York Attractions

York is a historic city in North Yorkshire. It is dominated by its Minster, which is Northern Europe's largest cathedral. The narrow streets of the Shambles still feature original Tudor buildings and are now occupied by small shops and cosy pubs. York has a racecourse, a castle and many other attractions worth visiting.

York Castle Museum

Eye of York, York Y01 9RY

Phone: +44 (0)1904 687687 

The Castle Museum claims to be England's most popular museum of everyday life which is based at the Eye of York - a name which signifies it is the centre of the Yorkshire Ridings. The building is on the site of the former York Debtor's Prison and features the ‘condemned cell' which held the highwaymen Dick Turpin prior to his execution at the Knavesmire. The collection of exhibits was started by a physician from Pickering who often accepted items thought to be worthless in lieu of payment for his services. The physician, Dr John Kirk, had noticed a way of life that was being lost forever and chose to try to conserve exhibits as a result.

The Shambles

York's most famous street. Most of its buildings date from the 15th Century and it was a mediaeval street occupied by butchers and takes its name from the ‘shammel benches' used by these tradesmen. The street was notorious for its foul smells - an open sewer ran down its middle - and it was home to the Catholic martyr Margaret Clitheroe. The Shambles is also the only street still in existence in York to be mentioned in the Domesday Book. Nowadays, it is filled with cafes, restaurants and interesting little shops. 

York City Walls

The City Walls are one of York's most impressive and popular attractions with an estimated 1 million visitors per year. The walls were built during the Roman occupation of Ebor (the Roman name for York) and have been added to and rebuilt over the intervening centuries. Although they do not quite completely encircle the city, there is a break at Foss Islands, they are almost complete and to walk them is about 2.5 miles. The walls are closed evening at dusk so leave yourself plenty of time.

Clifford's Tower

Tower Street, York

Phone: +44 (0)1904 646940 

The Tower is all that remains of York Castle and it is thought its name comes from Sir Roger Clifford who was hung here in 1322. The tower also has a place in one of the darkest episodes in the city's history - the massacre of the Jews in 1190. The massacre was a culmination against riots which had taken place against York's Jews and resulted in them taking refuge in the tower. After being under siege for days the Jewish menfolk killed their wives and children before killing themselves rather than renounce their religion.

Yorkshire Museum & Gardens

Museum Gardens, York YO1 7FR

Phone: +44 (0)1904 687687 

The museum was designed by William Wilkins in 1829 to house a geological collection it quickly began to attract large numbers of visitors. However, due to a lack of sufficient finance and neglect it soon fell into disrepair and a few exhibits were lost. In 1961 ownership was handed over to the City of York and public money helped to build the popular museum which is best known as the home of the Coppergate Helmet. Dating back to the 8th Century, the helmet was discovered in 1982 by a workman at the Jorvik centre and is only the third Anglo-Saxon helmet ever discovered. 

National Railway Museum

Leeman Road, York, North Yorkshire YO26 4XJ

Phone: +44 (0)1904 621261

Discover the story of the train in a great day out for all the family. The National Railway Museum mixes fascination and education with hours of fun and best of all it's free! Not only are we the home of The Flying Scotsman, but we also have 3 enormous galleries, the only Bullet Train outside Japan and special daily events to enthral you. So all aboard for a fun packed family day to remember.

Jorvik Centre

Coppergate, York YO1 9WT

Phone: +44 (0)1904 643211

One of York's most popular visitor attractions, the Jorvik Centre depicts life as it was 1,000 years ago under Viking reign. The centre recreates buildings found on its exact site as well as displaying thousands of artefacts including original timbers as well as animal and vegetable remains which were all preserved due to the sites waterlogged location next to the River Foss. As excavation continued it was deemed necessary to completely rebuild the attraction in 2000 in order to include discoveries made in the intervening years since Jorvik first opened.

York Dungeon

12 Clifford Street, York YO1 9RD

Phone: +44 (0)1904 632599

The York Dungeon recreates episodes from the city's gruesome past and is a popular attraction with children and families. The story of Dick Turpin, who was executed at York, is described in great detail as are events such as the Great Plague and the gory manner in which torture victims suffered. But be warned, some of the exhibits are actors and will spring to life and may even be seen wandering the streets of York throughout the day!

York Racecourse

Knavesmire, York YO23 1EX

Phone: +44 (0)1904 620911

Probably the north's finest racecourse, the ‘Knavesmire', as it is known locally, is rich in both its racing heritage and as part of the city of York's history. The racecourse stages some of the country's leading flat races annually, culminating in the Ebor Festival in August (Ebor is the Roman name for York). In 2005 the course was chosen to host Royal Ascot whilst the Ascot course was being re-developed. Historically, the Knavesmire is remembered as the site of Dick Turpin's execution following his imprisonment in York Prison in 1739.

York Market

Markets Office, 2 Newgate, York, North Yorkshire Y01 7LA

Phone: +44 (0)1904 551355 

York boasts the brightest and arguably best daily open market in the North. Newgate market has 120 stalls in a market square within Europe's largest single pedestrianised area. Prominent since the Middle Ages, Newgate market is the heart and soul of the city lying between The Shambles and Parliament Street. The market offers something for everyone every day offering a wide variety of dried goods, fruit and vegetables, as well as a good selection of fresh fish and meat. 

YorkBoat

Office at: The Boatyard, Lendal Bridge, York, North Yorkshire YO1 7DP

Phone: +44 (0)1904 628324

Sit back, relax and enjoy the sights from the decks of YorkBoat's award winning cruises. Make the most of your day on board an entertaining guided river trip with captains commentary (sailing's from 10.30am), or take to the helm of a RedBoat self drive motor boat. For an entertaining evening join our fun Ghost Cruise with storyteller (7pm), relaxing Floodlit Evening Cruise to Bishopthorpe Palace (9.15pm) or party the night away on our Summer Nights Afloat cruises with barbecue and entertainment.

Yorkshire Air Museum

Halifax Way, Elvington, York, North Yorkshire YO41 4AU

Phone: +44 (0)1904 608 595

This museum is based at an actual World War Two bomber command station. There are a series of displays that relate to the history of the command post and generally military aviation. The control tower is open, and there are exhibits dedicated to the Air Gunners' Collection, the Barnes' Wallis prototype ‘bouncing bomb' and a fantastic airborne engineers collection. 

Regimental Museum

3a Tower Street, York YO1 9SB

Phone: +44 (0)1904 642036 

The Regimental Museum is a joint representation of the Royal Dragoon Guards and the Prince of Wales' Own Regiment of Yorkshire. Both regiments can each trace over 300 years of military history which can be seen at this museum. On display are exhibits from the early part of the regiments' history to the present day and including the two world wars. From ceremonial dress and uniforms to contemporary mementoes of more recent duties in locations such as Ireland, Bosnia and the Falklands.

York City Art Gallery

Exhibition Square, York YO1 7EW

Phone: +44 (0)1904 687687 

The York City Art Gallery first opened in 1879 for the Yorkshire Fine Art Exhibition as a temporary building. Three years later the building which houses the current gallery was built as a permanent fixture. The gallery's collections are organised in six themes and include paintings by Etty, Basano, Turner, Snyders, Lowry, Paul Nash, Danby, Reynolds as well as sculptures and pottery. The gallery fell victim to an armed raid in 1999 when twenty paintings worth in the region of £700,000 were stolen but subsequently recovered. In 2005 the gallery re-opened after a lavish refurbishment costing £360,000.

Walmgate Bar

Walmgate, York, North Yorkshire

Walmgate Bar is one of York's famous gateways through its city walls, and visitors will be able to see the marks left by cannons and bullets during the Siege of York in 1644. Walmgate Bar is unique amongst the other bars as being the only one still with its Barbican intact. The Barbican is the outward protrusion in front of the bar which offered further defence against invaders trapping invaders in its tunnel. The city's other bars all had their barbicans removed for traffic reasons.

Micklegate Bar Museum

Micklegate, York YO1 6JX

Phone: +44 (0)1904 634436 

Micklegate Bar is the royal entrance to the city of York and most of England's sovereigns (notable exceptions include Richard I and Henry VIII) have entered the city through Micklegate Bar. As a result of this royal connection, and its southerly aspect, Micklegate became the most important of the city's bars. It is also famous for its role in dealing with treachery and treason; many traitors have been executed and had their head displayed on Micklegate Bar to deter other would-be traitors including Richards Duke of York and various other members of the nobility. A museum tells the story of the bar.