A Visit to the Original York in England

Most of my early visits to England might as well be called visits to London. Not until my friend took a job in North Yorkshire did I decide to make a real journey outside the London area. Then I discovered he lived near York; the original York. Curiosity captured me and I planned a visit.

York, England

Where is York, England?

York is North of London, Source: Lonely Planet

York turned out to be just short train ride from Harrogate, the city my friend then called home. And both those cities are part of the estate agent coined region, “the Golden Triangle of Yorkshire” along with the third (north) Leeds. The region is said to be one of the nicest in all of England. After my visit I might agree.

Five Things to Do in York

York is not New York. Its skyline is the York Minster not skyscrapers. It is a city surrounded by ancient walls and its population is well below the 8+ million. But I discovered York is worth a visit, and one can easily spend more than a day enjoying the sights, sounds and attractions. And if you only decide to spend an afternoon here are five activities to consider on your visit to York.

1) Walk the Wall. It was a walled city since Roman times and much of the wall remains. Visitors can find guided tours or just walk on it on their own and appreciate it’s remains.

View of York Minster from the Wall in Black and White

2) Take a Photograph with Constantine. One of the most influential and famous emperors of Rome was crowned here in the year 306. Who was he? Well he established Christianity as the religion of Rome and also created a second capital city in Constantinople (present day – Istanbul). Visitors can find a statue near the York Minster.

View of stained glass inside York Minster

black and white view of the stained glass

3) Visit York Minister. Tagged one of the 1,000 Places to See Before You Die by the author Patricia Schultz’s, York Minister impresses. The 10 quid admission seemed steep to me, but compared with a trip to the Empire State building is still maybe a bargain.

4) Walk down The Shambles. Take a stroll down arguably the best preserved medieval street in the world. Mentioned in books written at the time of William the Conqueror, some of the present day buildings date back to the late 14th century. The buildings lean towards the narrow streets and for a cozy, yet charming walk down history.

view of the shambles in York, England

the walk down the Shambles

5) Have a pint and some Yorkshire pudding. Two classics definitely available in plenty in these parts of England. And well, when in Rome… well that is probably what Constantine thought anyways. Enjoy.

stay adventurous, Craig

Travel Tip: If you want to travel from London it takes just over 2 hours to reach York via a train on the East Coast line from Kings Cross.

This is part of the European Summer Series

;o

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  • http://twitter.com/L_e_a_h Leah Travels

    I really want to explore the English countryside. I’m going to get a little taste of it in November, but I won’t be seeing York. It’s interesting to see the walls from the Roman times. Very cool, Craig.

    • http://twitter.com/mrsoaroundworld Ana Silva O’Reilly

       i will take you to a different part! 😉 still lovely, though! you’d like york. And its Hotel du Vin!

    • http://www.stayadventurous.com/ craig zabransky

      Merci Leah, Appreciate it, hope you had your time sight seeing jolly ole England and its countryside Stay Exploring, Craig

  • Francesca

    The Shambles looks like a spot I’d really dig. I’m a sucker for cobblestone streets and anything medieval-looking. Thanks for the intro to York. I think I’d really like it there!

    • http://twitter.com/mrsoaroundworld Ana Silva O’Reilly

       it is a lovely lovely place!!

    • http://www.stayadventurous.com/ craig zabransky

      The Shambles is a great walk…. it does feel so medieval. Stay medieval, Craig

  • http://twitter.com/TravelDesigned Stephanie Diehl

    I like these kinds of posts! Great introduction–thanks, Craig.

    • http://www.stayadventurous.com/ craig zabransky

      Glad you enjoyed it… I was glad to see the original, a nice place to visit… but to live, well… I prefer the newer version 😉 Stay Introducing, Craig

  • http://twitter.com/mrsoaroundworld Ana Silva O’Reilly

    this is a great post. I went to York just the one time and have great memories. The Shambles was so cool. Thank you for the memories!

    • http://www.stayadventurous.com/ craig zabransky

      Thanks Mrs O.

  • http://www.theworldofdeej.com The World of Deej

    Exploring England outside of London is really something I need to do. Great post…and that’s a cool first picture…

    • http://www.stayadventurous.com/ craig zabransky

      Thanks Deej, I did walk through York with a bit of style, no doubt. Stay Styling, Craig

  • http://twitter.com/lazytravelers Lazy Travelers

    we’ve been dying dying dying to get to the shambles. york is definitely on our must-sees for the next time we return to england! 

    • http://www.stayadventurous.com/ craig zabransky

      Hopefully you get there one day, definitely a worth-while place to visit… Stay York Fans, Craig

  • Lola

    ooooo i really loved this post. people really do tend to get stuck on London is England. i definitely want to get out into the countryside of England BAD. might have to dedicate a few weeks to this endeavor but you have now given me 5 great reasons for visiting York & it’s golden triangle counterparts.

    • http://www.stayadventurous.com/ craig zabransky

      Thanks Lola, I agree on being stuck in London, although definitely not a bad thing – t’is a great city, the rest of England does have a few things to offer visitors indeed… Stay England, Craig

  • http://twitter.com/jettingaround Jetting Around

    I’m with Leah – I’d love to explore the English countryside, and more of the UK in general. This looks like a great weekend trip to me. Thanks for sharing. 

    • http://www.stayadventurous.com/ craig zabransky

      Pola, and it is a city too… a perfect one for JettingAround … although I took the train there…. stay exploring, Craig

  • travelingted

    York looks like an interesting place with some beautiful buildings.