Plan your York trip to avoid a shambles
A weekend isn’t long enough to see everything in York – so make a list of what you want to do before you come.
You can walk the old wall surrounding the city in about two hours, getting a bird’s-eye view of the historical buildings, and take in the majestic York Minster (yorkminster.org; adults £16) home to the largest expanse of medieval stained glass in the countr y.
Don’t miss the new sculpture of the late Queen on the outside of the cathedral, unveiled in November by King Charles.
It’s also the subject of Sculpting The Sovereign, a new exhibition which goes behind the scenes on the making of the sculpture.
While walking around the city with my daughter Grace, we admire the higgledy-piggledy ancient houses in The Shambles, arguably the best preserved medieval street in the world.
Formerly dominated by butchers’ shops, it is now home to myriad quirky stores and gateway to a maze of streets housing hidden-away eateries, cake shops and hole-in-the-wall pubs.
To make the most of our stay, we get a Visit York Pass, which allows entry to a number of attractions and saves money if you are visiting multiple museums and other paid-for sights (although you may have to pre-book some attractions).
Those who like an interactive experience might head for the JORVIK Viking Centre (jorvikvikingcentre.co.uk; adults £15) and jump on its famous ride to experience the sights, sounds and smells of Viking-age York, or walk through Kirkgate, a recreated Victorian street complete with olde worlde shopfronts, mock horse and carriage awaiting, at York Castle Museum (yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk; adults £13 online/£16 walk up), the former county jail.
Meanwhile In celebration of the coronation of the King, York Minster is currently staging an exhibition (runs to October 1) tracing the influence of the monarchy throughout the cathedral’s history.
Yet a trip to York, which claims to have more attractions per square mile than any other city in the UK, is as rich in modernity as it is in the past.
We head to the new Sixties exhibition in York Castle Museum, an avenue of retro heaven.
Featuring images of Twiggy to a Lambretta scooter, Beatles singles and fashion by Mary Quant, it’s a nod to the experiences of people in the city, all with hippie dizzy orange and pink ‘flower-power’ signage above.
Yes, there are crowds at peak times, but York is a surprisingly walkable city, largely because so much of the centre is pedestrianised, so the clog of traffic doesn’t feel quite so prohibitive to the visitor.
Shopping is eclectic, tea rooms and cafes offering a plethora of mouthwatering pastries, and cakes are around every corner and there’s a sophisticated restaurant scene.
We head for the shops, passing the queues for the ghost tours (York is reputedly the most haunted city in the world), browsing the tiny art galleries, independent boutiques, handcrafted jewellery shops and botanical havens within the medieval and Georgian architecture of Stonegate and Swinegate.
Later, in need of an aperitif, we venture to York Gin’s tasting experience (yorkgin.com; tastings on Friday and Saturday evenings, £30pp) where, over a gin and tonic, naturally, a friendly guide takes us through the history of gin-making.
Back at base, we’re dining at Pearly Cow (pearlycow.co.uk; mains from around £25), a new restaurant which opened in March and is attached to our hotel – No.1 by Guest House.
In the Georgian building, featuring natural textures and finishes to blend in with its heritage, we are told that local produce is key – the meat is from specialist Yorkshire farmers, the oysters come from Hartlepool, while Whitby crab and prawns are a regular on the menu.
On our last day, we walk off all that food on a brisk stroll to Clifford’s Tower (englishheritage.org.uk; adults from £7.70), the largest remaining building of York Castle, a stone fragment of history which sits atop a huge mound of grass.
Climbing the 55 steps to get to the keep, then more stairs to a new walkway and a spiral staircase, we reach the new roof deck which offers a 360-degree bird’s eye view of the city.
From here, we can admire York Minster, the many churches, medieval buildings and old architecture from a different viewpoint, with signs to help us identify all the things we’ve seen at ground level.
But we can also see things we hadn’t previously noticed – the rivers Foss and Ouse which meet at York, churches, old streets and the university on a hill in the distance.
It’s a great way to reflect on the city’s past – and anticipate its exciting future.
How to plan your trip
Doubles at No.1 by GuestHouse, York start from £160 (two sharing), room only. Visit guesthousehotels.co.uk
A One Day York Pass, covering entry to numerous attractions including York Minster, Jorvik Viking Centre, York Castle Museum and Clifford’s Tower, costs £55. Visit yorkpass.com
For information on York, go to visityork.org