Things to Do in York
York is a walled city with winding streets and a river through its middle, and visitors fill it for most of the year. Here is a way to plan a day or an evening around the crowds.
Walking the walls
Large sections of the old city walls can be walked, and they give a raised view over the rooftops that you cannot get from the lanes below. Some stretches are narrow and the surface can be slippery, so keep to daylight and dry weather. Entry points are spread around the circuit, which lets you join and leave where it suits you.
Large sections of the old city walls can be walked, and they give a raised view over the rooftops that you cannot get from the lanes below.
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Streets with character
The centre rewards slow walking. Micklegate rises from the station side of the river, Fossgate and Walmgate hold smaller independent places across the middle, and Coney Street heads towards the water with a more commercial mood. The lanes between them are narrow and congested at peak times, so allow longer than the map suggests.
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Somewhere to book a room or a table for the evening, in York itself.
By the river
The Ouse has footpaths on both banks, and in good weather the stretch through the city is a pleasant, level place to walk. After a long spell of rain the riverside can go under water, so look at the conditions before setting out. A second, smaller river joins in the older part of town and adds a quieter alternative when the main banks are busy.
The Ouse has footpaths on both banks, and in good weather the stretch through the city is a pleasant, level place to walk.
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Museums, galleries and covered options
York has museums, small galleries and old churches that can be explored indoors, and many of them sit within a few steps of each other. That makes it a strong choice for a day when the forecast is poor, because you can move between shelters without getting soaked. Allow a slow pace, as the better ones reward lingering.
York has museums, small galleries and old churches that can be explored indoors, and many of them sit within a few steps of each other.
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Trains from York
The railway station is an easy walk from the middle of the old town and is a major stop on the main line. Leeds is a short ride south, and a direct service runs to the coast at Scarborough, which makes a bracing change from the city for a day. Look up the last service back before you leave.
The railway station is an easy walk from the middle of the old town and is a major stop on the main line.
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Crowds, comfort and the age line
Weekends and school holidays are busy, so go earlier if you prefer space. Good shoes matter more than usual on the cobbles, and a rest at midday makes the second half of the day far more enjoyable. If you plan an evening after a day of walking, book a table or a taxi ahead, because the narrow streets fill and cars are slow to get through. As with every page here, the site is for adults of eighteen or over.
Weekends and school holidays are busy, so go earlier if you prefer space.
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Frequently asked questions
One day covers the walls and the main streets, with a riverside stroll too, and an evening adds a meal in a quieter corner of the centre.
No. Trains arrive near the old centre, which you can cross on foot without much trouble.
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