Durham

Durham city holds most of the county's accommodation, and staying within walking distance of the cathedral and castle is easy to arrange. The Victorian Town House and Castle View Guest House sit close to the old town, ideal for exploring on foot, while Hotel Indigo Durham and the Radisson Blu occupy more central positions geared towards visitors wanting comfort alongside the sights.

Further out, options change character. Ramside Hall Hotel, Golf and Spa suits those after grounds and leisure facilities rather than a city-centre base, and Farnley Tower Guesthouse offers a quieter setting still within reach of the centre. Budget chains such as Travelodge Durham and OYO The Townhouse work well for short stopovers or drivers passing through on the A1.

Choosing between them largely comes down to whether you want cathedral views on your doorstep or a bit more space and parking a short drive away.

Durham city's obvious draw is its castle and cathedral, sitting together on the peninsula above the River Wear, and most visitors build a day around them before branching out to the Oriental Museum or the gardens at Crook Hall. These are places best tackled on foot, with the riverbanks and cobbled streets adding to the walk between them.

Beyond the historic core, the county offers a different kind of outing. Diggerland and TopGear Karting suit families wanting something more active, while Durham Climbing Centre gives an indoor option for wet days. East Grange Farm and Durham Botanic Garden slow things down again, good for younger children or a gentler afternoon.

Given how compact Durham city is, it's easy to combine an indoor attraction with time outdoors, and the spread here covers most tastes and weather conditions without much travel between them.

Durham's dining scene is concentrated in the city, where the riverside streets around Elvet and the Market Place mix student-friendly cafes with more considered places to eat. Sambuca Riverside and 26 Elvet make the most of the Wear-side setting, while spots like The Cloud Cafe and Cafe Cenno suit a slower coffee-and-cake stop between exploring the cathedral and castle.

Beyond the obvious cafes and coffee shops, there's a decent spread of cuisines to choose from, with Nadon Thai Restaurant and Paddy's Pizza offering something different from the traditional pub menu. The Rabbit Hole and Utepia Durham cater well to evenings out, and Durham City Town Hall's setting adds character to a meal in the old part of the city.

With well over a hundred places listed, it's worth deciding whether you want a quick bite near the shops, a proper sit-down meal, or a pub with a view of the river before picking where to head.

County Durham's mix of riverside pasture, moorland edge and quiet farmland gives campers plenty to work with, and the pitches near Durham city itself are a good example: Finchale Abbey Touring Park sits by the River Wear close to the abbey ruins, while Durham Grange offers the kind of straightforward, well-run stopover that suits a Club site. Strawberry Hill Farm, listed here in a couple of guises, is another long-standing option for tourers and tents alike.

Beyond the obvious touring parks, the county has a good scatter of small Certificated Sites and Locations - places like Conifer Rise, High Flatts Farm and the Durham Amateur Rowing Club ground - which suit those wanting a handful of pitches on a working farm or riverside plot rather than a full-scale park. For something more comfortable, Dragonfly Camping and West Hall Glamping represent the county's growing choice of yurts, pods and cabins, useful if you want the countryside without the tent.

Choosing between them often comes down to how central you want to be: sites close to Durham city put the cathedral and river within easy reach, while those further out give a quieter, more rural base for exploring the Wear Valley and beyond.

County Durham's self-catering cottages spread from converted farm buildings in the dales to stone-built homes closer to Durham city, giving visitors a choice between quiet countryside and easy access to the cathedral and river. Properties such as Bridge End Farm, Stone Cottage and Britton Hall Bungalow suit those wanting space and a garden, while conversions like The Old Stables and Mill Force Cottage often come in small groups, useful for families or friends travelling together but wanting separate cottages.

Many of these houses sit on working farms or former mill sites, with names like Mill Stone Cottage and Miners Meadow hinting at the area's agricultural and industrial past. Booking a cottage here works well for exploring the North Pennines and Weardale on longer stays, or for a shorter break based nearer Durham itself, with self-catering giving the flexibility to come and go as walking, cycling or sightseeing plans allow.