Less than 20 miles south of Newcastle upon Tyne sits one of England's most atmospheric small cities. Durham, built on a peninsula wrapped by the River Wear, packs a Norman castle, a cathedral used as a Harry Potter filming location, and a chain of lovely gardens into a walkable centre — and it makes a great weekend base for exploring the northeast.

The city grew around its cathedral, a pilgrimage site as the burial place of Saint Cuthbert, and the cobbled streets and heritage buildings still feel steeped in history. Durham Cathedral and Castle were jointly designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986, and both dominate the skyline from Palace Green. Film fans will recognise the cathedral cloisters from the Harry Potter movies, where they doubled as Hogwarts.

The best way to take it all in is the Riverside Walk, a roughly three-mile loop around the central peninsula that takes about an hour and a half. It passes university boathouses, the Count's House folly, and several historic bridges — Prebends Bridge offers arguably the finest view, with the cathedral rising behind the river. Afterwards, hire a wooden boat from Brown's Rowing Boats or hop on the Prince Bishop River Cruiser for the classic view of cathedral and castle from the water.

Durham Castle itself dates to the 11th century, ordered by William the Conqueror, and later served as the power base for the Prince-Bishops of Durham. It has housed kings, treated wounded soldiers, and trained RAF officers during World War II; today it's a working college of Durham University. That means visiting is a bit different from most castles: entry is by guided tour, often led by students, taking in the wood-panelled Great Hall, the reputedly haunted Black Staircase, the Tunstall Gallery with its bishop's throne and armoury, and two chapels, one Norman. Because students live here during term, opening days vary — check ahead — though self-guided tours run in summer.

A genuinely unusual option: the castle doubles as accommodation outside term time. Guests eat breakfast in the Great Hall and get access to areas closed to day visitors. The Bishop's Suite is the splurge choice; keep rooms come with views over the River Wear or the cathedral.

For green-space fans, Durham over-delivers. The university's Botanic Garden, founded in 1925, mixes mature woodland with exotic collections — a Cactus House evoking Mexico and Brazil, plus a bug glasshouse housing scorpions and tarantulas. Crook Hall Gardens, north of the centre around a medieval hall, offers walled gardens, an orchard, wildlife-friendly planting and a living maze that peaks in autumn. Five miles east, Ushaw Historic House has Victorian-restored gardens, unusual trees like monkey puzzle and purple beech, a celebrated library and several chapels; visit in May or June when the rhododendrons flower.

Durham suits travellers who like their history intact and their itineraries compact — everything here is reachable on foot or a short drive away, and the city pairs easily with Newcastle for a longer northeast trip.