Museum of Making at Derby Silk Mill
On the site of one of the world's first factories, the Museum of Making tells three hundred years of Derby's story of innovation, from silk throwing to rail and aero engineering. Entry is free, and the riverside setting makes it an easy first stop on a day in the city.
Derby Cathedral and the Cathedral Quarter
Derby Cathedral's sixteenth-century tower is one of the tallest church towers in England and home to a much-loved pair of peregrine falcons. Around it, the Cathedral Quarter's streets - Iron Gate, Sadler Gate and the Strand - are made for wandering between independent shops, cafes and historic pubs.
Parks and green space
Derby Arboretum, opened in 1840, is widely regarded as Britain's first public park. Darley Park runs along the Derwent north of the centre and hosts open-air concerts in summer, while Markeaton Park to the west offers gardens, a craft village, play areas and pitch and putt.
Eat and drink locally
Between the Market Hall, the Cathedral Quarter and Friar Gate you will find independent cafes, street food traders, traditional pubs and restaurants - many of them listed in this directory.
Day trips into the Derwent Valley
Derby is the gateway to the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. Head up the valley to Belper and Cromford for mill heritage and canalside walks, or call at Duffield on the way for its village centre and riverside pubs. Kedleston Hall, a grand National Trust country house, sits just north west of the city.
The southern edge of the Peak District is within easy reach, making Derby a practical base for a weekend that mixes city and countryside.
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