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Original poster

What to see/do in York?

101 replies

ssd · 13/07/2025 10:21

We have a few days coming up in York soon, we've never been. I quite fancy doing a tour bus thingy to cover the main areas. Does anyone have any recommendations please?
No kids with us.

OP posts:
MouldyCandy · 15/07/2025 15:13

We're not long back from a few days in York:

  • The red open top tourist bus is £17/£10 but your ticket is valid for 24 hours (and they don't really check ...) We found we had a stop near our accommodation and actually went round 3 times over our 3 days as you get a different commentary each time.
  • I didn't rate the river cruise. There's just not that much to see.
  • I preferred the York Museum in the gardens to the Castle Museum and they have a new viking exhibition opening soon.
  • I liked Clifton Tower (but I got in free with my Historic England membership)
  • The central shopping streets are lovely to walk around.
  • Don't pay more than £3.50 at the numerous ice-cream booths. The one at Exhibition Square was £3.
  • Book YORVIK well in advance if you want to go.
  • The road train from the Minster to the Railway Museum was £5/£4 but worth it for tired legs/feet.
  • The gardens of the Convent Bar cafe are lovely for a coffee.
  • At the Minster, pick up the free "kid's", "nature", and "women's" leaflets for notes on what to look out for. Join a free guided tour. I really wanted to go to Evensong. Next time.
Original poster
ssd · 15/07/2025 16:17

Is it free to get into the Minster?

OP posts:
Original poster
ssd · 15/07/2025 16:18

I'm trying to keep costs down

OP posts:
Coffeeishot · 15/07/2025 16:19

ssd · 15/07/2025 16:17

Is it free to get into the Minster?

No,im sure its £18

Coffeeishot · 15/07/2025 16:20

Website says its £20

hennybeans · 15/07/2025 16:40

You can attend a service at the Minster for free.

To save money, definitely skip the tour bus as the city is compact and walkable.

I’m going to recommend Double Dutch pancake house for crepe style pancakes and Drift In for American style pancakes, so fluffy and served all day.
I really like the Castle Museum, but I’m very interested in social history.

If the weather is nice, have a picnic in Museum Gardens and then walk along the river after.

hennybeans · 15/07/2025 16:47

And if you do go to Betty’s, I would just get a tea and a scone/ Fat Rascal/ cake, but not a whole meal as it is pricy and I think there is better food to be had elsewhere in York. It’s mainly just the experience of the beautiful room and servers wearing aprons and being fancy.

They might ask if you mind sitting downstairs as you’ll get seated faster. Downstairs is nice, all wood panelled but no windows as it’s the basement. Upstairs is more desirable as you can people watch. Depends on your preference.

coolmum123 · 15/07/2025 16:56

My DD is at University of York, so we have been up a few times. we have done all the things mentioned above, I haven't seen it mentioned but you can also walk along the castle walls - we really enjoyed that and basically walking around and popping into the many many pubs. The restaurants are really good too, our favourite is Tabanco by Ambiente and Entoca.
I love love York it is a woonderful city.
Enjoy your trip up!

PenelopePerseveres · 16/07/2025 07:13

This is a really reasonable place to eat OP, good food, nice people, good value, opposite the Bar Convent (more or less). Also Burr on Lendal is a really good coffee shop/cafe. I wouldn’t bother with Betty’s personally.

Bar Convent museum is interesting, Treasurer’s House is nice (you need to book a tour in advance) and free NT if you’re a member.

ClashCityRocker · 16/07/2025 07:52

I also wouldn't bother with an open top bus tour - it's a limited route and most of the more interesting things are within the pedestrianised centre - a walking tour will both be cheaper and more interesting.

Spark is a great place to eat, relatively cheap and a wide variety of different foods
I'm a huge fan of castle museum personally, and think it offers great value for money.
National railway museum is free and has some interesting exhibitions even if you're not that into trains. There was a good one about nurse trains in world war two which was particularly well done.
Check out www.yorkmix.com which often has half price vouchers for activities/restaurants/attractions

TheFogsGettingThicker · 16/07/2025 08:06

We were in York back in May - we loved the Castle Museum, and the Merchant Adventurer's House.

Jorvik was really good, we enjoyed it more than we had expected, and the guides were really knowledgeable. Also enjoyed Barley House and the Treasurer's House.

We booked Mad Alice's Bloody Tour and she was fantastic , cannot recommend her enough 😁

HiRen · 16/07/2025 08:22

Can I just ask how “Ouse” is pronounced 😳. Is it “ooze” or “house” without the h?

Coffeeishot · 16/07/2025 08:25

It is ooze.

miffmufferedmoof · 16/07/2025 09:10

The Museum Gardens are lovely - flowers and ancient ruins. Good spot for a picnic or an ice cream. The Yorkshire Museum itself is good too.

SunsetCocktails · 16/07/2025 13:44

hennybeans · 15/07/2025 16:47

And if you do go to Betty’s, I would just get a tea and a scone/ Fat Rascal/ cake, but not a whole meal as it is pricy and I think there is better food to be had elsewhere in York. It’s mainly just the experience of the beautiful room and servers wearing aprons and being fancy.

They might ask if you mind sitting downstairs as you’ll get seated faster. Downstairs is nice, all wood panelled but no windows as it’s the basement. Upstairs is more desirable as you can people watch. Depends on your preference.

I actually preferred downstairs, last time I went they seated us upstairs right next to the window where everyone was queuing and I got sick of everyone shifting along outside and staring longingly in at my food 😆

idrinkandiknowthings · 16/07/2025 13:48

I absolutely love York and would live there in a heartbeat, beautiful city.

The bus tour is a must, you can just hop on and off.
York Minster
The Shambles
Ghost/dungeon tours.

Have a fabulous time!

LIZS · 16/07/2025 17:09

Walk the walls, see Roman bath house remains under the pub of same name.

Pootles34 · 16/07/2025 20:59

PenelopePerseveres · 16/07/2025 07:13

This is a really reasonable place to eat OP, good food, nice people, good value, opposite the Bar Convent (more or less). Also Burr on Lendal is a really good coffee shop/cafe. I wouldn’t bother with Betty’s personally.

Bar Convent museum is interesting, Treasurer’s House is nice (you need to book a tour in advance) and free NT if you’re a member.

Edited

I thought you were recommending wetherspoons 😂

comedycentral · 16/07/2025 21:01

This tour is really good and not too scary https://www.facebook.com/share/1Aftx2YBZb/ it also takes you around the shambles early eve when it's not busy.

GlastoNinja · 16/07/2025 21:12

Lots of lovely old pubs. The old starre in on Fosse Gate (I think it’s that one), has a lot of historical interest and is supposedly haunted. Stand in a queue with hundreds of people for a little ghost.

There’s a lovely jewellery shop opposite the ghost shop on the shambles.

We like the castle museum.

Walk round the walls and nosey in people’s gardens.

Bettys for a fat rascal

A ghost tour

Walk along the river

Slingsanderrors · 16/07/2025 21:15

PermanentTemporary · 13/07/2025 10:26

I’ve just looked at The Treasurers House which is a National Trust place, looks wonderful.

I went there a couple of years ago, well worth it.

Thindog · 16/07/2025 21:25

The Castle museum is really interesting, great Victorian Street. I loved the rooms through the decades, seeing toys from my childhood and realising I was old enough to be history!
There are some great little shops too, including a tea shop where you can get every kind of tea and taste samples.
The Minster is fabulous, but it was free when I was a child, so I think it's extortionate now. On a clear day climb the tower (another fee) and admire great views of the Vale of York.

michealsmum1998 · 16/07/2025 22:23

SunsetCocktails · 13/07/2025 10:38

York Minster, The Shambles, walk along the city walls, Jorvik museum, open top bus tour or the Ghost Bus tour is great (it’s in an old bus/hearse), definitely Betty’s for brunch (don’t be put off by the queues, it moves really fast and if there’s only 2 of you you’ll get in quicker than larger groups). Go to the Golden Fleece for a drink, one of the oldest haunted pubs in York. I love York, one of my kids goes to university there so I visit often.

Tried to persuade my step daughter to go there lol

Gazelda · 16/07/2025 22:47

TheFogsGettingThicker · 16/07/2025 08:06

We were in York back in May - we loved the Castle Museum, and the Merchant Adventurer's House.

Jorvik was really good, we enjoyed it more than we had expected, and the guides were really knowledgeable. Also enjoyed Barley House and the Treasurer's House.

We booked Mad Alice's Bloody Tour and she was fantastic , cannot recommend her enough 😁

I second Mad Alice’s Tour. Brilliant.

the Castle Museum was fascinating and we enjoyed the Chocolate Tour.

we’ve been several times over the past few years and always had a great meal at After Eight. But it was extremely disappointing when we visited in April. Hopefully it was a blip.

we generally stay outside the city and get park and ride into the centre.

i’d love DD to go to uni there as it’s my fave city to visit.

EwwSprouts · 16/07/2025 23:02

Gingercar · 13/07/2025 11:30

The Italian might have been Lucia’s?

Agree. Had a fab meal there last week.