As holidays abroad this year are seeming further and further away on the horizon, I thought I’d get a few UK city visits down for some inspiration if you’re thinking of booking somewhere for a little getaway or just for a change of scenery. First up, York!

I’ve been coming to York for a few years now as my boyfriend lives here and we have been splitting our time between Essex and this beautiful city. There’s plenty to do and with its historical charm, it’s a lovely place to have a wander and explore. As there is so much to do in the city, I’ve composed a list of my favourite things as well as food & drinks as I think this is the best way to give a nice overview of the city. There are also free or cheap things to do so if you’re travelling on a budget or with kids, it is possible to keep the spending down. 

Things To Do 

1. The York Dungeons 
2. The Jorvik Centre 
3. York Minster *
4. The Shambles *
5. Shambles Market *
6. York Castle Museum 
7. Museum Gardens *
8. The Railway Museum *
9. Castle Wall *
10. Clifford’s Tower
11. The hop-on-hop-off Bus
12. Cat Tour *
13. The Art Gallery *
14. Ghost Tours
15. River Cruises

Things marked with an * are free – the Minster is free to go in for a look around but it is a paid excursion to climb the towers. 

So I’d thought I’d include a little run down of some of the activities! The York Dungeons are hilarious and great for a rainy day; as is the Jorvik centre. If you’re looking to do just one paid attraction, the Jorvik centre is definitely the one to go to. York was a Viking settlement so there are original artefacts, its unique to the city and the history of the Viking world comes to life, all whilst you sit on a ride. The York Castle Museum is also worth a visit and you can very easily explore for a couple of hours. There’s loads to see and my favourites include being the Victorian street and exploring the Georgian prison side which was the museums original purpose. Right next to the museum is Clifford’s Tower and it offers a good view across the city but that’s about it. So if you’re desperate to explore an old tower it’s a great thing to do but there is not much else to it – had to include it because it was interesting!

If you’re on a limited time the best way to get a feel of the city and get your bearings is to do the hop-on-hop-off bus. This is one of the first things we did when I came to the city and I found it so helpful and its great if you’ve got little ones. Sitting on the top deck is good for viewing all the sites and there’s commentary too. If you’re looking for an evening activity there’s a number of ghost tours that are always popular and although I still haven’t got around to doing one, they’re always busy and the city is full of history so you couldn’t choose a better place to do one. Finally, because the River Ouse runs straight through the city, boat tours are a great way to see some of the city and take it in from a different point of view. 

If you’re thinking of doing more of the free things that are in the city, there is more than what I’ve suggested but to me, they are the best bits. The Minster is always worth an explore, it is an extraordinary building to see both outside and inside, I think every time I go into the city I take a photo. And as I said earlier, you can pay to climb the towers if you wished to see the city from a different view too. The views are spectacular. 

The Shambles and its market are essential too, as they are full of unique shops and interesting shaped buildings. Because it is a bit of a tourist attraction for the city, if you want to get some empty street pictures head there first thing or later in the evening. And if you’re a Harry Potter fan, there are a couple of Harry Potter shops too. If you’re wanting more city history for free, the museum gardens are beautiful and perfect for a picnic. My fave thing to do is grab a sandwich from a local cafe and then head to the gardens and relax. The city walls are also great to explore as they offer a  different view of the city and you can walk the majority of city’s perimeter from these ancient structures. 

The Railway Museum and Art Gallery are also free entry and are great for a wander around. I wouldn’t say trains are particularly fascinating to me, but the museum itself is interactive and I found it really interesting. 

Finally, one of the most unique things about York are the cat statues which are dotted around the city on buildings and shop fronts. Collecting a map from the tourist information centre before you head out will show you where the cats are so you can add them to your exploring. There’s a fair few to see and I still haven’t found them all yet! 

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Food Faves 

1. Betty’s Tea Room – famous tea room
2. The Ivy – set in the beautiful St Helens Square
3. Brew and Brownie – delicious food and close to the station
4. Little Italy – family run Italian 
5. Spark – food market set in the city centre 
6. Shambles Food Markets – tasty independent food stalls
7. Cut and Craft – delicious steak for £10
8. Double Dutch Pancake House – tiny pancake house 
9. Drakes Fish and Chips – such nice fish and chips with a sit in or takeaway option
10. The York Roast Co – roast dins in a Yorkshire pud, need I say more?
11. The Full Moo – a floating ice cream shop on the river ouse
12. Earl Grey Tea Room – oldest tea room in on the shambles
13. DoeBake House – locally run and unique delicious doughnuts 

There is a plethora of cafes, restaurants and eateries in the city. You can find most of the big chains like Turtle Bay, Las Iguanas, Pizza Express, Bills and Ask Italian and whilst The Ivy is also a chain, its set in St Helens Square in an old bank so the settings inside and outside are really charming. Plus, you’re guaranteed a delicious dins if you’re not sure where else to go. 

As a tourist to the city, you have to make Betty’s top of your food list. It is slightly over-priced but it’s pretty famous and so worth a visit if you want the full York city experience. Make sure you pre-book because the queue often goes down and around the building but it’s worth it for a slice of cake or their afternoon tea. 

I cannot recommend Little Italy enough for dinner if you’re fancying a local, semi-fancy but really friendly restaurant. The food is amazing and they have a great wine selection too. If you aren’t keen on Italian, another local restaurant Cut and Craft is also so good. They have a 10oz flat iron steak for £10 and it is always so tasty. We’ve been a few time and never had a disappointing meal! P.S. the mac n cheese is soooooo good too.  

If you want a really casual, relaxed food venue then definitely head to Spark. This venue is made up of old shipping containers, painted brightly and turned into a varied selection of mini food vendors. It’s a great place for drinks and food if you’re not sure what you fancy. When I last went because of covid it was order at the table via an app and to be honest, that made it even more relaxing. I have had some of the best chicken wings, bao buns, nachos and burgers that I’ve ever had so if you can squeeze it in, definitely do!  

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Bars 

1. Bora Bora
2. The Botanist
3. Evil Eye
4. Lowther
5. House of Trembling Madness
6. Stone Roses

Coming from Essex, I’m all up for a night out and York offers a pretty good one. Being a student city, there’s a good mixture of cheap student bars and fancier bars so it really depends whether you’re prepared for a few drinks in your converse or going out out. Just a heads up, I thought people in Essex made an effort, but I’ve felt underdressed 9/10 times I’ve been out, so could be something to consider if you get stressed about things like this (I definitely do). 

My absolute fave is Bora bora. It is the tiniest bar I’ve ever been to, but it does great cocktails and is always buzzing. This is the bar I recommend to anyone who heads to York! Stone Roses is a local for both the locals and the students and plays good music. Evil Eye and House of Trembling Madness are both super unique and worth a visit. Plus, opposite their location is a street with more local bars and chains including The Botanist which is always a shout for cute cocktails. Lastly, if you want the full York experience, head to Lowther for a treble for single – vodka and iron bru is the best! 

York is also in a great location too. The train station itself is located fairly centrally, a 5 minute walk and you’re in the city centre at one end or a 10 minute walk in the other way and you’ll have crossed the River Ouse, strolled past the Museum Gardens, found the tourist info centre and ended up in front of the Minster. Its just over 2 hours from Kings Cross and easily accessible by car – although if you’re driving, I would ensure that your accommodation has parking as you won’t want to park in the city itself. There is also loads to do outside of the city if you’re thinking of having a couple of days in the city and then heading out to see more of Yorkshire. Scarborough is always worth a stop, so is Knaresborough (row boats in the most picturesque setting), Harrogate is beautiful, Leeds and Hull are worth a visit and then theres all the miles and miles of the Yorkshire Dales and Moors. Dalby Forest is loveeeely for stretching your legs.

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These are just my highlights of this wonderful city and I have absolutely fallen in love with everything York has. I’d love to hear your stories of things you’ve done in York which you would recommend to everyone. If I’ve inspired a trip then I hope you have a fab time making memories in this amazing city!

lots of love, 

Han x