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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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 save money on train tickets: I booked our train tickets via the Trainline app and used our Two Together Railcard for 33% off. Since we did a lot of train travel on our trip to the UK, this railcard was 100% worth it. I was traveling with my mom so the Two Together Railcard made sense for us (see all other railcards).
Where to Stay
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.
We stayed at this Airbnb 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.
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.
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.
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