With a population in the region of 43,000 Durham has a ‘small town’ feel but still provides all the facilities you’d expect of a thriving city.
This includes many excellent shops, cafés, bars and restaurants not to mention the theatre and stunning medieval cathedral and castle.
The cathedral is regarded as one of the finest examples of Norman architecture and has been designated a World Heritage Site along with nearby Durham Castle, which faces it across Palace Green.
Durham is only 15 minutes away by train from the cosmopolitan city of Newcastle and 40 minutes from the ancient city of York, so there is a wide range of choices for entertainment, culture and shopping both in and around Durham.
Durham was recently voted the top city in England and the second best city to visit in the UK in a national poll.
Readers of The Guardian and The Observer newspapers were asked to pick their favourite cities, countries, hotels and attractions to visit and have voted Durham ahead of the likes of Bath, Newcastle and Liverpool in the prestigious awards. Edinburgh was the only city this year to receive more votes than Durham.
Durham City is steeped in history; as well as the fascinating architecture there are some fascinating museums which must be visited.
Places To Visit
The Oriental Museum specialises in all the major civilisations of the East, from Egypt to Japan, while the Old Fulling Mill Museum retells the history of this ancient city.
Beamish is a world famous ‘living’ museum telling the story of the people of North East England during the Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian periods.
There are also some great annual events too such as the Durham Book Festival and Lumiere, a festival of light for Durham held each November.
Durham also has plenty of green areas to enjoy and many quiet walks to take, especially along the tree-lined banks of the River Wear. Rowing boats can be hired too. The Prince Bishop river cruiser is a must if you want to see the city in its full splendour.
The numerous venues attract thousands of weekend visitors, so the town is alive and buzzing.
For more about what Durham has to offer, visit www.thisisdurham.com
