Durham - what to do? And where to eat?

[BellissimoGecko]

In Durham this weekend. Want to go to the castle and Cathedral, but apart from that, what to do? Any restaurant/bar recommendations would be great. Staying centrally, by the river. Thank you!!

I went a few weeks ago, and discovered there is literally nothing to do in central Durham once you have been to the castle and cathedral. I hope you like shopping!

Basically eating, drinking, shopping, walking by the river.

Lovely city, but I agree with a PP, apart from the castle and cathedral, there is nothing to do.

Oh...

Hmm.

Where are the restaurants then?

Go to Crook Hall - it’s lovely. Also the botanic gardens, which are part of the university. The oriental museum is supposed to be good if you are into that sort of thing

I went about 10 years ago so could be horribly inaccurate, but the restaurant ‘cellar door’ was nice

Cellar Door is still good, judging from reviews!

Cellar Door still nice - had Sunday lunch there earlier this year. Vennels cafe up a passageway, near the Cathedral is really nice.
Have recently seen recommended a vegan cafe in the covered market, called the Nook. Cakes are seemingly "out of this world".

The castle tour is good, the cathedral annoys me though, they act like they don't want visitors most of the time. Another vote for Crook Hall (NT), that's very popular locally. And I like the Oriental Museum and Botanic Gardens. North of the city Finchale Priory (EH) is nice and you can walk along the river a bit.

Further afield if you have a car the Beamish is excellent or go to Bishop Auckland and see the art galleries and Bishop's Palace there. Far less eating options than Durham though.

Durham is beautiful. It is a tiny city but there is plenty to do. Cathedral of course, and on Palace Green (in front of the Cathedral and Castle) there is a really interesting display at the library and archives. Bishop Cosins library I think. The archaeology museum is there too. There is also the Oriental Museum and the Botanical Gardens. More info here: https://www.durham.ac.uk/things-to-do/

If you like old cities generally there are lots of passages to wander through and the river is lovely to walk along. Hope you have a great time!

Booked Cellar Door and have bookmarked Vennek's for lunch. Looks lush! Thanks all, esp @Latenightreader

Oriental museum up by the Hill colleges is good, particularly if you like ceramics.
Is Flat White still there? Lovely cakes and coffee and avo on toast

The Town Hall is amazing

Durham Town Hall - Durham County Council

It's free to enter and interesting inside

There's a really lovely Turkish restaurant called Akashura. Gin bar Old Toms is really nice. There's an Odeon lux cinema or the Gala which is only £5 a ticket. Agree that the Palace Green museum and Town Hall are great plus the indoor market on Saturday. Avoid the top end of North Road where the bus station is but halfway down there's a cat cafe which is sweet..you usually have to book. If you like real ale the Station House and Holy Grale pubs are great.

Recommend the Rabbit Hole for lunch or dinner. Lovely and cosy Asian food. Vennels gets recommended often but haven't been there. Fat Hippo is good (nice burgers).
Really it's just a place to admire some old buildings, wander around the indoor market, walk along the pretty river. Much like most small cities/large towns.

The brisket stotties in Vennells are out of this world !

Oriental Museum.

Crook Hall gardens.

Raby Castle gardens and deer park.

Beamish open air museum is brilliant.

Bishop Auckland especially Spanish and Mining galleries and the castle. The Museum of Faith is worth a look too.

Durham Dales, especially Weardale. .I've only been in summer so don't know if the steam railway still open, it's a lovely way to see the area.

Barnard Castle, the castle and town itself worth a look.

Fish and chips are superb there.

The Bowes Museum. Very good. Full of interesting mechanical artefacts including the Silver Swan exhibition art, ceramics. There is a lovely cafe there too.

I went to Durham this year.
we went to

shaheems Indian, 48 N Bailey, Durham DH1 3ET

Food was nice, I prefer a little spicier but I’d go back if I was in the area again and the waiter/owner was lovely, he took over the restaurant from his father. it’s a family run place. he was chatting to us about the restaurant and seems really proud of the restaurant.

Akarsu Turkish Restaurant & Grill On silver street

really lovely food and friendly staff. Was absolutely stuffed at the end! Had Turkish coffee at the end that came with Turkish delight but I’d already had baclava so couldn’t even look at it.

It’s right on the bridge so depending on where you’re seated views over the river.

id definitely go back again.

hope that useful.
I agree that it’s small so there isn’t loads to do but I enjoyed my trip there

And the bit around the Palace is lovely. Go around the corner onto.the main street...I wouldn't say it's rough but last time we were there some young boys kicked a pigeon to death.
You could grab the train to Newcastle. There's no shopping in Durham much either.

The walk around the river meander from Framwellgate bridge to Elvet Bridge (or vice versa) is pretty and if you walk on the "outside" of the meander from FWG bridge you get that classic shot of the cathedral towers above the river.Then cross Prebends Bridge to the other side of the river round to Elvet Bridge, or keep walking and cross the small footbridge onto the racecourse to do a loop round past the rowing club then back along Green Lane into the city centre. There's usually rowers out on the river along that stretch.
Shaheens and Vennels cafe takes me back to my uni days!
19Twenty bistro is good these days and Turkish Kitchen was really nice, likewise Fabios Italian although it was so dark in there I could barely see what I was eating!! The FoodPit has some decent food stalls for more casual dining and my parents really liked Riverview Kitchen cafe.