By Amelia Cosgrove
The Imps will be returning to the Championship for the first time in 65 years this season and Lincoln will be welcoming thousands of visiting supporters on home matchdays.
If you don’t want to spend an afternoon in the stands, there are still numerous reasons to visit the city with a football mad other half - how about starting by pampering yourself?
While your partner enjoys match day you can enjoy a spa day. And if this summer has taught us anything, it's that we're longing for something slower – from ice baths and infrared saunas to yoga, sound baths and mindful movement, wellness has become less about aesthetics and more about resetting our nervous systems.
You’ll never be far away from reuniting when the final whistle has gone. Meet back in the city centre for a drink, dinner or an evening stroll, making the most of everything the city has to offer beyond the 90 minutes on the pitch.
So, consider this your wellness guide – I've matched Lincoln's most restorative retreats, spas and mindful experiences with nearby places to stay, making it easy to turn a few hours of relaxation into a well-deserved overnight escape.
Sanctum Spa and 9 Steep Hill
Owner Tina Thompson welcomed me personally, sharing the ethos behind Sanctum as I indulged the Solo Spa Experience - a private wellness escape that includes exclusive use of the hot tub garden, infrared sauna suite, spa lounge and heated rooftop terrace, alongside complimentary refreshments, robes, towels and slippers.
With an abundance of experience days and bespoke treatments to suit all types of wellness fanatics - Tina particularly acclaims the Cooling De-Stress Back Massage during summer for a refreshing reset on those warmer days. Sanctum also offers yoga classes, sound baths and seasonal wellness experiences, reinforcing its philosophy that wellbeing is about more than an hour on a treatment bed.
To do this spa justice, one must set the scene - this isn't a traditional spa centred around polished luxury; instead, it embraces a more holistic approach to wellbeing, blending bohemian interiors with subtle Balinese influences, botanical aromas and mindful rituals to create a space designed for renewal.
Having experienced it myself, I'd recommend beginning in the hot tub, drink in hand, before moving into the sauna, taking time to unwind on the rooftop terrace to sleepily admire the city view and the honied chime of Lincoln Cathedral’s bells in the distance.
Finish with one of the spa's exceptional treatments - my 30-minute De-Stress Back Massage was one of the best I've experienced. Instead of being rushed out the door, I was told to enjoy the quiet over a herbal tea and browse the boutique before walking back out on the Steep Hill, trailing the scent of crystal mists behind me.
Just a couple of doors away sits 9 Steep Hill, a beautifully restored Georgian townhouse that feels like a home away from home, albeit a home that might feel more boutique than your own. Sleeping up to eight guests, it combines original period features with freestanding baths, plush robes, luxurious interiors, a fully equipped kitchen, and a private terrace - making it ideal for families, groups of friends or just anyone wanting a little more privacy.
Aquitaine Spa and The White Hart
Aquitaine Spa at The White Hart Hotel offers everything under one roof. Guests can experience the new CBD 'Stress Not' Massage, a calming and anti-inflammatory treatment designed to ease muscle pain, reduce tension and encourage deep relaxation. Using a specialist CBD balm, the massage helps soothe both body and mind while being Amethyst Trust approved, making it suitable for guests living with cancer, those undergoing treatment or recovering afterwards, as well as those with other life-limiting conditions.
Post treatment, simply stroll back one of the White Hart's many elegant boutique bedrooms. From seasonal spa treatments to summer menus celebrating the best of local produce, perhaps pick at scones and finger sandwiches with a traditional afternoon tea, or even enjoy dinner in the Antlers Restaurant.
Later, unwind with expertly crafted cocktails in the Colonnade Cocktail Lounge or enjoy a nightcap in the atmospheric Gibson Club Bar, named in honour of Wing Commander Guy Gibson and the legendary Dambusters Squadron, where live music performances add to the evening atmosphere.
The Lawn Wellness Classes and Charlotte House Hotel
Not every wellness escape requires a spa treatment. Over recent years, The Lawn has become one of Lincoln's most welcoming wellbeing spaces, offering regular yoga, Tai Chi, pilates, and fun movement classes alongside community wellness events. Set within peaceful and secret gardens just beyond Lincolns historic upper hill, it's the perfect place to swap sightseeing for mindful movement and enjoy a gentler pace of the city.
Just next door, Charlotte House Hotel provides the ideal base for a wellness-focused stay in the heart of Lincoln's Cathedral Quarter. Overlooking The Lawn, Stokes Coffee, and Lincoln Castle, the boutique hotel combines contemporary comfort with historic surroundings, placing guests within easy walking distance of the city's Bailgate, cobbled streets and cultural landmarks. Start the morning with brunch at The Lawn Café, home to some of Lincoln’s best coffee and a long-standing local favourite. After a wellness class or a very Pride and Prejudice-like turn around the gardens, it's the perfect place to return for a restful night's sleep after a day of matchday excitement.
Old Rectory Spa and Washingborough Hall Hotel
One of Lincoln’s best characteristics is how naturally its medieval streets flow almost seamlessly into the Lincolnshire countryside and this combo is one is for those who want the best of both worlds, a rural escape, with urban accessibility.
Just 15 minutes outside the city centre, Old Rectory Spa has recently relocated to a peaceful countryside retreat in North Scarle.
Alongside therapeutic massage, acupuncture and holistic wellness treatments, the spa has introduced two seasonal Temple Spa experiences for summer.
The Summer Skin Revival combines a revitalising back exfoliation with a radiance-boosting facial, while the Summer Skin Revival Deluxe extends the experience with a full-body exfoliation, a complimentary Glow Spritz and a Sugar Buff Zest scrub to take home. Then savour their spa lounge with an afternoon tea, or for me personally, sip a glass of fizz in the outdoor hot tub.
Continue your rural escape with an overnight stay at Washingborough Hall Hotel, one of Lincolnshire's most elegant country house hotels. Surrounded by beautiful gardens and renowned for its award-winning restaurant, the hotel offers grand bedrooms, attentive service and a peaceful setting that perfectly complements a restorative spa day.
The hotel is currently offering a Summer Two-Night Staycation. The package includes dinner and breakfast on both evenings, complimentary afternoon scones and tea, and a lift to Lincoln Cathedral, allowing access to both the rolling Lincolnshire countryside and city for match-day excitement.
