One Day in York, England Itinerary: What to Do in This Medieval City

York is a fascinating blend of medieval and modern. We stayed here on our way down to London from Edinburgh, and, though our time was short, it was wonderful. If you only have one day in York, England, don’t worry as there is a lot you can see.

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Why Visit York?

York has a very deep and rich history that goes back thousands of years. Romans settled here before Vikings took over and then later the Normans. While visiting York for one day, definitely take time to explore the ruins and historical sites in the city.

Some Interesting Facts about York

York has longest and most complete set of medieval city walls in England.
The Shambles in York is said to be the best preserved medieval shopping street in Europe.
York is also home to the shortest street in England.
In Victorian times, York was a center for manufacturing chocolate, and there is still one chocolate factory left in York.
York is one of the world’s most haunted cities with over 500 reported ghost sightings.
York has the largest gothic cathedral in northern Europe. (Hello, York Minster.) In case you think that’s a misspelling, “minster” means “important church.”
York has at least 365 pubs, one for every day of the year.

The word "YORK" made out of greenery in front of York Minster

A Brief History of York

Romans in York: From A.D. 71 for 400 years, York was called Eboracum, and Romans ruled the area. Explore more of the Roman heritage by visiting Roman remains in the York Museum Gardens and the Roman Bath Pub, whose basement contains ruins from a Roman bathhouse. You can also find artifacts in the York Minster Undercroft Museum. If you like Easter eggs, be sure to look out for the word “Ebor” on York signs as it’s a nod to York’s former name.

Vikings in York: Vikings invaded York in A.D. 866 and renamed the city Jorvik. To learn more about the almost 100-year rule of the Vikings in York, visit the Jorvik Viking Centre, where you can discover artifacts uncovered in archaeological digs.

Can’t Miss Activities in York

York City Walls
York Minster
The Shambles
Merchant Adventurers Hall
Clifford’s Tower (York Castle)
York Museum Gardens

Things to Do in One Day in York, England

1. Walk atop York City Walls

Walk atop the York city walls before the crowds arrive. It’s free to walk on them during daylight hours, and morning is a great time to do so as there won’t be many other people around.

The length of the walls is over two miles and it can take as long as two hours to walk on them completely. The York city walls are the longest, most complete medieval city walls in England.

We found stairs at Bootham Bar, which is a gateway or entrance through the walls. The walls date back to the 13th century, and during that time, the gatehouses were used to control traffic and collect tolls. Once you’re on top of the walls, you’ll feel like a medieval guard, keeping watch.

Walk as far as time allows as this is truly a one-of-a-kind experience that you’ll want to enjoy.

Bootham Bar gatehouse part of the city walls in York — Bootham Bar

Atop the York City Walls — York City Walls

2. Visit York Minster

We were drawn to York Minster like a moth to a flame. It’s hard not to wander toward the massive cathedral that towers over the city (it’s the largest gothic cathedral in northern Europe).

Did you know that buildings within York’s city walls are not permitted to be built taller than the Minster? It’s true, and it explains why you can get such a great view of the York Minster nearly anywhere in the city.

We didn’t get tickets to tour the York Minster, but I would recommend doing that as I’ve heard it’s fascinating. Not only can you view the interior of the 800-year-old cathedral but you can climb the tower and go underground to the Undercroft Museum, where Roman ruins and artifacts lie.

But we missed all that and instead circled the cathedral from the outside, admiring all of its architectural details — especially the gargoyles and stained glass windows.

While you’re walking around, be sure to check out Dean’s Park and the historical houses and structures behind the Minster.

Check out the Minster Gate Bookshop or perhaps York Gifts and Souvenirs, which are both near York Minster.

Woman standing in front of York Minster — York Minster

view of york minster from the york city walls — York Minster (from City Walls)

3. Walk through the Shambles

The Shambles is a narrow medieval street in York that some liken to Diagon Alley in Harry Potter. (Though it cannot be stated that this street inspired J.K. Rowling as there’s no evidence to suggest she’s ever been here.)

Hundreds of years ago, butcher shops lined this street, but now the Shambles is a tourist attraction with candy shops and tea rooms.

As we walked through it in mid-afternoon, people crowded our view and made it a lot less magical.

Try visiting the Shambles in the early morning if you’d like a less crowded photo of this charming street.

From York Minster, you can walk through the Shambles on your way to the next stop (Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, below).

4. Tour the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall

The Merchant Adventurers’ Hall was such an interesting stop, I was surprised there were only two other tourists besides us when we visited.

What is a merchant adventurer? A merchant adventurer was someone who risked or “adventured” his or her own money in overseas trade bringing back goods and wealth to York, according to the hall’s website.

More than 600 years ago, a group of these businessmen in York built the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall as a place to gather for charity, business, and worship. It still stands today and you can tour it to learn more about its fascinating history.

Just walk right in during business hours and purchase a ticket; it was £6.50 when we went in summer 2022, and no advance booking was required. You’ll be given either a brochure or audio guide to learn as you roam the hall. Upstairs is where the beautiful great hall is. Standing in it makes you feel like you’ve traveled back in time.

It doesn’t take too long to tour the whole building as it’s not that large. Definitely stop in here while you’re in York!

Woman stands inside The Great Room in the Merchant Adventurers' Hall — Merchant Adventurers’ Hall

Woman stands in a corner inside The Great Room in the Merchant Adventurers' Hall, looking out a window — Merchant Adventurers’ Hall

5. Climb Clifford’s Tower

Clifford’s Tower is all that’s left of York Castle. It sits atop a hill and you can tour it. The stairways and rooftop have recently been renovated, so you can explore more of the tower and get great views of the city.

A lot of history has happened in this 11th-century tower; read more about it here.

While you don’t have to buy your tickets in advance, we did and were able to bypass the line and head right in. You can buy tickets here.

It’s definitely worth a visit.

Clifford's Tower atop a green hill — Clifford’s Tower

Woman on a rooftop with views of the city — Rooftop of Clifford’s Tower

6. Explore York Museum Gardens and the Ruins of St. Mary’s Abbey

As we walked back from York Castle, we headed to the (free!) York Museum Gardens to explore a bit before the sun set.

Don’t miss the ruins of St. Mary’s Abbey on the grounds of the gardens, which was built over 900 years ago.

There’s more to see in the gardens, though, including a variety of plants and flowers. A lot of people were picnicking and relaxing on the lawns as it was a rare sunny day in England.

You can also head into the museum itself if it isn’t closed yet (it was for us). For tickets for the museum or for more information on it, see the Yorkshire Museum website.

Woman walking through a garden toward the abbey ruins — Ruins at York Museum Gardens

7. Take a Walking Tour of York

Learn more about York’s history, its ghosts and legends, or even how Harry Potter is connected to York with a specialized walking tour.

Other Things to Do in York

Yorkshire Museum
York Castle Museum
Jorvik Viking Centre
York Chocolate Story
National Railway Museum
River cruise
Ghost tour
Betty’s Tea Room

Other Places to Visit Near York

I hope you enjoyed your one day in York and came away with some amazing memories and new knowledge about the history. York is also a great base for several day trips in the region, including:

Whitby and Robin Hood’s Bay
Chatsworth House
The Yorkshire Moors

Hopefully, you can visit York again someday and explore more of the city and the region at large.

How to Get to York

I highly recommend taking the train to York. York is a very walkable city where a car is unnecessary. Additionally, York Station is close to the city center, an easy walking distance to your hotel or any attractions.

We stopped in York while we were traveling from Edinburgh to London as it’s a great midpoint stop. We stayed for two days but would recommend three or four if you’d like to explore more of Yorkshire. However, one day in York is enough to thoroughly explore the city’s highlights.

From Edinburgh to York: The LNER / CrossCountry train route goes from Edinburgh Waverly Station to York without any connections in about 2.5 hours.

From London to York: The LNER train route from London’s St Pancras International Station goes to York without any connections in about 2.5 hours.

How to book your train tickets: You can purchase your tickets on Trainline.com. We used Trainline to purchase all our train tickets in the UK. I loved how easy it was to search train tickets from various train companies and to pull up our tickets in the app when needed to scan or show them to employees. Everything was all in one place, making it very convenient.

How to save money on train tickets: If you will be doing a lot of train travel in the UK, consider getting a railcard for 33% off. I was traveling with my mom so we got the Two Together Railcard and saved quite a bit.

Where to Stay in York

I’d recommend staying inside the York city walls, if you can, to make the most of your one day in York. Along the city walls, there are four medieval “gates” that lead to the city center of York, but they are called “bars” – Monk Bar, Bootham Bar, Micklegate Bar and Walmgate Bar.

There are pros and cons to sticking by one of these bars.

Micklegate Bar is closest to the York Train Station.
Bootham Bar is closest to the York Museum Gardens.
Monk Bar is closest to York Minster.
Walmgate Bar is closest to Clifford’s Tower and York Castle.

Where we stayed: We stayed in the Quadrant, an apartment building near Bootham Bar, while we explored York for a day and loved the convenient location.

We walked from Bootham Bar to Clifford’s Tower and back in a day and felt it was absolutely doable. The bars are also where you’ll find the steps to climb atop the York city walls, another must-do while in York for a day.

You can find several different apartments in the Quadrant available to book for a stay on VRBO. They’re all updated and modern.

We stayed in the Palm Suite, but you can also stay at several others, such as:

At the Quadrant, we were walking distance from a grocery store (just on the corner of the street), so it was nice to be able to pop in for a snack or quick dinner.

However, if you decide to stay outside the York city walls to save money, that’s okay, too. It’s not a far walk to get around York.

the top of york minster cathedral poking out behind trees — Our View of York Minster from Airbnb

an old building in york with blue doors and shutters

Where to Store Luggage

If you’re not able to store your luggage in your hotel or lodgings, there are a few left luggage storage places around York. Try Yorbag or Left Luggage at York Station.

Where to Eat in York

Eat at One or More of York’s 365 Pubs

Yes, York really does have one pub for every day of the year.

We popped into The Hole in the Wall (built in 1651) and learned that the pub has been serving weary travelers for hundreds of years. What an honor to now count ourselves among them.

It’s said that mysterious, ghostly footprints can still be heard walking around the Hole in the Wall pub. Additionally, a secret dungeon was discovered during an excavation in 1816, and eerie sounds can still be heard coming from it.

Haunted Pubs in York

This made me curious if there were any other haunted pubs in York. There are. If you’re interested in potentially dining with ghosts, check out these pubs:

The Golden Fleece (built in 1503) — At least 15 spirits dwell here, according to witnesses, and can be seen wandering the halls and moving things around.

Ye Olde Starr Inn (built in 1644) — The ghosts of two black cats are said to haunt this pub probably due to a Yorkshire tradition of burying cats in the walls to protect the building from bad luck.

The Black Swan (built in 1417) — This pub has had many paranormal sightings including a woman with long black hair near the fireplace.

In summary, York has some famously delicious and historic pubs and restaurants, so definitely take advantage of that.

Restaurants to Try in York, England:

The Golden Fleece
The Blue Barbakan
Roman Bath Pub
Ye Olde Pie and Sausage Shoppe
Bill’s York Restaurant
Delrio’s Restaurant
Rustique
The Star Inn the City
The Black Swan
The Hole in the Wall
Ye Olde Starr Inn
The Three Tuns
Royal Oak
The Habit Cafe Bar (rooftop views of the Minster)

Map of One Day in York Itinerary

Frequently Asked Questions about Visiting York for One Day

Is one day enough to visit York?

Yes, one day is plenty of time to visit York and see the main attractions, such as York Minster, York Castle, the city walls, and the York Museum Gardens.

What to do in York for free?

Admire York Minster from outside
Admire York Castle’s Clifford’s Tower from outside
Walk the York City Walls
Roam York Museum Gardens
Walk the Shambles

How long does it take to explore York?

You can explore a lot of York in one day, but to do more activities, I’d say about two days.

Is York worth visiting for a day in the UK?

Yes, York is definitely worth visiting for a day during your trip to the UK. York is a nice change from modern London.

What should I not miss on my one day visit in York UK?

Don’t miss walking the city walls and climbing atop Clifford’s Tower.

What to pack for travel to the UK?

Favorite travel essentials

I really recommend these compression packing cubes. They’re very thick and durable and allow you to pack more than you expect.
I also love this travel backpack that opens like a suitcase, fits almost as much as a carry-on, and has tons of pockets as well as a strap to attach to your luggage handle. It makes traveling so much easier and more organized. It also fits nicely under the airplane seats.
I bring this AirFly receiver for AirPods with me on long-haul flights, so I can connect to the plane’s video screen with my own AirPods.
I no longer hop on a flight without wearing my Sockwell compression socks because they really do help relieve/prevent leg cramps from sitting so long in one place. I have the lotus pattern, but there are other patterns to choose from, such as this cat pattern or this flower pattern. See all sock patterns in the Sockwell storefront.
For Americans, I recommend getting the Capital One Venture X credit card to relax and eat free food in select airport lounges. I’ve had my Capital One Venture X credit card for a few years now, and accessing airport lounges is my absolute favorite perk of the card. Every lounge is different, but most have a buffet available where you can eat and drink to your heart’s content. The annual fee of this card is high, but it evens out with the $300 annual travel credit and 10,000 anniversary miles you get (on top of lounge access and free TSA PreCheck or Global Entry)!