York (UK) : Ideas For Things To See And Do There

In terms of historical importance and cultural heritage there are not many cities in the United Kingdom that can rival the North Yorkshire city of York, in central England. Over the years, York has been populated by a large variety of rulers, from Romans, to Vikings, to Normans and various families during the days of the English Civil War. All these different ruling families and races have played a huge part in shaping York into what it has become today. It has also meant that York is one of the most popular tourist destinations in England.

There is so much to see and do in York, it is hard fitting it into a book, let alone a short article. However, we have narrowed down the list and chosen the best few sites to see in York and detailed them for you below.



It is impossible to go to York and not notice at least a part of York Castle. The city was established inside a Roman settlement that first grew inside the walls of York Castle, though the years of wars, flooding and other events have turned the castle into a sprawling complex of buildings all housed inside the main walls. Two of the best sites to see are the Norman keep, now known as Clifford’s Tower, and the walls of the castle which surround the center of York. Some other attractions to note are the Crown Court buildings and the York Castle Museum.

If you are interested in historical architecture and ancient city life then York is the place for you. One area of York that highlights this better than most is the Snikelways. The oddly named Snikelways is basically the name given to a small area of York which is crisscrossed with narrow footpaths and alleyways that were formed as a result of the tight planning in housing development over the years of evolution in the city.

In 866 AD the Vikings came to England and took over York, renaming it from Eoforwic (of Angles origin) to Jórvik. During the reign of the Vikings, York (which it became known as in the 13th century) changed dramatically. The best way to see how York or Jórvik looked in the 5th century is by visiting the Jórvik Viking Center. This attraction is immensely popular with tourists and is one of the most popular attractions in the UK outside of the capital, attracting over 16 million tourists every year. The center is laid out partly as a walk through tour and museum and partly as a ride in which you sit inside a ‘time capsule’ and you are taken around the streets of Jórvik interacting with the actors and watching the various attractions inside the center.

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