Surrounded by beautiful countryside Darlington is an ideal place to live, visit or take a short break.

You will find this borough offers you a wide range of sporting, leisure and cultural activities as well as an excellent range of shopping facilities that the town provides.

A superb blend of high street shops, a modern shopping centre, a Victorian indoor market and a traditional outdoor market gives Darlington's town centre a reputation as one of the best in the region. With magnificent floral displays throughout the summer and a wide variety of cafes, restaurants and pubs, Darlington offers a great shopping experience and easy access is provided by first class road and rail links.

Darlington is well known for its railway Museum that is devoted to the area formerly served by the North Eastern Railway, with particular reference to the Stockton & Darlington Railway, and the railway industry of Darlington. Exhibits include Stephenson's "Locomotion No. 1", built for the opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, and "Derwent", the earliest surviving Darlington built locomotive, on loan from The National Railway Museum Collection. "Locomotion" is one of the oldest surviving steam locomotives in the world. It worked on the Stockton & Darlington Railway for over 30 years before ultimate preservation at Darlington's Bank Top Station and since 1975 at the Museum.

The entrance hall and ticket office are restored in period style, enhanced by displays of items such as porters' barrows, luggage, posters and advertising signs. You will find a range of smaller items including station and lineside signs, uniforms, furniture, tableware and paintings, complements the larger exhibits.

Darlington also has an Arts Centre which is one of the top regional arts venues, Civic theatre and the well known brick train sculpture.

Darlington really is a place where living heritage is all around you.

To find out more about this exciting borough, click here.