Things to do in York, England

York has a heritage to rival any city in Britain. King George VI famously remarked that York's "history is the history of England." Perhaps that's overstating it, but York has nevertheless seen a lot, from the Roman and Norman periods to the vast changes in the Victorian era. As if to ward off time, the city is still encircled by two-and-a-half miles of medieval walls. Whereas sentries used to walk the wide ramparts in days of yore, tourists walk them today. As one of the most intriguing cities in northern England (the heads of traitors used to hang at the entrance to Micklegate), York boasts a number of historical landmarks. Don't miss Minster Cathedral, the Castle Museum, Jorvik Viking Center, Clifford's Tower, and The Shambles, which is one of the best preserved medieval streets in Europe.

York has a heritage to rival any city in Britain. King George VI famously remarked that York's "history is the history of England." Perhaps that's overstating it, but York has nevertheless seen a lot, from the Roman and Norman periods to the vast changes in the Victorian era. As if to ward off time, the city is still encircled by two-and-a-half miles of medieval walls. Whereas sentries used to walk the wide ramparts in days of yore, tourists walk them today. As one of the most intriguing cities in northern England (the heads of traitors used to hang at the entrance to Micklegate), York boasts a number of historical landmarks. Don't miss Minster Cathedral, the Castle Museum, Jorvik Viking Center, Clifford's Tower, and The Shambles, which is one of the best preserved medieval streets in Europe.