Top York How to Get Around

York has a rich history, dating back almost 2,000 years, but finding out which heritage sites to see can be time-consuming. Hear tales and trivia you won’t find in the guidebooks when you join this walking tour, led by a guide with a passion for history. From Guy Fawkes to York Minster, from butchery to falconry, from martyrs to dungeons, get an in-depth perspective on this fascinating city.

Skip the standard group tours and enjoy an alternative history of York during this award-winning, immersive guided tour of the city. Pass by top attractions—such as the Shambles and Jorvik Viking Centre—as you listen to your guide tell tales of witches, queens, and murderers that you wouldn’t hear on most other tours.

Uncover the medieval marvels of historic York on a bespoke walking tour with a private guide. Learn about York’s rich history as you walk around the centuries-old walls, pose for photos with a backdrop of the city or visit the wall museums (not included). Your private tour is yours to customize as you please, so you could also pay a visit to York Castle, stroll down the atmospheric The Shambles or take a peek inside the magnificent York Minster.

See the historic city of York from a different perspective during a 45-minute or 1-hour cruise on the Ouse River. Relax during a leisurely sail, accompanied by commentary that details the history and culture of York, and enjoy unobstructed views of landmarks such as Clifford’s Tower and the York Museum and Gardens. Choose from several departure times to suit your schedule.

Delve into the dark side of York, and see the city in a new light, on this evening ghost bus tour. Visit notorious local haunts of restless spirits and pass eerie sites such as York Minster, Clifford’s Tower, and the grave of Dick Turpin, the infamous highwayman and murderer. Throughout the tour, hear anecdotes and fascinating facts about York’s grisly past, and make key stops for a closer look at the city’s most haunted buildings.

Exploring York on your own can mean wandering past centuries of history without really understanding what you’re seeing. This guided walking tour adds the stories and context that bring the city to life. As you stroll along the ancient walls and through York’s picturesque streets, your guide connects the landmarks to powerful figures such as Constantine the Great, Robert the Bruce, and Oliver Cromwell—explaining how their actions shaped the city you see today. Along the way, discover hidden details, natural features, and lesser-known corners you might otherwise miss, turning a simple walk into a deeper, more meaningful experience of York.

Families visiting York - this is York's only tour created specifically for children, and is ideal for wizard fans! Kids will enjoy a more engaging experience exploring York's history, magic, and mystery by walking around the city with a guide dressed as a wizard. Along the way, hear jokes, watch close-up magic, and search for mythical creatures at interesting locations–such as the York Minster, and the Shambles.

See a spookier side to York without the worry of getting lost during this guided ghost walk around the streets and snickelways (alleys) of the medieval city. Listen to your guide tell tales of York’s tragic past that you wouldn’t otherwise hear, ask questions along the way to learn more, and enjoy an atypical introduction to the city.

The Drowned City is an interactive tour that takes you through the city’s fascinating and often dark history to reveal a hidden world of Vikings, Medieval architecture, and Victorian trade. Follow the clues and solve riddles to find your way through the winding cobbled streets of York, with the aim of saving the city from an invasion of mythical beasts.

This Quirks & Snickets tour consists of a trail of clues that guide you around York. It takes the boredom out of repetitive walking tours, allows you to solve riddles, and helps you discover hidden sites that you might not find otherwise. The clues are easily accessed through your phone, making it a fun and convenient way to explore the city.

Discover the highlights of York with ease on this private guided walking tour. Opting for a private tour, instead of a shared group tour, means you can ask questions throughout and customize the route to suit your needs. Places showcased on the tour include historical buildings—such as the York Minster—and interesting attractions, such as the JORVIK Viking Centre.

See the historic buildings and monuments of York through a lens on this unique walking photography tour. Take photos with the guidance of your professional photographer guide, and learn about the history of the ancient city as you go. Learn how to take photographs of landscapes, buildings and street portraits on your own camera, whether you have a state-of-the-art machine or you’re using your smartphone.

Get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and discover North Yorkshire’s diverse landscapes on this full-day small-group tour.

Using an app on your smartphone, you'll be given nearly 120 objects to find during your scavenger hunt. You'll then wander throughout the downtown area searching for the items. Once you've found the object, you'll send a photo in to score points. Along the way, you will perform challenges for even more points. You'll have 13 categories of objects you can find in this city walk, with each object varying in points depending on the difficulty. Don't worry, you won't be alone. You'll have a remote guide that will be texting you during your game if you need help or have a question. They will also encourage you and give you hints along the way! The objective of the game is to have fun, rank #1 on the leaderboard, and try to get as many points as possible by finding all of the objects!

This is a great pick for travelers interested in discovering some of the best independent eateries in York. Save time scrolling through restaurant reviews, and learn about the local food scene from a guide instead. The tour visits five independent food venues for tastings that make up a generous lunch and passes by famous landmarks such as the York Minster along the way.

Swap York for a small-group day trip to Whitby and the North York Moors National Park. Visit dispersed outdoor sights that would be hard to get to without your own car, and enjoy free time to explore Whitby independently and see its famous abbey, Captain Cook-themed attractions, and fish and chip shops. The trip also shows you great photo opportunities at the North York Moors, Helmsley, and other picturesque English villages.

Get off the beaten path of the tourist trails and come join us for an exciting exploration of the fascinating story behind York’s unique snickelways. Discover the history of the city as told by its ancient alleys, secret snickets, charming courtyards, and long-lost lanes. This walking tour will take you on a journey through the paths of the city known only to locals, giving you a unique perspective on York’s rich heritage. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to uncover the stories that lie around - and in - every corner in York!

Visit some of York's best and lesser-known sights and meet the cast of characters who have helped shape the city, from an ancient Roman outpost to the exciting city of today. • Enjoy three walking tours around the city. One tracing the city wall, another examining its ancient history and the final tour looking at its haunted spots • Hear from producer James Easton, a local resident, passionate about the history • Have complete control over when you start and finish with the ability to linger at stops en route • Get unlimited use before your booking date and after it • Use the virtual tour option at home Once you’ve booked, you’ll receive a ticket with instructions and 3 codes listed under “Before You Go”. Simply install the VoiceMap mobile app and enter your codes. The app displays directions to the starting point, and when you’re in the right place, just pop in your headphones and tap start. The app has automatic GPS playback, with turn-by-turn directions. It also works offline.

Explore the ancient city of York in a new and unique way on this self-guided treasure hunt tour. Using GPS technology, follow the guide app’s clues and solve puzzles to reveal hidden locations on your map. Walk through the streets like a local, and take short-cuts and secret passages to the most iconic York tourist spots, the best way to avoid the crowds. Win points as you travel—will you reach the top of the national leaderboard?

A beautiful and historic city, York is perfect for discovering on foot. Enjoy the services of a local guide on this private tour, which can be tailored to start and finish at the city-center locations of your choice. You'll see sights like medieval York Minster, the spectacular York City Walls, the Shambles, with its overhanging medieval houses, and the Clifford's Tower fortress.

With beautiful architecture and medieval history, York is widely considered among England’s must-see cities—but pounding the sidewalks on foot takes time and effort. On this tour, hop into the saddle and spin through the city streets by bicycle, and hit top attractions like York Minster with ease. Follow safe routes inside and outside the ancient city walls, with your guide bringing York’s colorful Roman and Viking history to life.

Learn about York's history and legends on a 2-hour Viking walking tour with a private guide, Sigwulf. You'll walk through town to see historical landmarks and listen to stories from the Viking days. Departure time is flexible to suit your preferences.

York has a fascinating Roman past and this private tour unpacks it more efficiently than you could likely do alone. View the city’s Roman relics, including its Roman Column, York Minster—built over a Roman basilica– and other points of interest, all with guided commentary for background. Along the way, hear about mad emperors and lost legions; and discover how a posting to York was considered dangerous in Roman times.