Welcome to Durham

A good place to start is Palace Green outside “the best cathedral on Planet Earth” (Travel Writer Bill Bryson) for a really inspirational experience of the history and landscape of Durham.

Durham City is the jewel of Durham with its World Heritage Site Cathedral and Castle, shopping and museums like the Oriental Museum and the Durham Light Infantry Museum. It has been voted the top UK city to visit in the Conde Nast readers awards 2007. You will find plenty to do just wandering the medieval cobbled streets and visiting the many intriguing shops but try and make time to visit Crook Hall and Gardens and especially the Secret Walled Garden with its roses.

Take time to stroll along the tree-lined riverbanks and watch the rowers - apparently Durham Regatta, held every summer, is seven years older than Henley. There is also the option of a river cruise on the sedate River Wear and evening entertainment at the new café and restaurant quarter off Claypath and the Gala Theatre.

You could venture forth into the Durham Dales, an area of high moorland, valleys and small villages. In Weardale, visit Killhope, The North of England Lead Mining Museum and Auckland Castle - home to the Bishop of Durham and in Teesdale the medieval Raby Castle, with its gardens and deer park - it is one of the most impressive castles in England.

Or take in another worthwhile trip - a spectacular French chateau in Barnard Castle - The Bowes Museum - with its internationally significant collection of art (Canalettos, Gainsboroughs, El Grecos, and Goyas just to whet your appetite), porcelain and exhibitions. They also have a lovely tearoom, a superb place to relax and read about its programme of special events.

No stay in Durham is really complete without a visit to the award winning Beamish Museum where you could quite easily spend the morning in 1825 and the afternoon in 1913 with the help of costumed characters, old shops, and period cottages, a school room, farm, town street, Masonic Hall and railway station complete with train. With alternative forms of free transport around the site it is readily accessible for all in any group. They also offer rather generous group discounts.

After all the diverse attractions already mentioned take some time off and go shopping! Try the local farmers’ markets and speciality shops to sample the local fare or Dalton Park to sample some of the 60+ high street outlets - and it’s not just shopping here either as there are special events throughout the year!

Durham offers such a wide range of themes and places of interest there really is plenty of scope for a wide range of superb group visits.