Where to stay in Norwich (from someone who lives here)

Right next to the Cathedral, the Close, and Elm Hill. Step out the front door and you're already in the most photogenic part of the city. Quiet at night, busy by mid-morning, and you'll hear the cathedral bells.

The Maids Head Hotel on Tombland is the obvious pick. The hotel claims it's the oldest in the UK still trading and the building has the medieval pedigree to back it up. Full of character, pricier. All Hallows Guesthouse at the Julian Shrine is the literary alternative: the small guesthouse sits on the spot where Julian of Norwich, the medieval anchorite and author, lived and wrote in the 1300s.

The independent quarter. Tight medieval streets, courtyards behind courtyards, the market a minute away. You'll be walking past Jarrolds, Grosvenor Fish & Chips, and a dozen indie cafes before you've had breakfast.

The Assembly House off Theatre Street is a Georgian Grade I-listed building with eleven rooms, well-known for its afternoon tea and British restaurant. 38 St Giles is a small boutique B&B with eight rooms in a converted Georgian townhouse, quietly central. Premier Inn Norwich Nelson City Centre on Prince of Wales Road covers the predictable end.

Just west of the centre. Tree-lined Victorian terraces, plenty of UEA students, the kind of streets locals actually live on. Some of the best pubs in the city are here: the Hop Rocket and the Warwick Arms are favourites. Independent cafes, delis, second-hand bookshops. Not for you if you want hotel pools and chain restaurants.

The Georgian Townhouse on Unthank Road is the obvious base, with a lively restaurant and bar on site. Otherwise mostly Airbnbs and short-lets around Park Lane, Christchurch Road and the Unthank end of Earlham Road.

Cross Fye Bridge and you're in NR3. Magdalen Street, St Augustine's, the back streets of the Cathedral Close. The kind of area where you can fill an afternoon in second-hand shops, end the night in a back-street pub, and never see a chain. Less polished than the Lanes. More interesting if you have time.

Mostly Airbnbs and short-lets here, no major hotels. Look around Magdalen Street, St Crispin's, and the streets up towards Bishop Bridge. A short walk back over the river puts you in the centre.

South of the Wensum, near the train station and Carrow Road. Newer apartments, a cinema, riverside food, and an easy walk into the centre along the water. Functional rather than pretty, but sensible if you're catching an early London-bound train or coming for a Canaries home game.

Holiday Inn Norwich City sits next to Carrow Road, useful on a match day. Premier Inn Norwich Nelson City Centre on Prince of Wales Road is a short walk from both the station and the centre.