Durham

The history of Durham traces its roots to around thousand years back when a group of monks reached this place in search of a permanent resting place for the body of their saint, St Cuthbert of Lindisfarne, and they built a stone church perched on a hill surrounded by River Wear on all three sides. Later in 1066, King William made Durham his base to rule Northumbria and defend the region against the Scots.

Soon a community of Benedictine Monks was set up. They built a cathedral dedicated to St Cuthbert and a castle to house the Bishop, which later turned out to be one of the finest architectural wonders of Europe. Listed in the world heritage list, both these are touted as the icons of the city of Durham. The cathedral still contains the remains of St Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede. Many reputed travel writers like Bill Bryson rate it as the finest cathedral in the world.In the 19th century, the Durham castle was converted into the first ever university college of this city.

This city is famous for its warm hospitality and friendly populace. Today it is a stunning collage of the old and the new, where Victorian buildings jostle for space with the modern buildings to offer a diverse assortment. You can shop at your own pace in this city as shopping streets are mostly closed to vehicular traffic.

Durham shows off an impressive event calendar with many red letter days like the monthly farmer’s market and the street plays, which add specks of color and flavor to its cobbled allay ways. Set out to the river banks where you can catch a few rowers in action or can settle for a luxuriant river cruise. The race course is yet another spot worth visiting; do not expect to see any horse races here however you can even it off with some top class cross country events that are regularly conducted here. The Miner’s gala paints the streets in brilliant colors with processions, bands and parades, spicing up the event.

If you happen to touch down in Durham in the month of June, do not miss out the annual Durham Regatta which has been going on since 1834- making it the second oldest in the country. It features over 600 crews from all over the world making it a truly stunning spectacle. The Gala theatre and the Millennium place development sets stage for an array of drama, comedy and musical shows. Durham has a heady café culture, which is best displayed in the Walkergate area, which is richly smattered with cafes, bars and restaurants, making it a favorite hangout for tourists and locals alike.

The three old road bridges of Elvet Bridge, Framwellgate Bridge and the Prebends Bridge connect this city to the various parts. The city center of Durham is a conservation area, with over 630 listed buildings apart from the fabled cathedral and Castle, which makes it a rich historical city with a modern mind set! Renowned for Durham Cathedral the city is fast becoming a location to enjoy great food and a fantastic social scene with the city packed from  top to toe with great pubs. County Durham farm land has now changed from agriculture to the fumes of petrol from racing karts and flying paint balls as the county develops into one of the best areas for outdoor activities.