Guided Walking Tour of Durham & its Infamous Characters: Discover a City Steeped in History

Join our guided walking tour of Durham and uncover the fascinating stories of its infamous characters. From Narnia to mining, dragons to saints, and even a serial killer, this tour is a captivating journey through the city’s rich history.

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Durham Market Place - At the heart of Durham’s historic old town, your guide will tell the story of Lord Londonderry, whose statue dominates the scenery, and Durham’s mining heritage.
  • Elvet Bridge - Situated on the winding River Wear, above the former dungeons of Durham, Elvet Bridge sets the scene for the story of Jimmy Allen, the People’s…
What's Included
  • Local history and folklore expertise
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

This excursion offers much more than a simple journey around Durham. It delves deeply into the narratives interwoven with its residents and their histories. From connections to the magical realm of Narnia to its traditions rooted in mining, from tales elicited by dragons and saints to accounts of a serial murderer, Durham offers a treasure trove of…

Location
Gala Theatre & Cinema
Millennium Place
Coming from Market Place, cross the bridge towards the Gala Theatre, then turn left onto Millennium Place and you will see your guide, usually equipped with an umbrella , and always with a backpack, standing by the statue of pilgrims carrying St Cuthbert's coffin, in front of Clayport Library.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(151 Ratings)
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Marc_v
Oct 20, 2024
Fantastic Introduction to Durham. - Tom’s knowledge and enthusiasm was amazing, he brought the history to life in a highly engaging manner.
Review provided by Viator
Trip10689252645
Oct 11, 2024
what more could you ask for in a walking tour - What a pleasure to learn all about the city from such a charismatic and informed man. I feel so connected to a city I'm not even from! Bonus points for walking at a pace that was easy enough for my wife and I to keep up with - we have done tours like this before where we constantly feel out of breath and rushed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Penelope_u
Oct 10, 2024
Fun and informative-what more can you ask of a city tour? - It was very cold and very wet; a quarter of our party didn’t even speak English but Tom kept us all entertained and informed so we didn’t even notice the cold and the wet. Excellent tour.
Review provided by Viator
Jso5a
Oct 3, 2024
Down-to-earth tour with an entertaining guide - This tour is a must when visiting Durham. Tom was just as entertaining and informative as all reviews stated. When a city-wide power failure found us waiting outside the cathedral, unable to enter, Tom remained and chatted with us about all kinds of subjects. He introduced a former Theology professor who was also waiting, and the conversations took a more academic philosophical turn. Fascinating way to end a tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Robert_c
Sep 26, 2024
Durham with Tom - First class tour, Tom was excellent made the tour interesting with lots of local information and a great sence of humour the tour was carried out at a comfortable pace, well done Tom
Review provided by Viator
B6342enaaronf
Sep 23, 2024
10/10 - Amazing scenery. Quality coffee 2 for 1 as well. Staff all great and welcoming, special mention to Daisy made sure everyone was smiling and never stopped. 10/10
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Andythegooner
Sep 17, 2024
Absolutely brilliant tour guide - Excellent way to get to know Durham. Tom is very knowledgeable on the history and brings excellent humour into the tour. It was our first time to Durham and this tour was a great start to a most enjoyable visit to a great city. We stayed at The IHG Indigo hotel which was a great place to stay and well worth visiting for a quick drink !
Review provided by Tripadvisor
190rh
Sep 16, 2024
Fun, informative tour - This is a really well planned and well researched tour. Our guide was great: knowledgeable, engaging, a great storyteller and performer. He told us lots of entertaining stories about Durham and its characters, and showed us a side to the city we wouldn't have discovered on our own. Highly recommended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Zahra_w
Sep 15, 2024
Tom was brilliant - Absolutely brilliant. A wonderful guide with a great sense of humour. Tom was very welcoming and engaging throughout.
Review provided by Viator
Big_sam2009
Sep 14, 2024
Great tour with local knowledge - Tom was an excellent and passionate tour guide. Very interesting tour of Durham covered at a good pace and with great local guide. Would highly recommend for all ages.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $13
up to 15 guests
1 Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).