel. 0845/748-4950 or visit the National Rail website.

Buses from London arrive at the rate of about 10 per day. For schedules and information, call tel. 0870/580-8080 or visit the National Express website.

If you're driving from London, the M1 motorway runs to a few miles west of Nottingham. Feeder roads, including the A453, are well marked for the short distance into town. The drive takes about 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

Visitor Information -- Information is available at the City Information Centre, 1-4 Smithy Row (tel. 01159/155330). It's open Monday to Friday 9am to 5:30pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm, and Sunday 10am to 4pm.

Special Events -- Nottingham still gets a lot of reflected glory from its association with Robin Hood and his gang. The Robin Hood Festival is a family friendly, mock-medieval festival scheduled for the first week in August every year. Diversions include food and souvenir stands, jousting and falconry exhibitions, maypole dances, crowd-pleasing jesters juggling their way through crowds, and lots of medieval costume. For information, call tel. 01623/823202 or visit the Nottinghamshire County Council website.