Destination guides > Europe > England > Northumbria > County Durham > Durham
Durham
Durham is the gem of the north. Durham's Prince Bishops once ruled County Durham for almost 800 years. This city is home to England's third oldest university (only Cambridge and Oxford are older) and its castle and cathedral have been recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Practical information
Durham Tourist Information Centre
2 Millennium Place, Durham City
Tel (0191) 384 3720
Website www.durhamtourism.co.uk
Open Mon-Sat 9.30am-5.30pm, Sun 11am-4pm
Coming & going
BUS & COACH
National Express coaches go to Leeds, London and Newcastle.
Arriva operates buses to most destinations in northeastern England. Some of the more useful Arriva bus routes include buses 1X, 123, 223, 723, X1, X2 and X41 to Newcastle and bus X61 to Scarborough.
The bus station is on North Road east of the city centre across Framwellgate Bridge.
TRAIN
Durham is on the main London-Scotland rail line.
CrossCountry trains go to Edinburgh, Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield and York. First TransPennine Express trains go to Newcastle, Darlington, Middlebrough, York and Leeds. East Coast trains stop in Durham en route between Edinburgh and London. Northern trains go to destinations in the northeast including Darlington, Hartlepool, Newcastle and Whitby.
Hostel accommodation
YHA Durham City
St Chad's College, University of Durham, 18 North Bailey, Durham City, County Durham DH1 3RH
Tel (0191) 3343358
Sightseeing, museums & tourist attractions
Durham Castle
Dating from 1072, Durham's Prince Bishops used Durham Castle as a fortress and the castle is home to University College, the first college of the University of Durham.
University of Durham, Palace Green, Durham
Tel (0191) 334 4106
Website www.dur.ac.uk/university.college/
Admission £5
Open 20 Jan-29 Mar Mon, Wed, Sat 2pm-4.30pm; 22 Mar-23 Apr 10am-noon & 2pm-4.30pm daily; 26 Apr-23 Jun Mon, Wed, Sat 2pm-4.30pm; 5 Jul-15 Oct 10am-noon & 2pm-4.30pm daily; 11 Oct-15 Dec Mon, Wed, Sat 2pm-4.30pm
Durham Cathedral
Durham's exquisite 12th-century cathedral has been compared with cathedrals in Chartres, Cologne and Salzburg making it one of Europe's great religious buildings. The cathedral houses the 7th century tomb of St Cuthbert as well as a display of the Treasures of St Cuthbert and an exhibition about the construction of the cathedral. You can also climb the 325 steps to the top of the tower.
The College, Durham
Tel (0191) 386 4266
Website www.durhamcathedral.co.uk
Admission free; Treasures of St Cuthbert £2; exhibition on the building of the church 80p; tower £2
Cathedral open Mon-Sat 9.30am-6.15pm, Sun 12.30pm-5pm; Treasures of St Cuthbert open Mon-Sat 10am-4.30pm, Sun 2pm-4.30pm; exhibition on the building of the church open Mon-Sat 10am-4pm; tower open Jan-Mar Mon-Sat 10am-3pm; Apr-Sep Mon-Sat 9.30am-4pm; Oct-Dec Mon-Sat 10am-3pm
Durham Heritage Centre & Museum
This museum has displays on local history from the 10th century.
Saint Mary-le-Bow, North Bailey, Durham
Tel (0191) 384 5589
Website www.durhamheritagecentre.org.uk
Admission £XXX
Open Apr-May Sat-Sun 2pm-4.30pm; Jun 2pm-4.30pm daily; Jul-Sep 11am-4.30pm daily; Oct Sat-Sun 2pm-4.30pm
Finchale Priory
Located 5km north east of Durham, this 13th-century Benedictine priory was built around the tomb of St Godric who lived here until he was 105.
Brasside, Durham
Bus 737
Tel (0191) 386 3828
Website www.english-heritage.org.uk
Open Apr-Sep 10am-6pm daily
The Old Fulling Mill Museum of Archaeology
This museum has archaeological exhibits from northeast England as well as from ancient Greece and Rome.
The Old Fulling Mill, The Banks, Durham
Tel (0191) 334 1823
Website www.dur.ac.uk/fulling.mill
Admission £1
Open Jan-Mar Mon & Fri-Sun 11.30am-3.30pm; Apr-Oct 11am-4pm daily; Nov Mon & Fri-Sun 11.30am-3.30pm
Oriental Museum
This museum has exhibits on ancient Egypt and eastern Asia.
University of Durham, Elvet Hill, Durham
Bus 5, 6, 41, 722
Tel (0191) 334 5694
Website www.dur.ac.uk/oriental.museum
Admission £1.50
Open Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat-Sun noon-5pm
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