About the local area

I decided to come to Durham University mainly because of its reputation for academic excellence and the college system. I was also really drawn to the traditional feel of the University, and the low cost of living up North. As a city-girl, I love the fact that Durham is small enough for me to walk wherever I need. It’s a gorgeous place to live and the scenery never fails to brighten my day.

Maroshini Krishna Morgan, Law, St Chad’s College

Around Durham City

With a population of around 43,000 Durham has a compact, friendly feel but still provides the facilities you would expect of a thriving city including many excellent cafés, bars and restaurants.

As we're only 10 minutes away from Newcastle by train, you'll find a wide range of choices for entertainment, culture and shopping. It really is the best of both worlds.

In Durham City there is a mix of popular high street shops (such as Next, River Island, TopShop, M&S, Boots and WHSmith to name but a few), along with more exciting and individual boutiques selling their own range of goods.

The Gala Theatre and Cinema in the City's Millennium Square hosts a range of national touring productions as well as amateur shows from student and local groups. For comedy fans, the Comedy Store features big names from the stand-up scene.

And of course there's a busy entertainment programme organised through the University's colleges and Durham Students' Union. For example, our sketch group, Durham Revue produces a new show each term and the best material from each year's shows goes to the Edinburgh Fringe. In 2009 the Durham Revue won the Edinburgh Underbelly Sketch Off 2009 and National Student Best University Sketch Group 2009.

There's also a highly successful public concert series, Musicon, which showcases international professional musicians. Many of our colleges also stage theatre and music productions for all tastes, to which all students are welcome.

As well as the spectacular architecture around the City, you can also enjoy some fascinating museums. The Oriental Museum specialises in all the major civilisations of the East, from Egypt to Japan, and the Old Fulling Mill Museum tells the story of our ancient city. We're also home to the Durham Book Festival. We work very closely with the organisers and support a Festival Laureate - every year, a diverse range of major writers come here to read their work in venues around the City.

For those moments when you seek a bit of tranquillity, there are plenty of green spaces around and many quiet walks to enjoy, especially along the leafy banks of the River Wear. You can also hire a rowing boat here or take the Prince Bishop river cruiser.

The University's Botanic Garden on the southern side of the City, and close to many of our colleges, is an oasis of calm. Set in 25 acres of mature woodland, the Botanic Garden also hosts many student events in summer and has a coffee shop on-site. It often holds exhibitions and other events of interest, making it a great place to relax or spend time with friends. Many students find it is a peaceful place to escape to, especially during the demanding examination period.