York

York's street plan still carries the layers of nearly two thousand years of history — Roman Eboracum, Viking Jorvik, and the medieval city whose walls you can still walk almost the whole way round today.

York Minster, one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in northern Europe, dominates the skyline and is famous for its medieval stained glass, particularly the Great East Window. Below the surrounding streets, the Jorvik Viking Centre sits on the site of an excavated Viking-age settlement, one of the most significant archaeological finds of its kind in Britain.

The Shambles, a narrow medieval street of overhanging timber-framed buildings that once housed the city's butchers, is now one of York's best-known sights and a short walk from the Minster. The National Railway Museum, telling the story of Britain's railways with a collection that includes royal and record-breaking locomotives, is also within easy walking distance of the city centre.

Where to Stay in York

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  The Grand, York — a former railway company headquarters near the city walls, now a hotel and spa.
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  The Milner York — a large Victorian railway hotel next to the station, a short walk from the Minster, renamed from The Principal York after a 2024 rebrand.
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  Hotel du Vin York — a boutique hotel in a Georgian mansion close to the city walls.
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  Premier Inn York City Centre (Layerthorpe) — a short walk from the city walls and the Shambles.
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  Premier Inn York City (Blossom Street North) — within walking distance of York Minster and the railway station.

Getting there

York sits directly on the East Coast Main Line, with fast trains from London (around two hours), Edinburgh and Leeds, making it one of the more straightforward Yorkshire bases to reach without a car.