Things to do in County Durham
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Almshouse
Fancy imaginative and satisfying snacks served in a genuine 17th-century house right on Palace Green? It's a shame about the interior, which has been restored to look like any old museum canteen. All the artwork on the walls is for sale.
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Brown Sugar
This trendy coffee shop-cum-bar is a favourite with university students, who fold into the oversize leather couches, nibble on a ciabatta sandwich (no ordinary bread here, mate) and talk about how much study they should be doing. A perfect hang-out.
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Durham Cathedral
Durham's most famous building – and the main reason for visiting unless someone you know is at university here – has earned superlative praise for so long that to add more would be redundant; how can you do better than the 19th-century novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne, who wrote fawningly: 'I never saw so lovely and magnificent a scene, nor (being content with this) do I care to see better'. This may be overstating things a bit but no one can deny that as the definitive structure of the Anglo-Norman Romanesque style, Durham Cathedral is one of the world's greatest places of worship. Unesco certainly thought so when they declared it a World Heritage Site in 1986.
The cathe…
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Durham Castle
Built as a standard motte-and-bailey fort in 1072, Durham Castle was the prince bishops' home until 1837, when it became the first college of the new university. It remains a university hall, and you can stay here.
The castle has been much altered over the centuries, as each successive prince bishop sought to put his particular imprint on the place, but heavy restoration and reconstruction were necessary anyway as the castle is built of soft stone on soft ground. Highlights of the 45-minute tour include the groaning 17th-century Black Staircase, the 16th-century chapel and the beautifully preserved Norman chapel (1080).
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Durham Light Infantry Museum
The history of Durham's County Regiment and its part in various wars from 1758 to 1968 is brought to life at this museum 500m northwest of city centre; there's a small art gallery with changing exhibitions.
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Guided Walks
Walks lasting 1½ hours leave from Millennium Pl. Contact the tourist office for details.
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Shakespeare
As authentic a traditional bar as you're likely to find in these parts, this is the perfect local's boozer, complete with nicotine-stained walls, cosy snugs and a small corner TV to show the racing. Needless to say, the selection of beers and spirits is terrific. Not surprisingly, students love it too.
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Oriental Museum
Another university museum, located on campus 3 miles south of the city centre, with surprisingly good collections ranging from fine Egyptian artefacts to a monster of a Chinese bed. Take bus 5 or 5a.
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Durham Heritage Centre
Near the cathedral, in what was the St Mary-le-Bow Church, this museum has a pretty crowded collection of displays on Durham's history from the Middle Ages to mining. It's all suitably grim, especially the reconstructed Victorian prison cell.
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Half Moon Inn
Sports fans love this old-style bar for its devotion to the mixed pleasures of Sky Sports; we like it for its wonderful collection of whiskies and ales. There's a summer beer garden if you want to avoid the whoops and hollers of the armchair jocks.
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Durham Indoor Market
This 150-year-old covered market building is less about what you might buy and more about the Victorian cast-iron architecture.
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Emilio's Ristorante
Durham's top spot for pizza, pasta and other Italian staples has a wonderful location overlooking the Wear. Try the malfatti al forno, a kind of oven-baked ravioli filled with ricotta cheese and spinach.
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Swan & Three Cygnets
This high-ceilinged riverside pub with courtyard tables overlooks the river. It also serves some pretty good bar food - usually fancy versions of standard bar fare like bangers and mash.
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Museum of Archaeology
Occupying a converted riverside mill, this small university museum has collections ranging from prehistory to medieval times via the Romans and Anglo-Saxons.
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Crook Hall
This medieval hall with 1.6 hectares of charming small gardens is about 200m north of the city centre. From the tourist office, cross the main road bridge across the Wear then follow the river north.
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Ghost Walks
Ghost walks also drift around town. Contact the tourist office for details.
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Locomotion
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Greggs
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Cloisters & Treasures
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Beamish Open-Air Museum
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Swan & Three Cygnets
This high-ceilinged riverside pub with courtyard tables overlooks the river. It also serves some pretty good food (mains around £8) – usually fancy versions of standard bar fare such as bangers and mash.
reviewed
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Shakespeare
As authentic a traditional bar as you're likely to find in these parts, this is the perfect locals' boozer, complete with dartboard, cosy snugs and a small corner TV to show the racing. Needless to say, the selection of beers and spirits is terrific. Not surprisingly, students love it too.
reviewed
