I’ve been to York a few times for work as well as a day trip for fun. I really recommend visiting York for a couple of days of holidaying in the UK. The Shambles is really pretty (think leaning over old buildings, cobbled pavements, maybe a market here or there), there’s plenty of crumbly castle walls around to admire and there’s lots of touristy museums and shops to have a mooch around. Although it can get really busy with tourists. I have a post about Whitby, Harrogate and some other places in the area but below is a list of 6 things I’ve done so far in York and 6 things I plan to do next time I’m there.
6 things I've done
1. York’s Chocolate Story. It’s not as big as Cadbury’s World but it is a cool delve into the world of chocolate and York’s sweet past. We got a small sample as part of the tour but I’d recommend visiting the café to get even more treats.
![]() |
Photo: York's Chocolate Story |
2. Stroll down The Shambles. This is one of the best-preserved medieval shopping streets in Europe and may remind you of a certain Diagon Alley!
![]() |
Photo: www.bestthingstodoinyork.co.uk |
3. Harry Potter shops including The Shop That Must Not Be Named, The Potions Cauldron and The Hole in Wand (mini golf).
![]() |
Photo: www.flyingwithababy.com |
4. See the York Minster
![]() |
Photo: Expedia |
5. National Railway Museum- This was a really big museum. I’m not really into trains but I spent more time here than I expected. I was really surprised it was free too! It housed the Hogwarts Express at the time of my visit, which was really cool!
![]() |
Photo: www.yorkshirewonders.co.uk |
6. The York Castle Museum was a fake Victorian street I visited. It was OK, I especially liked the prison cells, but I wouldn’t visit again or recommend it really- I preferred Ironbridge.
6 things I'd like to do next time
1. The Wizard Walk of York- A Harry Potter themed walking tour
![]() |
Photo: Trip Advisor |
2. A tour at York Cocoa Works, just for a bit of a different experience than the York’s Chocolate Story that I’ve already visited.
![]() |
Photo: York Cocoa Works |
3. Walk more along York City Walls
![]() |
Photo: Shutterstock |
4. The Jorvik Viking Centre- Moving carriages, life-size dioramas and ancient artefacts give a snapshot of what Viking life would have been like.
![]() |
Photo: Anthony Chappel-Ross |
5. York Cold War Bunker- A semi-subterranean bunker built in case of a Soviet nuclear attack and, with its blast-proof doors, perspex maps and decontamination areas is described by English Heritage as ‘the most modern and spine-chilling’ of their properties.
![]() |
Photo: © Dario Sušanj |
6. Buy a unique ghost or at least visit the York Ghost Merchants. There are lots of vidoes on Instagram about this, one of which can be found here.
![]() |
Photo: Trip Advisor |