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Durgapur

Durgapur (Bengali: দুর্গাপুর Durgāpur) is an industrial city in the Paschim Bardhaman district of West Bengal, India. Being an industrial hub, there is little here of interest to tourists.

Understand
The "Ruhr of India" was a brainchild of Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, the second Chief Minister of the West Bengal. The well laid-out industrial township was designed by Joseph Allen Stein and Benjamin Polk. It is home to the largest industrial unit in the state, Durgapur Steel Plant. There are a number of power plants, chemical and engineering industries.

Aside from Durgapur's interest as a place of impressive industrial plants and good urban design, the City Centre has shopping malls and arcades, a cineplex, and a host of good, cheap eateries. If you want the ambience of a good restaurant, you can visit one of the many such as Peerless Inn, Pathik, Luxor, City Residency. Some people prefer the roadside smaller ones that allow for interesting people-watching.

Climate
Due to the heavy rainfall it has received in the late 2010s and early 2020s, for almost five months of heavy rainfall every year from mid-May to mid-October, locals often refer to the city as "Chhoto Cherrapunji" (ছোট চেরাপুঞ্জি).

By bus
Buses go regularly between Kolkata and Durgapur. Ordinary buses, as well as AC Volvo coaches and Mercedes-Benz buses run by the South Bengal State Transport Corporation (SBSTC), West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) and private operators, depart from Esplanade and Karunamoyee in Kolkata to reach Durgapur's City Centre. Besides, buses from Bardhaman, Bankura, Asansol, different places in North Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, etc. also go to Durgapur.

By car
Durgapur is about from Kolkata. It is on the historic Grand Trunk Road that coincides with the Durgapur Expressway (NH 19) from Bardhaman.

By bus
There are buses run by the South Bengal State Transport Corporation (SBSTC), but their services are infrequent. Minibuses are generally too crowded and often go around circuitous routes. Nearly all minibuses and SBSTC buses travel between the railway station and Prantika in Benachity through different routes.

By taxi
Just like the taxis in Kolkata, the Ambassador taxis in Durgapur are also painted yellow and blue. They are readily available at the railway station and certain other fixed points. These do not operate on meters but on arbitrary fixed rates. Therefore, bargain properly before you move out. There are a few companies operating e-cab or bike taxi services like Ola, Rapido & BroomBoom.

By auto-rickshaw
Auto rickshaws, like the taxis, charge arbitrary rates and operate from the railway station and certain fixed points. Those on business travel generally hire out a car for the day. Rickshaws are available for shorter trips.

Buy
Durgapur is an industrial city and you get things such as steel and carbon black. However, for general purchases Benachity is normally the place. You get the Bankura horse (terracotta and wood) and the Bishnupur Baluchari. Nowadays you can get a lot of things here.

Eat and drink
Most of the hotels have restaurants and some of the large hotels have bars as well. Apart from that there are good places for eating in Benachity. Banskopa Inn on GT Road, between Muchipara and Rajbandh, is a good place out of city. However, most of the restaurants serve the same food with only quality being the difference. Also try out the roadside dhabas on GT Road near to NIT for some great rotis and tadkas at unbelievable rates.

Ajay River
Go deeper till you can see the Ajay River. Here is another amazing piece of architecture: a Shiva temple made of burnt clay bricks exactly in the shape of the famous "Linagaraja temple" of Bhubaneswar. Sadly it is in a state of complete disrepair.

Go next

 * Baranti - holiday resorts
 * Biharinath - holiday resorts
 * Santiniketan - 60 km
 * Bishnupur - 70 km

title: Durgapur


text:
Durham

There's more than one place called Durham:

Canada

 * Durham (region, Ontario) - a region in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario
 * Durham (town, Ontario) - a town in Grey County, Ontario

United Kingdom

 * County Durham - a county in North East England
 * Durham (England) - the original, a small historic city and county town of County Durham in North East England

United States of America

 * Durham (California) - a city in Butte County, California
 * Durham (Connecticut) - a town in Middlesex County, Greater New Haven, Connecticut
 * Durham (New Hampshire) - a town in Strafford County, New Hampshire
 * Durham (North Carolina) - a city in Durham County, North Carolina
 * Durham County (North Carolina) - a county in North Carolina

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Durham


text:
Durham (England)

 Durham is a city in County Durham in North East England. The name is believed to derive from "Dun-holme", or hill-island, due to its location on a meander on the River Wear. On this peninsula lies the well-preserved old core of the city, with an imposing Norman Cathedral and Castle. The castle is part of University College Durham, while the modern University has expanded south of the river.

Bill Bryson was quite taken by Durham, writing in Notes from a Small Island (1995), "Why, it's a perfect little city. If you have never been to Durham, go there at once. Take my car. It's wonderful." The compliment was returned in 2004 when Durham University made Bryson its Chancellor.

Orientation
The River Wear flows north through the city, making an incised meander which encloses the centre on three sides to form Durham's peninsula. At the base of the peninsula is the Market Place, which still hosts regular markets; a permanent indoor market, Durham Indoor Market, is also situated just off the Market Place. The Market Place and surrounding streets are one of the main commercial and shopping areas of the city. From the Market Place, the Bailey leads south past Palace Green; The Bailey is almost entirely owned and occupied by the university and the cathedral.

Durham is a hilly city, claiming to be built upon the symbolic seven hills. Upon the most central and prominent position high above the Wear, the cathedral dominates the skyline. The steep riverbanks are densely wooded, adding to the picturesque beauty of the city. West of the city centre, another river, the River Browney, drains south to join the Wear to the south of the city.

There are three old roads out of the Market Place: Saddler Street heads south-east, towards Elvet Bridge, the Bailey and Prebends Bridge. Elvet Bridge leads to the Elvet area of the city, Durham Prison and the south; Prebends Bridge is smaller and provides access from the Bailey to south Durham. Heading west, Silver Street leads out of the Market Place towards Framwellgate Bridge and North Road, the other main shopping area of the city. From here, the city spreads out into the Framwelgate, Crossgate, Neville's Cross and viaduct districts, which are largely residential areas. Beyond the viaduct lie the outlying districts of Framwellgate Moor and Neville's Cross. Heading north from the Market Place leads to Claypath. The road curves back round to the east and beyond it lie Gilesgate, Gilesgate Moor and Dragonville.

Name
The name "Durham" is believed to derive from Dun-holme which is made up from two parts, firstly dun which comes from the Brythonic language meaning hill fort and secondly holme which comes from the Old Norse for island. The legend of the Dun Cow and the milkmaid is where some believe the name derives from, the legend states that the monks carrying St Cuthbert's body were guided to the current site of the city in 995 by the Dun Cow and milkmaid. Throughout its history the city has been known by many names, the nordic Dun-holme became Duresme with the Norman Conquest, then became Dunelm in Latin which over time has morphed into the modern form, Durham.

History
The site of the city can be traced back to AD 995, when monks from Lindisfarne came to the high peninsular with the body of St Cuthbert to settle here, as the geography of the meander provided great strategic value. The church built by the monks only lasted around a century, when the Norman Conquest happened the current Durham Cathedral and Castle were built. Durham Castle is the only Norman castle keep to have never suffered a breach. The city has played a part in many key battles especially against the Scots, in 1346 the Battle of Neville's Cross took place where the Scots suffered a heavy defeat (located about 1 mile outside the city centre on the A690 towards Crook). Due to the city's location being so far from Westminster, the city had a great amount of autonomy with the Bishop of Durham having power similar to that of the monarch, the city fell under what was known as the County Palatine of Durham, which was the jurisdiction that the Bishop had control over from 1071 until 1832. Some of the powers the Bishop of Durham had included the ability to raise their own parliament, raise their own armies, appoint their own sheriffs and Justices, administer their own laws, levy taxes and customs duties, create fairs and markets, issue charters, salvage shipwrecks, collect revenue from mines, administer the forests and mint their own coins. Henry VIII curtailed some of the powers the Bishops had, and in 1538 ordered the destruction of the shrine of St Cuthbert. During the Commonwealth period (1649-1660), Oliver Cromwell sold Durham Castle to the Lord Mayor of London and the Cathedral was closed in 1650 in order to house 3,000 Scottish prisoners. This period, with the abolition of the Church of England, restricted more of the Bishop of Durham's powers. After the Restoration in 1660, a lot of the powers returned to the Bishops.

In 1801, the first census showed the population of the city to be 7,100. The Industrial Revolution did not have a great impact upon the city and mostly passed it by, however the city did have large manufacturing in carpet making and weaving. Production of mustard and coal mining were also very prominent in the city and surrounding county. Coal mining became the county's main industry until the 1970s. Many villages in the surrounding suburbs of the city were established for the purposes of sinking a coal mine, although these pits no longer exist due to regional decline in heavy industry, the community, spirit and passion surrounding the coal-mining heritage is still very strong in a lot of communities. The first Durham Miner's Gala was held in 1871 and was attended by 5,000 miners, it is still held annually (usually the 1st Saturday in July) and is now attended by tens of thousands of people (mostly with mining heritage and ancestry). The 19th century saw the creation of Durham University, which now has a large presence in the city with a lot of student accommodation in the surrounding suburbs.

Durham suffered heavily during the Great Depression, however the university during this time thrived and expanded. St John's College and St Cuthbert's Society were founded. From the 1950s to the 1970s the university expanded to the south of the city centre with the foundation of Trevelyan, Van Mildert, Collingwood and Grey colleges. The final addition to the university came in 1979 with the migration of the College of St Hild and St Bede. The city escaped the bombing during World War 2, with very little damage to the city and the creation of another legend known as 'St Cuthbert's Mist', which states that a mist fell over the city when the Luftwaffe attempted their bombing raids thus protecting the castle and cathedral.

UNESCO named 'Durham Castle and Cathedral' as a World Heritage Site in 1986. The wider county also features more UNESCO sites including Beamish Museum, Auckland Castle and Killhope - North East Lead Mining Museum.

Climate
Durham has a temperate climate, like the rest of the United Kingdom. At 651.1 millimetres (26 in) the average annual rainfall is lower than the national average of 1,125 millimetres (44 in). Equally there are only around 122 days where more than 1 millimetre (0.04 in) of rain falls compared with a national average of 154.4 days. The area sees on average 1445.4 hours of sunshine per year, compared with a national average of 1125.0 hours. There is frost on 51.5 days compared with a national average of 55.6 days. Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures are 12.5 and 5.2 °C (54.5 and 41.4 °F) compared with a national averages of 12.1 and 5.1 °C (53.8 and 41.2 °F) respectively. The highest temperature recorded at Durham was 36.9 °C (98.4 °F) during July 2022.

Visitor Information

 * Tourist Information - ThisIsDurham

The Visitor Contact Centre is not open to the public, but can be contacted by phone ([tel:+44 3000 262626 +44 3000 262626]) or email ([mailto:visitor@thisisdurham.com visitor@thisisdurham.com]). There are also multiple Visitor Information Points across the city:

 * Durham Town Hall - Market Place, Durham City, County Durham, DH1 3NJ. M-F 08:00–16:00.
 * Durham Indoor Market - Market Place, Durham City, County Durham, DH1 3NJ. 09:00–16:30, closed Su. - unmanned.
 * Gala Theatre - Millennium Place, Durham City, County Durham, DH1 1WA. M-Sa 10:00–20:30, Su 14:30–20:30, closed bank holidays. - unmanned.
 * World Heritage Site - Palace Green Library, 7 Owengate, Durham City, County Durham, DH1 3HB. 10:00–17:00.

By plane
is 25 miles (40 km) north of Durham and approx. 7.7 miles (12.4 km) north of Newcastle. Most international destinations are Mediterranean holiday resorts, but year-round flights include Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Milan and Paris. Emirates fly from Dubai, with global connections. Domestic flights into Newcastle are from London Heathrow, Aberdeen, Belfast, Bristol, Exeter, Jersey, Newquay and Southampton. Tyne & Wear Metro trains run from the airport to Newcastle Central Station every 12 min, taking 24 min. The overall journey time to Durham is an hour and costs around £16.

near Darlington is closest, but is the less popular of the two airports which serve the city. It only has two to five flights a day, from Aberdeen, Alicante, Amsterdam; with other seasonal destinations including Bourgas, Corfu, Dalaman, Faro, Jersey and Palma de Mallorca. Its only public transport is the Number 12 bus which runs through Darlington six times a day. Travellers can also carry up to 2 litres of liquid through security at this airport.

Manchester Airport is approx. 150 miles (250 km) south, but it has a much greater choice of destinations, more competitive fares, and an hourly direct train to Durham (2 hr 30 min). Other trains, with similar travel times, have a change at York or Manchester Piccadilly. Single walk-up rail fare is around £62 but advance fares can be less than a third of this.

The various London airports have little to no advantage over Manchester, and they all involve getting from the airport into central London, before travelling north from London Kings Cross.

By train
Durham is on the East Coast Main Line and has excellent train services. Trains to Newcastle are frequent with journeys only taking 15 mins. LNER, CrossCountry, TransPennine Express and Northern services run from this station, the latter being quite infrequent. Southbound services run from platform 1 and northbound services run from platform 2.

is 0.5 miles (0.8 km) west of the city centre, but at a significantly higher altitude - walking to and from the centre involves staircases up the valley side or circuitous and still-steep roads. It's quite small: there's a car park, cafe, bar, shop, toilets and ATM but no left-luggage facilities. There are no ticket barriers at this station. It's linked to the scenic old town by the Cathedral Bus, (M-Sa 08:30–17:10, every 20 mins). An all-day ticket costs £1 (50p for under 13s). A taxi rank is present outside of both platforms.

By car
Follow A1(M), exit at J62 and follow A690 into the city centre. For the University campus south of the city, a faster route from the south is to exit at J61 and follow A177 through Shincliffe.

Park & Ride
If you're just here on a day-trip, use the Park & Ride service (P&R) on the outskirts of the city suburbs; the old city centre does not have very good infrastructure for driving or parking. Parking is free providing you use the P&R service. A bus ticket is £2 per person, and will be valid for the entire day. Buses run every 15 minutes.

The P&R sites are:

 * Belmont, DH1 1SR (Route PR1), located just off A1(M) J62 and is clearly signposted - daily last bus 18:30.
 * Howlands Farm, South Road, DH1 3TQ (Route PR2), located less than one mile after joining A177 at the A167 / A177 roundabout - M-Sa last bus 18:37.
 * Sniperley, DH1 5RA (Route PR3), north of the city on A691 near the hospital - daily last bus 18:36.

P&R opening hours: 07:00–19:00 (Howlands Farm - closed Su)

PR2 is also frequently used by members of the nearby Stephenson College and Josephine Butler College on the Howlands Farm site, which can lead to crowded buses on the weekends.

Car parking
There are a number of car parks in the city centre:

 * Operated by Durham County Council (Free parking after 14:00):
 * The Sands (multi-storey, 277 vehicles) - Riverside Place, Durham, DH1 1SL. 24 hours daily. - Tariff applies between 08:00–22:00, 0–2 hours: £1.60, 80p/hour thereafter.
 * Providence Row (19 vehicles) - Providence Row, Durham, DH1 1LH. 24 hours daily. - Tariff applies between M-Sa 08:00–18:00, 30p/30 mins.
 * Sidegate (107 vehicles) - Sidegate, Durham, DH1 5SY. 24 hours daily. - Tariff applies between 08:00–22:00, 0–2 hours: £1.60, 80p/hour thereafter.
 * Operated privately:
 * Prince Bishops (multi-storey) - DH1 3UJ. 06:00–00:00. - Tariffs apply. See website for details.
 * The Riverwalk (multi-storey) - 1 Framwellgate Bridge, Durham, County Durham, DH1 4SL. Car park 1: 07:00–18:00. Car park 2: 24 hours daily. - Tariffs apply. See website for details.
 * Walkergate (multi-storey, 500 vehicles) - 24 hours daily. - Tariffs apply. See website for details.
 * LNER - Durham Railway Station (358 vehicles) - 24 hours daily. - Tariffs apply. See website for details.

It is advised not to attempt parking in the old centre or "Peninsula", as the streets are extremely narrow and offer almost no roadside parking spaces. The city centre does operate a congestion charge system between the hours of 10:00–16:00 (no charge on Sundays or bank holidays) in the Market Place, after leaving the zone you must pay before midnight.

By bus
National Express connects Durham direct to London Victoria, once per day (NX425) and one overnight (NX435), 7 hr. They also run to Newcastle (twice daily, 30 min).

Go North East Angel 21 runs between Durham and Newcastle every 30 min or so, taking about an hour. These run daily via Gateshead, Birtley (for "Angel of the North") and Chester-le-Street, between 16:00 and 00:00 and the Angel N21 runs F-Sa between 00:00 and 05:00.

Arriva North East 7 runs between Durham and Darlington every 30 min, taking about an hour.

Arriva North East X12 runs between Durham and Middlesbrough, M-Sa every 30 min and hourly on Sunday, taking 1 hr 20 min.

The new Durham Bus Station (opened Jan 2024) is on North Road, 200 yards west of the river, just south of the railway station.

By sea
DFDS operate an overnight ferry between Port of Tyne, North Shields (near Newcastle) and Ijmuiden near Amsterdam. 16 hr 45 min.

See Newcastle page for how to reach the ferry terminal: in brief, take the train between Durham and Newcastle, then the shuttle bus (£3.80 each way, 30 min) or Metro to the ferry.

Get around
Walk. The centre of Durham is compact and congested, driving is tedious and parking (other than that mentioned above) is effectively non-existent.

Durham Cathedral Bus runs Monday to Saturday between Durham train station and the Cathedral, with stops at Durham University, city centre and Durham Castle. Tickets are £1.00 for adults and 50p for children 13 years and under, concessions apply and a P&R ticket is also valid for this bus.

For visitors with reduced mobility there is a Shopmobility scheme from Prince Bishops Place car park (Level 1. M-F 10:00–16:00), but bear in mind that Durham's pavements are narrow and winding, and the streets in many places cobbled and/or steep.

Peninsula

 * The Peninsula is the neck of land in the loop of river, the oldest part of the city, dominated by the Castle and Cathedral.

 * is the pleasant square at the base of the Peninsula. The fine fellow mounted on a horse is Charles Vane (1778-1854), 3rd Marquess of Londonderry. He's not here for his dashing contribution to the Peninsular War under Wellington, but because he owned land around Durham. He was furious when the government banned child labour down his coal mines, as only a boy of eight was small enough to get into the thinnest seams. He went on to spend lavishly on his Londonderry property during the Irish Famine but gave only a measly donation to the relief fund.
 * was built from 1160 with all due care and deliberation, as it took 80-some years to complete. It served the district of Elvet growing up across the river and replaced an even more ancient structure, so it was called "New Elvet Bridge" but that name now means the modern traffic bridge 100 yards downstream.
 * spans the river in two arches at the foot of Silver St just west of the castle. It was built shortly after 1400 when its predecessor was swept away in a flood. Silver St and the bridge are pedestrian-only.
 * was the last structure designed by Ove Arup, at the height of the fashion for brutalism, and completed in 1966. So it's a striking design, won awards, and as a footbridge serves a practical purpose, but you won't call it handsome.
 * is a Georgian folly, a cod-Grecian temple at the tip of the Peninsula. Józef Boruwłaski (1739-1837) was a dwarf who became a court favourite among Polish nobility, toured Europe, and was a talented musician. He retired to live in Durham where he knew the cathedral organist, and the folly may have stood in his garden. He's believed to be a pituitary dwarf as his proportions were normal; he kept growing to age 30 (reaching 99 cm tall) and lived to be 97.
 * near the tip of the Peninsula was completed in 1778 as part of a private driveway for the Dean of the cathedral to get to and from the office. It has a good view of the cathedral and was intentionally placed there for that vista.
 * was the last structure designed by Ove Arup, at the height of the fashion for brutalism, and completed in 1966. So it's a striking design, won awards, and as a footbridge serves a practical purpose, but you won't call it handsome.
 * is a Georgian folly, a cod-Grecian temple at the tip of the Peninsula. Józef Boruwłaski (1739-1837) was a dwarf who became a court favourite among Polish nobility, toured Europe, and was a talented musician. He retired to live in Durham where he knew the cathedral organist, and the folly may have stood in his garden. He's believed to be a pituitary dwarf as his proportions were normal; he kept growing to age 30 (reaching 99 cm tall) and lived to be 97.
 * near the tip of the Peninsula was completed in 1778 as part of a private driveway for the Dean of the cathedral to get to and from the office. It has a good view of the cathedral and was intentionally placed there for that vista.
 * near the tip of the Peninsula was completed in 1778 as part of a private driveway for the Dean of the cathedral to get to and from the office. It has a good view of the cathedral and was intentionally placed there for that vista.

Elsewhere

 * was completed in 1112 as the chapel of the Hospital of St Giles - some distance outside the city walls, as St Giles was the patron saint of "lepers" (their catch-all term for any disfiguring skin disease). It was re-modelled in the Middle Ages and the 19th century, and remains an active Anglican church.
 * Elvet the district east of the river loop has many attractive Georgian and Victorian buildings, though it's mixed with modern structures and doesn't have the same charm as the Peninsula.
 * University main campus is south of the Peninsula, easiest reached on foot via Prebends Bridge. It's modern.
 * University main campus is south of the Peninsula, easiest reached on foot via Prebends Bridge. It's modern.

 * Palatine Centre on Stockton Road has displays about print-making, open M-F 9AM-5PM.
 * is somewhere under the thickets of a mound by the river, which may once have encircled it. It's dated to the Iron Age, which reached this far north by the 5th century BC, and may have been reinforced in the Middle Ages. The name "Maiden" usually denotes a castle that has never been conquered, but how would anyone know of its prehistoric campaigns?
 * is somewhere under the thickets of a mound by the river, which may once have encircled it. It's dated to the Iron Age, which reached this far north by the 5th century BC, and may have been reinforced in the Middle Ages. The name "Maiden" usually denotes a castle that has never been conquered, but how would anyone know of its prehistoric campaigns?
 * is somewhere under the thickets of a mound by the river, which may once have encircled it. It's dated to the Iron Age, which reached this far north by the 5th century BC, and may have been reinforced in the Middle Ages. The name "Maiden" usually denotes a castle that has never been conquered, but how would anyone know of its prehistoric campaigns?

Do

 * Walk the scenic meander on the River Wear, for great views of the cathedral. There are footpaths both sides.
 * Gala Theatre & Cinema is on Millennium Square behind Walkergate Shopping Centre, Box Office +44 3000 266 600.
 * Odeon Luxe is a larger cinema on Millburngate just west across the river.
 * Prince Bishop River Cruises start from New Elvet Bridge and putter along the Wear for an hour, £12 in 2023. Dogs are allowed and there's a bar, toilets and wheelchair access. There's only a limited view of sights such as the cathedral, but it's a relaxing hour with droll commentary by the skipper.
 * Brown's Boats are also at New Elvet Bridge. They hire rowing boats Apr-Sep, for £10 adult £5 child in 2023.
 * Freeman's Quay is a sports and leisure centre next to Premier Inn, with gym, fitness classes and pool.
 * Golf: nearby courses are Durham City, Brancepeth Castle, Ramside Hall and Cocken Lodge. The Shack is an indoor virtual course by the A1(M) junction.
 * Durham University: If you or a family member might want to study at Durham, best way to find out more are the Open Days, with a chance to interview staff and current or recent students. Next best are the Discover Durham campus walking tours in October and November. And for a taster, take the virtual campus tour.
 * Cricket at Riverside Stadium in Chester-le-Street, 8 miles north: this is home to Durham CCC, who were promoted in 2023 and now play in Division One of the County Championship. County matches normally last 3-4 days. The stadium also hosts international or "Test Matches", lasting up to five days. The stadium is 200 yards from the railway station, frequent trains take less than ten minutes from Durham or Newcastle.
 * Football: Durham doesn't have a professional men's soccer team, but Durham WFC plays in the Women's Championship, their second tier. Their home ground is Maiden Castle (capacity 3000) on the University campus.
 * Great North Big Band Jazz Festival is in Chester-le-Street, with the next on 1-3 March 2024.
 * Durham Miners' Gala is on the second Saturday in July, with parades and similar demonstrations of solidarity.
 * Durham Fringe Festival is next held on 24-28 July 2024.
 * Durham Pride is in September.
 * Durham Pride is in September.

Buy

 * Indoor Market off Market Square is a trad Victorian hall with lots of stalls, open M-Sa 9AM-4:30PM. On Saturdays it extends outdoors across the square.
 * Near the market are convenience stores such as Tesco Express. Big stores such as Aldi are on the retail park east edge of town by A1(M).
 * Gateshead Metro Centre is where locals do their "big shop". It's on A1 west of Newcastle, or change trains at Newcastle for Metrocentre, or take the hourly direct bus X22.

Eat

 * Café Cenno is upstairs in the Market Hall, with a vista of the railway viaduct and river on one side, and the market stalls on the other. It's open M-Sa 9AM-4:30PM.
 * Pancake Cafe is at 11 Crossgate, at the junction with Neville Street.
 * Undercroft Cafe is within the cathedral, open daily 10AM-4PM for light bites and lunch.
 * Bell's serve fish & chips in the market place, eat in or takeaway, open M-Sa 11:15AM-8:30PM, Su noon-3:30PM.
 * Stantons is a long-established fish and chips takeaway at 29 Neville St near the bus station, open M-Sa 10:30AM-3AM, Su 11:30AM-midnight.
 * La Spaghettata is part of Fabio's, see Drink.
 * Stantons is a long-established fish and chips takeaway at 29 Neville St near the bus station, open M-Sa 10:30AM-3AM, Su 11:30AM-midnight.
 * La Spaghettata is part of Fabio's, see Drink.

Drink

 * Durham has lots of pubs, inexpensive as they compete for student custom. Cheapest are the College bars but you need student ID to access those.

 * Loft is a late-night music venue at 15 North Rd near the bus station, open M W F 10PM-2:30AM,
 * Ebony Champagne Bar is by Gala Theatre, open Tu-Su.
 * Loft is a late-night music venue at 15 North Rd near the bus station, open M W F 10PM-2:30AM,
 * Ebony Champagne Bar is by Gala Theatre, open Tu-Su.
 * Loft is a late-night music venue at 15 North Rd near the bus station, open M W F 10PM-2:30AM,
 * Ebony Champagne Bar is by Gala Theatre, open Tu-Su.
 * Ebony Champagne Bar is by Gala Theatre, open Tu-Su.

Sleep

 * Durham University has college accommodation during the summer holidays, including the castle.
 * Premier Inn Durham North is two miles north of town centre on A167, convenient for motorists.
 * Premier Inn Durham North is two miles north of town centre on A167, convenient for motorists.

Connect
As of Jan 2024, Durham and its approach roads have 4G from Vodafone, and 5G from EE, O2 and Three.

Go next

 * Beamish is the North of England Open Air Museum, five miles west of Chester-le-Street. It has reconstructed buildings from around the northeast, and is big enough to run its own tram network.
 * Angel of the North towers over the road and railway north to Gateshead.
 * Newcastle upon Tyne is the throbbing heart of the North East, with excellent shopping, clubbing and art, and some surprisingly fine architecture.
 * Locomotion is a branch of the National Railway Museum in Shildon, near Bishop Auckland, 20 miles south of Durham. The collection is mostly Victorian steam era.
 * Barnard Castle is a pretty market town with a ruined castle overlooking the river Tees. It's on A688 25 miles southwest of Durham. The stand-out attraction is the Bowes Museum, in a vast French-style mansion.

title: Durham (England)


text:
Durham (New Hampshire)

Durham is a town in the Seacoast region of New Hampshire. Durham is the home of the University of New Hampshire. Because of the size of the University campus (around 15,000 students) and the small size of the town itself, most of Durham's character is a result of its longstanding relationship with the college community.

By train

 * Route stopping at Durham:
 * Downeaster operating five or six trains in each direction daily between Brunswick and Boston with stops Freeport, Portland, Old Orchard Beach (seasonal), Saco, Wells, Dover, Durham, Exeter, Haverhill, and Woburn.
 * Downeaster operating five or six trains in each direction daily between Brunswick and Boston with stops Freeport, Portland, Old Orchard Beach (seasonal), Saco, Wells, Dover, Durham, Exeter, Haverhill, and Woburn.

By bus

 * UNH Wildcat Transportation, +1 603-862-2328. Wildcat Transit is a bus service operated by the University of New Hampshire that runs buses from its campus to Dover, Newmarket and Portsmouth. The buses are clean and generally on time, and cost $1 for each ride.  It's important to check their operating schedule as during school holidays (including the entire summer!) The buses run on a greatly reduced schedule, since they are partially student funded.

By car
Durham is accessible by Rt 4, which runs from Concord to the seacoast, intersecting both interstate 93 and interstate 95.

By foot
Downtown Durham, with includes the vast majority of businesses, and the University campus, is designed for easy walking, with lots of sidewalks and crosswalks. Drivers in the area are generally watchful for pedestrians since there are usually lots of them.

title: Durham (New Hampshire)


text:
Durham (North Carolina)

Of the three cities that make up North Carolina's Research Triangle, Durham has traditionally been the grittier, more working-class one. A city of about 283,500 residents in 2020, Durham's early wealth was built on tobacco and textiles, with a vibrant African-American community that once made the city a center for Black culture.

These days, the tobacco warehouses and textile mills sit empty or have been converted to other uses, as Durham has taken on a different identity; best known now as the home of Duke University, a thriving health care and high tech industry has taken root in Durham. The city has also emerged as a cultural center for the region, with a lively theater scene and a trendy arts community that has begun to change Durham's gritty image. And while the city lacks the political clout of Raleigh or the college town atmosphere of Chapel Hill, some of the Triangle's most interesting and exciting attractions are to be found here.

Understand
Durham owes much of its wealth and history to tobacco. Through the second half of the 19th century, Washington Duke and his family grew from a single farm into American Tobacco, which controlled 90% of all cigarette production for the United States. The Duke family donated money to Trinity College, which in 1924 was renamed Duke University.

In the early 20th century, North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company, Mechanics & Farmers Bank, and Mutual Savings & Loan were founded in Durham by African-Americans. These prominent companies drew more African-American investment to Durham, to the point that Durham's Parrish Street neighborhood became known as "Black Wall Street." NC Mutual Life continues to this day as the oldest and largest African-American-owned life insurance company in the nation and as a visible part of the Durham skyline.

The last cigarette rolled out of Durham in 2000. Many of the old factory and warehouse structures have been converted into housing, retail, restaurant and office spaces. The city has changed its motto from "City of Tobacco" to "City of Medicine," based on the high concentration of medical practitioners and researchers at Duke and in Research Triangle Park, the Durham County special tax district formed in 1959 to attract high-tech jobs to the area.

Durham has a liberal trendy arts culture. It is an eclectic blend of the high class with an unusual concentration of four-star restaurants (part owing to a strange bit of local family history) to trendy cafés on 9th Street, the independent bookstore "the Regulator" which draws famed authors from former secretary of state Madeline Albright to expert on everything John Hodgeman. You'll find old hippies, bikers and families in generally happy co-existence. The area has a very active gay community which stages a famed regional film festival and an annual LGBT Pride march. Politically the area is dominated by Democratic politics in an otherwise Republican-leaning state.

By car
Durham is served by Interstates 40 and 85, and US routes 15, 501 and 70 along with several state routes. "The Durham Freeway" generally refers to NC-147, which connects I-85 and 15/501 in northwest Durham to I-40 and Research Triangle Park in southeast Durham, by way of downtown. If you wish to rent a car, car rental options at the RDU airport are plentiful and range from $20 to $50 per day, with whole-week rentals significantly discounted.

By air
The nearest commercial airport is Raleigh-Durham International Airport, southeast of Durham in Morrisville, just off I-40. RDU has two terminals; Terminal 1 services budget carrier Southwest, while the more modern and architecturally impressive Terminal 2 services American Airlines/American Eagle, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, and United. RDU also has rental car services and overnight car parking. If taking public transit, Triangle Transit route #100 takes you from the airport to the Research Triangle Park, where you can then transfer to #700 to Durham.

By train
Amtrak's Carolinian and Piedmont lines stop in Durham. The Carolinian runs once daily north to New York City and south to Charlotte, while the Piedmont runs twice daily between Raleigh and Charlotte. The is at 601 West Main Street downtown, close to the DATA bus system's new downtown terminal and in a historic and renovated building that once served as a tobacco warehouse.

By bus
Inter-city buses arrive and depart Durham from the, 515 W Pettigrew St, near the Amtrak station.

By car
Like Atlanta's infamous "Peachtree", Durham has a number of synonymous roadways, in some cases miles from each other. This can easily confuse visitors. The most notorious is Chapel Hill Rd/St/Blvd. The road goes from the city's Lakewood and West End neighborhoods to the Chapel Hill border via Shannon Plaza and the fringe of the South Square area. Mostly residential. The St acts as an arterial from downtown through West End, serving as a vibrant thoroughfare for the neighborhoods in between. "The Boulevard" as it is known in the neighborhoods surrounding it, courses from the foot of the Forest Hills neighborhood and bee-lines directly west to Chapel Hill, eventually becoming 15-501. Mainly commercial with lots of big-box retailers and chain restaurants. When in doubt, ask a local!

Parking is plentiful in Durham, even in the more populous areas. Be mindful of parking in residential zones in the city for extended periods without a permit.

On southbound South Gregson Street immediately after West Peabody Street, too many tall vehicles would hit a railroad bridge notoriously nicknamed  8 Bridge, which has been raised by  to   as of early November 2019. Yet reopened South Gregson Street under the rail still requires caution around any large vehicle not to be followed too closely.

By bus

 * The Bull City Connector is a fare-free service operated by GoDurham with stops at Golden Belt, downtown, West Village, Brightleaf Square, Duke East Campus, Ninth Street, and Duke West Campus.
 * The Bull City Connector is a fare-free service operated by GoDurham with stops at Golden Belt, downtown, West Village, Brightleaf Square, Duke East Campus, Ninth Street, and Duke West Campus.

GoTriangle.org provides trip planning, route information, and realtime bus information for GoTriangle, GoDurham, and other bus services in the Triangle, as well as walking and biking route maps.

Do

 * The Duke University Blue Devils and North Carolina Central Eagles provide lots of opportunity for spectators through their men's and women's sports programs. Go watch a Duke men's basketball game if you visit during basketball season. Tickets are hard to get. Your best bet may be between December 15th and January 1st, when students (and some locals) are gone. Duke football has also rapidly improved; a general admission ticket can be a fun and affordable afternoon or evening out.
 * Check out the local art scene during Durham's Third Friday Art Walk, often featuring live music and a myriad of food trucks, in addition to open studios and galleries throughout downtown.
 * Listen to live music at, , or other local venues (the Independent Weekly is a good source of local happenings.
 * Explore the.
 * Bike or roller-blade on the American Tobacco Trail. It's a paved-over railway line that extends from downtown Durham, near the ball park all the way to Raleigh.
 * Attend one of the renowned annual festivals. Each April is the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, the country's largest such festival, and each summer is the country's largest contemporary dance festival, American Dance Festival.
 * Check out Ninth Street, a pedestrian friendly street with a variety of eating, shopping, and entertainment options.
 * Play on many different golf courses from to  to the  among many more.
 * Bike or roller-blade on the American Tobacco Trail. It's a paved-over railway line that extends from downtown Durham, near the ball park all the way to Raleigh.
 * Attend one of the renowned annual festivals. Each April is the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, the country's largest such festival, and each summer is the country's largest contemporary dance festival, American Dance Festival.
 * Check out Ninth Street, a pedestrian friendly street with a variety of eating, shopping, and entertainment options.
 * Play on many different golf courses from to  to the  among many more.
 * Check out Ninth Street, a pedestrian friendly street with a variety of eating, shopping, and entertainment options.
 * Play on many different golf courses from to  to the  among many more.

Buy

 * Ninth Street, near the Duke campus, has boutique stores catering to a college crowd. Look for bookstores, clothing stores, an art gallery or two, and an upscale toy store.
 * Ninth Street, near the Duke campus, has boutique stores catering to a college crowd. Look for bookstores, clothing stores, an art gallery or two, and an upscale toy store.
 * Ninth Street, near the Duke campus, has boutique stores catering to a college crowd. Look for bookstores, clothing stores, an art gallery or two, and an upscale toy store.

Eat
Durham is a terrific city to eat in, and if you search around enough, you'll find no need to go to nearby Chapel Hill or Raleigh to cater to your tastes. From time-tested burger shacks to upscale eateries on par with Atlanta and Washington, it's easy to find unique flavors all over the city. There's an especially good concentration of remarkable eats around the Duke and Research Triangle Park areas, specifically 9th St/Brightleaf for the former and South Sq/Southpoint/54 for the latter.

Budget

 * Durham also has plenty of fast-food restaurants, with a particularly high concentration on Hillsborough Road. Try the Dog House (4 locations, ask around) and Cook-Out (Hillsborough Rd, N Duke St, Miami Blvd locations) especially.
 * Durham also has plenty of fast-food restaurants, with a particularly high concentration on Hillsborough Road. Try the Dog House (4 locations, ask around) and Cook-Out (Hillsborough Rd, N Duke St, Miami Blvd locations) especially.
 * Durham also has plenty of fast-food restaurants, with a particularly high concentration on Hillsborough Road. Try the Dog House (4 locations, ask around) and Cook-Out (Hillsborough Rd, N Duke St, Miami Blvd locations) especially.
 * Durham also has plenty of fast-food restaurants, with a particularly high concentration on Hillsborough Road. Try the Dog House (4 locations, ask around) and Cook-Out (Hillsborough Rd, N Duke St, Miami Blvd locations) especially.
 * Durham also has plenty of fast-food restaurants, with a particularly high concentration on Hillsborough Road. Try the Dog House (4 locations, ask around) and Cook-Out (Hillsborough Rd, N Duke St, Miami Blvd locations) especially.
 * Durham also has plenty of fast-food restaurants, with a particularly high concentration on Hillsborough Road. Try the Dog House (4 locations, ask around) and Cook-Out (Hillsborough Rd, N Duke St, Miami Blvd locations) especially.
 * Durham also has plenty of fast-food restaurants, with a particularly high concentration on Hillsborough Road. Try the Dog House (4 locations, ask around) and Cook-Out (Hillsborough Rd, N Duke St, Miami Blvd locations) especially.
 * Durham also has plenty of fast-food restaurants, with a particularly high concentration on Hillsborough Road. Try the Dog House (4 locations, ask around) and Cook-Out (Hillsborough Rd, N Duke St, Miami Blvd locations) especially.
 * Durham also has plenty of fast-food restaurants, with a particularly high concentration on Hillsborough Road. Try the Dog House (4 locations, ask around) and Cook-Out (Hillsborough Rd, N Duke St, Miami Blvd locations) especially.

Drink

Additionally, there are some nice bars around Duke's east campus, centered around the 9th St area and Brightleaf Square. Check out (pool hall),  and  for a diverse and mellow crowd.

Stay safe
Statistically crime in Durham is on par with other Southern cities its size. Most areas of the city are safe, including the areas around Duke and most of the outskirts of the city. The areas immediately around downtown (stretching a few miles east and south of downtown) are not always well lit or well patrolled. Basic rule of thumb – use common sense like you would anywhere else: use caution at night, avoid walking alone, lock your car, and remove valuables when parking. Most violent crimes in Durham, while not particularly frequent, are drug related or domestic and by avoiding the drug trade one can avoid these issues.

The police are generally quite helpful, friendly and understanding. Don't hesitate to call them if you're feeling uneasy or threatened. There is very low tolerance for drinking and driving, however, and of late checkpoints have sprung up on both main and secondary roads.

Medical care
For medical care, Durham has a large supply of physicians, and is also known as the "City of Medicine".

Go next

 * Chapel Hill, about from Durham, is home to the University of North Carolina (UNC-CH).  Chapel Hill has many good restaurants and bars on Franklin Street, adjacent to the UNC campus.
 * Hillsborough, the county seat, is a cute historic town away, good for a day trip or to spend a night or two.
 * Raleigh, about away, the state capital.  Raleigh has North Carolina State University; the state museums of art, history, and science; and the state symphony and ballet.

title: Durham (North Carolina)


text:
Durham (region, Ontario)

Durham is a region of about 650,000 people (2016) in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario. While its cities and towns developed separately and have their own histories, since the 1980s, the region have been evolving into Toronto's eastern suburbs as more and more of its residents commute into the bigger city. Durham region has also attracted many new industries and offices because of the lower cost of land. It is also home to one of Ontario's newest universities, Ontario Tech University.

Cities

 * (town) — during the Second World War, it was the location of Camp X, a secret spy training facility established by the "Man Called Intrepid"
 * (town) — founded around a World War II munitions factory, it grew into a bedroom community for Toronto after the war
 * (township) — a rural municipality that includes the communities of Beaverton and Cannington
 * (town) — part-countyside, part-industrial town, including Newcastle and Bowmanville
 * (city) — the home of a massive auto manufacturer facility that has been gradually closing down through the 2010s, it is trying to transition to an education and health sciences hub
 * (city) — the city bordering Toronto, it is also home to the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station
 * (township) — a bridge between Toronto's commuter zone and cottage country
 * (township) — an historic town that celebrates its Quaker heritage, including Zephyr

Other destinations

 * — a 1,120-hectare (2,800-acre) protected area northwest of Port Perry

Understand
The southern portion of the region, on Lake Ontario is primarily suburban in nature, forming the eastern end of the 905 area code belt of suburbs around Toronto. The northern area comprises rural areas and small towns.

Durham Region had over 250 energy, environment and engineering (EN3) related businesses that employed over 11,000 people. Durham Region's agricultural sector is one of the largest primary goods-producing sectors in the region.

The innovative technology sector is emerging in Durham Region, supported by a Regional Innovation Centre in Oshawa and a technology accelerator in Whitby.

Public transportation

Durham Region Transit is the main operator of public transit providing 50 bus routes across the region. The 900 "Pulse" route operates as frequently as every 10 minutes during peak times and operates along Highway 2 from Scarborough to downtown Oshawa. Most other routes run every 30 min, with some busier routes running every 15-20 minutes.

If paying by cash, ask the driver for a transfer to avoid an extra fare when changing DRT buses. If paying by Presto, the transfer info is stored on the card after you tap in. A fare is valid for two hours of travel.

If transferring from GO Transit to DRT to complete a trip, the DRT fare will be free when using a Presto card. Just tap your Presto card on both transit systems to get the free DRT fare. When using a Presto card to transfer from DRT to GO Transit, the DRT fare will be refunded to your card at the end of your trip.

The first digit of the three-digit bus route number indicates the municipality: 1 Pickering, 2 Ajax, 3 Whitby, 4 Oshawa/Courtice, 5 Clarington, 9 Regional routes.

Other
The Uber ride service is available in the region.

See
The Home of Lucy Maud Montgomery, in Leaskdale north of Uxbridge, is a must for fans of the famed author of her Anne of Green Gables novels.

Car buffs will want to visit the Canadian Automotive Museum, in Oshawa to see cars ranging from an early 20th-century fire truck to a steam powered car to a 1983 Delorean. Parkwood National Historic Site is a grand private estate built in Oshawa in 1917 for Canadian automobile businessman Col. Sam McLaughlin. It includes a mansion with several gardens, Art Deco garden pavilions, and ornate ceilings. It is a National Historic Site.

The nuclear generating stations in Pickering and Darlington have public information centres.

Do
Uxbridge calls itself the Trail Capital of Canada, with 220 km of trails for Hikers, cyclists, equestrians, and skiers on protected greenspace running through historic villages, mixed forests, streams, wetlands, and meadows.

Uxbridge is home to three ski resorts.

Great Blue Heron Casino on the Mississaugas of Scugog First Nations reserve is a destination for gambling, dining and entertainment.

Stay safe
Durham is one of the safest regions in Canada, so there should be no safety problems.

title: Durham (region, Ontario)


text:
Durness

Durness is a village in Sutherland on the far north coast of Scotland, with a population of 347 in 2011. Most of the terrain of this region is impermeable gneiss, carpeted by boggy heathland. Durness itself sits on a patch of limestone, so it's better drained and more fertile. The limestone has been eroded into caves: Smoo Cave at the edge of the village is easily visited, others should be left to trained cavers. To the west, Cape Wrath is the northwest tip of the Scottish mainland.

Get in
Slowly is the key point - the A838 twists and turns along the rugged coast and over the hills and far away. Durness is 100 miles (165 km) from Inverness and 65 miles (110 km) from Thurso. Much of the road is single-track with passing places, where stray sheep dispute the right of way with mad bats in white vans.

By bus: Durness Bus 805 runs from Inverness via Bonar Bridge, Lairg, Laxford Bridge and Kinlochbervie to Durness (3 hr 30 min). It runs Tu Th Sa year-round plus Monday May-Oct, south from Durness at 8AM and returning north around 3PM, at 4PM on Saturday.

Bus 806 runs from Durness at 8AM to Lairg for 10:30AM, coming back around 12:30PM. Bikes may be carried between Durness and Lairg, but must be booked at least 24 hours in advance on.

Bus 803 runs from Thurso on Saturday, via Dounreay, Tongue and Melness to Durness (2 hr 30 min). It runs east from Durness around 9:30AM and returns west from Thurso around 2:30PM. A couple of other buses ply mid-week between Thurso and Tongue.

Get around
Smoo Cave, Balnakeil craft village and Keoldale (for Cape Wrath ferry) are each a mile or so from Durness village, walkable by road.

In summer bikes can be hired at The Hub in the village.

See

 * or Old St Peter's is a ruin by the golf course. It was built in 1619 over much earlier churches, and abandoned in 1814.
 * Watch wildlife: whenever you're outdoors, always keep a lookout for sea birds (including puffins), seals and porpoises; occasionally even whales.
 * North West Highlands Geopark is a covering Durness, Kinlochbervie and Kylesku. Some of the local rocks are over 3 billion years old.
 * North West Highlands Geopark is a covering Durness, Kinlochbervie and Kylesku. Some of the local rocks are over 3 billion years old.

Do

 * Golf: Durness Golf Club is just beyond Balnakeil. Nine holes but you play twice off different tees so effectively it's 18 holes, 5555 yards, par 70. Standard fee £20.
 * The Cape Wrath Trail is a long-distance hiking trail of 200 miles (320 km) from Fort William. It's unofficial, so it's not way-marked, with few facilities en route or definitive paths. It's often boggy underfoot and pelting with rain, so it's definitely hard-core. The northernmost section, from Sandwood Bay to the Cape, is along the west coast (ie not using the track, but the same military restrictions apply) and will take even a tough walker eight hours to cover the eight miles. Now think about the getting back.
 * Durness Highland Gathering is next held on Shore Park on F 26 July 2024.
 * Durness Highland Gathering is next held on Shore Park on F 26 July 2024.

Buy

 * Durness Shop is the local Spar and post office, open M-F 8AM-6PM, Sa 9AM-6PM. There isn't an ATM in the village.
 * Mackay's filling station is in village centre, 24 hours, self-serve, card only. The prices will make you wish you'd filled up in Ullapool or Thurso, but you can't risk being low on fuel on these long lonely roads.
 * , a mile west of Durness by Loch Croispol, is a craft village on the site of a Cold War early warning station. Businesses here, usually open May-Oct, include Cocoa Mountain (surely the country's most northerly chocolate makers; they also have a base in Dornoch), Balnakeil Glass, and "The Wee Gallery" of paintings and wood sculpture.

Eat

 * The restaurants in Sango Sands Oasis and Smoo Cave Hotel cater to non-residents, see "Sleep".

Drink

 * The only public bars are in Sango Sands Oasis and Smoo Cave Hotel.

Sleep
The village is remote, accommodation is limited and the Tourist Information Centre has closed down, so you really ought to book ahead.

 * There are several other B&Bs in the village.
 * There are several other B&Bs in the village.
 * There are several other B&Bs in the village.

Connect
As of July 2022, Durness and its approach roads have 4G from EE, and in town you might get a basic mobile signal from the other carriers. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * East to Thurso, a Victorian small town with a dilapidated castle and ferries to the Orkney Islands. The Caithness "flow" country around is dotted with prehistoric monuments.
 * John o'Groats is worth most of 15 minutes, but the real attractions along that coast are Dunnet Head (true north point of the mainland) and Castle of Mey, still a royal residence.
 * Southwest is Kinlochbervie, a tiny place but the scenery is the draw.
 * Ullapool is a more sizable town and has ferries to Stornoway on Lewis.
 * North Coast 500 is a driving or cycling itinerary taking in these places.

title: Durness


text:
Durrës

Durrës is an Albanian Adriatic port city. It has ferries to Bari and Ancona in (Italy) and bus connections to other Albanian and international destinations, often via Tirana. Alternative spellings of the city's name are Durazzo (Italian), Drač (Драч, Serbo-Croatian) or Dyrrhachion (Δυρράχιον, Greek).

Understand
Durres is a bustling, lively port city. There is a busy city centre, historical sites, beaches and promenades. The city has a vibrant feel with friendly and helpful locals. In parts the city is attractive and well maintained. In others it is somewhat ramshackle with both active and what appears to be abandoned development co-existing next to each other. There are abundant shops, retail stalls and street traders. They appear to trade from early morning until late and provide an attractive "always on" vibe to the city.

By boat

From specific destinations:
 * Bari (Italy) – Adria Ferries, GNV Ferries and Ventouris Ferries
 * Ancona (Italy) – Adria Ferries
 * Trieste (Italy) – Adria Ferries

By bus

From specific destinations:
 * Tirana – The buses depart from the temporary bus station near the Casa Italia shopping center. The ride takes around 45 min and costs 150 lek (May 2022). The bus operates daily from 06:30 to 19:30 and every 30 min.
 * Skopje (North Macedonia) – Buses run through Durrës on their way to Tirana. A typical Skopje-Tirana ticket costs around €25 return.
 * Kumanovo (North Macedonia) – There is a daily direct bus line to Durrës. The cost of tickets is around €20.
 * Pristina (Kosovo) – During the summer season there are several buses a day. You should check the timetables at the Pristina bus station, but in 2013 the timetable was as follows; 04:00, 05:00, 06:00 and 06:30 and then at 14:30, 15:00, 15:30, 16:00 and 23:00. There are at least a couple of buses going back at 16:00 and 17:00. Return ticket costs about €20. The trip takes around 4–5½ hr, depending on whether it goes via Prizren. Buses ran by Artiti Tours depart and arrive from the by a roundabout near the middle of Rruga Pavaresia street running parallel, and very close, to the beach. Tickets can be booked online at Gjirafa or Autobus.al. The bus stop can be reached on foot in about ½ hr from the city centre. Alternatively, take a taxi (about €8) or use a bus running along Rruga Pavaresia from the city centre.

By car
There is a road between here and Tirana, the SH2, which takes just over half an hour for the journey. You could fly into Tirana, then drive or get a taxi to Durrës, with the airport connecting to the SH2 by the SH60. Also from Vorë and Shijak from main roads and highways.

Get around
The city centre where the archaeological sites are located can be toured by foot. Many taxis are available in Durrës. You can find them parked everywhere on the streets with a taxi symbol on the top of their car. There are also public buses in orange that can drive you around the city although much slower.

Walking: Durres is a relatively compact city, so many attractions,shops,and restaurants are within walking distance of each other, especially in the city center and along the waterfront.

Public Transportation: Durres has a public bus system that connects various parts of the city.You can purchase tickets from kiosks or directly from the bus driver. Keep in mind that bus schedules may vary,so it is a good idea to check in advance.

Taxi: Taxis are readily available in Durres and are a Convenient option for getting around, especially if you're traveling to destinations not easily accessible by bus.Make sure to negotiate the fare with the driver before starting your journey.

Further afield

Do

 * Watch football: KF Teuta Durrës play soccer in Kategoria Superiore, the country's top tier. Their home ground is Niko Dovana Stadium, capacity 12,000, one km north of the ferry port.
 * Watch football: KF Teuta Durrës play soccer in Kategoria Superiore, the country's top tier. Their home ground is Niko Dovana Stadium, capacity 12,000, one km north of the ferry port.
 * Watch football: KF Teuta Durrës play soccer in Kategoria Superiore, the country's top tier. Their home ground is Niko Dovana Stadium, capacity 12,000, one km north of the ferry port.
 * Watch football: KF Teuta Durrës play soccer in Kategoria Superiore, the country's top tier. Their home ground is Niko Dovana Stadium, capacity 12,000, one km north of the ferry port.
 * Watch football: KF Teuta Durrës play soccer in Kategoria Superiore, the country's top tier. Their home ground is Niko Dovana Stadium, capacity 12,000, one km north of the ferry port.

Events

 * Take a look at interesting films from around the world at the annual Durres International Film Summer Festival in early September.
 * Visit the yearly Open Port Festival where the Port of Durres opens to the public featuring various exhibits of historic ships and modern inventions coupled with local entertainment.

Buy

 * Kokomani Wine
 * Souvenirs
 * Sea Souvenirs
 * Household goods
 * Traditional Albanian products

Connect
As of Sep 2021, Vodafone has the best coverage, with 4G in Durrës, the other main towns, and highways between. One and ALB have 4G in Durrës but less coverage elsewhere. 5G has not been rolled out in Albania.

Go next

 * Tirana the capital is ringed by trees and mountains. Mount Dajt has great views of the city.
 * Kruje in the hills above Tirana has museums and an old castle.
 * Lezhe has Skanderbeg's Tomb, panoramic Lezhe Castle and several renovated churches
 * Fier is a lively seaside city, near the ruins of the ancient Illyrian city of Apollonia.
 * fushe kruje its near with durres

title: Durrës


text:
Dushanbe

Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, is a beautiful city of stark contrasts between the old and the new. Old Soviet-era buildings stand adjacent to new massive state buildings and monuments, and there always seems to be a tension between the demolition of the old and the construction of the new. Even with its massive buildings and endless construction, Dushanbe remains the quaintest of the Central Asian capitals.

Understand
Dushanbe, sitting at about 800 m in the Hisor Valley basin at the confluence of the Varzob and Kofarnihon Rivers, is the main population center of the country with about 1.2 million people in 2022.

It has seen instances of human habitation since neolithic times, witnessing the presence of great civilizations like the Greco-Bactrians and the many iterations of the Persian Empire. Dushanbe began life as a small nondescript village existing simply as a place to host a weekly Monday market (indeed Dushanbe is Tajik for "Monday"), but received a whirlwind of development when it was chosen to be the capital of the Tajik ASSR (Associated Soviet Socialist Republic), which was an autonomous region of the larger Uzbek SSR during the Soviet Union. In the 1930s, the Tajik ASSR was carved away from the Uzbek one and made equal, and Dushanbe now found itself one of the 15 main capitals within the Soviet Union. During most of the Soviet Union, Dushanbe was known as Stalinabad.

With the withdrawal of Soviet influence in the dissolution of the USSR, Dushanbe regained its former name but went through schisms of identity crisis alongside the country as it plunged into a civil war that lasted from 1992 - 1997. Even now, it struggles somewhat to exert full control over the entire country, but it nonetheless takes on the dynamics of Tajikistan's main commercial center and happening place.

Dushanbe's central location in Tajikistan makes it a perfect launchpad for excursions across the country.

By plane
There is a thrice-weekly flight connecting the cities of Dushanbe and Khujand in the north on Somon Air. In the winter and early spring, when the mountain passes between the cities are closed, this is the only realistic option to get between northern and southern Tajikistan.

There are also weekly flights to/from Tashkent and Almaty, providing an option for travelers who are coming directly from another Central Asian nation. Pre-2021, there were direct flights between Dushanbe and Bishkek, but with the advent of the Tajik-Kyrgyz border conflict and the closure of the borders between the two nations, those flights have been suspended.

Luggage
If you are flying to Dushanbe from anywhere beyond Türkiye, Dubai, or Kazakhstan, you'll need to make sure your bags are checked all the way through. If all of your flights are on the same airline, you shouldn't have to worry about anything. But if your connecting flights involve switching airlines as well (which may be the case if you're traveling from the western hemisphere), there's a high likelihood that you'll need to go through customs and retrieve your bags during your connection and re-check them through.

Visa at the airport
Most of the European and North American nationals can apply for a visa upon arrival in Dushanbe. The airport is very small and the immigration is before the passport control. Bring 2 passport photos, and have the address at which you are staying. Don't lose your "beeline travel slip" which you will get at the immigration office. The luggage X-ray machines are very poor and they pay little attention to the screens. For travelers traveling for non-tourist reasons (like work or study) you'll need to get a visa in advance from an embassy.

Before you go through Tajik customs, all travelers must fill out a Migration card (available by the visa office). This form comes in parts A and B, and you must keep the B part with you until you leave the country (otherwise there's a big fine).

Watch the children when you leave the airport: they will offer to take your bag to the car and start to pull it off you, though not with intentions of stealing, just wanting to help and get a tip.

By train
The train between Dushanbe and Moscow runs through Turkmenistan for a brief moment. As of 2024, the Turkmenistan government does not grant visas to non-Tajik/Uzbek/Russian citizens for this "then-and-again"-type trip, making entry into Tajikistan via rail all but impossible. In theory, you could get off the train in Uzbekistan and get to Urgench (where the train reenters Uzbekistan from Turkmenistan) before the train gets there and hop back on, but that might add too much work for most travelers.

By bus
There are no international bus services. If you are planning to go to a different town in Dushanbe there are 'terminals' that you can either find a shared taxi or a minibus. Departs are mostly early morning.

By bus
Riding the bus in Dushanbe is an adventure in and of itself. For starters, there are no published or otherwise available bus route maps or timetables. Locals have been there long enough to know which bus(es) they need to take where, but travelers will often have to guess. Luckily, most of the tourist sites and buses are along Rudaki Avenue and Somoni Avenue, and Google Maps works well enough in the city that you'll be fine if you just follow along the map as you ride the bus and get off at a stop near where you need to be.

Officially, buses only take payment by city bus cards which can be purchased at kiosks near the stations (whether or not the kiosks are working is another story), however in practice most bus drivers accept cash payments too. It costs С2 per person per ride (С1.8 if paying with card); drivers may or may not give change depending on if they have it/want to). Buses are clean and modern and so are the bus stops.

There are also unofficial "buses" that run. These are private cars that drive in the rightmost lane and will flash a card with the route number they run at people waiting on the curb. While it's an open secret that these cars exist, the drivers can get in trouble if caught by the police (the passengers, however, will not). Despite their sketchy nature, these vehicles are safe to use and get the job done, but it's still recommended to take official transportation in case issues arise.

By marshrukta
It is very useful to figure out the marshrukta system (private cars and minibuses), which run on a standard set of routes. Minibuses are overcrowded, stop more frequently, and cost С2.50, while private cars are much quicker and cost С7. For marshrukti, the only important phrase is "hamin jo" (ha-MEEN JOH), which means "right here", to indicate that you want to get out.

A couple of useful 'lines' (2010):

No. 1: Giprozem (south) - Sakovat Bazaar - Circus - War Memorial - Aini Street - Dushanbe Airport

No. 2: Giprozem - Sakovat Bazaar - Circus - War Memorial - Bokhtar Street (centre)

No. 3: Dushanbe I Train Station - Rudaki Avenue - Vodanasos Bazaar (north)

No. 8: Dushanbe Airport - Ayni Street - Rudaki Avenue - Ismoil Somoni Street - 102nd microdistrict (west)

No. 17: 82nd microdistrict - Ismoil Somoni Street - Rudaki Avenue - Vodanasos Bazaar

No. 29: Giprozem - Circus - Bus Station - 82nd microdistrict - Ismoil Somoni Street - Barakat Bazaar (centre)

By trolleybus
Cheap way of getting around the city. Dushanbe has a few trolleybus lines running. № 1 is the main one running along Rudaki Avenue between the main train station in the south and Sadreddin Ayni Park in the north. Line 4 runs between the centre and the circus. For finding directions with trolleybuses and buses use Yandex Maps. It's possible to pay with cash, the fare is 2.5 somoni. Just don't expect to get change from a large bill (generally anything above a С20); bring coins.

By taxi
Within Dushanbe it is best to take a taxi, usually it should not be more than С30.

There are five main taxi companies that offer licensed taxis (phone numbers listed after each):

 * Yak Taxi (Yak is Tajik for "one") - 1111
 * Asian Express - 1616
 * Rakhsh Taxi - 3333
 * Olu4a Taxi - 7000
 * Somon Taxi - 888

All of them are Tajik and Russian speaking services, although with the exception of Somon Taxi they may have occasional English services.

Unlike most other Central Asian republics, Yandex's taxi feature does not work in Tajikistan.

Orientation
Very few streets in Dushanbe are known by their names, so it is important to know landmarks and how to navigate with them. Every taxi driver knows the airport, Somoni statue and Opera-Ballet, but beyond that, it is a toss-up. The two street names everyone knows are Rudaki Avenue and Somoni Avenue. Drivers also generally know where neighborhoods are so if you know what neighborhood you're going to you can at least get close to it. It is essential to know "straight ahead," "to the left," and "to the right" in Russian or Tajik.

The center street, Rudaki Avenue, is a rather long boulevard, with a few other main streets crossing it. Most of the major tourist sites and the few western-style hotels are located along it, and drivers generally know where along that road things are.

Dushanbe is an interesting city, but only for a few days. Other than a few museum and monuments, there is not much here. The nightlife is not of a western standard. There are three main clubs: Port Said, Dior, and Vastan (all on or near Rudaki Street). The clubs are pretty bad and attract bad music, prostitutes, and are mostly filled with men. If a man goes out with a Tajik woman, he will be expected to pay for her. The streets are lined with old and tall planetrees, so in the evenings a stroll along Rudaki is quite pleasant. Rudaki Park also features numerous fountains lit by colored lights, and the Botanical Gardens (behind the Chinese Embassy, somewhat north along Rudaki) is the best place to escape the dust and noise of the traffic for peace and quiet.

Do

 * Bactria Cultural Center
 * Bactria Cultural Center

Theaters

 * Mayakovsky Theatre
 * Padida Theatre
 * Various concert halls
 * Padida Theatre
 * Various concert halls
 * Various concert halls
 * Various concert halls
 * Various concert halls
 * Various concert halls

Drink
While drinking alcohol openly isn't strictly allowed, you'd never know and the outdoor beer cafes are some of the nicest places to spend a sunny afternoon; priced at 4-5 somoni per beer, they are also some of the cheapest. You'll always be able to find "zakuskas" here, snacks to have alongside beer. Plaited smoked cheese, "kasichky" ("chechil") and small pieces of battered fish are popular, as is "kurut", hard salty balls of parmesan-like cheese.

Splurge

 Others

Stay safe
In general, Dushanbe is safe but robberies and street crime do sometimes occur even in broad daylight although this is rare. The police force can sometimes seem a little ineffective. Avoid attracting police attention, as the law enforcement officials are primarily concerned with augmenting their small income. People tend to be private and conservative but with a little effort they can be incredibly welcoming and genuine.

Many people complain about corrupt airport officials, who try to scam departing passengers. For further information and how to avoid problems Google "Dushanbe airport scam".

Stay healthy
Don't drink the water from the tap, nor use the water to brush your teeth, unless you're used to the tap water of the region. Always wash fresh produce with bottled water, especially when bought from the local bazaar. Some melons, although they are incredibly fresh and sweet, can be irrigated and fertilized with manure, so sometimes washing them will not help. Commonly foreigners from developed countries will get sick at least once while in Tajikistan, but this can be delayed by avoiding unwashed/unpeeled fruits and vegetables (be especially wary of this in restaurants).

Power and water cuts can happen at random, although not as frequently as in the past. This is more of an annoyance to the traveler, but you should still be prepared.

Embassies

 * 🇨🇳 China
 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇷🇺 Russia
 * 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
 * 🇹🇷 Turkey
 * 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan
 * 🇺🇸 United States
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan

Connect
Wi-Fi in Dushanbe is a rare thing, but it is becoming more and more prevalent. Still, if you don't have a Tajik SIM card, you probably won't have reliable or fast internet/Wi-Fi while out wandering the streets. Most places of business (restaurants, cafes, banks, etc.) will have public Wi-Fi, but you might have to ask, and it's usually limited to within the building.

Download a good VPN before you arrive if you really need internet: the government is prone to blocking Google and social media access unpredictably (although usually only when issues flare up within the country or if Tajiks abroad are in the news for bad reasons). Even when the government isn't blocking access to sites, internet speeds are incredibly slow compared to many other countries.

Go next
There are many drivers for hire who will take you to lakes and mountains nearby. Varzob River also has some vacation areas with raised platforms above the narrow river, which is quite refreshing on a hot day. Be aware that the drivers will most likely not speak English, so a working knowledge of Russian or Tajik is advisable, as are haggling skills.

Iskander-Kul lake is popular with locals in the summertime and it's very much possible to reach it for free through hitchhiking and hiking. There is a waterfall. Often completely packed in the spring and summer though.

An alternative waterfall in the area is near Gusgarf village. It drops 32m into a pool, possible to swim (for the brave!) unlike in Iskander-Kul. Difficult to find, however. There is a shepherd's trail from Gusgarf village about 4km north. 1,000m ascent over rough scree. Follow the (sometimes invisible) trail to the top of the mountain (where it is possible to camp and make a fire), look down over the ridge and to the left, the waterfall is hidden behind the large bare rock. Turn left along the ridge and walk along until you see a trail leading down to the right; follow this over a ford until you reach a rocky barely-there stream flowing steeply downhill on the left, then follow this down to the waterfall. Or ask a shepherd for directions ("gdye vadapad?" should suffice). Difficult hike, wear good shoes.

title: Dushanbe


text:
Dutchess County

Dutchess County is in New York's Hudson Valley.

Cities and towns

 * — the county seat
 * , including and
 * — home of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum
 * — home of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum
 * — home of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum

Tourist information

 * Dutchess County Tourism website

By plane

 * Stewart International Airport, 1180 First St, New Windsor, +1 845 564-2100. The closest major airport is across the river from Beacon, but it receives few direct flights flights major destinations.
 * Westchester County Airport, 240 Airport Road, White Plains, +1 914-995-4860 (airlines). Two counties away, but an alternative to the congestion of the 3 major international airports around New York City. Rental cars available.
 * Newark Liberty International Airport, Newark, New Jersey, John F. Kennedy International Airport, and LaGuardia Airport: Livery cars offer service to and from 3 major international airports. Metro-North Railroad and Amtrak offer rail links to Dutchess County.

By car
Taconic State Parkway runs through the center of the county and connects Albany and the I90 east-west portion of the Thruway system to New York City via the Saw Mill River and the Henry Hudson Parkways.

By train

 * Metro-North Railroad - Hudson line. There is service between New York City's Grand Central Terminal and Beacon, New Hamburg, and Poughkeepsie. On-board train fares are subject to a stiff surcharge, so buy your tickets at the station or at the vending machines located on the platform.
 * Metro-North Railroad -Harlem line. There is service between New York City's Grand Central Terminal and Pawling, Appalachian Trail flag stop (limited service, but convenient for hikers), Harlem Valley-Wingdale, Dover Plains, Tenmile River, and Wassaic. On-board train fares are subject to a stiff surcharge, so buy your tickets at the station or at the vending machines on the platform.
 * Amtrak,. Runs on the Hudson River side of the county. Long distance connections are available at Metro-North's Poughkeepsie station.

See
In Hyde Park, you can visit several sites related to U.S. history: the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum, the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site, the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, and the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site.

Dia:Beacon is the Museum for the Dia Art Foundation's collection of modern art, including works by Andy Warhol, in Beacon.

Wilderstein, in Rhinebeck, is a stunning Queen Anne-style mansion set on park-like grounds designed by Calvert Vaux.

Innisfree Garden in Millbrook between Poughkeepsie and Amenia is a 150-acre garden open to the public with Chinese landscape design.

Do
Follow the Dutchess County Wine Trail. New York state is one of the larger wine producing states in the United States. The Hudson Valley is one of five production regions within the state, and Dutchess County produces some of the best wine in the area. Follow the trail and taste the produce of four wineries:
 * Alison Wines & Vineyards in Red Hook
 * Cascade Mountain Winery & Restaurant in Amenia
 * Clinton Vineyards & Winery in Clinton Corners, near Amenia
 * Millbrook Vineyards & Winery in Millbrook, near Amenia

Stay safe
County-wide 911 system for summoning emergency assistance. Dutchess County encompasses some of the safest areas in the United States and is a safe place to visit.

Connect
Most of the county is in telephone area code 845. The northeastern portion of the county uses the 518 area code.

Go next
The Berkshires of western Massachusetts and the Catskills of New York state are within driving distance. New York City is a train ride away.

title: Dutchess County


text:
Unalaska

Unalaska is a city on the Aleutian Islands of Unalaska and Amaknak. The part of the city on Amaknak Island is known as Dutch Harbor. It is the eleventh largest city in Alaska and has 4,400 residents (2019).

Private Land
The majority of the island of Unalaska is owned by the Ounalaska Corperation, a native corporation. Hiking or camping on these areas requires a land use permit Ounalashka_Corporation Alaska_Native_corporation

Climate
Weather is Unalaska can sometimes be extreme, particularly in the winter. Storms can bring wind gusts of over 130mph and conditions can change rapidly. Proper equipment and clothing should be taken when hiking and NOAA advisories should always be considered before extended treks.

By plane
Dutch Harbor-Unalaska is best accessed by plane. is the city's state-owned public-use airport. Ravn Alaska flies in from Anchorage and Grant Aviation from the smaller communities of Akutan, Atka, Nikolski, St. George.

By boat
The ferries of Alaska Marine Highway sail to Dutch Harbor between April and October. It's the westernmost point on the AMH, and as such Unalaska is the westernmost point in the Americas reachable by scheduled land and sea transportation.

Get around
Individual tourist transportation is usually provided by private taxis. The phone numbers are typically posted in the airport, the local bars, and in the Grand Aleutian.

See

title: Unalaska