Durham

Durham, United Kingdom

Not without reason, Durham is regarded as a historical city with a fascinating history. With its numerous Heritage sites, Durham is considered, by many, the spiritual capital of northern England as well as one of its most beautiful and unspoilt medieval centres. The medieval city sits atop a craggy hill encircled on three sides by the River Wear. Its panoramic view of the Cathedral and Castle is a relict of the Norman conquest and described as "one of the finest architectural experiences of Europe".

Population:

City Population: 48,069

Currency:

Pound Sterling (GBP) £1 = 100 pence

Emergency Numbers:

Emergency: 999
Police: 101

Opening Hours:

Shops are generally open Mon-Sat between 9h-18h. On Thursdays there is late night shopping with stores keeping their doors open until 20h. On Sundays many shops, particularly department stores open at 11h and close at 16h.

Newspapers:

Daily Star
Daily Mail
The Independent
The Guardian
The Stockton and Darlington Times (local)
The Northern Echo (local)

The City

Shrouded in mystery and intrigue, Durham is a captivating place with a rich if not slightly turbulent history. The prosperity of the city naturally developed around the Norman Cathedral, St Cuthbert’s Shrine, which has been attracting pilgrims for the past 900 years and has been used as a venue for Hogwarts in the Harry Potter movies. No less spectacular is Durham Castle. Built during the Norman invasion, it is now used as a college of Durham University. With its picturesque view of these ancient sites, Durham is the perfect location for a stroll along the river to delve into its history.

The Industrial Age gave prominence to County Durham at the heart of the vital coal fields, and saw the creation of the world’s first passenger railway in 1825. Step back in time into the Industrial Revolution and visit the Railway or Mining Museum during your stay.

Today, the city of Durham serves not only as a major tourist venue, but also as a centre for culture, education (The University of Durham is England’s third oldest behind Oxford and Cambridge), spirituality and commerce.
Boasting a striking coastal scenery and countryside, Durham also has a lot to offer beautiful nature and landscape. Explore the country's beauty by walking or cycling in one of the numerous National Parks or along the coastline.

Do & See

Only a short journey away there’s plenty of interest in this compact region that’s bursting with activity, visual drama and history. A dramatic coastline of sandy beaches and towering cliffs, gentle and untamed countryside sprinkled heavily with pretty villages, grand castles and some of the most unique and wonderful collections of museums and heritage sites in all England.

Dining

Durham is a university city attracting students from across the globe, so the restaurant scene has adapted and found itself in a position to boast culinary fare from most corners of the planet. This is not to say that local delicacies from the nearby sea ports and farming land have been ignored. After years of scorn at both home and abroad British cooking and ingredients have found a new respect and recognition.

Cafes

In true English spirit, you can find a great number of cosy places to indulge in an Afternoon tea. Of course, there are several alternatives if tea is not really your passion, such as delicious cakes and biscuits or tasteful sandwiches.