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, but spare some time to explore one of York's other fine medieval churches, and 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.
A word about York street names. You will notice that many streets end in the suffix "gate", such as Stonegate, Coppergate, and Skeldergate. This does NOT mean that the "gate" in question was a part of the old York city walls.
Instead, the "gate" in this case comes from the Viking "gata", meaning simply "street". The actual city gates are called "Bars", such as Micklegate Bar and Walmgate Bar.
From the soaring grace of York Minster with its glorious medieval stained glass to the imposing Norman keep of Clifford's Tower at York Castle, there's so much to see in this historic city. Museums, historic houses, and the longest stretch of original city walls in England. See Roman remains, excavations of Biking York, and the best-preserved medieval street in the country. YORK ATTRACTIONS >>
One of the best ways to enjoy York is by taking a river cruise along the Ouse and Foss. From custom-made river cruisers you can see some of York's most fascinating and historic buildings. MORE >>
One of the best ways to explore York is in the company of a tour guide, and there are guides specialising in practically any aspect of York that you might fancy, including history, architecture, and famous people. And, this being York, no visit would be complete without a good ghost walk - a city with a history as long and rich as York was bound to pick up a few good ghost stories along the way, and there are several established walking tours specialising in ghosts. MORE >>
The history of York goes back [at least] to Roman times. We look at York's long and rich heritage from its foundation, through the turbulent upheavals of Saxon and Viking York, to the coming of the Normans, the medieval period, York in the Civil War, Georgian York, and finally, the transformation of the city by the coming of the railway in the Victorian period. MORE >>
The history of York goes back [at least] to Roman times. We look at York's long and rich heritage from its foundation, through the turbulent upheavals of Saxon and Viking York, to the coming of the Normans, the medieval period, York in the Civil War, Georgian York, and finally, the transformation of the city by the coming of the railway in the Victorian period. MORE >>
