The Traveller's Magazine
York’s heritage is packed with stories from Edwardian, Georgian, Saxon, Viking times and all the way back to Roman Britain. From castles to cathedrals, ancient stone walls to modern museums, there are 2000 years of history to uncover here, a lot to do for one weekend.
The next stop on our Heritage Britain tour is York. Everyone made their mark on York over time, starting with the Romans thousands of years ago. The Saxons and Vikings were next and today you can visit JORVIK, and see what York was like for the Vikings a thousand years ago. York will win you over with its Victorian and Edwardian streets and if there’s time for a museum or two, the world’s largest railway museum and the famous Castle Museum are excellent choices.
From London, York is a bit of a trip north. With a London car hire you can reach the capital of the north in less than 4 hours.
Essentials in York
York Castle Museum
Without a doubt the reason why most come to visit York, the Castle Museum has perfectly preserved the atmosphere of old Victorian York in the form of Kirkgate, a reconstructed Victorian street. Everything you see is original to the era, carefully curated to show what a typical York street looked like in Victorian times. Other museum highlights include the York Castle Prison and the Sixties Room, which explores the daily life of Brits during this decade.
- Admission: Adult £8.50 / Children under 16 Free
- Open: daily 9:30am-5pm
York Minster
Sure to impress, the York Minster is the largest Gothic cathedral located north of the Alps. The stained glass windows are by far the most impressive feature. If you’re up for it, climb the steps into the tower or peek below ground in the crypt. It was built between 1220 and 1470 and is today one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in Europe.
- Admission: Adults £9 / Children under 16 Free
- Open: Monday – Saturday 9am-5pm / Sunday noon-5pm
JORVIK Centre
The JORVIK Centre is a pretty incredible place. It’s like stepping back through time and getting a hands on experience of what York was like for the Vikings in AD975. You’ll get to hear Viking tales and see the remains of 1000 year old houses and workshops, even smell the delicious stew cooking in the amber worker’s kitchen.
- Admission: Adults £9.25 / Children (5-15) £6.25
- Open: daily 10am-5pm April through October
Did you know that York is believed to be the most haunted city in Europe? Are you brave enough to join a midnight ghost-walking tour through the Old Town streets and to the York Dungeon?
York is waiting!
