November 10th, 2009

Visit York, United Kingdom!

As one of the most aesthetically pleasing and historical cities in the UK, if not the world, York is a great place for a weekend visit.York is a walled city, and is referred to by some as “the UK’s favorite city”. The streets are quintessential “cobblestone” with mediaeval properties displaying a great deal of heritage.

Visit Stonegate, which has the Teddy Bear Shop, containing beautiful hand-crafted bears and stuffed animals. Also on Stonegate is the Evil Eye Bar – rumored to be the favorite bar of actor Johnny Depp. Keep walking along Stonegate and you will reach York Minster. This is the oldest gothic cathedral in Europe, and is a site to behold. You can take a tour of the historical building, and even look out across York from the very top of it.

York Dungeon is a favorite attraction of visitors to the city. There is new “Bloody Vikings” display, and you can go through the darkest depths of York Prison, and other exhibits designed to chill you to your very core. As the website proclaims: The York Dungeon Brings York’s Horrible History to Life.
If you’re interested in the historical aspect of the city, then the Jorvic Viking Museum is for you. This museum will take you back in time to when the Vikings roamed the streets of York. There are many cool exhibits, including “dig” in which you can excavate the remains of York’s Viking history. You can make your own Viking coin, and take a trip through the actual ruins of Viking homes.
At the national railway museum you can see the historic trains and steam engines, and see how the technology has progressed over the course of the last century or so. There’s also a library and archive center for those really interested in the history of the rail. There are three halls of trains, including one which is the world’s fastest steam engine! You can also tour the Japanese Bullet Train. The best thing about York Railway Museum is that entry is absolutely free, although they reserve the right to charge for some rare special events and exhibits.

On a beautiful summer day there is nothing nicer than going on a cruise of the York River Ousse. Yorkboat offers a variety of services, including the history tour, in which they will tell you all about York’s cultural and historical background on the journey. There are some more fun boat rides and some more romantic ones where you can get dinner on the river by twilight.
York also has shopping centers at Clifton Moor, Coppergate Center, and McArthur Glen. The city center is full of great places to eat and drink, including the most flooded pub in Britain, and the historic Lendal Callar. At night, there are several clubs for people who want to experience the nightlife as well as the daytime history of the city. York has something for everyone. It is a great historical and cultural city.