The ultimate city guide to York, England
York is a must-see in England if you’re going to the north or Scotland, or even if you just like to look for places with a lot of history in the countryside. York is a walled city in North Yorkshire that is strategically placed at the point where the Ouse and Foss rivers meet. It is surrounded by moors, green fields, and abbeys that look like stone ghosts.
History
The city is known all over the world for its long and interesting history, which goes back at least 2,000 years to when the Romans founded it as Eboracum in 71 AD. During a military campaign, Constantine was officially named emperor here.
In the centuries that followed, Saxons and then Vikings ruled over York, as shown by the fact that Jorvik, a village from the 10th century, was found almost by accident in the 1970s. During the Middle Ages, the city was a major trading hub for English goods. At the same time, the Industrial Revolution in the 1800s had less of an effect on York than on other English cities. Because of this, it was able to keep many of its architectural features the same.
What’s up?
People know that the Minster, the beautiful Gothic cathedral in the city’s historic center, is its symbol. York Cathedral is one of the most impressive religious buildings in all of Northern Europe. It is dedicated to San Pietro (Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of St. Peter) and has a length of 15876 meters. It took more than 200 years to build. Work probably started in 1230 and ended in 1472. Still, the result was amazing: the huge nave, the huge stained glass windows (including the main one, which is as big as a tennis court, and the beautiful one called “delle Cinque Sorelle,” which dates back to 1260), the choir, and the two transepts, one of which has the famous rose window.
The middle of York is surrounded by a medieval wall, though some parts are much older. Along the wall are four main gates and two smaller ones, which were once used to stop traffic and ask for duty, which was for defense. Most people call the ports “bars.” The main ones are Bootham Bar, Monk Bar, Walmgate Bar, and Micklegate Bar. Fishergate Bar and Victoria Bar are also important.
Clifford’s Tower
Clifford’s Tower is another famous building in the city. It is on a hill across from the Castle’s Museum. The Tower is all that is left of the complex of castles, prisons, and other buildings that once stood on the south bank of the Foss River. It was built in the 13th century. In 1190, many Jewish people in the area were killed in a massacre that happened at Clifford’s Tower. The York Castle Museum, on the other hand, is inside the old prisons. Still, it’s not just about war or the Middle Ages. There are all kinds of exhibits and collections here, like one about the famous 1960s in England.
Still, if we’re talking about museums, the National Railway Museum, which is right behind the station, is a must-see. It tells the story of the English railways and lets you see some great cars and trains from the last century. On the other hand, behind the York Minster (the cathedral) is the Treasurer’s House, which used to be the home of the cathedral’s treasurer. Besides the luxurious furnishings, visitors are most interested in the ghosts of the Roman legion, known as the Lost Army, who were seen by a plumber in 1953. In order to get into the basement, you have to buy an extra ticket.
Scary Stories and Ghost Tours
People who like scary stories can go to the York Dungeon, which tells stories of deaths, murders, and tortures that happened often in York over the past few hundred years.
The Haunted City
So much so that the city is now a cult among people who like ghosts and is thought to be the most haunted place in all of England.
In this way, “Ghost Walks,” or tours of places where ghosts are said to live between legend and reality, are a common thing for people to do when they visit York. The city is full of ads for tours, and most of them start at 7:30 p.m. or later. Tourists are taken to York’s darkest ravines by trained actors and guides who tell scary stories about ghosts and murderers.
York’s Cultural Highlights
The Yorkshire Museum and Gardens and the York Art Gallery are also in the city, but the famous Jorvik Viking Center is much more interesting. It tells the story of the Viking village Jorvik, which was found during excavations in the 1970s.
The Underground Tour
The underground tour is very suggestive, and it’s done on “wagons” that act like time travel ships. Everything is made to look exactly like it did back then. Between the reconstructions and the real excavations, you can get a good idea of what life was like back then, and the special effects make the trip, especially for kids, a lot of fun.
The Shambles and Snickelways
The area around “The Shambles,” a street in the middle of York where the butchers’ shops used to be, is one of the most interesting parts of the city. Unfortunately, the road is bigger now, and the old shops have been replaced by a lot of souvenir shops. Still, if you use your imagination, you can try to picture what this area must have been like until the last century, when animals were killed and hung on hooks on the walls. From here, a few snickelways, which are narrow medieval passages, lead away from the crowds of tourists in The Shambles.
Modern Streets and Markets
Other, more modern streets let you walk to the Sampson and Pavement Square markets without having to deal with traffic.
Castle Howard
Lastly, many tourists choose to visit Castle Howard, a beautiful house from the 18th century in the middle of the Howardian Hills that is about 25 km north-east of York. The building is a great example of Baroque style in England. It is open to the public and is often used as a special place for festivals and other cultural events.
Events
Jorvik Viking Festival
The Jorvik Viking Festival, which is held every year in February and is all about the Viking world, is one of the most important things to do in York.
Festival of Food and Drink
The Festival of Food and Drink is England’s biggest event for food and drink. It takes place in September.
Climate
York has a pleasant climate. The four seasons are easy to tell apart because the light, colors, and temperatures change a lot from one to the next.
Cold Winters and Beautiful Springs
The first part of the year is the worst time to visit, unless you really like the cold and ice. From January to March, frosts happen often, and sometimes it even snows.
Improving Weather and Summer Tourists
At the end of spring, the weather starts to get better. As the days get longer, tourists start to come to see the city’s landmarks and the historical places in the area. In the summer, when the average temperature is 22–23°C and highs can reach 28°C, there are the most tourists.
Wettest Months and York’s Beauty
November, December, and January are the wettest months, with an average of 17 days of rain per month. But you can be sure that even when it rains, York is still beautiful. But it’s important to remember that a flood in 2002, caused by the Ouse and Foss rivers, brought the city to its knees.
Getting to York
Most people from other cities in the UK drive or take public transportation (buses and trains) to get to York. But we point out that it’s hard and expensive to park in the historic center, so it might be better to park outside and take a shuttle.
English Rail Network
York is one of the most important stops on the English rail network. There are many services and places to go from York. From and to London (Kings Cross Station), trains leave and arrive about every half hour, and the trip takes about two hours.
Airports and Train Connections
York doesn’t have its own airport, so travelers choose to fly to one of the four nearby international airports: Leeds/Bradford, Manchester, Humberside, or Robin Hood Doncaster/Sheffield. From the international airport in Leeds-Bradford, the bus 757 will take you to the train station in Leeds, where you can catch a train to York. Lastly, Transpennine trains run all day and night to and from Manchester International Airport.
