I can’t believe 4 days flew by so fast in York. It’s a beautiful medieval walled city which has so much history at every corner. The 9th legion of the Roman army built the Roman Basilica here as the base to conquer the North. Then came the Anglo-Saxon, the Viking, the Norman, Medieval, Tudor, Stuart’s, Georgian, Victorian… Each of them have left their mark on York and this city has been built on top of each civilization.
The perfect example are the City Walls where Archaeologists have discovered 2000 years of history.
The only way I can know all about this is by taking the Historical Walking tour hosted by the city for free, which I highly recommend.
St. Mary’s Abbey Ruins and Museum Gardens are perfect picnic spots.
York Minster – I highly recommend visiting the York Minster. Since the 7th century, the Minster has been at the centre of Christianity in the north of England and today remains a thriving church. It must be one of the biggest churches in the North. Every aspect of this ancient building – from the exquisite, handcrafted stone through to the unrivalled collection of medieval stained glass – tells the story of Jesus Christ which must be something for those who couldn’t read or write in the ancient times. It has been attracting pilgrims for more than 1000 years, I suppose that’s how the traveling bug was implanted in our DNA. In some ways, I’m also a pilgrim going from one place to another.
Interestingly, York Minster was built over the Norman church, which was built over the Roman Fort. It was fascinating to discover 2000 years of history by visiting the underground chambers in the Undercroft.
City Streets and Festivals – The best thing about York Center is that you can just walk from one street to another discovering cool cafes, tea rooms, pubs and restaurants.
I was hungry, so I grabbed a sandwich at the York Fringe Festival going on and there I met some locals who were super friendly and we had hearty laughs.
When in York, you have to visit a tea house. I decided to visit the iconic Bettys Cafe Tea Rooms for afternoon tea. Honestly, it was ok, nothing to rave about.
Cliffords Tower – The now-ruinous keep of the Norman castle is a perfect place to have a picnic while admiring the city view, so I grabbed a wrap and drink, and ended up here to enjoy my evening.
Shambles is an old street in York dating as far as 14th century. You can admire the timber-framed buildings from that period which used to have butcher shops but now it’s occupied by cafes and restaurants.
Having a glass of Rosé admiring the sun set over the River Ouse is such a beautiful and meditative experience. I did end up spending hours just relaxing here.
I enjoyed walking along the River to get to my Apartment. Along the way, I would often take a break on the Millennium Bridge. What a clever way of incorporating seating space on the bridge with stunning views.
There’s so much more to do and explore here but I chose to take it easy and spend quality time rather than rushing from one place to another. I’m enjoying the experience of connecting with nature, admiring the architecture and to mingle with the locals wherever I go.
PS: On a side note, around 5pm, most of the places starts to close. I was hoping to chill at a cafe the first day I arrived here in the evening but all of them were closed.
