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York

The ancient cathedral city of York has a history dating back over 2000 years. Romans, Saxons, Vikings, and Britons from all eras have each left their mark. It is home to some of Europe's best-preserved historical buildings and structures, including York Minster and dozens of other churches, the Shambles medieval shopping street, countless handsome townhouses, and the city's walls and gatehouses. Other popular attractions on the bucket lists of York's eight million annual visitors include the Jorvik Viking Centre and Britain's National Railway Museum.

York is in North Yorkshire, England, and is the unofficial capital of the entire region of Yorkshire. The city is a perfect base for exploring "God's own county", having some of the finest hotels around, and all the comforts and amenities of a large city, while retaining the atmosphere and scale of a small town. York's shops, markets, pubs, and restaurants delight in offering Yorkshire-made produce, so you will find it difficult not to overindulge.

A UNESCO City of Media Arts, York has a festival for every occasion, celebrating everything that has shaped the city's culture over the centuries: music, dance, chocolate, theatre, literature, horseracing, digital media. Whatever time of year you come, you're sure to find a gig, show or exhibition that tickles your fancy.

So, plunge forward, and discover York!

Understand
Navigate to: Orientation, History, When to visit, York Pass

Orientation
Although only the sixth-largest city in Yorkshire and having no official status, York is regarded as the county's capital, and is also positioned just east of its geographic centre. For 1800 years, it was the largest and most important city in northern England, though today has a rather modest population just shy of 200,000 people. Despite its size, York packs in more history and culture than many much larger places, and is a fascinating and beautiful destination any time of year.

York city centre is a compact and dense warren of mostly pedestrianised streets lined with centuries-old buildings in a mix of architectural styles, from Roman and Viking remnants, through timber frame medieval structures, to much grander stone and brick edifices from later periods. The centre straddles both banks of two rivers - the Ouse (pronounced ooze) and the Foss - which merge just south of the castle. At the city's heart stands the imposing York Minster, one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in the world, and the mother church for northern England's Anglican community. The Archbishop of York (Stephen Cottrell, since 2020) holds the third-highest office in the Church of England, after the King and the Archbishop of Canterbury. York's old town is completely encircled by a series of defensive medieval walls. At just over 2 miles (3.2 km) long, 13 feet (4 m) high, and 6 feet (1.8 m) thick, they are the UK's most extensive and best-preserved city walls.

Most visitor attractions are within or just outside these walls, so you will seldom find yourself venturing into York's outer neighbourhoods. However, if you do, you will find them pleasant and residential, mostly containing red brick houses from the 19th and 20th centuries. There is a modern university campus around Heslington in the south-eastern suburbs, a large racecourse called the Knavesmire in the south-west, and extensive parks along the Ouse's journey through the northern and southern suburbs. This urban sprawl is bounded by a modern day city wall of sorts: the ring road separates York from its rural surroundings, the well-endowed farmlands and villages of the Vale of York.

History
York has played a crucial role in many eras of English history, and the city's own story closely mirrors that of the country as a whole.

Evidence of human settlement in York dates back to 8000 BC, but the city wasn't founded until 71 AD by the Romans, who named it Eboracum, as a Latinisation of the Celtic Eburākon, meaning "yew tree place". Eboracum began as little more than a military outpost at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss, but quickly became one of the most important cities in Roman Britain, and from 211 was the capital of the Britannia Inferior province; Emperors Hadrian, Septimius Severus and Constantius I all visited during their military campaigns against the native Britons and Picts. The latter of the three actually died during his stay, and his son, the future Constantine the Great, was first proclaimed Emperor in the city by his generals. Constantine later converted to Christianity, and legalised freedom of religion throughout the Empire. Eboracum was prosperous and particularly attracted merchants and retired veterans of the Emperors' wars. Why said retirees apparently chose the damp and chilly Yorkshire climate over the Empire's many Mediterranean provinces remains one of history's great mysteries.

After Rome, the 5th century brought the arrival of the Angles - the first Englishmen. This period saw the expansion of the city's trading prowess, the founding of York Minster as a small wooden church, and a spell of political prominence under the Kings of Northumbria. By 735, the Minster was already important enough to be the seat of an archbishop. But Eoforwic ("place rich in boar"), as it was now known, proved too much of a success and quickly caught the attention of avaricious Norsemen: Vikings had been harrying and raiding the north of England since the 700s, but why sail for days just to snatch a pig and a bracelet and rush back to sea, when they could harvest this rich farmland for their own? So, in 866, a huge army of Danes captured Eoforwic and, realising that name was a hopeless mouthful, rechristened their new city Jórvík (pronounced "Yor-vik"). From here, they controlled pretty much all of northern and eastern England, in a region known as the Danelaw. Jórvík was pretty perfect as a Viking capital, since its inland location offered defence and shelter, while the Ouse provided their longboats easy access to the sea via the Humber. Even though Viking power waxed and waned over the centuries, large numbers of Scandinavian people settled permanently in the region, meaning Jórvík was a bilingual (Old English and Old Norse) city at the time of the Norman Conquest.

By 1066, the Vikings had once again been ousted by the Saxons, but nursed ambitions to return. Harold Godwinson was crowned King of England, but faced a combined invasion by his exiled brother Tostig and the Norse king Harald Hardrada. The invaders won a battle at Fulford just outside York, but King Harold marched north and defeated them at Stamford Bridge east. Yet, while his back was turned, William the Conqueror's Normans invaded from across the English Channel. Harold's exhausted army marched south again, this time to crippling defeat at Hastings. England came under Norman rule, and the Anglo-Saxon/Norse society that the country had developed, and York exemplified, was dismantled swiftly and brutally. The Harrying of the North was a violent campaign of oppression against rebellious northerners in the years after the Conquest. From his castle in York, King William ordered the mass murder of civilians, demolition of numerous villages and burning of crops across the north of England, and York was also heavily damaged. As in the rest of the country, Normans became the new aristocracy, with the English and remaining Norse people reduced to serfdom. From this point on, the Normans consolidated their rule with the construction of castles, monasteries and great cathedrals. York Minster's Gothic design first took shape in the 12th century, while the present city walls, their gates (known as bars), and Clifford's Tower also cemented the Normans' impact on York's cityscape.

The late Medieval period produced much important architectural and cultural heritage, which are still evident today. The centuries-long construction of the Minster finally wrapped in 1472, while the higgledy-piggledy timber-frame shops of the Shambles mostly date from the 14th and 15th centuries. York's Mystery Plays, performing weird and wonderful Bible stories, were begun in the same era and continue to the present day. Then, in 1455, England was consumed by civil war: rival royals from York and Lancaster fought a brutal series of campaigns for control of the crown. Yorkist armies marched under the banner of a white rose, while their enemy Lancastrians followed the red rose, hence the name of this conflict, the Wars of the Roses. The last Yorkist king, Richard III, was finally defeated in combat at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, 30 years after the wars began. The Lancastrians' leader, Henry VII, became the first monarch of the Tudor dynasty, and both York in general and King Richard in particular were subsequently demonised.

The city's economy and status went into a long decline which wouldn't be recovered until after England's second Civil War, during which Royalist York was again on the wrong side of history, and besieged by the ultimate victors (Parliament) for 10 weeks in 1644. The siege and subsequent storming of the city destroyed many medieval buildings, but paved the way for fashionable new brick townhouses to be built as York regained its mojo in the late 17th and 18th centuries.

This resurgence in the city's wealth may have been what saved York's ancient streets from the smoke-stack industry which sprang up in many other northern towns from the late 18th century onwards. However, the industrial revolution didn't bypass York completely. In the 1840s, the first long-distance railway raced north from London to Edinburgh, and York's station was constructed as a cathedral of sorts in homage to the great connecting power of trains, while the locomotive yards next door kept the country's engines moving. The city found its other manufacturing niche soon after when the Rowntree family opened their chocolate factory. Many of their creations - among them KitKat, Aero and Smarties - are still staple snacks in the UK and around the world. The Rowntrees, known for their philanthropy, were Quakers, a religious group which has had a strong presence in York for three centuries, and whose members have done much to shape its development - they were also behind the burgeoning rail industry.

While its prominence and relative size in comparison to other cities have dwindled since the 19th century, and its status as capital of the north credibly challenged by the likes of Manchester and Leeds, York remains prosperous and lively; in 2018, it was named the best city to live in the UK by The Sunday Times. In 2021, the city celebrated its 1,950th anniversary, and today's visitor will easily recognise and marvel at just how well York has preserved aspects from every major episode of its history, as much in the way of culture and traditions as in the built environment.

When to visit
Summer brings very long days and the best chance of sun and warmth, and is thus the finest time to make the most of the city's squares, parks and rivers. If you really like flat caps and whippets, then be sure to be in town on 1 August for Yorkshire Day, when a procession of proud Yorkshiremen march their white rose flags all through the streets. Summer visitors may also get the chance to see festivals dedicated to chocolate, early music and folk dance, and the really lucky may even catch a mystery play - although these follow an irregular schedule and don't take place every year.

On the other hand, summer is when everyone visits, so is not the best time if you don't like mingling with thousands of your fellow tourists. Besides, nobody comes to North Yorkshire for the weather, and summer washouts are just as likely as heatwaves, so why not take a punt on autumn or winter? Some of the city's key annual events, such as the Viking Festival and Christmas celebrations, take place in the chillier half of the year. What's more, you need short days in order to experience the magical atmosphere of a twilit evensong in the Minster, and you need to get cold to fully appreciate the cosiness of a hearty meal and pint next to a roaring fire in one of York's pubs.

By the way, if you're planning to use York as a base to explore the wider region's countryside and coast, then spring is the season for you. The fields and trees are at their greenest, wildflowers are in bloom, visitor numbers are fewer, and the late spring weather is often better suited to hiking and walking than high summer. And honestly, who doesn't love the sight of spring lambs gamboling about joyfully?

Visitor information and York Pass
If you plan to do a lot of sightseeing, you can save money by purchasing the Visit York Pass, a ticket which gives you access to almost 40 attractions in York and its region. The pass also includes a 24-hour ticket for the City Sightseeing bus tour, discounts on meals, car hire, taxis and more.
 * Visitor information from Visit York

You can get passes for one, two, three or six days. The pass is digital and issued via email to your smartphone; buy online or at the Visitor Information Centre.

The pass is valid for 12 months after purchase and is activated once you enter your first attraction. The one-day pass is valid for one calendar day, not a 24-hour period. Two- and six-day passes are valid for consecutive calendar days. Three-day passes can be used for any three days out of six. Passes cover the entry fee of every participating attraction, but do not allow you to queue jump or to have privileged access. As with every tourist pass, the more attractions you visit, the more money you'll save; a downside to this approach is you might find yourself rushing around town instead of taking everything in.

Get in
Navigate to: By train, By bus, By car, Luggage

By plane

 * , south-west of York, has global direct connections, including from North America, Africa, the Middle East, Pakistan, East Asia, the Caribbean and pretty much everywhere in Europe. A direct train to York, operated by Transpennine Express, runs every 30 min, taking 1 hr 50 min. By road, from the airport, follow the M56 onto the M60 Manchester Ring Road (east/anticlockwise), then at junction 18 take the M62 towards Leeds. This takes you across Saddleworth Moor, the highest section of motorway in Britain; in good weather, it's very scenic, but snow and extremely dense fog can badly affect or even close the route any time of the year. At junction 29, take the M1 north. This soon merges onto the A1 (M), and from here you take the next exit for the A64 towards York.

 * is the closest airport to York, away by road. It has decent connections across western Europe, and is mostly served by budget carriers. Aer Lingus and KLM connect to their respective hubs at Dublin and Amsterdam Schiphol. The airport is north of Leeds, so you can mostly dodge the city traffic by following the A658 past Harrogate to the A59, where you pick up signs to York. By public transport, take bus A1 from the airport into Central Leeds. From here, you can take the train: Crosscountry, LNER and Transpennine Express all operate trains to York, taking 25 min and offering a 'turn-up-and-go' frequency.

 * The London airports obviously have a huge range of flights, especially Heathrow and Gatwick . However, by public transport you have to travel into central London before heading north to York from King's Cross Station: from Heathrow use a combination of the Elizabeth line or Heathrow Express and London Underground; from Gatwick take the Thameslink train to St Pancras, adjacent to King's Cross. LNER trains depart King's Cross every 30 min and take roughly 2 hr. Alternatively, with a car you have to endure a long journey (at least 5 hours in good traffic) around the M25 ring road and up the A1.

By train
Wikivoyage has a guide to Rail travel in Great Britain. York is on the East Coast mainline, with LNER trains running every 30 min or so from Doncaster (20 min), Durham (50 min), Edinburgh Waverley (2 hr 30 min), Leeds (25 min), London King's Cross (2 hr) and Newcastle upon Tyne (1 hr). Hourly Crosscountry trains link to York from Birmingham New Street (2 hr 45 min – 3 hr 15 min), Bristol Temple Meads (4 hr 10 min), Plymouth (6 hr 15 min) and Sheffield (45 min – 1 hr). Transpennine Express trains run twice-hourly from Manchester Airport (1 hr 45 min), Manchester Piccadilly (1 hr 30 min) and Manchester Victoria (1 hr 15 min), via Huddersfield (47 min) and Leeds, and hourly from Liverpool Lime Street (2 hr 10 min). Transpennine and Northern branch lines run from Scarborough (50 min) and Hull (1 hr 10 min) on Yorkshire's east coast, and from Harrogate (40 min) and Knaresborough (30 min) in the west of the county. Although there are multiple train companies, times and prices for all can be found on the National Rail Planner or by calling.

King's Cross in London is adjacent to St Pancras International, the British terminus for high-speed Eurostar trains from the near continent. This very easy interchange brings York within 4 hr 30 min from Paris and Brussels, 3 hr 30 from Lille, and under 6 hr from Amsterdam.

By bus
National Express operate daytime and overnight coaches from Birmingham, Hull, Leeds, London, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Sheffield, and Sunderland. The coaches call outside the railway station, at for northbound services, and at  for southbound services. Megabus do not serve York, but do call at Leeds.

Coastliner run two different bus routes (840 and 843) through York from Leeds (840, 843), Tadcaster (840, 843), Malton (840, 843), Pickering (840), Scarborough (843) and Whitby (840) every 30 minutes during the daytime and every hour in the evenings. Both routes have two calling points in York city centre: outside the railway station at stops RC and RJ, and on. The last buses to York depart Leeds at 10:15PM, Scarborough at 8:25PM, and Whitby at 5PM. However, daytrippers from Leeds can get the last bus back from York at 11:05PM. Enjoy the view: Coastliner's 840 service has won the prodigious title of "Britain's most scenic bus route".

By car
Wikivoyage has a guide to Driving in the United Kingdom.

From the south, take the M1 north to junction 32, then the M18 east to junction 2, A1 (M) north to junction 44 and finally the A64 east to York. Or you can stay on the M1 all the way to the A64, but it gets very congested around Sheffield and Leeds in rush hour. Lighter traffic may be found by taking the A1 all the way from London. From the north, approach via the A1 (M) onto the A59 east, or take the A19. If you're coming from the urban north-west, follow the M62 east onto the M1; from the Yorkshire Dales and Lakes, use the A59. Approach from Leeds using the A64, and from Hull (for ferries from Rotterdam) by the A1079.

The old city is not designed for driving and is positively hostile to parking. If you are just visiting York for the day, don't try to park in town. Instead, use one of the park and ride sites, located close to the ring road and well signposted from the main roads. Each site is connected to the city centre by a unique colour-coded bus route, generally every 15 minutes, seven days a week. A day's parking is free, and a return bus fare costs £3.60 (May 2023). However, you can't use the park and ride overnight, so if you are staying in York, make sure that your accommodation offers parking, or consider leaving your car at home.

Get around
Navigate to: By bike, By bus, By taxi, By car

The City of York Council have a website named i-Travel York, which provides unbiased information for travelling around the city on foot, by bike, by bus and by car.

On foot
The best way to discover York: the city centre is small enough to walk from one side to the other in 20 minutes, and there is only a short distance on flat terrain between most of the sights. That said, the winding, narrow streets can be confusing and aren't always well-signposted, so a map is handy.

Some streets within the old city (i.e. inside the city walls) are pedestrianised during the day, closed to all cars except disabled drivers and emergency vehicles between 10:30AM and 5PM daily. You can see a map of these roads, locally known as footstreets, on i-Travel York. Some streets are subject to additional controls, for instance the Shambles is pedestrian-only at all times. Take care walking around the city centre when the roads open to car traffic at 5PM, as they fill up quickly with delivery vehicles servicing local shops and businesses.

If you enjoy walking, you must do the 2-mile (3.2-km) city wall circuit (see below for details), which offers views all around and should give you a feel for York's layout. Additionally, footpaths line the River Ouse for most of its journey through the city north to south, and there is a lot of parkland to discover alongside with the promise of wildlife sightings - see i-Travel's wildlife walks booklet for ideas.

By bike
York is one of the most cycle-friendly cities in the UK - there's an extensive network of cycle routes in and around the city, and most of the traffic controls have been set up to give cyclists priority. There are no significant hills in or around the city centre, which is a big help. The river path along the Ouse contains some wonderful bike routes out of the city. Also beware that police and CCTV operators take a very dim view of cycling without lights after dusk, or cycling in the city centre pedestrianised area before 5PM, and will hand out an on-the-spot £60 fine for doing so. Download your York Cycle Route Map for free from iTravel York.

By bus
Bus services connect all the points of interest in the city. Download a PDF of the city's network map here. A variety of operators run the individual routes, but thankfully you can still buy a ticket which works on every company and line in the city within a set period: All York comes in three flavours, one day (£4.90), one week (£19) and one month (£66) passes (May 2023). The day tickets are not 24 hour passes, rather they are valid until midnight on the day of purchase. If you are staying a week or longer, consider getting a smartcard, onto which you can load your All York ticket. Some operators accept contactless payment by credit and debit card. These tickets are only valid on public bus services, and not on sightseeing tours.

That said, the majority of bus routes are operated by First York, a private company. Adult single fares are £2 (May 2023), but increase for longer journeys. You can purchase your ticket with cash or contactless. For groups looking for a discount, here's a corker: if you are in a group divisible by five, you can get a ticket which gives five people unlimited travel in York for a whole day, valid every day of the week after 9AM Monday to Friday, and anytime weekends and bank holidays. You can only buy this ticket via the First Bus app, but each five-person ticket costs £9 (May 2023), so as long as you travel everywhere as a group it is great value compared even to the All York pass.

By taxi
Like everywhere else in the UK, all taxi services are provided by private companies, but the fares are metered and strictly regulated by the local government authority. In this case, it is the City of York Council which sets the rates, the details of which you can download from the city's website. During the daytime (7AM-10PM), the base fare is £2.90, while the nighttime (10PM-7AM) base fare is £3.70. To these, 10p is added for every 80 metres travelled. Higher rates exist at Christmas, New Year, on bank holidays, and for travelling to/from the Knavesmire on race days. There are small additional charges for pets and extra passengers. (May 2023)

All four of the following companies have apps for iOS and Android:

By car
The best advice for driving in York is don't. The roads were designed for carts pulled by oxen, and the city council is actively discouraging car use through a combination of high parking charges and traffic-calming measures. If you are bringing a car to York, your best bet is to leave it in a park and ride, at your hotel, or if absolutely necessary, a city centre car park.

If you're using York as a base from which to explore the Yorkshire countryside, you will find all the major car hire companies in town, mostly by the railway station.

See
Navigate to: York Archaeological Trust, York Museums Trust, Churches, Out-of-town sights There's plenty to see in York, but if you leave without visiting the Minster and either the Jorvik Viking Centre or the National Railway Museum, you're doing it wrong. If you only have a day, prioritise two of these.

Aside from these three standout attractions, the joy of York is in wandering the ancient streets and coming across surprising buildings and beautiful views all by yourself. You might find old churches, timber-framed shops, the ruins of an abbey, or the leftovers of medieval defences.

Landmarks

York Archaeological Trust
The York Archaeological Trust run four attractions, which can be visited on various individual or combined tickets. The most useful of these is the Triple Ticket, valid for 12 months, and allowing you entrance to three of the Trust's attractions: Jorvik, Barley Hall and DIG. This is available for £18 per adult, £14.50 per concession, and £12.50 per child.

The fourth attraction, DIG, is listed in the Do section below.

York Museums Trust
The York Museums Trust operate several civic museums and galleries.

Churches
As well as the Minster, York has a number of parish churches which are of architectural or historical interest:

Further out
For other nearby attractions, see North York Moors and North Yorkshire.

Do
Navigate to: Tours and trips, Theatres, Cinemas, Events

Tours and trips

 * Bus tours are an easy way to discover the city, especially if your time or mobility is limited, though they do come at a much higher price than the public bus fares. York is not especially big, so most travellers could easily cover everything on the tour under their own steam.
 * Bus tours are an easy way to discover the city, especially if your time or mobility is limited, though they do come at a much higher price than the public bus fares. York is not especially big, so most travellers could easily cover everything on the tour under their own steam.
 * Bus tours are an easy way to discover the city, especially if your time or mobility is limited, though they do come at a much higher price than the public bus fares. York is not especially big, so most travellers could easily cover everything on the tour under their own steam.
 * Bus tours are an easy way to discover the city, especially if your time or mobility is limited, though they do come at a much higher price than the public bus fares. York is not especially big, so most travellers could easily cover everything on the tour under their own steam.
 * Bus tours are an easy way to discover the city, especially if your time or mobility is limited, though they do come at a much higher price than the public bus fares. York is not especially big, so most travellers could easily cover everything on the tour under their own steam.
 * Go cruising on the River Ouse:

Cinemas
All cinemas are open daily from around 9:30AM until midnight or just after.

Sports

 * York Knights play Rugby League (13-a-side) in the Championship, the game's second tier. Their home ground is York, capacity 8500, shared with the soccer club and now sponsored as LNER Community Stadium; it's northeast of city centre off Malton Rd. The women's team York Valkyrie play in Super League, their top tier, at the same stadium. The RL playing season is Feb to Sept. In 2022 the stadium hosted games in the Rugby League World Cup Finals, postponed from 2021.
 * York City FC were promoted in 2022 and now play soccer in the National League, England's fifth tier. They too play at Community Stadium.

Events and festivals
There is a very full series of events in York. The most important are listed below, January to December; events taking place in the latter half of the current year are listed near the bottom.
 * At other times of the year, scandiphile visitors should check out the York Anglo-Scandinavian Society, which put on regular talks, activities and film screenings with a Nordic slant, mostly at the University of York's Norwegian Study Centre.
 * At other times of the year, scandiphile visitors should check out the York Anglo-Scandinavian Society, which put on regular talks, activities and film screenings with a Nordic slant, mostly at the University of York's Norwegian Study Centre.

Learn
York is an excellent place to be a student; it's friendly, compact, walkable and beautiful, with a lively cultural scene to rival cities many times its size. You'll find York a cheaper place to live and study than other historic cities down south, such as Bath, Cambridge or Oxford, though certainly pricier than other, less desirable, parts of the North. Being on the East Coast Main Line, it's within easy reach of most parts of England and Scotland.

Language schools
All three of the language schools listed here are accredited by the British Council, and each are set in large former townhouses.

Buy
York comes highly recommended for its unique shops and boutiques. There's the usual range of high street stores, but York is also a great place for independent shops, especially if you're looking for gifts, high-end English and Italian fashion, books, or - it has to be said - tourist tat! Shops in York change from year to year, but the beautiful old-fashioned shop fronts, both medieval wood and Victorian red brick, haven't changed much since they were first built. The extensive pedestrianisation and interesting architecture make shopping and spending a pleasure for even the most miserly Yorkshireman.

Eat
Navigate to: Budget, Mid-range and Splurge options, and places for afternoon tea

Local specialities
As capital of Yorkshire, the county's cuisine is front and centre on many of York's menus. This is honest and rustic fare, in which generous portions are the norm, and large tasting platters are common. Yorkshire puddings, pies, local game, lamb and beef are all prized by restaurateurs, as are the local cheeses: wensleydale from the Dales, shepherd's purse blues from north of Thirsk and St Helen's Farm hard goat's cheese, produced in the Vale of York. The fish and crab in restaurants is often landed at East Coast ports such as Grimsby and Whitby, while the county's Norse connections are maintained by the serving of Yorkshire-made gravadlax.

The city itself has two famous products: ham and chocolate.

York ham has been produced within the city walls for hundreds of years, and far-fetched local legend states that the first hams were smoked with sawdust generated by the building of the Minster. Made with the meat of the large white pig, in taste the ham is mild, salty, smoky and often breaded, and in appearance a delicate pink. When served hot, it is traditionally accompanied by Madeira sauce. Disaster struck in the mid-2000s, when the last curer in town went out of business, and for 10 years there was no ham produced in York. Appleton's Butchers had a shop on Lendal from 2016, marking the return of York-cured hams, but closed down in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, traditional York ham is no longer regularly produced in the city, though specialist butchers around Yorkshire do cure large white hams to a similar or identical recipe.

While other northern towns busied themselves manufacturing useful but boring things like steel and cotton, 19th-century York took a sweeter path. Rowntree's created Aero bars, Fruit Pastilles, Kit-Kat, Smarties and Yorkie bars, among other internationally-known sweets. Although bought out by Nestlé in the 1980s with most products rebranded, the original factory has been maintained and expanded, and the Rowntree's brand lives on with Fruit Pastilles and newer products brought out since the acquisition such as Rowntree's Randoms. The other large York company, Terry's (of Chocolate Orange fame) has had a less rosy time: upon acquisition by Modelez, production was moved overseas. But alongside Nestlé's investment, a number of small independent chocolatiers have appeared in York: Choc Affair, Guppy's, Monk Bar and the York Cocoa House.

Eating out
As diverse as York's restaurant scene is, there are some generalities that apply to many of the city's addresses. No matter the cuisine on offer, they have a sense of place and like working with local ingredients; even if you never eat a Yorkshire pudding, you'll be hard pressed to find a good café or restaurant not cooking food produced in the county. In addition to the aforementioned platters, many restaurants seem to be gripped by an obsession with "tasting menus": multi-course extravaganzas of small dishes, often with suggested drink pairings at a hefty premium. While this can be good for sampling variety, it's not so fun for cash- or time-poor travellers to be roped into spending hours eating and drinking expensively. On the other hand, at many places, you can get high-quality food experiences on the cheap if you plum for a weekday lunch or early evening meal, rather than waiting for dinner.

 Coronavirus  - All the listings posted here and marked as up-to-date June 2021 have been verified to be still in business. Opening hours are as up-to-date as possible, but double check with the business before you go.

Budget

Mid-range

Splurge

Afternoon tea
York is known for its decadent afternoon teas: a pot of tea to a blend of your choice, served with dainty sandwiches with the crusts cut off, finger cakes and patisseries, and of course fruit scones with clotted cream and jam. Your food will arrive on a stacked metal stand, with three-tiered platters containing each course of the meal. To this can be added a glass of champagne or some other alcoholic beverage, for those who really want to indulge in luxury. If this sounds like a lot of food and drink, that's because it is; afternoon tea will typically replace lunch, and you may not feel like your dinner until much later on, if at all! The price of a full afternoon tea is fairly high; count on spending at least £20 per person, and add up to £10 more if you're having champagne too. Take into account that the venue itself is often as much a part of the experience as the tea, with Bettys, the Garden Room and the Countess of York arguably offering the most luxurious surroundings.

A less indulgent and cheaper option can be just to have a cream tea, that is jam-and-cream scones plus a pot of tea, which should cost no more than £10. Most cafés in York, though not listed here, will serve this, plus a selection of other traditional cakes.

Drink
Navigate to: Pubs, Bars, Nightclubs, Live music and comedy venues

Brewing and distilling
The city of York is the site of three breweries, one combined with a vineyard, and one distillery.

Beer, that is ale, has been brewed within the city walls for centuries, and the latest iteration of this tradition is York Brewery, which brews a range of three pale ales, the award-winning dark ruby ale Centurion's Ghost, and their signature golden ale Yorkshire Terrier. There is also a constantly changing selection of limited-edition creations, which adds a touch of FOMO-fuelled uniqueness to any beer-lover's visit to York. You can also visit the brewery; see the 'Do' section for details.

The new kid on the block is Brew York, which eschews tradition by selling its brews by can. They specialise in U.S.-style craft beers, with hipsterish names such as Cereal Killa (a gluten-free citrusy pale ale), Goose Willis (gooseberry fool in beer form), and Tonkoko (the "9th best stout in the world!"). Periodically, they mix things up by discontinuing their entire range and releasing a new selection; there's even an IPA which changes its hops with each batch. You can drink at their achingly trendy "tap room" (see below), or else look out for the odd brew of theirs in pubs.

Wine: Yorkshire has no fewer than six vineyards. The closest is Yorkshire Heart at Pool Lane, Nun Monkton YO26 8EL. They also have a brewery and a campsite, and offer tours.

And then there's gin. Running with the established zeitgeist of stunningly unimaginative names, the York Gin Company launched its range in March 2018. It has already become a fixture in the local drinks culture, being stocked by dozens of shops, bars and hotels in and around the city, and is now making a splash in international industry awards. The varieties available include the classic London-style dry gin which was at its peak popularity in York in the 18th century; Old Tom, imbued with the white rose of Yorkshire; and the imperial-red juniper, apple and berry-infused Roman Fruit — all nod to the city's heritage. For Yorkshire whiskey you'll have to visit Filey on the coast.

Cider is not made in York, and indeed has never been hugely popular up north, but if you like your apple tipple, then look out for Ampleforth Abbey Cider from nearby Thirsk.

Traditional pubs
York has perhaps the most pubs per square mile of any city in the country; supposedly there's one for every day of the year.

Bars
In this section, you'll find a selection of the most recommended bars in town, with a bit of everything from brewery tap rooms to cocktail bars, and places to nab a Viking brewski.

Nightclubs
The weak link in York's nightlife offering. If you're legally or mentally 18, you'll probably love the singularly awful half-dozen offerings which are aimed squarely at the city's population of students (and underage teens), but if you want any kind of sophistication or musical variety, then you should heed the call of Leeds.

Sleep
Navigate to: Budget, Mid-range, and Splurge options, places for camping

York has everything from humble hostels and cosy guesthouses, to some of England's grandest historic hotels. The usual chains are present in abundance, but there are also plenty of unique independents worth seeking out. Most accommodation listings here are in the heart of the city, within easy walking distance from attractions and services, but some are situated in quieter residential neighbourhoods or just on the fringes, though nowhere is very far apart in compact York. And while most people don't associate city breaks with camping opportunities, there are a surprising number of places to pitch a tent or park a campervan both in town and a little way outside.

Budget

Mid-range

Splurge

Camping
Unusually, York has an inner city campsite:

There are several campsites on the outskirts of York or in the near hinterland. The following three have been chosen for their locations just outside the city ring road and for their high ratings:

Stay safe
York is a safe city with no significant crime problem. It is consistently ranked one of the best places to live in the whole UK, and high safety levels help to influence this. Unlike certain other European cities popular with tourists, visitors to York are not a particular target for scams and crimes. Terrorism is locally unheard of, though the nationwide threat level remains high. There are, however, some precautions worth taking.

Nightlife
Take care on weekend evenings in York. Plenty of local youngsters overestimate their capacity for alcohol and the city centre can seem to be awash with lager louts, mainly in the Micklegate area. If you are approached just keep on walking and they will find another victim to pester. Aim for Wikivoyage's recommended pubs, though, and you'll find that safe socialising in the company of affable locals is still possible!

Try to avoid secluded cycle paths and ginnels (alleyways) at night as it is not unknown for robberies to take place in these parts, however this tends to be away from the main city centre.

River safety
Be careful near and on the River Ouse, as it is deep and cold, and the current is surprisingly strong. If you have been drinking, avoid going near the river altogether, especially at night. The bankside paths can be slippery and poorly lit, and if you do fall in, there may well be no-one around to help you out. Several people drown in the Ouse every year, and alcohol and darkness play a role in the majority of deaths.

Flooding
In spite of elaborate defences, York floods pretty much every winter. All it takes is a few days of sustained rainfall somewhere upstream, and the houses and businesses nearest to the Ouse are submerged. There's about of Pennine moors, from Harrogate to Richmond, where the pouring rain has only one way out. If it keeps raining, then 48 hours later the river at York is brimming; another day of rain and riverside properties start to become inundated.

Aside from providing the press with a dependable annual news story, the only upside to York's frequent inundations is that locals know what to do. If you're caught in a flood, follow their lead. You can also access the city council's flood advice portal. While water damage to property is often serious, flood-related injuries and deaths are extremely rare. Follow the authorities' advice, and you'll be fine.

Worship
York has dozens of Christian churches, including of the Anglican, Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Quaker, Presbyterian, Russian Orthodox, and Latter Day Saints denominations. Muslims can worship at the city's first and only mosque on Bull Lane (YO10 3EN). The Buddhist Centre is at 17 Walmgate. The Quaker meeting house on Friargate (YO1 9RL) also hosts York's Liberal Jewish community. Adherents of other faiths and denominations will generally find their nearest place of worship to be in Leeds.

Toilets
There are numerous public toilets around York city centre. These are open daily 9AM-7PM and nearly all charge a fee of £0.40 (July 2021) ; various coins are accepted but no change is given. Three handy locations include:

 * , 31 Castle Walk, YO1 9WT (close to Clifford's Tower, Fairfax House, Jorvik, York Castle Museum)
 * , 32C Parliament Street, YO1 8RS (centrally-positioned for most shopping and eating. Often if not always dirty with urine on the floor despite being staffed and charging for entry.)
 * , YO1 7HB (next to Bootham Bar and close to the Minster and York Art Gallery)

Free public toilets are available in the railway station, on the first platform from the ticket office, right of the York Tap.

Connect
As of March 2024, York and its approach highways have 5G from all UK carriers. Wifi is widely available in public places.

Go next
York is centrally located in Yorkshire, making it a great base for days out in any direction.

Vale of York
The Vale is a prosperous agricultural country sandwiched between the Pennines and the East Coast. Peppered with medieval monasteries, castles and stately homes, it also has a selection of attractive small towns:
 * Harrogate is the obvious next move from York, being an elegant Regency-era spa town west on the A59, or 33 min on the train, and home to the original Bettys Tea Rooms. Worth a stop on the way is Knaresborough (25 min on the train), to see the 12th century castle and visit a witch's lair.
 * Ripon is a village-sized city that still packs in an impressive Early English cathedral, the haunting ruins of Fountains Abbey, and a host of justice-themed museums. It's north-west via the A59 and A1 (M), or bus 22 takes an absurd 1 hr 20 min. On the way, why not check out the Roman villa at Aldborough?
 * Selby's 11th century abbey is worth the journey south on the A19, or 20-30 min on the train.
 * Tadcaster is a brewery town noted for its Sam Smiths beers south-west on the A64, or 25 min on buses 840, 843, or 845.
 * Thirsk is a small market town north on the A19, or 15-20 min on the train, with a museum dedicated to the vet James Herriot.

Further afield

 * Hull is a major East Coast seaport in the midst of long-awaited urban renaissance, having successfully reinvented itself from a synonym for dull into the UK's 2017 City of Culture. It's south-east via the A1079 and A63, or 1 hr 5 min by train.
 * Leeds is the biggest and most cosmopolitan city in Yorkshire, known for its palatial shopping arcades and fantastic for clubbing, drinking and dining. It's south-west on the A64, or 25 min by train.
 * Rural Yorkshire's apotheosis, the Dales National Park, sits west of Harrogate. Drive as far as Bolton Abbey on the A59, then up the Wharfedale road into the heart of the park: the majestic Ribblehead Viaduct, Yorkshire's Three Peaks, cheese town Hawes, and bucolic Swaledale await. Access via public transport is easiest in summer, as there are some seasonal bus routes. Journeys at other times of the year will likely take you via Leeds, but you can equally get a bus up Nidderdale from Harrogate; see Yorkshire Dales for details.
 * The heather expanses of the North York Moors National Park stretch north of Pickering (, best accessed by the A64, turning off near Malton). The National Trust property Nunnington Hall, English Heritage ruin Rievaulx Abbey and baroque magnificence of Castle Howard are within the park. Coastliner bus 840 runs from York through the moors.
 * Bridlington (via the A166), Filey (via the A64) and Scarborough (via the A64) are all Victorian seaside resorts, and all from York, via different routes. The scenic coast road north of Scarborough leads past little coves and windswept moors to Whitby, where you can contemplate Count Dracula, while eating possibly the best fish and chips in the world. The train from York to Scarborough takes 55 min, and you can then catch onward trains or buses to the other destinations mentioned here

See the main Yorkshire article for many more ideas.

title: York


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York (disambiguation)

There are many places called York:

Australia

 * York (Western Australia)

Canada
Historically, "muddy York" (the Town of York, established 1793, became Toronto in 1834) was the seat of York County. The Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto split from the county (now York Region) in 1953; a York Township became York, North York and East York - three of the six Metro Toronto boroughs. The boroughs were amalgamated into the City of Toronto in 1998, but many "York" place names (Yorkville, Yorkdale, York Mills) survive in and around Toronto, Ontario:

 * York Region - A region directly north of Toronto which includes Markham, Richmond Hill and Vaughan.
 * North York, York and East York as three of the six former boroughs of what is now Toronto.
 * York (Quebec) — Formerly an independent municipality, now part of the city of Gaspé, in the Gaspé Peninsula.

United Kingdom

 * York - A 2000 year old city in northern England.

United States of America

 * York (Alabama) - A city in the state of Alabama.
 * York (Maine) - A beachfront town in the state of Maine.
 * York (Montana) - A city in the state of Montana.
 * York (Nebraska) - A tiny city in eastern Nebraska.
 * York (New York) - A hamlet and town in western New York State.
 * York (North Dakota) - A city in the state of North Dakota.
 * York (Pennsylvania) - An industrial city in Pennsylvania.
 * York (South Carolina) - A city in the state of South Carolina.
 * York (Wisconsin) - A city in the state of Wisconsin.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: York (disambiguation)


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York (Maine)

York is a town on the Southern Coast in Maine. It includes the villages of York Beach, York Harbor, and Cape Neddick.

By plane

 * Portland International Jetport
 * Manchester Airport
 * Pease International Airport
 * Logan International Airport

By train
There is no train service direct to York. From Boston's North Station and Portland, Amtrak provides service on the "Downeaster" to the towns of Wells, or Dover, NH.

By bus
There is no bus service direct to York.

By car
Route 1 along the Maine coast is the scenic route. Interstate 95 is the direct route from Boston (1.25 hours) and other east coast cities. Maine Exit 7 is the Route 1 "The Yorks" exit.

Buy
Nearby Kittery, has over 120 outlet stores. Route 1 north along the coast has a large variety of shops to browse.

title: York (Maine)


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York (Nebraska)

York is a city in Eastern Nebraska.

Get in
Use the airport in Lincoln or Omaha. Then rent a car and drive on I-80.

Go next
Yankton- 81 North. About 3 hours away.

Omaha- 80 East. About 1½ hours away.

Salina- 81 South. About 2½ hours away.

title: York (Nebraska)


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York Region

 * The former York Township boroughs/cities of East York, York and North York were part of Metropolitan Toronto, which was amalgamated as Toronto in 1998. See Toronto/North York and the former City of York in Toronto/Midtown.

York is a region in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada. The successor to York County (from which Metropolitan Toronto was split in 1953), it includes sprawling north-of-Toronto suburbs (such as Markham and Vaughan) north of Steeles Avenue in telephone area code +1-905.

Cities
York Region is comprised of 9 municipalities.

 * — its Main Street Heritage Conservation District includes several historic sites
 * — a smaller town whose growth is being restricted by greenbelt planning controls
 * — a rural area famous for the Sharon Temple
 * — a rural area on the shore of Lake Simcoe
 * — a rural township known for its horse and cattle farms
 * — a growing suburban community and technology centre with several charming heritage districts
 * — a growing suburban town in the centre of the region
 * — famous as the home of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection
 * — "small town tradition between the country and the city", and a 20-km heritage railway

Other destinations

 * — an amusement park with 200 attractions (including games), with over 60 thrill rides including 17 roller coasters; it is ranked second in the world by number of roller coasters

By plane
The main airport serving York Region is Toronto Pearson International Airport, which is just outside the Region's southwest border, in Mississauga. Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport  is near downtown Toronto. There is a small local airport for private aircraft in southeast York Region, Markham Airport.

GO Transit
GO Transit offers commuter bus and train service connecting downtown Toronto to York Region. GO Transit bus routes to York Region originate from Union Station, York Mills Station or Yorkdale Station in Toronto all along Toronto's subway line 1. GO Transit's three commuter train lines (Barrie line, Richmond Hill line, Stouffville line) to York Region originate from Toronto Union Station. GO trains on the Barrie Line operate approximately every hour to Aurora daily starting late morning. There are GO Bus connections at Aurora to and from Barrie. GO trains on the Stouffville Line operate approximately every hour to Unionville GO station weekdays starting late morning. Otherwise, GO train service on all three lines is commuter-oriented with trains running inbound to Toronto during the morning rush hours and outbound in the afternoon rush. GO bus has a terminal at the Highway 407 station in Vaughan.

Viva/YRT buses
Viva and YRT buses offer service from Finch Station in Toronto into York Region. See next section.

Subway
Subway Line 1 Yonge-University provides service from downtown Toronto to three stations in Vaughan, York Region. The three stations are Pioneer Village (at the Toronto/Vaughan border), Highway 407 and Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, all having bus connections. A trip from Union Station in downtown Toronto to Vaughan Metropolitan Centre takes about 50 minutes. Subway service is provided by the Toronto Transit Commission and uses TTC fares. Riders paying their fare by credit, debit or Presto card on a Presto fare device are eligible for a free transfer between the TTC subway and YRT, Viva or Züm (Brampton Transit) buses. If transferring between GO Transit buses and the TTC, YRT, Viva or Züm, only the GO fare is charged. Note: Riders paying by cash or Presto ticket are not eligible for a free transfer and will be required to pay an extra fare when transferring between TTC and other transit agencies.

York Region Transit
York Region Transit offers two types of bus service within York Region:
 * Viva - Express bus system with limited stops and some Bus Rapid Transit routes. Viva bus routes are identified by colour.
 * York Region Transit (YRT) - Local bus system with routes identified by number.

Viva buses offer faster service serving fewer stops than do YRT buses, and are also more comfortable than YRT buses. Viva serves only high-volume routes with often more frequent service than YRT buses. YRT offers a network of many local routes. Sometimes a YRT route may overlap or run parallel to a Viva route serving the local stops that the Viva route would bypass.

Both Viva and YRT buses share the same fare structure which allows transfers between the two services on the same fare. A fare allows stopovers and round trips if you can do it all within 2 hours.

For Viva buses, fares are paid at a machine on the platform before boarding the bus, and customers can enter or exit Viva buses at any door. Customers are required to have proof of fare while riding, as fare inspectors conduct random spot-checks to ensure people have paid the proper fares. Anyone caught without proof of fare can be subject to a fine or criminal charge. For YRT buses, fares are paid at the front door of the bus upon boarding. Presto card is accepted on all Viva and YRT routes. Riders may also pay by tapping a credit card on the Presto reader in which case the cash fare will be charged.

GO Transit
GO Transit serves multiple towns/cities in York Region. GO Bus offers express service with limited stops by utilizing major highways and travels much faster than YRT or Viva. GO Trains serve communities in a north-south manner. Almost all GO Train stations and GO Bus stops offer connections to YRT.

GO Transit fares are based on point-to-point. GO Transit accepts fare payment by Presto, i.e. by credit, debit or Presto card. If transferring from GO Transit (GO) to YRT to complete a trip, your YRT fare will be free for Presto users. Just tap your card on both transit systems to get the free YRT fare. With Presto, the free fare is also available to transfer from YRT to GO, the YRT fare being refunded to your card at the end of the trip.

Toronto Transit Commission
Several TTC bus routes operate from a Toronto subway station into York Region, and use TTC fares in Toronto and YRT fares in York Region. If you pay the fare with a credit, debit or Presto card on a Presto fare device, you will pay only one fare to cross the municipal boundary, but you must tap off when exiting the bus to validate the fare's two-hour limit. TTC Presto tickets are not valid on TTC bus routes within York Region, nor on YRT or Viva routes.

The following TTC bus routes cross into York Region (listed from west to east):
 * 160 Bathurst North
 * 68B Warden
 * 17A Birchmount
 * 129A McCowan North
 * 102D Markham Rd

See
For many people, the star of the region is the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, which is the only major public art gallery devoted solely to the collecting and exhibiting of Canadian art. Its collection has almost 6,000 artworks by Tom Thomson, the Group of Seven, their contemporaries, and First Nations, Inuit and other artists who have made a contribution to Canada’s artistic heritage.

The David Dunlap Observatory, in Richmond Hill, is a working observatory operated by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

Newmarket's pretty Main Street Heritage Conservation District makes for a pleasant day of enjoying heritage buildings, and browsing in shops.

Unionville is a historic village in Markham focused on its Main Street, which developed in the 1840s. As typical of a small village, it boasts numerous quaint period buildings in an idyllic surrounding. Main Street Markham and Thornhill are also interesting heritage districts.

The Sharon Temple in East Gwillimbury, was built in 1825 by a Quaker sect, and restored in the 1920s. It's a unique Canadian Historic Site composed of eight distinctive heritage buildings and dwellings, and houses.

A more modern temple, the Byzantine Revival Cathedral of the Transfiguration, was built at the end of the 20th century in Markham, and features the world's largest three-bell carillon.

Do
Canada's Wonderland is a large amusement park in Vaughan. It covers 134 hectares (330 acres) of land, with an artificial mountain as the central feature, and includes an 8-hectare (20-acre) waterpark, Canada's largest outdoor wave pool, a lazy river, and 16 water slides.

The Nokiidaa Trail is a trail system that runs through the heart of Newmarket connecting to the nearby communities of East Gwillimbury and Aurora.

The Kortright Centre for Conservation in Vaughan is a modern wildlife conservation centre that has hiking, workshops, and encounters with the wildlife.

The Aurora Arboretum offers 100 acres of parkland dedicated to the growth and maintenance of trees and shrubs.

The York–Durham Heritage Railway operates excursion trains over a 20-km route between the historic towns of Stouffville and Uxbridge.

Buy
Newmarket's Main St. has a range of shops which all appear to be small local independent businesses rather than the chain stores seen at malls.

Being a largely suburban region, there are lots of shopping malls full of chain stores to choose from. Vaughan Mills Shopping Centre has over 200 stores and 15 anchor stores. Upper Canada Mall in Newmarket, Markville Mall, Vaughan Mills, and Hillcrest Mall in Richmond Hill are among the larger ones. Pacific Mall, in Markham, is a huge Asian mall where you can fill your shopping bags with Chinese groceries, cell phone accessories, Japanese beauty products, cell phone accessories, Asian cookware and cell phone accessories.

Stay safe
There are three hospitals in York Region: Mackenzie Health Hospital in Richmond Hill, Markham-Stouffville Hospital in Markham and Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket. A fourth hospital, Mackenzie Vaughan in Vaughan is slated to be open in late 2020.

title: York Region


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York (Pennsylvania)

York is a city in the Susquehanna Valley region of southern Pennsylvania. It is billed as the "factory tour capital of the world" for its numerous factory tours. It was a major city in U.S. revolutionary history as well, hosting the Continental Congress for a time. It is often viewed by locals as the first capital of the United States but it is unsure if this is actually true because it was never officially named the capital and it was only viewed as the capital because the Articles of Confederation were adopted in the York County Courthouse.

By plane
York has no local international airport, but nearby Harrisburg has the Harrisburg International Airport. For more direct flights, people can fly into BWI airport in Baltimore, or possibly to Philadelphia. York Airport is 7 miles past the city on US 30 and is a general aviation airport with no scheduled flights.

By train
Nearby Lancaster has an AMTRAK stop on the Philadelphia to Pittsburgh line. Nearby Harrisburg also has a transportation center that provides service for AMTRAK trains on the same line.

By car
Using a car is the easiest way to arrive in York. The following highways connect the city with others in the region:
 * I-83 south Harrisburg and I-83 north Baltimore
 * US-30 west Lancaster & Philadelphia and US-30 east Gettysburg

By bus
Greyhound operates a station in York with connections to Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and beyond.

Get around
Walking is the easiest way to explore the downtown area, as everything is close enough together. Municipal parking garages are available with very reasonable rates ($0.75/hr). Rabbit Transit is also an option when getting around the city but can be fairly expensive if used multiple times for short distances. All day passes are available though for those that want to use the bus to get around.

Do

 * Historic Downtown York: Take a tour through downtown York to see the city's historic roots.
 * Historic Downtown York: Take a tour through downtown York to see the city's historic roots.
 * Historic Downtown York: Take a tour through downtown York to see the city's historic roots.

Go next
Nearby destinations suitable for day trips include:
 * Allentown — Pennsylvania's third largest city.
 * Gettysburg — Explore Civil War country.
 * Harrisburg — Explore the Capital of Pennsylvania.
 * Hershey — Explore chocolate country.
 * Lancaster — Explore Amish country.
 * Gifford Pinchot State Park is a fifteen minute drive north of York along I-83 and offers camping, canoe/kayak rentals, a small beach, and other outdoor fun. It has camp ground available for rent and is right off of lake Redman and is open for family fun in the sun. Nature walks is also a huge attraction, and adventuring through the trails Pinchot has to offer is an exciting day for any thrill seeker.
 * Washington D.C. — 1½ hour drive away, experience the best the capitol of our country has to offer.
 * Baltimore, Maryland — About an hour away go see an Orioles or Ravens game, or spend the day in the exciting inner harbor. Or just go for a relaxing dinner in Little Italy or Greektown.

York is a destination on the American Industry Tour from Boston to Chicago.

title: York (Pennsylvania)


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York County

There's more than one place called York County:

Canada

 * York County - in New Brunswick
 * York County in Ontario was split in 1953 as metropolitan Toronto and York Region

United Kingdom

 * Yorkshire - a county in England

United States of America

 * York County (Maine) - see the Southern Coast (Maine) article
 * York County (Nebraska) - in Eastern Nebraska
 * York County (Pennsylvania) - in the Susquehanna Valley region of Pennsylvania
 * York County (South Carolina)
 * York County (Virginia)

title: York County


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Yorke Peninsula

Yorke Peninsula begins at the head of the Gulf of St Vincent and to north of the state capital of Adelaide. It is west of the city of Adelaide between the Fleurieu Peninsula and Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. Shaped like a leg, Yorke Peninsula has over 700 km of coastline and is a distinctive part of South Australia’s coastal landscape.

Understand
Yorke Peninsula is rich in agriculture and marine resources and has a healthy fishing industry supporting recreational fishing, crayfish, crab and oyster businesses. Extractive industries also exist in the region including limestone, dolomite, gypsum and sand. High quality salt is harvested at Price by Cheetham Salt, this is the only remaining food-grade salt producer in Southern Australia.

Yorke Peninsula experiences a mild maritime climate. Minimum winter temperatures average around 4°C and the maximum can reach 40°C during summer. Average annual rainfall is around 350 mm/annum near the coastal areas. The wettest months are from May to September. Winds can be quite strong along the coast, especially around the southern limits and offshore islands. Strong offshore winds can create hazardous maritime conditions, particularly during winter and sometimes in spring.

Agriculture is big business on Yorke Peninsula, with harvest commencing in November and throughout the summer months.

Towns

 * – home to red clay coastal cliffs
 * – regional center of the Clare Valley and the Mid-North
 * – popular tourist town in the peninsula's southeast
 * – next to Dhilba Guuranda–Innes NP
 * – home to the state's longest pier
 * – while not a destination of its own, it acts as a gateway town to much of the region
 * – where the ferry to the Eyre Peninsula departs
 * – home to the state's longest pier
 * – while not a destination of its own, it acts as a gateway town to much of the region
 * – where the ferry to the Eyre Peninsula departs
 * – while not a destination of its own, it acts as a gateway town to much of the region
 * – where the ferry to the Eyre Peninsula departs
 * – while not a destination of its own, it acts as a gateway town to much of the region
 * – where the ferry to the Eyre Peninsula departs
 * – where the ferry to the Eyre Peninsula departs
 * – where the ferry to the Eyre Peninsula departs

Other destinations

 * (Innes National Park) – home to impressive Yorke Peninsula coastal scenery
 * – dive site near Edithburgh
 * – a lesser-known national park protecting the southern Flinders Ranges

By car
Yorke Peninsula begins 90 minutes drive from Adelaide's CBD or from Adelaide Airport. Coming from Adelaide, National Highway 1 takes you from the northern suburbs onto the 4-lane dual carriageway national highway that passes through the towns of Lower Light, Dublin, Windsor, Wild Horse Plains and on to Port Wakefield.

From Port Wakefield you can continue onto the Copper Coast towns of Kadina, Wallaroo and Moonta, or head south along the coast to picturesque seaside townships or right down the Bottom End to Dhilba Guuranda–Innes National Park. The trip from Adelaide to Dhilba Guuranda–Innes National Park, at the foot of Yorke Peninsula, will take around 3 hours or more by car. Most major roads on the peninsula are surfaced with asphalt.

Many secondary and minor roads on the peninsula are un-surfaced graded dirt roads. Some of these roads may run for extended distances and care should be used to avoid accident due to the sometimes slippery conditions. Windscreen breakage is also possible from stones being thrown up by the wheels of passing vehicles. Always moderate your speed and take care not to cause either yourself or other road users any damage by not fully understanding the prevailing local conditions. These unsealed roads are frequently surfaced by grading machines and care should be used when driving near any roadworks that are in progress.

By bus
Buses travel daily to the Yorke Peninsula from Adelaide Central Bus Station. Most towns are serviced by the buses, but not always every day due to different schedules.

See
The rough seas along the southern coastline of Yorke Peninsula have caused many a shipwrecks, which is why this area has a number of lighthouses. Lighthouses at West Cape, Cape Spencer, Althorpe Island, Corny Point and Troubridge Hill (not to be confused with the more historic lighthouse on Troubridge Island continue to guide the way for passing boats and sailors to warn them of the dangers.

National Parks and Wildlife reserves include the Althorpe Islands group, Dhilba Guuranda–Innes National Park, and Carribie, Leven Beach, Point Davenport, Warrenben, Troubridge Island and Wills Creek Conservation Parks. Bird Islands Conservation Park is also in the region, further north of Goose Island Conservation Park near the township of Wallaroo. The land comprising Althorpe Islands, Goose Island and Troubridge Island Conservation Parks is traditionally associated with the Narungga people of Yorke Peninsula.

The Moonta Mines State Heritage area covers most of the land under the Moonta Mining Company lease. Now operated by the National Trust, the area includes the Museum, Tourist Railway, Sweets Shop and Family Resource Centre. The National Trust is applying for National and World Heritage Status concurrently. The Wheal Hughes Copper Mine in Moonta provides an underground mine tour

Do
near Marion Bay is one of the best-known attractions on the peninsula, with over 9200 ha of mallee bushland. Birdwatchers will love to explore this park, with over 140 species including Ospreys, Hooded Plovers, Malleefowl, and the elusive Western Whipbird. It is a popular destination for camping, bushwalking, fishing, surfing and scuba diving. The park has a range of designated campgrounds throughout, and all (except Casuarina) are on a first come-first served basis.

The Yorke Peninsula Fishing Guide covers the over 700 km of coastline from Port Gawler all the way around the leg to Port Broughton. The free guide is also available from the Yorke Peninsula tourism office, Visitor Information Centres and outlets. Fishing Charters are available from Marion Bay.

The area is popular for diving and snorkelling, especially with diving groups from the nearby city of Adelaide. Due to the colder southern ocean waters a wetsuit is often required for snorkelling or scuba diving activities or for any prolonged periods in the water even in the warmer summer months. Refills for scuba cylinders (air only) are available from businesses in Edithburgh and Port Victoria, and from the local dive club at Wallaroo. There are many shipwreck sites near the Yorke Peninsula. Some require a dive other do not. The Wardang Island Maritime Heritage Trail has eight shipwrecks within 16 km (10 mi) to explore in clear shallow waters making it ideal for novice shipwreck divers. The Investigator Strait Shipwreck Trail, between Yorke Peninsula and Kangaroo Island, highlights 10 of the 26 shipwrecks dating from 1849 to 1982.

The Bottom End is famous for surfing, and had many excellent surf beaches. Some are easier to get to then others and some local knowledge would be helpful for any uninitiated visitor. The Yorke Peninsula is home to some committed surfers. Each October long-weekend, Dhilba Guuranda–Innes National Park hosts one of South Australia's most prestigious surfing events, the Cutloose Cooper's Yorkes Classic.

in the Mid North of South Australia, is one of the best wine regions in the state and country. Home to spectacular views, wineries and wildlife, it is a popular tourist destination for wine lovers and travellers.

Central & Southern Yorke Peninsula has a range of camping locations scattered around the coastline and inland, including in Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park listed above.

Events & festivals
Kernewek Lowender (Copper Coast Cornish Festival) is the world’s largest Cornish Festival. It is celebrated in South Australia’s Copper Coast every 2 years. Rich in Cornish heritage, the towns of Moonta, Wallaroo and Kadina, known as ‘Australia’s Little Cornwall’, host the week-long Kernewek Lowender – which translates from the Cornish language to English as ‘Cornish Happiness’.

Paskeville Field Days is a 3-day event held biennially in late September in Paskeville, 28 km southeast of Wallaroo. Its focus on agriculture and features extensive displays of the latest agricultural machinery and equipment, technology, information and services in 30 ha of static displays. This is one of Australia's iconic agricultural field day events and is a significant event for the region.

Eat
Make sure you have Cornish Pasty during your Yorke Peninsula stay. These are a legacy from the Cornish miners that settled in the towns of Moonta, Kadina and Wallaroo to work in the prosperous Copper Mines. Cornish Pasties can be purchased from a number of cafes or bakeries throughout Yorke Peninsula.

Drink
Barleys Stacks Wines, south of Maitland near Ardrossan, harvests, processes and bottles its wines on site. Varieties include Shiraz, Cabernet, Chardonnay, Viognier, Port, Liqueur Chardonnay and Ratafia.

Stay safe

 * Yorke Peninsula has hospitals at Wallaroo, Moonta, Maitland, Ardrossan and Yorketown; and medical centres at Kadina, Moonta, Wallaroo, Maitland, Ardrossan, Minlaton and Yorketown.

 * Yorke Peninsula is generally a safe region. Take standard precautions.
 * Speed limits on Yorke Peninsula are 50 km zones within towns, and on open roads are often 110 km/h (although they can sometimes be 100 km/h). Please be aware of the speed limit signs when driving. Ensure you are carrying a fully inflated spare tyre, suitable basic tools to change a flat tyre and always a supply of drinking water, most especially in the summer months.
 * As Yorke Peninsula is a farming region, please take care when driving throughout the area as farmers may be moving equipment or stock on the roads.

Connect
Cellular (mobile) telephone network reception may not be available in many areas especially those distant from cellular network repeater towers normally located along the major highways and near larger townships. Hilly terrain will also effect reception. In an emergency seek higher ground. Some networks provide a poor coverage in regional and rural areas. It is generally considered that the best reception is available from either Telstra or Optus when in areas such as Yorke Peninsula.

For emergency services including police, fire services and ambulance call  from any telephone and ask the operator to connect you. Such calls are placed without charge to the calling party.

Go next
Head north out of Yorke Peninsula, and you can continue your travels south to Adelaide, north to Flinders Ranges, Outback, westward across to Eyre Peninsula, the Eyre Highway and the Great Australian Bight, or east towards the Clare Valley and Barossa Valley.

title: Yorke Peninsula


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Yorkshire

Yorkshire is the largest of the 39 historic counties of England. A long history of administrative tinkering has complicated defining what precisely is Yorkshire, with parts of the traditional ridings now being part of North West and North East England (e.g. nearby Middlesbrough). However, the region has a strong cultural identity and offers visitors a wonderful variety of thriving urban centres, important historic towns and world renowned countryside. The Humber forms the southern boundary with the East Midlands and to the west, across the Pennines, lies North West England. East and North Yorkshire have coastlines on the North Sea.

Counties
Yorkshire was historically the largest county in England, divided into three "ridings" plus the city of York. In 1974 it was re-organised into four smaller counties, which were not altogether popular but these make sense for the traveller.

Cities

 * , the ancient capital, is rich in Roman, Viking and medieval history. The city walls are well-preserved and within are the magnificent Minster, cobbled alleys and wharves, and a teetering castle stump.
 * is a multicultural city with great Victorian architecture and the National Science & Media Museum.
 * is the most cosmopolitan, with fascinating museums, galleries and the best luxury shopping in the north.
 * : this metal-bashing city has interesting industrial museums and a buzzing student atmosphere.
 * is home to the Hepworth, the National Mining Museum and a large sculpture park.
 * : Andrew Marvell, William Wilberforce and Philip Larkin once called this Humberside port home.
 * , birthplace of Captain Cook, is where you'll discover the parmo, and try to fathom that strange contraption the "Tees Transporter Bridge".

Other destinations

 * National Parks - The North York Moors are within North Yorkshire. The Yorkshire Dales along with Nidderdale AONB are mostly so but this area has been greatly extended to reach Cumbria. Part of the Peak District is in South Yorkshire though the bulk is in Derbyshire.
 * Brontë Country, mostly in West Yorkshire is an expanse of moorland and atmospheric villages, centred on Haworth near Bradford.
 * The coast starts to the south with the Humber estuary and the sandhills of Spurn Head. There's then a long expanse of mud cliffs, very rapidly eroding: entire villages and churches now lie several miles out to sea, and if you follow a coastal lane shown on an old OS map, prepare for a surprise. North of Bridlington are the chalk cliffs of Flamborough Head (the highlight) along with Bempton and Speeton. The geology changes again at Reighton Gap, running northwards passing Filey, Scarborough, Ravenscar past Whitby to their highest point on the East Coast at Boulby. Beyond that lower cliffs drop to Saltburn, Redcar and the mouth of the River Tees.

Understand
Proudly claimed to be "God's own country", Yorkshire has wonderful countryside, great cities and warm locals which have a long history of attracting visitors. The people have a strong regional identity and a distinctive culture and dialect; see below in 'Talk' for details of the latter. The emblem of Yorkshire is a white rose, which can occasionally be seen on flags in the county. There is a longstanding (and these days mostly friendly) rivalry with neighbouring county Lancashire.

History
Yorkshire is provincial and in many parts rural, but never hick: this region has always felt close to the pulse of affairs. One fellow who arrived as an army officer but departed as Roman Emperor was Constantine I, who in 306 AD was so proclaimed in Eboracum, today's York. After the Legions marched away the Vikings raided the coast, until they saw the advantage of harvesting this rich land for their own, instead of just seizing a pig and rushing back to sea. Eboracum became Jórvík, and Viking influence was only broken in 1066 at the nearby Battle of Stamford Bridge, where King Harold's Saxons triumphed but then had to force-march south to Hastings to face the Normans.

The Norman victor William the Conqueror faced uprisings in England which were smashed in 1069/70 by a scorched-earth policy known as the "Harrying of the North". The death toll was huge, mostly from starvation, and 20 years later the Domesday Book recorded that 75% of manors were still wasteland. There was however a spate of building of castles and cathedrals in Norman style, many of which still stand, such as York Minster.

The Norman dynasty was strife-riven but the later Plantagenets were even more so. In 1399 Richard II was deposed and killed in Pontefract castle at the hands of Bolingbroke, better known to theatre-goers as "Henry IV Part One". Conflict between the York and Lancaster factions, nowadays dubbed the "Wars of the Roses", dragged on for decades; its bloodiest day was the 1461 Battle of Towton, near Selby, when 28,000 died. York won that day but lost the war in 1485, and in came the Tudor dynasty. Henry VIII looked at all the wealthy monasteries and thought: "They're not paying tax, they're not supplying an army, and they're not singing my praises. Right!" And so came the Dissolution, and great establishments like Fountains and Rievaulx were reduced to picturesque ruins.

South and West Yorkshire became industrial early. Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield and Sheffield were important wool-trading and processing centres; Halifax and Hull used the guillotine on traders giving short measure. Cottage industry gave way to water-powered mills, such as at the Abbeydale complex in Sheffield, but even more power came from coal-fired steam engines. The York-Derby-Notts coalfield lay near (even upon) the surface, was thick and with few fault-lines, so it was easily mined. Barnsley became the main mining town, Sheffield blasted iron into steel, and the main railway line was laid down from London to York. The cities burgeoned and became squalid: cholera and other epidemics broke out. The late Victorians sought to rebuild, with confident Italianate and Gothic public buildings (soon smoke-blackened), and healthy municipal parks.

Other parts of the county remained rural while the cities were again blighted in the late 20th century by the loss of steel-making, textiles and coal-mining. They've to some extent been regenerated by converting industrial brownfields into retail parks, museums and green spaces, and by the growth of 21st century enterprise in IT, financial and similar services. Above all they've become destinations in their own right.

Visitor information

 * Visitor information from yorkshire.com.

Talk
Yorkshire has a distinctive regional pronunciation and dialect. Time was when the speech of individual towns and valleys could be distinguished, but by the end of the 20th century this had succumbed to population mixing through work and higher education. So local speech remains northern, but anyone who uses a heavy dialect is either a rustic aged over 70, is being ironic, or is a Yorkshire Nationalist. "Yorkie" and its variants seem set to pass into history like other languages that are fondly remembered but seldom spoken: Lallans, Yiddish, Klingon.

It may persist, as those do, in comedy and entertainment. One example was the Keith Waterhouse character Billy Liar, with his "trouble at t'mill" routine and spoof dialect; another was the dulcet Holmfirth tones of Peter Sallis in Last of the Summer Wine and Wallace and Gromit. You can earn a penny from tourists by publishing Yorkshire phrasebooks - they're in that little stocking-filler pile next to the gift shop checkout - and there's even an online translator. Some useful phrases are given below, the only essential to learn being that namaste of the great Yorkshire subcontinent, "Ey up!"

 * The — the definite article — is reduced to a brief glottal stop before the noun. On the page it's rendered as t', as in "Let's go down t'pub!"
 * Ey up and Ow do are greetings, meaning "hi" or "how do you do?" According to context "Ey up" can be a warning, exclamation, query or symptom of indigestion. There isn't a distinctive leave-taking.
 * Owt means "anything" and nowt means "nothing"; thus a trivial matter is dismissed as "summat and nowt". A Yorkshireman trying to big-up his tight-fisted northern Weltanschaung might declare: "'Ear all, see all, say nowt. Eyt all, drink all, pay nowt. And if ivver tha does owt fer nowt, allus do it for thissen!"
 * Love, pal, pet and duck are casual appellations that can be used regardless of gender or of whether you're on friendly terms. Examples are "Ey up, duck", "Alreyt, pet!", "Thanks, pal!" or "Yes, love?" They're not intended to be condescending, rude or flirtatious.
 * Reyt good means "right good" or "very good", but Yorkshire folk are uncomfortable with praise, and would rather say "Huh, 's not bad, considering".
 * Mardy is from "marred" ie indulged and spoilt as a child, so it means sulky or moody. Thus "Stop being such a mardy bum!" means "stop complaining!" It might stretch to mean "cheer up" but many Yorkshire folk are suspicious of cheerfulness.
 * Snicket and ginnell are alleyways, thus "I 'eard 'im racin' dahn t' snicket!" means "I heard him running down the alley".
 * Second person singular: Yorkshire speech retains the old word thou (pronounced tha) to mean "you", along with thee ("you"), thy ("your"), thine ("yours") and thissen ("yourself"). Southern English lost these forms during the 17th century. The thou / you distinction is solely between singular and plural: "thou" can be used formally or between strangers, unlike the French tu and other European equivalents. It's sometimes compounded, e.g., "sethee" meaning make sure, or "see you later" "see that you...."

By plane

 * Leeds Bradford Airport is the region's main airport, with good connections across west Europe and within UK, but it lacks a railway link.
 * Manchester Airport has an excellent range of flights. It's Not In Yorkshire, being located on't dark side of the Pennines but with direct trains to many parts of Yorkshire.
 * You're unlikely to use Humberside south across the river from Hull, as it only has a few flights to Amsterdam and Aberdeen.
 * Doncaster Sheffield Airport closed in Nov 2022.

By train
Wikivoyage has a guide to Rail travel in Great Britain

The main railway routes through the region are:
 * East Coast mainline from London Kings Cross via Peterborough to Doncaster, with one fork west to Wakefield and Leeds, while the main route continues to York, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.
 * Midlands mainline from Bristol, Birmingham and Derby to Sheffield, Wakefield, Leeds and York then north along the East Coast line to Edinburgh and Glasgow.
 * Transpennine line from Manchester airport and Piccadilly to Huddersfield, Leeds, York and Hull, with another line through Sheffield and Doncaster to Cleethorpes.

Branch lines reach Bradford, Ilkley, Harrogate, Whitby, Scarborough, Bridlington, Halifax and Skipton. This last continues via two very attractive routes through the Dales, with one fork to Carnforth and Lancaster, the other via Ribbleshead Viaduct and across Cumbria to Carlisle.

By road
The M1 connects Yorkshire with the south of England. The A1 runs north-south through the region and the M62 runs east-west. Most major towns have a National Express or Megabus service to London Victoria. Leeds is the best connected, with frequent buses to Manchester, and at least daily to the Midlands, Newcastle and Scotland.

By boat
P&O Ferries sail overnight to Hull from Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Their route from Zeebrugge was axed in 2021.

Get around

 * In the urban west and south, use the bus within a particular town, but the train is usually much quicker between towns. The West Yorkshire Metro network is particularly well developed. Public transport options are sparser in the rural east and north.
 * There's a good road network, but always beware that you might meet a tractor round the next corner, even on the A1: welcome to Yorkshire. Scenic main routes include A59 from York and Harrogate across the Pennines into Lancashire, and the A64 and A170 to Scarborough and the coast. Summer weekends these get very congested.

See

 * Abbeys: elegantly built in the Middle Ages but abandoned during the 16th-century Dissolution, the best-preserved are Fountains near Ripon, and Rievaulx near Helmsley. Jervaulx near Ripon, Bolton Abbey near Skipton, St Mary's in York, Kirkstall in Leeds and Whitby are smaller but all worth a look.
 * Cliffs and coves: the most spectacular are the sheer chalk cliffs of Flamborough Head, just north of Bridlington. There's another outcrop at Filey, then a long rugged coastline north of Scarborough, with attractive little places such as Robin Hood's Bay and Saltburn then Whitby. The cliffs are not just on the coast: Sutton Bank is a scarp at the edge of the Hambleton Hills in the North York Moors, where gliders launch, while bikes and caravans labour up the steep gradient.
 * Saltaire near Bradford was a 19th century planned model village, now a world heritage site. It's centred on Salt's Mill which has a large collection of works by David Hockney.
 * Brontë Country is the area associated with the works and all-too-short lives of the Brontë sisters. Sites are scattered across the northeast but most are in or near Haworth. This upland area of west and south Yorkshire has bleak terrain, a plateau of millstone grit overlain by peat bog with scarps overlooking the valleys; so presumably that's what heights do when they are "wuthering".
 * Yorkshire Dales further north are limestone country and much more scenic. There are caves, crags and "pavements" such as at Malham. The Pennine hills of Ingleborough, Whernside, and Pen-y-ghent are sometimes combined as a "Three Peaks" challenge.
 * Weird rocks: especially around Harrogate, the gritstone bedrock has been exposed in fractured columns. The best example is Brimham Rocks in Nidderdale.
 * Unusual museums include the wartime base of Eden Camp in Malton, the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford, and the industrial museums of Leeds and Sheffield. Go down a real coal mine at Caphouse Colliery outside Wakefield.
 * Castles and stately homes: Castle Howard is the standout, a grandiose affair north of York; Harewood House near Leeds is almost as grand. Skipton castle is a genuine medieval survival, but most bastions from that era were deliberately wrecked to prevent rebels holding them, such as at Pontefract.

Do

 * Walk - long distance routes include the Pennine Way, the Coast to Coast Path, the Cleveland Way, the Wolds Way and the Nidderdale Way. There are lots of other paths well suited to an afternoon stroll.
 * Walk, bike or boat along the canals. The most scenic are the three canals that cross the Pennines towards Manchester, all navigable throughout:
 * The Leeds-Liverpool canal crosses by the relatively low Aire valley, with a flight of locks at Gargrave near Skipton;
 * The Rochdale canal climbs from picturesque Hebden Bridge to Todmorden then over to Rochdale and Manchester;
 * The Huddersfield Narrow Canal — and it really is narrow — plunges through the Pennines in a long tunnel with no towpath.
 * Sports - Yorkshire has several pro sports teams to watch plus facilities to play yourself.
 * Football: most major towns have a professional soccer team. In the Premier League, the top tier, are Huddersfield Town and Leeds United.. In the Championship, the second tier, are Middlesbrough, Rotherham United, Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday. In League One, the third tier, are Barnsley, Bradford City, Hull City and Doncaster Rovers. In League Two is Harrogate Town.
 * Rugby in Yorkshire means Rugby League, 13-a-side. In the Super League, the top tier, are Leeds Rhinos, Castleford Tigers, Huddersfield Giants, Hull FC, Hull Kingston Rovers and Wakefield Trinity. Rugby Union (15-a-side) is only played at amateur level.
 * Cricket: Yorkshire County Cricket Club is based at Headingley in Leeds. International games are often held here.
 * Cycling: lots of scenic routes, though the gradients will get your attention.
 * Horse racing: there are nine racecourses in Yorkshire, all with flat races April to October, and some with jumps races in winter. The courses are at Beverley, Catterick near Richmond, Doncaster, Pontefract, Redcar near Middlesbrough, Ripon, Thirsk, Wetherby and York.
 * Heritage railways: there are at least seven in Yorkshire, often steam-hauled. Those that could be called a "proper railway", ie you make a real journey of several miles, are:
 * Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, from Keighley to Haworth and the Brontë Country;
 * Wensleydale Railway, from Leeming Bar near Northallerton to Bedales, Leyburn and Redmire;
 * North York Moors Railway from Whitby to Pickering;
 * while the National Railway Museum in York has a large collection of locos and rolling stock, though the working track is just a few yards long.
 * Music: from the Leeds Symphony Orchestra to Sheffield being the home of Def Leppard, Arctic Monkeys and Pulp, there's something for everyone.

Eat

 * Leeds and York have the most cosmopolitan selection, in all price ranges.
 * Curry and what's loosely called "Indian" food is here more often Pakistani / Kashmiri. It's found in all the towns, especially in Bradford's many little cafes.
 * Liquorice was traditionally grown in Pontefract, and turned into liquorice allsorts and similar confectionery there (as "Haribo") and in Sheffield (as "Bassett's"): when Charlie Chaplin ate his boot in The Gold Rush, it was a liquorice boot custom-made in Pontefract. The other key ingredient is beet sugar, grown all over lowland Yorkshire, but the counties' many chocolate and soft drinks factories are steadily closing down.
 * Wensleydale is a crumbly white or blue cheese traditionally eaten with sweet desserts. Wensleydale's many admirers include animated characters "Wallace and Gromit" (who lived in Lancashire, but Wallace's accent is from Holmfirth in West Yorkshire). You can visit the Wensleydale Creamery in Hawes.
 * Yorkshire Parkin is a ginger cake traditionally served on Guy Fawkes' Night, 5 Nov.
 * Yorkshire Pudding is made from batter, though they're also sold ready-made in the supermarkets. They can be eaten savoury or sweet, as an accompaniment or as an open pie / stew main dish.
 * York ham is a dry-cured ham that originated in Yorkshire. Unlike similar hams in France, Germany, Italy or Spain, York ham is usually breaded and cooked before it is eaten. It is now hard to find, with the last traditional butcher in York having closed down in 2020. Specialist butchers throughout Yorkshire may cure a limited number for Christmas, though these need to be ordered in advance.

Drink

 * Ale: two of the UK's best-selling bitters, Tetley's and John Smiths, have their breweries near York. Theakston's Old Peculiar and Black Sheep Ale are brewed in Masham, North Yorkshire
 * Tea houses: Betty's in Harrogate is the best known but gets very busy in summer.
 * Malt whisky is distilled in Filey, with the first bottles going on sale in late 2019. It can't be called "Scotch" of course, but that's the style.
 * Mineral water bubbles to the surface in several places, but the main Regency and Victorian spa was Harrogate. Agatha Christie fled here incognito to recover from her busted marriage, while PG Wodehouse's character Jeeves cordially detested the place. Taste the mephitic waters served at the Royal Pump Room and your vote is with Jeeves.

Sleep
York, Sheffield and Leeds are the most convenient bases for exploring the region and have a wide variety of accommodation options to suit every budget. Of course, exploring Yorkshire's stunning countryside involves getting out of the towns and into the many hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs that are scattered throughout the region.

Stay safe
Yorkshire in general is quite safe. But like many places in the north of England, the collapse of various industries in Yorkshire has had a devastating effect on the economy, thus crime rates have become very high in some areas, mostly due to high unemployment. It's very unlikely that tourists will be victims of crime, but you should keep your wits about you if you decide to venture into areas that aren't tourist oriented.

Out in the countryside there is little risk of crime (other than valuables left on view in cars in isolated places), though if going walking in winter take sensible precautions against the weather. Also make sure you have a map and compass if you decide to go off the beaten track, you can very easily get lost without them.

In towns and cities, keep valuables out of sight, and stick to well-lit busy areas at night as is recommended for all UK towns and cities.

Go next

 * Manchester and Liverpool in North West England are lively, interesting cities reached from Yorkshire.
 * Historic Lincoln in the East Midlands is a walled city with a well-preserved centre.
 * County Durham has historic Durham and unspoilt Pennine countryside; while further north is Newcastle.

title: Yorkshire