Durham England Travel Itinerary

I’ve seen quite a few of my friends posting photos from their end-of-summer travels, and I have to say, I’m jealous. I love to travel, but I haven’t been able to take a big trip this year. To combat my stationary blues, I thought I would whip up a travel itinerary for a place I know and love dearly- Durham, England.

The Basics:

The city of Durham is in the northeast of England, just south of Newcastle. It is on the River Wear, has a population of just under 50,000, and is home to one of the best Romanesque Cathedrals in Europe. The city of Durham is also home of Durham University, which of course I think is the best uni in England (?). The city boasts cobbled streets, historic buildings, beautiful river walks, and all the English charm you could ask for.

The city itself was founded in 995 when, according to legend, the group of monks was carrying the remains of St. Cuthbert found that cart carrying his coffin stopped and refused to move. While the group was trying to figure out what to do, a vision of St. Cuthbert appeared to one of the monks and said they should take his body to a place called Dunholme. The only problem was, no one knew were Dunholm was! Around that time, a milkmaid wanders past and said she was looking for her lost dun (brown) cow. Another girl mentioned that she had seen a dun cow headed toward Dunholme, and the monks overheard this exchange. They decided to follow the girl and found that the coffin cart had become unstuck. Once they got to Dunholme, which we now know as Durham, they erected the beginnings of what is now Durham Cathedral. See if you can find the carving of the Dun Cow on Dun Cow Lane, on the south end of the Cathedral!

I found the easiest way to get into Durham was by train. I’ve taken a train up from London (3.5 hours), and I’ve also flown into the Newcastle airport and taken the train from the airport to Durham station (45 minutes). If you don’t want to bother with trains, there is always the taxi option. I found that’s more expensive, obviously, but if you have a lot of luggage and don’t want to mess around with trains, you can easily find a taxi.

Where to Stay:

The modern hotel:

If you’re looking for a hotel that offers all the modern amenities like an American chain, I would definitely recommend the Radisson Blu. It’s a 10 minute walk to the train station, and a 10 minute walk through the lovely downtown streets to the cathedral. I stayed there with my parents for a few nights, and it met all my expectations!

The quaint hotel:

If you’re looking for something a little more quaint, I would recommend checking out The Town House. This Georgian townhouse b&b offers 11 unique rooms and a delicious breakfast. And you can’t beat the location- I always thought of this area of town as the quietest central spot in the city. It’s less than a 10 minute walk to the cathedral, and you are mere steps away from one of my favorite pubs and one of my favorite coffee shops (more about those later).

The Castle hotel:

Like I mentioned before, Durham is home to Durham University. The University contains 16 colleges (think Harry Potter houses), one of which is housed in Durham Castle, which dates back to the 1070s. During University breaks, you have the option of staying in the castle itself, as well as a few other colleges. A stay in the castle comes with a free tour and a breakfast in the great hall. Even though these are essentially student dorms, the experience of staying in a Norman castle is pretty cool.

Where to Eat:

People sometimes hate on English food, but I love it. How could you hate on fish and chips and shepherd’s pie?

Coffee and Tea:

If you’re looking for a quirky, hole in the wall coffee joint, look no further than Flat White. It’s a little hidden gem off of Elvet Bridge. If a more upscale tea room is more your jam, I’d suggest Chapters Tea Rooms, also on Elvet Bridge. In fact, it’s just across the street from Flat White. I can personally vouch for the deliciousness of the mocha, as well as the awesome lunch sandwiches and chips. Many an Instagram photo was posted from Chapters during my time in Durham.

Lunch:

Durhams narrow alleys and windabout cobbled streets make for more than a few hidden gems. One of my favorite lunch spots is Vennel’s Cafe, up a tiny alley off of Sadler Street. They bake all their scones and bread fresh in the morning, which you can enjoy either inside or in the courtyard of the 16th century building. If you’d rather take your food to go, that’s totally fine as well. If you only get one thing there (which would be insane), get the banoffi pie.

I have to admit, though, the vast majority of my lunches were had at The New Inn, a pub with a mostly student crowd located on the edge of the Science Site. I usually went for the burgers or the pizza (wow looking back I ate junk), and of course washed it down with a pint of Guinness!

I should also quickly mention Bell’s Fish and Chips in Market Square. If you want to go for a real authentic fish and chips, make sure you ask for “bits” with your chips. You’ll thank me.

Dinner:

The best shepherd’s pie I have ever eaten was consumed at The Duke of Wellington pub on Darlington Road. This pub is a short walk away from the hoi polloi of City Center and is nestled in a more residential area. I never had anything there that wasn’t delicious, and the trivia nights are always a hoot.

If you’re looking for something closer to town, I’d recommend Bella Italia. Even though this is a chain and some Brits would roll their eyes reading this, I loved Bella Italia. They are located right on the River Wear at the base of the castle, so the views are gorgeous. We had many a student family dinner here, and the food is delicious.

Nightlife

If a truly local pub is what you’re looking for, I highly recommend The Victoria Inn on Hallgarth Street, more commonly known as The Vic. They proudly advertise their lack of jukeboxes and pool tables, and the northern accent is very strong here. It also boasts one of the best wallpapers in England, in my opinion.

I also really enjoy The Swan and Three Cygnets on Elvet Bridge, commonly shortened to The Swan and Three (because who knows how to pronounce “cygnets?”). This is a Sam Smith’s pub (meaning they only sell beer by the Sam Smith’s brewery), but there are quite a few beers to choose from. When the weather is nice, the biergarten outside offers a lovely view of the river.

If all you want to do is dance, and you don’t mind being mobbed by university students, Fabio’s is the place for you. It’s on the third floor of a building on Sadler Street, above a popular Italian place called La Spaghetatta (or Spag’s). There’s a dance floor, a mezzanine, and a few rooms with tables and couches for when your feet hurt from all the dancing!

What to See:

If you haven’t spent all your time eating and drinking, there are quite a few things to check out in the city. Obviously the castle and cathedral go without saying. Did you know that some Harry Potter scenes were filmed at the cathedral? Yeah, I freaked out, too. McGonagall’s classroom was filmed in the chapter house, and the quad was used for the scene where Ron vomits slugs!

You can also climb the tower for spectacular views of the city and surrounding area.

Next, I would definitely recommend talking a walk along the river. The views are stunning, and you’ll almost certainly see rowers out there rowing away. If museums are more your speed, an excellent choice is the Oriental Museum. The Chinese and Egyptian collections are especially impressive. Or if shopping is what tickles your fancy, you should definitely check out a Durham market. There is an outdoor retail market every Saturday in Market Square, a farmer’s market every third Thursday of the month in Market Square, and the Victorian indoor market every day of the week except Sunday off of Market Square. Going to the market is always an adventure- you never know what hidden treasure you may find!

I hope this was helpful for those planning a trip to Durham, and maybe even inspires some people to plan a trip to Durham! It really is one of the most lovely places in the world, and I can’t wait to go back for a visit soon!

xoxo Katie