Interesting Things To See In York

An Overview of York

York is a gorgeous city in the United Kingdom founded by ancient Romans. The city is known for it’s cathedral architectures, the combination of the Ouse and Foss Rivers, numerous historic buildings and roads as well as impressive castles. Ghosts and hauntings are linked deeply to the city’s culture and history, so ghost tours are common. The city is also home to over 365 pubs, more than one for every day of the year. The most famous of these pubs are the Guy Fawkes Inn Pub (where Guy Fawkes was born) and the supposedly haunted Golden Fleece Pub. There are many interesting things to see in York.

Interesting Things To See In York

The Bolton Strid

This is a beautiful stretch of river which doubles as a natural and lethal booby trap.  The area around the Strid runs thin between mossy boulders despite a much wider river upstream.  The river is thin because the waters near the deadly portion of the Strid flow vertically due to a shift of natural rocks, creating a devastatingly powerful undercurrent with drowning-trap caves, riptides and undertow.  The depths of the strid have never been mapped, so deadly is the current is full of unknowns.

Needles Eye

Roughly five kilometers outside of York, there is a 46 tall pyramid with a “needle-hole” through the center.  300 years ago, the Marquis of Rockingham bet a friend ten pounds he could ride his horse through the eye of a needle, resulting in a very expensive construction to win this meager bet and major honor.

Rowntree Park

This is a peaceful 20-acre park area with large, swooping trees alongside children’s parks, bowling greens and basketball courts. It is a relaxing area to walk around thanks to the nearby river and lake.

Two Hoots Ice Cream Boat

York is home to an unusual ice cream parlor. The Two Hoots Ice Cream Boat is a floating boat which serves great ice cream. The tiny white boat with an ice-cream cone on the front floats past major park areas in York.

Clifford’s Tower

This is a tall, beautiful tower and excellent viewing point to overlook the old town portion of the city. Clifford’s Tower is located atop a sloping hill of yellow wildflowers. Built in the 13th century, the tower was formerly used as a prison and royal mint.

York’s Chocolate Story

This small building contains an excellent chocolate museum with free samples. The museum offers tours exploring the history of choclate with a small café and shop included at the end.

Museum Gardens

The Museum Gardens are a small garden area which hosts several birds of prey, including several species of hawks and owls. The gardens also include a botanic garden feature in the center of York and access to the former grounds of St. Mary’s Abbey.

Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma Gate

Originally known as “Whitnourwhatnourgate” or “What a Street!”  This is a shopping avenue that provides access to interesting walking alleys including Shambles. Visitors can find old shops, specialty stores, Harry-Potter-Themed tourism shops and tiny bookstores.

Shambles

This is a unique shopping street with many antique and novelty shops, including three Harry Potter-themed stores.

Shop That Must Not Be Named

One of the Harry Potter-themed shops on Shambles which sells, among other things, Butterbeer and Chocolate Frogs.

York Castle Museum

This is an award-winning museum covering the long and varied history of York and the surrounding land. The museum is built on the site of York Castle, which was originally constructed by William the Conqueror in 1068,.

JORVIK Viking Center

This is a large building hosting a strange Viking experience touching on the raider’s influence across the northern hemisphere. The venue also includes a glass floor display showing off impressive excavations of Viking artifacts.

York Minster

The York Minster is a truly magnificent cathedral with a masterpiece stained-glass window. It is a primary landmark when exploring the city and one of the most beautiful cathedrals of it’s style in the world.

Breezy Knees Gardens

This is a portion of land absolutely caked in bright flowers alongside other specialized gardens such as the Day Lily Garden, the Cottage Garden, the Double Border and the Paeony. The walking trails pass through various garden spaces, sculptures and flower fields.

York Art Gallery

This building is home to an enormous collection of British pottery and an impressive series of contemporary exhibits which change over time.  York has been designated the world’s first UNESCO Creative City of Media Arts.

St. Mary’s Abbey

A beautiful series of ruins for picturesque strolls. The ruins are mostly open-air, with various arches, walls and crumbling stones integrated into the nearby park space.

The York Ghost Merchants

This is a strange and magical place which allows for the creation and purchase of a handmade, unique model ghost. The ghost trinkets are an extremely popular tourist prize and the trinkets are considered cute and unique. Ghosts and ghost tours are a famous aspect of York’s lore.

The York Cats

This isn’t a specific location, but a series of metal statues hidden throughout the city.  The cats are found on window ledges, clinging to walls, marching down streets and stalking across balconies.  The cat statues are a unique treasure hunt for visitors walking throughout the city.

The York Army Museum

Costing only five pounds to enter, this is a cracking military museum with exquisitely restored weapons and uniforms. The small museum specializes in spotlighting WWI infantry regiments alongside additional military exhibits and a few interactive activities.

Askham Bog Nature Reserve

Bogs are one of the natural hallmark biosphere of the UK. This nature and wildlife area preserves a home for various critters and birds upon the marshy ground. Visitors can walk along the boardwalk trails in the reserve, found south of York’s main city.

The Golden Fleece York

Allegedly, The Golden Fleece Pub of York is the most haunted pub of the city. The pub leans into the reputation, with a skeleton often seen added to the pub’s décor.

Ghost Tours

York is somewhat famous for various hauntings and distressed spirits around its city, making ghost tours a unique and enjoyable aspect while visiting. The tours are varied, but they generally cover the city’s cemeteries, haunted house areas, old murder legends and especially creepy statues.

National Railway Museum

The National Railway Museum is a huge locomotive musuem with trains both old and new.  The famous locomotives the Flying Scotsman and Shinkansen are both housed here.

York City Walls

Once of the most interesting things to see in York includes a long walk around the city’s intact defensive fortifications. The walls are a series of ancient ruins which follow scenic views overlooking the city.  It’s an excellent method for exploring the city and offer many unique historical stops along the route.

York Maze

Though it’s not open yearly, York does have a huge maze created from planted sweetcorn. It’s marketed as a popular family day-trip outside of the city, located to the southeast.

North Yorkshire Moors

Located outside of the city, this area contains acres upon acres of glowingly gorgeous rolling hills of desolate purple heather. The moors contain some of the most beautiful landscapes of the kingdom and remains one of the most interesting things to see in York. North York Moors National Park is directly north of the city.

Whitby

This is an excellent day trip outside of York. This small town was the home to titans of exploration such as William Scoresby and Captain Cook.  The 7th-century village appears as a setting in Bram Stroker’s Dracula and has amazing cliffside views (the 199 Steps) over the harbor. It is considered one of the most beautiful places in England.

Berley Hall

Berley Hall is a fully restored medieval townhouse built in 1360 which offers educational exhibits regarding the secrets and science of Middle Age Alchemy and Witchcraft.

Snickelways

The Snickelways are not an official destination. Instead, these are extremely narrow medieval passageways scattered across York.  A famous couple include Mad Alice Lane and Hole in the Wall.

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