Last week, I talked about our recent visit to Newcastle however, we didn’t actually stay in that city during the trip. Instead, our hotel was in nearby Durham and, personally, I think that is a great way to see both cities. If, like us, you’re trying to visit all of the cities in the UK then you can tick off two here very easily in a weekend.
Getting there
On our most recent trip to Durham, the A66 which is the main road from the West of England to the East was closed due to a storm so, we had to divert through some more minor roads. That being said, Durham is well connected by both rail and road to the rest of the UK. Like Newcastle, it is on the East Coast Mainline so you can travel direct from London or Edinburgh. If you are travelling from the west by train, a change in Newcastle is all that is required.
Places to Stay
My sister studied in Durham and so I have visited the city many times. When not staying at her student houses, I stayed in two hotels. I would recommend both of them. Delta Hotels Durham Royal Country is a Marriot hotel so, is the more expensive of the two options I have to share. This was a great hotel and it was only a short walk across the river to reach the city centre. Durham is such a small city that everything is only a short walk away. On our most recent, we stayed at Premier Inn Durham (Walkergate) which is also in a great central location. I have no complaints about this at all. It is a new Premier Inn too and was very clean and well-kept. I would recommend staying here as Wetherspoons is right around the corner for a cheap and cheerful breakfast and there are many other restaurants nearby too. You do get a slight discount at the multi-story car park nearby for the duration of your stay.
Places to Eat
I think this is the area that my recommendations can really shine. I’ve now eaten at quite a few places in the city and have a top list of both cafes of restaurants for you to choose from:
Cafes
Brunching in Durham is an incredibly popular pastime and we actually struggled to find a cafe with space on our visit as it was a Sunday morning and everyone else had the same idea. This meant a lot of wandering around to try and find a cafe with a spare table. I would suggest booking, if at all possible or you will be queuing for a few of these options:
Riverview Kitchen
Riverview Kitchen is a dog-friendly cafe located – you guessed it – right alongside the river. The cafe has plenty of windows to allow you to take in the view and I imagine it would make for a lovely spot in summer! I had a full English breakfast here and would highly recommend that. They have a diverse range of options on the menu too, including all the classics like pancakes and eggs Benedict. Prices range from around £10.
Flat White Kitchen
Flat White is probably the hardest to get into on this list as the cafe itself is quite small. The food here is equally as delicious though. It is known for its coffee with sweet treats and breakfast dishes available too. From my understanding, they also do takeaway drinks from the back of the cafe. There was a queue when I was last in the city and I can see why. I have great memories of our family breakfast here many years ago.
Leonard’s Cafe
The cafe that we did manage to grab a table in was Leonard’s which worked out perfectly as the food was delicious. I had halloumi on sourdough with poached egg and homemade sweet chilli sauce and it was phenomenal. I was very full afterwards but it was very much worth it. I also had a ‘London Fog’ tea with was earl grey with a pump of vanilla and hot steamed milk which was something I’d never seen before and would definitely have again. You’re looking at similar prices here with £10-15 per person for a drink and a meal. The cakes looked great too.
Restaurants
La Spaghettata
La Spaghettata, or ‘Spags’ as my sister used to call it, is a fabulous Italian restaurant on the main street through Durham. There was also a queue for this restaurant but, after a short wait, we managed to get a table. I had no regrets for waiting as the food was delicious. This is the longest running independent Italian restaurant in Durham and has been listed in the top 100 places to eat outside of London. It goes for a very traditional feel with candles on the tables and table cloths. It feels very quaint and homely once inside. The tables are quite close together which can feel a little disconcerting at first but, you’re soon distracted by the incredible pasta and pizza. The food was also great value for money!
Fat Hippo
Myself and Alex do enjoy a burger restaurant and so, we usually find a nice one wherever we go. We’re big Byron Burger fans however, they seem to be closing everywhere which is very upsetting! Fat Hippo was our restaurant of choice in Durham and it did not disappoint. The prices of the burgers here were similar to Byrons as the chips aren’t included in the price and are purchased separately. I have potato tots which were great! They have a range of beef and chicken burgers as well as vegan options. The staff in the Durham branch were great with allergy advice and even gave me my drink in a plastic cup as they kept nuts behind the bar – that has certainly never happened before! It always gives that extra piece of mind when people take extra consideration.
Zen
I tried to book Zen for our recent trip to Durham but, it was fully booked. I have very fond memories of going here with my family when we went to visit my sister at university. This was in the very early days of discovering I had an allergy and was really struggling with eating out at restaurants. Zen was great! They were very accommodating and I felt very much at ease. This is a thai and pan-Asian restaurant that is a little further outside the city centre than the other two options. It is also the most expensive of the three with each dish costing around £15-20 per person. The decorations may have changed since I was there over five years ago but, I remember it was very beautiful and very ‘instagrammable’.
Things to See and Do
Durham Cathedral
Durham Cathedral is iconic for many reasons. Film fans may recognise spots that featured in Harry Potter and the Avengers which I certainly appreciated as I was a big Potter-fan growing up. The Cathedral was completed in the early 1100s and became the successor to Lindisfarne Priory for the Anglo Saxons after fear of Viking raids. It is a Church of England cathedral and the seat of the Bishop of Durham. The cathedral is incredible inside and has many beautiful stone-glass windows so it is well worth taking a look. Entrance is free though they do ask for donations. Shrines to St Cuthbert and Bede can also be found here.
Durham Castle
The orders to build Durham Castle came from William the Conquerer in 1072 and it was originally a motte-and-bailey castle. However, it was later redeveloped by the Normans who added more architectural detail to the building. The Norman Chapel is the oldest standing building in the city. Today, the Castle in Durham is also a University accommodation building which is pretty incredible! I certainly couldn’t image staying in a castle during term time. However, it is also open to the public via tours. Because it is still in use, tour times do vary week by week so you can book them only a week in advance on the website. Tickets cost £5 for adults and £4.50 for students and concessions.
Market Hall
Our main reason for going into the Market Hall was to head to a book-stall. Naturally, I love books so any opportunity to buy them second hand. I’ll be sharing a haul soon on my book blog, Read with Amie. The Market Hall was established in 1851 and is home to many different stalls selling an array of products. There are fresh food stall as well as crafts and cafes.
Botanic Gardens
Towards the outskirts of the city is Durham University’s botanic gardens. This 10-hectare area of flowers, woodland and sculptures is the perfect place for nature lovers. They also host quite a few events throughout the year including, animal talks and vintage car displays. The Botanic Gardens are open almost everyday of the year, bar Christmas and entrance, once again, costs £5 or adults.
Finchale Priory
A short car journey of around 15 minutes, or a bus and a 30 minute walk brings you to Finchale Priory. This old Benedictine Abbey is now in ruin and free to have a look around. Established in the 1196, the Priory is now maintained by the English Heritage but it was originally a dependency of Durham Cathedral before the dissolution of the minor monasteries in 1536. My sister and I visited Finchale Priory when she was at University in Durham and it was a great afternoon out. We sat and had a picnic before making the walk back.
Though it may seem like the list of specific sites here is slightly shorter than other cities, I think Durham is a lovely place to simply walk around. With quaint, cobbled streets and lots of character, it’s a great place for a day out. And, with neighbouring Newcastle, you really do have the best of both worlds.
Amie x
Explore with Amie 
Leave a comment