How to Make the Most of Your Day Out in York
York has become an increasingly popular city to visit in recent months – boasting a significant increase in tourism since even before the pandemic – and it’s no wonder why. The historic city is home to ancient dwellings, quaint city center streets, and the incomparable York Minster, and that’s just scratching the surface.
There is so much to see in York that it can barely be done in a day. Get looking at trains to York, pick one of the earliest ones you can, and head down to experience one of the North’s oldest cities in the best possible way. Here are four suggestions to get you started.
Visit The Shambles
The Shambles is one of York’s most recognizable features – it is a single street, comprising timber-framed buildings which overhand, and lean into the street. Some of these buildings are over 700 years old, adding to the mystique of this street and its surroundings. The Shambles was the inspiration for the Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter franchise and boasts attractions and souvenir shops to commemorate the link.
A Day at the Races
York Racecourse is a supremely popular destination for sports-lovers and revelers alike, with a full season of events in the warmer months – from the Dante Festival in May to the October Finale. Get your best suit on, dust off your favorite hat, and cheer on the fastest at Yorkshire’s favorite course.
Walk the City Walls
The city walls are a stone’s throw from York train station, and may well be the first thing you see when you arrive! You can walk the entire circuit, enjoying the sights of York and learning about its history in the process. The walls largely date back to the 13th century – barring some restorative work 150 years ago –, and tell a beautiful story with their worn limestone bricks.
A Day of Craft Beer
Yorkshire is becoming increasingly known for its export of excellent beer – whether old classics brewed traditionally to this day, or modern craft pushing the envelope of flavor. York is home to a bevy of wonderful beery locations, including the up-and-coming craft brewery Brew York, whose signature Tonkoko stout and Rhubarbra Streisand IPAs have delighted across the country. Their brewery and taproom within the city walls is a perfect destination to sit back and enjoy a drink while watching the next batch ferment away. The House of Trembling Madness is also a venue worth a visit, being a Belgian beer bar whose reputation precedes itself: come for the taxidermy, stay for the charcuterie and marvelous beer.
