York’s medieval City Walls are an ancient monument encircling the historic City of York. They are the longest town walls in England (about 2 miles). They were built mainly in the 13th century and it takes about 2 hours to walk round the walls.
2. York Minster
Since the 7th century, the Minster has been at the centre of Christianity in the north of England and today remains a thriving church rooted in the daily offering of worship and prayer. The Minster was built for the glory of God. Every aspect of this ancient building – from the exquisite, handcrafted stone through to the unrivalled collection of medieval stained glass – tells the story of Jesus Christ.
Set in the stunning surroundings of the medieval ruins of St. Mary’s Abbey, York Museum Gardens is a great space to meet friends and family and enjoy the peace and tranquility that the gardens have to offer. There is so much to see and do including a chance to see inside Yorkshire’s oldest working observatory, wander round the gardens and see the vast botanical collection, spot some of the 40 species of bird within the gardens and visit the award winning Yorkshire Museum, which showcases some of Britain’s finest archaeological treasures and many rare animals, birds and fossils, in exciting new displays.
The York Dungeon is a 75-minute journey into more than 2000 years of York’s horrible history, bringing together horrible characters, immersive sets and thrilling special-effects in a unique and exciting walkthrough experience that you see, hear, feel and smell.
The York Castle Museum was founded by Dr John Kirk, a doctor from Pickering, North Yorkshire, and houses his extraordinary collection of social history objects reflecting everyday life in the county. One of its renowned displays is the reconstructed Victorian street, Kirkgate, that has been hugely influential in museum displays worldwide. The museum is housed in a former debtors’ prison and an adjoining former women’s prison. The museum’s name comes from the fact it stands on the site of the former York Castle.
Built in 1879 as the venue for the second Yorkshire Fine Art and Industrial Exhibition, the building was purchased by the local authority and re-opened as York Art Gallery in 1892. Since that time, the gallery has developed an outstanding collection of paintings that range from 14th century Western European examples through to 20th century British work. Following a major redevelopment project, the gallery reopened in 2015 with a new Centre of Ceramic Art (CoCA) to showcase its important collection of British Studio Ceramics.
Home to iconic locomotives and an unrivalled collection of engineering brilliance, the National Rail Museum celebrates the past, present and future of innovation on the railways. Dedicated to igniting their visitors’ curiosity about the people, places and engineering marvels behind the railways, they put their passion for amazing stories into everything they do.
8. The Shambles
‘The Shambles’ is sometimes used as a general term for the maze of twisting, narrow lanes which make York so charming. At its heart is the lane actually called the Shambles, arguably the best preserved medieval street in the world. The Shambles was a street of butchers’ shops and houses, many complete with a slaughterhouse at the back of the premises, ensuring a ready supply of fresh meat.
York Chocolate Story’s journey continues on the factory zone; you will first learn how a simple cocoa bean is transformed into the finest chocolate in their virtual chocolate factory. Also you’ll discover the history of some of York’s most iconic chocolate brands – take a trip down memory lane and reminisce with some retro favourites from times gone by. You’ll also learn the secret of why chocolate makes us feel so good and why it has an ethical and sustainable future. Then it’s time to master the secrets of the chocolatier, as you create hand-made chocolates for yourself, before seeing how their very own experts do it. Watch thier Chocolatiers as they showcase the art of chocolate-making and sample the fruits of their labour: fresh hand-made chocolates.
10. Jorvik
At the world famous and award-winning JORVIK Viking Centre you are standing on the site of one of the most famous and astounding discoveries of modern archaeology. Between the years 1976-81 archaeologists from York Archaeological Trust, an independent educational charity, revealed the houses, workshops and backyards of the Viking-Age city of Jorvik as it stood nearly 1,000 years ago. These incredible discoveries enabled Jorvik to build JORVIK Viking Centre on the very site where the excavations had taken place, creating a groundbreaking visitor experience where you take a journey through the reconstruction of Viking-Age streets and experience life as it would have been in 10th century York.
