York tourist attractions

The starting point of any visit to York is York Minster. This stands proudly as the largest medieval church in the country. So huge it dominates the city of York. An awe-inspiringly grand monument, it’s the perfect introduction to York.

Well, we all love Yorkshire! The Yorkshire Museum is one of the oldest museums in the country. It has important geology, natural history and archaeology collections, including a marble head of Constantine the Great who was proclaimed Roman Emperor in this city in 306. Take a look at the interesting galleries featuring Roman York.

Step back in time at the Jorvik Viking Centre. This is York sightseeing at its very best. The museum is based on an archaeological dig at Coppergate in the 1970s, which revealed wicker houses and shoulder-high walls, the best-preserved Viking settlement in Britain. Visitors are whisked back to a reconstructed settlement in “time capsules” and immersed in an atmosphere evoking the Viking past. February sees the Jorvik Viking Festival, too. Eight days of Viking simulations, events and battle reenactments take place across the city. If you like the history of the Vikings, be sure to attend the festival, too.

A wonderful way of making your way around York is to walk the walls. One of the city’s beauties, York’s walls mostly date back to the fourteenth century. Some of the walls contain earlier bits of construction, particularly the Roman part along Museum Street. The walls are mostly complete. Hop and jump over them while they offer you ever-changing vistas of York and its picturesque surroundings. Searching for cheap holidays to York? We recommend visiting this Yorkshire beauty in spring, when temperatures are expected to be warmer.

Fancy a proper brew? One of the most elegant York attractions is a visit to Bettys Tea Rooms. Bettys has branches around Yorkshire in Harrogate, Ilkley, Northallerton and Harlow Carr. The one in York is the original. Bettys serves tea and coffee and a wonderful selection of cakes and pastries. Indulge in a pikelet or a Yorkshire fat rascal for something really special. The hot dishes and desserts are heavenly. You’ll be dining in style in these elegant art deco surroundings. One of the finest York attractions.

York is famous for its railways. The National Railway Museum is one of the greatest in the world. Exhibits include Queen Victoria’s favourite travelling “home”, a replica of Stephenson’s Rocket and the Eurostar. Visitors can also see Mallard, the fastest steam train in the world. All aboard!

Pretty Harrogate is a wonderful day trip from York. Just over a half an hour drive, it’s easy to get to. This is where the royal pump room stands over the famous sulphur wells and still serves the strongest sulphur water in Europe. The Royal Pump Room Museum has displays recalling Harrogate’s heyday as the Queen of Inland Spas. The Mercer Art Gallery is particularly strong on the art of the Victorian period.

The Shambles is York’s most famous street. This is one of the best-preserved medieval streets in all Europe. Once called Fleshammels (the street of the butchers), its broad windowsills served as shelves to display meat. The half-timbered houses lean inwards, and neighbours can shake hands across the street.