Just south of Newcastle upon Tyne, the historic town of Durham is home to two of England’s first UNESCO World Heritage Sites, both situated together atop a hill in a bend of the River Wear. Durham Cathedral is a spectacular Norman structure, arguably the best preserved of its kind in Europe. And Durham Castle, built on orders from William the Conqueror, is an intact medieval fortress, complete with the castle keep overlooking a protective moat. (It is used today as part of Durham University.)
