- Last Updated on November 3, 2024
This 1-day York itinerary will help you plan the best way to spend your time in this beautiful medieval town. Do the activities in the order listed to maximize your time.
ABOUT YORK: This is the best place in Britain if you’re looking for a cute medieval town. Ramble through its narrow streets and you’ll see why it’s one of the most popular destinations in Great Britain. This isn’t a city of great museums or 12-hour jam-packed sightseeing days. Rather, it’s a place to spend the majority of your time wandering around town and soaking up the atmosphere.
York Itinerary For 1 Day
STAR RATING KEY:
★★★ Top priority
★★ Highly recommended
★ Worthwhile
No Star – Skippable if not interested
York Itinerary For 1 Day
Guided Walk
The most important thing to do on this 1-day York itinerary is take a guided tour around the city. There are several options for guided walks. We have narrowed it down to the best two.
1. Free Walk
This is the most popular walking tour of York. It lasts 2 hours and is led by volunteer guides. For easygoing people who just want to have fun and see the town for free, we recommend this tour. You do not have to tip. It’s a good idea to book in advance, but you can also just show up. Meet at Exhibition Square at least 5 minutes prior to the start time.
Cost and Hours: Free. The tours leave at 10:30am and 1:15pm every day, except Christmas.
Website: avgyork.co.uk.
Meeting Point Address: Exhibition square.
2. York Tour
This is a bit more serious tour focused on history and architecture, without the extra storytelling and jokes you may get on the free walk (depending on your volunteer guide). For serious sightseers who want to focus on the town history in a very small group, we recommend this walk instead. It lasts 90 minutes and departs at 10:30am and 2:00pm from Library Square. They also have a 1-hour evening express version that departs at 5:00pm.
The walk is lead by one of the company’s two owners, who really know their history and do this full-time. You can also book a private tour at 10:00am or 2:00pm for up to 8 people for £90, which is a great deal if you have more than 4 adults in your party. All kids under 16yo go free.
Cost and Hours (Group Tours): £18 per person. Tours depart at 10:30am, 2:00pm, and 5:00pm.
Cost and Hours (Private Tours): £90 per group up to 8 people. 10:00am and 2:00pm.
Website: Must book in advance here.
York Minster
This is the main iconic church you see in the center of town. It is the only must-see indoor sight in this 1-day York itinerary. It is the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe and dates to the medieval period. Climbing the tower costs extra and requires a time slot, so if you want to do this, get your time slot as soon as you arrive. Climbing the tower is definitely skippable and we would recommend against it for anyone who doesn’t have a special interest in doing it. There are better ways to use your time, and you get nice views of town from the ramparts.
Cost and Hours: £12.50 per person. 9:30am-4:00pm Monday-Saturday, 12:45pm-3:15pm Sunday. Sometimes it closes for events, which may or may not be listed on their online calendar, so make sure you go early in your day, in case you need to come back later.
Website: yorkminster.org.
Time for Lunch
Now is a good time to stop for lunch. If you’re tight on time, we highly recommend stopping by York Roast Company, which is a unique cultural experience. It is essentially the fast food version of a Sunday Roast, including meat, potatoes, stuffing, vegetables, and gravy all set on top of a huge Yorkshire pudding.
Address: 2 locations in the old town (option 1 and option 2).
Website: theyorkroastco.com
Ramparts Walk
Another great way to see the city and get some beautiful views is to walk around the ramparts of the city. This takes around 2 hours to do the full walk, and is very easy to do. This walk is an absolute must-do on this 1-day York itinerary even if you’ve already done a city walk. A detailed walking map can be found here. If you don’t have time or energy to do the whole walk, at least make sure to do the section between Bootham Bar and Monk Bar.
Cost and Hours: Free. The walls are open to walk from 8:00-dusk daily.
Address: Bootham Bar.
Ghost Walk
Due to the fact that York is so old, and each civilization that settled there built on top of the previous civilization, there are many who believe York is one of the most haunted cities in Britain. There are a number of ghost walks in town, which is a fun way to see the city at night, even if you don’t believe in ghosts. There are innumerable options, and companies change over time, so be on the lookout for the many signposts and ads for ghost walks around town. Any of these will do, as the real point is to walk around town at night.
If you want our recommendation, we tend to go for a more historic type of walk, which you can get with the Bloody Tour of York. This walk has a fun mix of historic events and storytelling, and is suitable for all ages and fully accessible for wheelchairs, etc.
Cost and Hours: $16 per person. 6:00pm and 8:00pm (we like the 8:00pm as it is darker by that time).
Website: You must book in advance here.
Address: Tours start outside St. Williams College behind the minster. Open in Google Maps.
Time for Dinner
There are tons of great places to eat dinner in town and it’s tough to go wrong. We do have a couple recommendations of restaurants that we personally enjoyed on our trip to York.
1. The Hole in the Wall: Traditional pub ambience serving the traditional Yorkshire pudding. Order at the bar and they will bring the food to your table.
Website: holeinthewallyork.co.uk.
Address: High Petergate, York YO1 7EH.
Telephone: +44 1904 634468
2. The Botanist Bar & Restaurant York: Table service, classy vibe in a very trendy, happening area. Great food.
Website: thebotanist.uk.com
Address: 15-19 Stonegate, York YO1 8ZW.
Telephone: +44 1904 541177
If You Have Time, Add To Your York Itinerary
Wander More Streets
Spend more time wandering every street in the city. Find corner ice cream stands and have an afternoon glass of wine in an atmospheric square. Relax and let your feet roam free. This is what York is all about.
York Castle Museum
Probably the best museum in town, this takes you through the Victorian age in York in a way that is fun for all ages.
Cost and Hours: Adults £13 online / £14 walk up. Kids £6.50 online / £7 walk up. 10:00am-5:00pm Monday to Sunday.
Website: yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk.
Jorvik Viking Center
This museum presents the history of the Viking town in York. Advanced booking is recommended.
Cost and Hours: £13.50 for adults. Special discounts for kids and families. Hours vary, check website for details.
Website: jorvikvikingcentre.co.uk
Yorkshire Museum
This is the city’s archeology museum, focusing on both Roman and medieval times.
Cost and Hours: Adults £8 online / £8.75 walk up. Kids £4 online / £4.40 walk up. 11:00am-5:00pm Monday to Sunday.
Website: yorkshiremuseum.org.uk.
Practical Info
Getting Around York
York is tiny. You won’t need a car here. Everything tourists want to see is reachable on foot, even from outside the historic center.
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