Lincoln divides into two halves separated by the dramatic limestone ridge that gives the city its shape. The Uphill quarter, on top of the cliff, is where most of the famous sights cluster — the cathedral, the castle, Bailgate, the Roman gates, the Bishop's Palace, the city's best museums. The Downhill quarter spreads along the River Witham and Brayford Pool — High Street shops, the medieval Stonebow, the riverside restaurants, the railway station.
Between the two, Steep Hill drops 60 metres in a quarter of a mile, lined the whole way with small shops, tea rooms, and timber-framed houses. The hill is the city's great signature walk and, by some accounts, the steepest historic street in England. Allow a leisurely full day for the Uphill quarter, half a day for Downhill and the river.