Durham is a county of north-east England between the Pennines and the North Sea, renowned for its fascinating cultural and architectural heritage and magnificent scenery.

Durham was the territory of the “Prince Bishops”, medieval church leaders endowed with far-reaching political powers, entitled to raise taxes, mint coins, had supreme jurisdiction both civil and military, and for centuries occupied the most powerful position in the region. The influence of the bishops gradually lessened after the Middle Ages, and their powers were eventually ceded to the crown.

Durham city has a splendid castle and cathedral, ancient market place and alleyways and other old churches that evince that Durham was a great place of pilgrimage.

The west of the city of Durham there is beautiful sceneries, with stunning Pennine valleys and spectacular waterfalls. Nearby Barnard Castle is a pretty little town, well worth a visit, and littered with cobble stone roads and a market place, and overlooked by the ruins of a Norman castle.

On the outskirts of the city is the battleground site of the Battle of Neville's Cross, where England fought and defeated Scotland in 1346 and took the Scottish king David II as a prisoner. In Durham you will also find a Victorian Indoor Market, Botanical Gardens, Finchale Priory; a 13th century holiday retreat built by the monks of Durham Cathedral, and lots of interesting shops, walks and boat trips on the river Wear.