Durham Cathedral

Durham Cathedral is billed as the best example of Norman architecture in the world--and it is indeed pretty cool. There are massive pillars--6.5 metres--to hold up the vaulted ceiling, with each pair of pillars in the nave having a differet type of decoration. St. Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede are entombed here. There is a tower that the intrepid can climb for a small fee. Parts of Harry Potter were filmed here (although Durham does not show up on the film locations map--see link). And, despite the many visitors on a Bank Holiday Saturday, the place retains the feeling of a place of worhip, no small trick given the size of the place and the hordes of tourists.

The city center is impossible to navigate by car, and the city fathers have prescribed a car park on the edge of town with a shuttle bus that takes you right to the cathedral (as well as Durham University and Durham Castle). In addition to being a cathedral town, and a university town, Durham is a market town, and there are interesting-looking shops and pubs, as well as an open-air market, in the area surrounding the cathedral. It's nice and low-key.