Excursion Durham cathedral, castle and river walk tour at Newcastle upon Tyne

Visit a UK World Heritage Site, in the historic university city of Durham, one of the jewels of Northern England.

Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle are among the greatest monuments of the Norman Conquest of Britain and comprise one of the most splendid groups of historic architecture in Europe. For this reason, the Cathedral and Castle were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.

Arriving in the city of Durham after an approximately 45 minutes drive, walk to Palace Green to see Durham Castle (from the outside) and hear of its fascinating history.

Cross Palace Green to Durham Cathedral, a Norman structure built in the late 11th / early 12th century to house the tombs of two of the most eminent saints from early Christianity: St Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede. Durham Cathedral with its magnificent stone vaulted ceiling is the largest and finest example of Norman architecture in England.

During a guided tour taking you through the history and development of the Cathedral, see the Nave, Quire and treasures such as the Shrine of St Cuthbert, the Tomb of the Venerable Bede, the Galilee Chapel and the Chapel of The Nine Alters.

Conclude your Cathedral tour with a visit to the world class Open Treasure Exhibition. Open Treasure is housed in previously hidden spaces within the Cathedral Cloister and displays precious artefacts from over 2000 years of history.

Leaving the Cathedral take a brief stroll along the river, and time permitting a stop may be made at the market before re-joining your coach for the approximately 45 minutes return journey to Port of Tyne.

Note

Please note: This tour involves a moderate amount of walking of approximately 2 kilometres, including some cobbled streets in Durham and steep gradients during the walk to and from Palace Green and a few steps to negotiate to get on/off the coach and inside the cathedral. This tour is not suitable for guests with limited mobility. Warm, layered clothing, a sweater or jacket, flat, closed-toe walking shoes and sun protection are recommended. On Sunday, the tour will depart at 11:30am only.