York · Yorkshire · Beyond the obvious
Your guide to an Undiscovered North.
Explore York like a local and discover more of Yorkshire along the way. Find places worth eating, staying and stopping for, uncover the stories behind the places you visit.
Find your Yorkshire.
Skip the generic lists. Tell us what you’re looking for and where you’re heading, and we’ll help you uncover places and experiences actually worth knowing about.
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York, sorted
Start where you are.
Four simple guides to York. Open the section you need, find somewhere that catches your eye and jump straight to Google Maps.
30 York places in every section. ★ Our Recommendation marks places we particularly like.
01 · York Guide to York 30 places +
York’s landmarks, historic places, green spaces and essentials. A good place to start if you’re new to the city.
02 · Food Eat Out 30 places +
Restaurants, cafés and independent York favourites, from quick lunches to somewhere worth booking for dinner.
03 · Stay Places to Stay 30 places +
Landmark hotels, boutique stays, guesthouses and practical places to base yourself while you’re in York.
04 · Explore Things to See 30 places +
Museums, historic buildings, churches, experiences and some of York’s smaller places worth seeking out.
Explore York Best ways to see York Some of York’s best experiences don’t need a ticket. Walk it, wander it and look beyond the obvious sights. +
York is compact enough to explore on foot, but there’s far more to it than simply walking between the Minster and the Shambles. These are some of our favourite ways to slow down, explore the side streets and see a little more of the city.
Follow the York Cat Trail
Look up as you walk around York and you’ll start spotting cats perched on buildings throughout the city. The York Cat Trail turns a wander through the centre into a treasure hunt and takes you through streets you might otherwise miss.
Walk York’s City Walls
One of the easiest ways to understand York. Walk above the streets for views towards the Minster, rooftops, gardens and the city’s medieval gateways.
Explore York’s Snickelways
York’s narrow passages, lanes and shortcuts are one of the best ways to discover the city properly. Mark W. Jones’s A Walk Around the Snickelways of York is a brilliant little companion for exploring hidden courtyards, medieval passages and corners most visitors simply walk past.
Wander through Museum Gardens
Gardens, Roman remains and the ruins of St Mary’s Abbey sit only a few minutes from the busiest streets. It’s one of the easiest places in York to slow things down for a while.
Follow the River Ouse
Drop down from the busy city centre and follow the river for a completely different view of York. It’s particularly good when you just want to wander without another attraction or timetable to worry about.
See York after dark
Come back out once the day visitors have started disappearing. The Minster, old streets and medieval buildings feel completely different after dark, especially around the quieter lanes.
On Tour
Turn the journey into the adventure.
Choose your route, uncover stories, answer questions, use hints and collect clues as Yorkshire unfolds around you.
Test yourself How well do you know York? Ten questions. Romans, Vikings, chocolate, medieval York and a few things you might have spotted while exploring. +
No Googling. Pick an answer for each question, then see whether you're a York newcomer or practically an honorary local.