12 Fascinating Sites To Visit In York, England

York Minster

York TowerIn the city of York, with its colourful and fascinating history and wealth of attractions, it can be difficult to know what to visit first. A good place for art lovers to begin exploring York, is Tower Street, where both established and promising artists exhibit their work every six weeks.

The Regimental Museum can also be found on Tower Street and displays in its spacious surroundings magnificent paintings, prints and uniforms of regiments that go back as far as the 17th century. Currently, admission to this fascinating place is only £4, but is free to accompanied children under 16.

History lovers are bound to want to visit Yorkshire Air Museum, which is to be found in 20 acres of parkland at Elvington close to York City. Admission to what was, at one time, World War II RAF Bomber Command Station, is currently £7 for adults, £5 for senior citizens and £4 for children.

Yorkshire Air Museum is indeed the biggest WWII station open to the general public and has a large restaurant to dine in, splendid gardens to peruse and more than 15 exhibitions to enjoy.

Jorvik Viking CenterJorvik Viking Centre provides an excellent fun family day out and should be an educational experience too, as visitors can learn all about the Vikings and where they came from, what they did and eventually where they went. Prices start from £9.25 for adults and £6.25 for children between the ages of 5 and 15. Some concessions are also available.  Schools who wish to visit Jorvik Centre are regularly catered for, so children can learn about this fascinating era.

York Railway MuseumYork’s National Railway Museum is another must see for both young and old alike. Originally opening in 1975, it has been extended on more than one occasion. However, what with its fascinating collection of 100 locomotives and other items, it continues to be a success with the public. Entry is free, although charges do apply for certain special events.

Whilst local engineers designed the railways, many navigators, or navvies (as they have become known), built them and this and many more stories of how the railways began can be learnt about at this Railway Museum.

York MinsterYork Minster is one of the biggest and indeed most beautiful Gothic Cathedrals in the World and for this very reason, attracts many people from all over the globe who marvel at its architectural splendour whilst delving into its fascinating history. Admission fees are currently £9 for adults and £8 for senior citizens, whilst students and children aged 16 and under are allowed free entry.

Currently, it is said to cost approximately £20,000 per day just to run this amazing Cathedral.

York RacesSporting enthusiasts are bound to be drawn to York Races, where the racecourse is considered to be one of the best in Britain. Admission prices are largely dependent upon the fixture, but course enclosure is between £5 to £7, although accompanied children aged up to 16 are allowed free admission.

Clifford’s Tower is another of York’s many historic attractions and is what remains of York’s Castle and its keep. From here, one can enjoy some of the most splendid views of York City and in the springtime, the banks are coloured with beautiful yellow daffodils. Admission costs are currently just £3.50 for adults and £1.80 for children.

Treasurer’s House is a fascinating 17th century building located behind York Minster. Here, one can embark upon a guided tour of this fascinating medieval dwelling and explore its many treasures, including the walled garden and art gallery. Admission charges are £6.30 and £3.10 for adults and children respectively.

Most interestingly, there is a Roman Tour available at Treasurer’s House, where those brave enough can hear all about the ghostly apparitions said to be seen here!

One place that certainly should not fail to impress its visitors is York Castle Museum, which is particularly famous for its recreation of a Victorian Street known as Kirkgate. There is also a host of exhibitions to choose from here, including York Castle Prison and even the 1960s! A year’s admission is only £8.50 for adults and is free for children under 16.

As part of the programme for 2010/11, York Castle Museum staff will be committing themselves to an adult learning service via workshops, events and other activities within the Museum and within Yorkshire Museum and York Art Gallery.

_______________________________________________________

Tony HaslamAbout The Author: This post was contributed by Anthony Haslam of TravelSupermarket.com.  Travel Supermarket.com is a UK price comparison site.

_______________________________________________________

 

Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!