Durham Cathedral, Durham

Whether you are religious or not, Durham Cathedral has something for you. Beautiful architecture, movie history (some of Harry Potter was filmed here), medieval carvings etc. it’s lovely to see and brilliant that it is being restored and maintained so well. I visited during December 2021 as part of the Durham Lumiere and it was wonderfully lit up on the outside. My visit this week was to refresh myself on the beauty of the inside and it did not disappoint. I didn’t indulge in the cafe but there were plenty of seats and tables that were nicely already out and the prices seemed reasonable. You can take guided tours and visit the tower too. There are numerous staff/guides to help and inform you but if anything, there are so many at times I felt a bit watched! This filters into a criticism. The Cathedrals admission is free but you are encouraged to donate (they recommend £5). There are numerous payment points but the one I didn’t like was the desk where they took payment, and people weren’t able to donate or students with no money seemed to cringe past through the barrier system trying not to make eye contact! Having already donated cash into one of the boxes early on my visit, I had to wait my turn behind a queue of tourists making donations and kind of edge past them. I really think this could be made less intimidating for visitors.

Amazing visit, now one of my favourite Cathedrals. Big thanks to the staff and volunteers who were without exception friendly, knowledgeable, entertaining and enthusiastic. Keep up the good work. Sad that the tower wasn't open, but there's no accounting for the weather!!

Amazing pieces of history and to just walk around this whole place is just mesmerizing, getting to see all the artifacts and knowing a few movies where filmed here make it that much more special. Really enjoyed the time here with the family and exploring.

A most welcome and wonderful Cathedral, whether you are religious or not, there is a quietness, a calmness within. Volunteers and Clergy alike are happy to chat and give their knowledge on the history and importance of the amazing world UNESCO heritage site, and the artwork within is of equal importance.

Lots of history here. If you book a tour, you get a lot of information. There is also a museum linked to the cathedral. Nice to walk around the site. Harry Potter 1 & 2 were filmed here too. Harry Potter tours can be booked.