It had been a very long time since I’d last been to York, I was about 11 at the time and still have vague memories of the distinct smells of the Jorvik Viking Centre.

On our visit to York I was taken back with how much there is on offer in terms of attractions.

There is a lot to pack in for a weekend. York offers a great range of choices to keep every member of the family happy, from adults to youngsters there is a diverse range of attractions to appeal to everyone.

History fans visiting the UK should make a bee-line for York, you can see evidence of its turbulent and dubious past throughout the city. From Roman ruins to Viking treasures unearthed and persevered at the Jorvik Viking Centre you really can’t fail to stumble across a rich tapestry of history on a visit here.

Our weekend trip was sponsored and organised by EnjoyEngland and visitYork, so many thanks to them for helping us discover this great city.

Bonus tip: Take a look at this article if you’re for some excitement at a one of the best UK Theme Parks.

Yorks Sweet Story

York has a long history and association with chocolate making. In the 19th century chocolate was an extremely important part of Yorks economy. Home to Terry’s and Rowntree (which later became Nestlé after a merger with Mackintosh) York is still the base for the factory that produces many of the British favourite chocolate bars today, including Kit Kat, Aero, Milky Bar and Yorkie.

Yorks Sweet Story is a celebration of that history and is an entertaining look back in time as well as an educating visit with regards to the chocolate making process. There’s plenty of variety at this museum to keep adults and children happy, but beware, chocolate lovers will be in a trance of chocolate heaven.

In 2012 York is claiming its title as Britain’s official home of chocolate. To indulge yourself visit www.visityork.org/chocolate or Tel Visit York Information Centre on 01904 550099 email info@visityork.org

York’s Sweet Story

York Minster

You can’t ignore York Minster on a visit to to the city, you’ll see this impressive gothic cathedral towering above many buildings and acting as a picturesque backdrop to a leisurely walk on the city walls. The Cathedral is a breathtaking site both inside and out and is actually the second largest of its kind in Northern Europe. You can’t leave York without spending time to admire this beautiful building.

If you are feeling energetic and it’s a nice day, you may fancy climbing the 275 spiral steps of York Minster tower. It’s a long steep climb and should only be attempted if you are fit enough. Once at the top there are some beautiful views of the Minster and the city, unfortunately there is a metal cage surrounding the top that hampers good photo opportunities.

York Minster

Walk on the city walls

The city walls that surround the city of York are steeped in Roman history and make the perfect place to stroll, especially on a summer’s day. We walked the section from Bootham Bar to Monk Bar, this walk provided some breathtaking views of York Minster. A posh cafe/restaurant stop off along the way is Gray’s Inn where you can access at the rear via the city walls.

Shambles

A visit to York wouldn’t be complete without a stroll down the historic Shambles. The narrow road was named after butchers shelves that held overhanging meat and was once called “The Great Flesh Shambles”. The road was home to many butchers shops back in the day but these days there’s only one butchers in the area just off from the Shambles.

Ghost Walk

York is a city packed with Viking and Roman history so it would make sense that it’s one of the most haunted cities in the UK and is the perfect place to go on a ghost walk. There are a few different styles of walk on offer, ranging from the more theatrical (with guides dressed in Victorian costumes) to the more authentic story telling approach. We went on the original Ghost Walk that took the latter approach relying on quality story telling and intriguing tales from the past rather than having spooky extras jumping out of the York side street shadows.

The Original Ghost Walk of York

National Railway Museum

Handily positioned next to York train station is the National Railway Museum, but do allocate enough train to wander around this impressive attraction because it can take a couple of hours. Whether you’re a fan of the British Pullman or the Japanese Bullet train you’ll be able to get up close with various trains dating back way. The museum also houses railway artifacts from throughout the railways history. Facilities are very good with lockers and plenty of refreshments on offer. The National Railway Museum is a fascinating visit and a great place to bring kids.

National Railway Museum

York Pubs

When visiting a city that has more pubs than days of the year you know you are going to find yourself in a few. There is such history in many of the old pubs scattered around York that it’s actually quite difficult to choose one.

We ended up at the Black Swan opposite the Quilt Museum for a quiet pint of local Skipton ale, Copper Dragon. The pub is steeped in history and it shows through its various rooms, the lounge features an old fireplace and robust timber beams crossing the ceiling.

On the way back to our hotel (Dean Court) we stopped of for a beer in the Guy Fawkes Inn, which is apparently the birthplace of the man himself. The Guy Fawkes Inn has a small bar at the front and a room for seating that was dimly lit with candles. It was a nice quaint pub to end the night on.

Black Swan York

Guy Fawkes Inn

Jorvik Viking Museum

I still have vague memories of the Jorvik Viking Centre from when I visited York as a child. The faintest memory was that of the Museums smell. The smell is intentional in order to persuade your senses that you are indeed back in Viking times. It’s pretty convincing as you take a ride around a recreation of a Viking community in York complete with on-board commentary.

The ride does a great job of giving you a real sense of how people lived and went about their daily lives. Perfect for those with a low attention span to whom looking a numerous historical artifacts is a bit of a chore. The centre has been around for quite some time but doesn’t seem dated, they’ve got the delicate balance between being informative and entertaining just about right.

Jorvik Viking Museum

Clifford’s Tower

Clifford’s Tower or York Castle sits on top of a hill next to the Castle Museum. Although it’s in ruins, it’s well persevered and visitors are free to wander around the building and even venture to the top for some pleasant views of York. In spring the tower is especially impressive when it is surrounded by bright yellow daffodils. Originally built by William I as a statement of his supreme power over the area it has a bloody history of executions, burials, massacres and battles.

English Heritage – Clifford’s Tower

York Castle Museum

Don’t be fooled by the name, the Castle Museum has very little in terms of history focused on the castle. Instead the museum portraits everyday life through the ages. It’s quite interesting to see childhood items on display in the museum just to see how dated they now seem. Even toys and video games from the 90’s seemed very historic, Sega Master System, My Little Pony, computer games on cassette, it was intriguing to see them all on display.

The museum is particularly famed for it’s life sized recreation of a Victorian street that has real shop fittings and stock. It’s pretty impressive and slightly creepy when there’s not many other visitors around. Overall the museum is interesting and entertaining, their groovy 60’s section is definitely one of the highlights.

York Castle Museum

York remains one of the top choices of places to visit in England. It’s rich history and array of attractions means that it will appeal to many. It’s a great weekend away for families and tourists looking of a slice of English culture and history.

For more ideas of discovering England try EnjoyEngland.