Before my city trip to Hull, I actually had no idea what to expect from this maritime city in northern England. I knew that the ferry from Rotterdam sails daily to Hull, but what would there be to do in that city on the other side of the North Sea?
How positively surprised I was when I found out that a city trip to Hull has a lot to offer. Kingston Upon Hull – what the city is officially called – is a large city with over 260,000 inhabitants, but the historic center is quite small-scale and can even be called quiet. This is the area worth visiting on your Hull city trip. There are many different sights in Hull and there is a cozy coffee shop or restaurant in every street in the center.
My friend and I visited Hull itself as part of ourtrain journey through northern Englandwhere we Hull,Leeds,ManchesterinLiverpoolvisited (theNorth of England City Experience). Hull was our first destination after catching the boat from Rotterdam. A destination that made sure that our journey through Northern England started very well. That's why I like to share my Hull tips with you!
Why I thought Hull was such a cool city
Hull is not a city that quickly captures the imagination for most people. Now I think England itself always just has something very cozy, and I also experienced that feeling again at Hull. Originally, Hull really is a port city, from which wool was exported in the past, passenger ships sailed to countries such as India and the United States and fishing was a very important source of income.
Hull is now a lot less maritime, although there are still plenty of ports on the edge of the Humber River. But the original harbors that were in the center of the city on the River Hull have been drained or repurposed. A number of old streets and houses have been preserved, sometimes changed with a modern twist. Creativity, history and art are three words that describe Hull well, along with a dose of fun.
Sightseeing Hull
You would like to see this during your Hull city trip
Discover Hull city center on foot
The historic center of Hull is nice and compact and conveniently laid out. That is why it is easy to recognize the way and you can simply walk from point of interest to point of interest. But if you want to learn a little more about Hull at the same time as you walk, then aGuided Walking Tourreally handy. This tour runs every day from April to early November at 2pm from Hull City Hall and costs £4 per person.
Alternatively, you can also use theHull Fish Trailto walk. You will not learn so much about the history of the city, but you will be sure that you will not miss a highlight. The trail is marked by small works of art depicting different species of fish. On the Hull Fish Trail website you will find a map that you can print out to use while walking.
Visit museums in the Museum Quarter
Hull really is also a city of museums. It is not for nothing that the city has been named 'City of Culture of the UK' in 2017. There are several museums, especially in the Museum Quarter. This is an area at the end of the High Street, Hull's oldest street. There are four very different museums in this area. One of them, theArctic Corsair, an old fishing boat, is unfortunately no longer open to the public at the moment. You can, however, enjoy yourself in one of the following museums in the Museum Quarter:
Streetlife Museum of Transport: see old means of transport and learn more about street life in England in the last centuries.
Open: Mon to Sat from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Sun from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM. Free entrance.
Hull & East Riding Museum of Archeology: everything about the history of Hull and the surrounding area (East Riding of Yorkshire), up to 235 million years ago.
Open: Mon to Sat from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Sun from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM. Free entrance.
William Wilberforce House:the 18th century birthplace of William Wilberforce. For the Dutch, William Wilberforce is probably not a very well-known name, but he played a very important role in the anti-slavery movement. This museum is therefore not only about him, but also about slavery.
Open: Mon to Sat from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Sun from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM. Free entrance.
Experience Hull's maritime life
Hull Maritime Museum
At the Hull Maritime Museum you can learn all about Hull's maritime history. The history is not always fun – for example, Hull played a major role in whaling – but it is very interesting. The museum is located on Queen Victoria Square in the former harbor building. TheQueens Gardensthose behind the building used to be the area where the ports already started! Be sure to take a look during your Hull city trip.
Open: Mon to Sat from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM and Sun from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Free entrance.
The Deep
That angular building over there on the waterfront? That is The Deep, a deep-sea aquarium with thousands of marine animals and fish. Here, marine biologists research life in the ocean and you can admire the most bizarre sea creatures. It is very nicely set up, but it can be a bit on the busy side.
Open: daily from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Admission: £14 at the door; £12.60online.
Dive into the history and art of Hull
Bringing Art Gallery
For art lovers there is the Ferens Art Gallery, right next to the Maritime Museum on Queen Victoria Square. Here you will find a collection of paintings and sculptures, both from centuries ago and art from today.
Open: Mon to Sat from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM and Sun from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Free entrance.
Hull Minster
Hull Minster is the largest parish church in England in terms of area and is particularly beautiful to view inside. Miraculously, it was hardly damaged during the Second World War, although some windows have been replaced. Nowadays, many events are also held indoors, simply to generate income to maintain the church.
Open: Tue to Sat from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Sun from 8:30 AM to 8:00 PM. Tours are also available.
Paragon Arcade
Paragon Arcade is near the station, but if you don't know where it is, you can easily walk past it. Still, it's nice to take a look. This historic arcade is not very big, but it contains all kinds of small nice shops from local entrepreneurs. A good place for a cup of coffee or to score a unique gift.
Open: daily from 07:00 to 18:00.Sometimes there are also small events.
Hepworth’s Arcade
Another classic arcade sits next to Trinity Market. Actually, I can tell the same story here as with Paragon Arcade, only Hepworth's Arcade is just a bit bigger with more spacious shops.
Open: Mon to Sat from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm and Sun from 11:30 am to 4:00 pm.
Have a drink or get creative near Fruit Market
The name is a bit confusing, because if you think that the Fruit Market is a fruit market, you will be disappointed. It is the name of a very cozy and creative area, sandwiched between the River Hull, Garrison Road, Castle Street and Hull Marina. It has traditionally sold fruit (as far back as the 16th century) and is also one of the most historic and iconic areas of Hull.
The heart of Fruit Market isHumber Street, a historic street with small shops, restaurants, bars and art galleries, where there was a lot of trading centuries ago. Ten years ago this was still a deserted street with empty buildings, now it is hip and cozy. All aroundFruit Marketevents are organized regularly. In Humber Street itself, for example, you can find theHumber Street Galleryvisit or theHumber Street Distillery, where you can learn how to make your own gin. The area is certainly worth visiting at the end of the day or in the evening, although much is closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and sometimes Wednesdays. (As you can see in the photo, we were there exactly those days.)
Your stay in Hull
Eat Drink
Trinity Market
Trinity Market at Hull Minster is the place for a cup of coffee, a snack or lunch. It is a real covered market with wooden stalls, where a lot of food is homemade for a nice price. By the way, I can recommend the chocolates from Cocoa Chocolatier.
Open: Mon to Wed from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm, Thurs to Sat from 7:30 am to 9:00 pm and Sun from 11:30 am to 4:00 pm.
The Lion & Key
A real English pub, which was founded in 1812. You will find The Lion & Key in Hull's oldest street: High Street. They serve the well-known English dishes such as fish & chips (with peas!) and especially have many types of beer. Also look at all the beer mats stuck to the ceiling.
Liquid Jade
Liquid Jade is fantastic for real tea lovers. They have dozens of varieties to choose from. The interior looks a bit romantic, with lots of white and lights. You can also enjoy a real English afternoon tea or a light lunch.
Atmosphere Tapas
Humber Street is full of cool restaurants and one of them is Ambiente Tapas, in an industrial-meets-pub style setting. You can order different tapa, both cold and hot. Just keep in mind that they have a slightly English twist.
Accommodation in Hull
We slept in it during our stay in HullHIDEOUT Hotelnext to Hull Minster and this is highly recommended. It is not a standard hotel with a reception, but the building consists of apartments. So you have a living room with kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. A specieshome away from home. There is also a cozy coffee shop downstairs.View the current prices and availability of HIDEOUT Hotel here.
How much time do you need for your Hull city trip?
We ourselves spent two full days in Hull. We arrived early on Tuesday morning. Theboat from Rotterdammoors in the harbor around half past eight in the morning. We left on Thursday morningLeeds.
You can really see and do a lot in two days. Even if you only have one day, you can get a good part of the city. What is good to take into account is that many restaurants are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The cozy environment around Fruit Market is then very quiet. Museums open from 10:00 am.
From Hull you can then go in all kinds of directions. You can take the train to the west, as we did, but also take a nice trip towardsLincoln and Sandringham.
We did this city trip to Hull at the invitation ofHouse of BritaininVisit Hull & East Yorkshire, but this article is based entirely on our own experiences and opinions.