Location

York is a city in northern England, where the Rivers Ouse and Foss join.
York lends its name to the traditional county town of Yorkshire.
The city will be 2,000 years old in 2071, and has a rich Roman and Viking history. The historical aspects of York attract a great deal of tourism. York is also known for its chocolate factories, and is home to the University of York.
The city sometimes suffers from flooding. It is also said to be one of the most haunted cities in Europe

Exploring York’s historic city centre is like taking a trip back in time. The city’s rich cultural heritage dates back to Roman times, but the flavour of Viking Jorvik is still alive at the outstanding Jorvik Viking Centre, and the medieval architecture of the city is outstanding.

York is dominated by the imposing bulk of York Minster with its superb stained glass windows. Spare time to wander the narrow streets of The Shambles area. Don’t leave York without taking a walk on the city walls that were first erected by the Roman legions. Along the walls you can visit the medieval gateways to the city.

As well a tourist destination, modern York is a centre of communications, education and manufacturing. It is a major railway junction, situated on the East Coast, Cross Country and Transpennine mainlines.

York is also a major venue for horse racing at York Racecourse in the Knavesmire area.

Two large factories make chocolate, (Nestlé Rowntree and Terry’s), while another refines sugar. York is the home of KitKat, Smarties, the Chocolate Orange and the famous Yorkie bar. Sadly the Terry`s factory will close in 2006.

Attractions

York Castle Museum

Experience life as a Victorian. Walk down cobbled streets and peer through the windows of shops long gone. Take a journey through six hundred years of life in Britain, from parlours to prisons, marriages to the mill house… A visit not to be missed.

The Shambles

The Shambles is well worth a visit it is often called Europe’s best preserved medieval street, although the name is also used to collectively refer to the surrounding maze of narrow, twisting lanes and alleys as well. The street itself is mentioned in the Domesday Book, so we know that it has been in continuous existence for over 900 years.

York City Walls

York has more miles of intact city walls than anywhere else in England, and some sections of the walls date back to Roman times.

Clifford’s Tower

Originally built by William the Conqueror to subdue the rebellious north, it was rebuilt by Henry III in the 13th century. Fantastic panoramic views of York and the surrounding countryside from the top of the tower show why it played such a key role in the control of northern England.
Exploring York

A story of York, it’s people, and it’s food, both in the past and Today. Stories and images about York’s development, and the lifestyles of it’s people through the ages, from rugged swampland that the Romans conquered in AD 71.

Fairfax House

Hundreds of years after Romans and Vikings, but still two hundred years before our time, this fine 18th century town house saw Regency gentry come and go. See all their furnishings and fittings and marvel at the preparations that went into their splendid banquets

Haunted Walk of York

Presenting the world famous Haunted Walk of York. This is a historical ghost walk. Traditional story telling at it’s best.

Merchant Adventurers’ Hall

The Hall was built between 1357-1361 and is of major international importance. It is Europe’s finest medieval Guildhall and is scheduled as an ancient monument. Probably nowhere else in the world can be seen in one building the three rooms serving the three functions of a medieval guild.

FairfaxHouse

Fairfax House is a delightful Georgian townhouse, built in the 1740s, and acquired in 1759 by Viscount Fairfax as a gift for his daughter Anne.

Micklegate Bar Museum

Every visiting monarch and head of state has passed through this gateway, which has stood sentinel over the city for 800 years.

National Railway Museum

Embark on a journey into the past and discover the story of the train at the world’s largest Railway Museum. It’s a great place to enjoy a fun-packed family day out and entry is now free for everyone.

Nunnington Hall

The sheltered walled garden on the bank of the River Rye, with its delightful mixed borders, orchards of traditional fruit varieties and spring-flowering meadows, complements this mellow 17th-century manor house.
 

Secret York

Explore Passageways, Under-crofts and Ruins York is a labyrinth of secret places that time has forgot. As you weave your way through deepest secret York, through passageways

Waterline Cruises

Try something different! See York from the river aboard one of our twin decked passenger boats choose a city centre cruise aboard the River King with informative captains commentary. 45 minute cruises sailing on the hour from Skeldergate Bridge

York Brewery

Visit York’s friendly and independent Brewery, where beer is brewed using traditional methods. Join one of the daily guided tours around the brewery, for an informative and entertaining insight into the art of the master brewer

How to get there

BY AIR ;   

Leeds/Bradford airport is 45 minutes drive from York. Flights arrive from a variety of destinations and there’s a 50 minute shuttle service to London’s Heathrow airport. Leeds/Bradford International Airport.

Manchester airport is two hours drive from York. Flights arrive from hundreds of international destinations.

BY ROAD;

Situated midway between Edinburgh and London, just 20 minutes from the M1/M62 motorway network, York is within comfortable travelling times of most regions in the UK.

BY SEA;

For European visitors, York is only one hour from the P&O Sea Ferries terminal at Kingston-upon-Hull with daily sailings to Holland and Belgium.

BY RAIL;

Getting to York by train is easy and great value too. From London the Journey time is under two hours  Edinburgh is only two and a half hours from York and there are direct services from Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and the South West.

BY BUS/COACH;

You can travel to York from destinations all around the UK.

Frequent Park & Ride bus services operate into the city centre from sites

Festivals

York is a lively bustling city with a wide range of entertainment and events.

Eating  Dining  Shopping

York is one of the oldest cities in the country, and yet continues to evolve in culinary terms. A city of tea rooms and small cafes is expanding into a real multicultural centre for food, seeing all countries embraced.

York boasts 172 restaurants, 142 tea & coffee rooms and a pub for every day of the year!

Shopping

With more than 2,000 shops, York offers some of most distinctive, specialist and stylish shopping in the UK.

History

York is renowned for its history, which is preserved in its architecture. The city was founded in AD 71, and for much of the intervening period has been the main city in the North of England. Every year, thousands of tourists flock to see the surviving mediaeval buildings, interspersed with Roman and Viking remains.

For the Romans, York was a major military base; Emperor Septimius Severus died there in AD 211, and Constantius Chlorus, the father of Constantine I, died there in 306. In York, Constantine’s troops proclaimed him emperor. Substantial Roman remains were discovered under the Minster and a re-erected Roman column now stands on Deangate. There are also the remains of a Roman bath, but a temple and the site of the Roman bridge over the River Ouse have also been excavated lately. Outside the city walls are the remains of substantial Roman cemeteries. A large number of Roman finds are now housed in the Yorkshire Museum. , but if you really enjoy history check out the Castle museum before you leave York.

Useful telephone numbers

Emergency Number 999

Airport Information Tel ;+44 (0)870 000 0123

Train station: 08457 48 49 50

Tourist Office: 01904 621756

Holiday rents online:

National Transport Line; (public transport) 0870 608 2608

24 hour medical service