York, England is the perfect stop while road tripping through the UK. During my work trip in 2019, I traveled from Edinburgh south to York. I was only able to spend a day there, but wanted to share some things to do and see.
York Minster
My day in York, England started with a guided tour of the Cathedral – York Minster. The Minster is the seat of the Archbishop of York, the third most powerful figure in the Church of England (after the Monarch & Archbishop of Canterbury).
The first church recorded on site was in the year 627! Since then, there has been multiple occasions of church fires throughout the years. The most recent tragedy to strike York Minster was the fire of 1984. Firefighters were forced to collapse part of the roof by flooding it with water, in order to save the rest of the structure. The fire was most likely caused by a lightning strike, investigators found. It’s since been refinished and restored since the fire.
It costs 11.50 pounds to go inside York Minster, and you can either pre-purchase your tickets online or get them at the door. (If you wish to climb the tower, your ticket will cost 16.50 pounds). Each ticket comes with a free guided tour of the Minster, where you can learn more about this Cathedrals rich history. For more information on planning your visit, check out their website: York Minster.
You can attend mass at York Minster if you find yourself there on a Sunday. If you don’t have the time during your stay however, but are looking for more time in the Cathedral, I recommend attending Evensong. This happens almost daily at 4:00pm. The service is sung by the York Minster choir and lasts 1 hour. For their most up to date calendar of events, check out their website: What’s on York Minster.
After my tour of York Minster, I was able to grab a bite to eat at the French restaurant Côte Brasserie, only 2 minutes up the road from the cathedral.
The Shambles
I spent the remainder of my time in York, exploring some of the small streets of the downtown area. By far, the best street I came across was the Shambles. This medieval street transports you in time! The Shambles particularly refer to the butcher shops that used to line this street.
There are large wood overhangs under the windows, where butchers could display their meat. Some of the shops still have hooks outside the window too, where they used to display the meat! The street dates back to the 14th century, but there are no longer any butchers that remain. Nonetheless, it was fun to take a stroll back in time and window shop in the modern stores.
My stay in York was short, but I managed to see a few of the things I was most interested in. The only thing I felt I missed out on was Clifford’s Tower. If I had a few extra hours, I might have been able to squeeze it in. (Keep in mind it’s a steep uphill walk to get to the tower, so be prepared to climb a lot of stairs if you visit). It costs 4 pounds to go inside and you can purchase your tickets upon arrival.
York, England is perfect for a day or two while traveling in the UK. York Minster is incredibly impressive and you can even travel back in time to the medieval ages with a stroll down Shambles.
Cheers, Amanda
