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
(193 Ratings)
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Accidental_tourist07
May 23, 2025
A fab tour! - Excellent tour - lots of great stories and information. Our guide was fantastic, relaxed and friendly. And of course Durham itself is beautiful.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pathfinder587585
May 13, 2025
Excellent walking tour - Enjoyed the tour very much Tom was very informative, interesting and friendly. Would definitely recommend whether you are local or not, a lovely way to spend 90 minutes in Durham.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
152smarti
May 4, 2025
Entertaining and informative - Excellent walking tour of Durham. Really well-presented and entertaining. Liked that our guide was honest if he didn’t know the answer to any questions (although he knew A LOT!). Strongly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tw0_jays
Apr 28, 2025
Outstanding walking tour - Tom was an amazing guide. He was so knowledgeable about the history, legends and people of Durham and made everything come alive with his entertaining stories. It was such a pleasure to learn all about this lovely city. Would highly recommend this tour!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Andymcc3024
Apr 24, 2025
Awesome tour for a father and daughter visiting city - This tour was great. Tom led my daughter and I on a big loop of Durham's city center highlighting Durham's sights (bridges, University buildings, the Cathedral) and also telling us fun stories about some of Durham's infamous people. Great tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tonycb4493tx
Apr 24, 2025
Really made our day - The tour was fantastic, really opened up our eyes to not just the history with dates but also with rich stories and characterisations. Really was a joyful experience and was better than the castle tour guide by miles
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Andrewlm9900ds
Apr 19, 2025
X - Great tour! Tom is very knowledgable, energetic and enthusiastic. In 90 minutes it’s a perfect amount of time to see the main sites. He brings the whole experience of seeing Durham to life. Only for £10 too, I would have paid more. 5*
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Paulghayw00d
Apr 15, 2025
Great walk. - Tom gaves us an informative, humorous and interesting walk and talk. We never knew that Durham had such a fascinating history, not only for its castle and cathedral but for some of its notorious characters.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Georginat917
Apr 14, 2025
Must do tour of Durham - If you do one thing in Durham then make it this tour. Our guide Tom was extremely knowledgable & clearly very passionate about this beautiful city. We learnt far more than we expected from the tour & can’t recommend it highly enough for those on a first time trip or for those returning as there was something for everyone.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Anna_p
Apr 12, 2025
We had a great time! Tom... - We had a great time! Tom was knowledgeable, and we got a good tour of much of the city. It was good to hear some stories and history and we got beautiful views along the way.
Review provided by Viator
From $13
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).