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Visitors Guide to York

York is a fantastic city based in the heart of Yorkshire in the UK. The city is full of history but has kept up with modern times superbly andcombines its rich history with a distinctively modern atmosphere; there is areal buzz around York.

The city was established by the Romans in 71 AD and was originally calledEboracum.  Visitors to York will see numerous references to thishistorical name; even the local taxi firm is called ‘Ebor’. The current name‘York’ as adopted sometime around the 13th century.

It will be no surprise that history provides some of the ‘must see’attractions in York.  Top of the list is York Minster, which is afantastic Gothic cathedral set within a stone’s throw from both the old cobblednarrow streets known as ‘ The Shambles’ and the modern shopping area centredaround Parliament street.  The Minster dates back to the 13th century andis one of the biggest Gothic Cathedrals to be found in Northern Europe. The building is truly fantastic but, as with any old building, the maintenanceprojects are expensing and never ending. The high maintenance costs have ledthe Minster to begin charging an entry fee to visitors, but it is well worththe money plus your funds go towards the upkeep of this fantastic part ofhistory.

York itself is a Walled City and the Walls and numerous gates to the cityare in remarkable condition and provide a great way to explore the city. You can walk around the majority of the walls, which have elevated footpathsalong the top providing fantastic views across the city. 

Other historical buildings of note are Treasurer’s House, The MerchantAdventurer’s Hall and Fairfax House.  To find out more about the historyof York you can immerse yourself in some of the city’s museums. The JorvikViking centre is a top class family museum and attraction which takes visitorsback in time to when Vikings ruled York. The experience uses the senses ofsmell, sound and vision to show what life was like during this important partof York’s history.

Once you have been thoroughly saturated in York’s history you may wish toenjoy a relaxed lunch in one of the many restaurants available within thecity.  You have a wide choice available from one-off sandwich shops, bigchain cafes and gourmet restaurants.  You can also find traditional fish(from Whitby of course!) and chips wrapped in paper to take away if you preferto sit and eat your lunch whilst watching the street entertainers on a summer’sday.

After lunch your focus may turn to shopping and there is no shortage ofshops in York.  The core shopping area is around Parliament Street, whereyou will find the usual selection of British fashion shops.  A lot of theshops in this area are national chain shops but two which are almost unique toYork are the department stores ‘Brown’s of York’ and Fenwicks in the CoppergateCentre.

Away from the main area and into the historic side streets you will find ahuge selection of individual shops catering for those looking for souvenirs,food, clothes and also a range of boutiques for the more expensive taste(Mulberry Hall is a must).

This article has focussed on the historical side to York but there is somuch more, with water activities and boat rides on the River Ouse, art eventsat York Theatre Royal and the Grand Opera House, cinemas and lots of areas forchildren.  With so much to offer, York is perfect for a visit any time ofthe year.  For a complete what’s on guide, visit http://www.activyork.com .

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