Top Yorkshire Historical Tours

From plague to Vikings to butchery and murder, discover York’s dark history on this family-friendly tour led by a guide known for his dark sense of humor. See sights such as York Minster, the Shambles, and Bedern Hall, the silliest street in England, as you hear tales of bygone days, vile crimes, and things that go bump in the night.

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.

Get a comprehensive tour of York combined with personalized attention on this private excursion. Your dedicated guide will tailor the tour's stops and commentary to your private group's interests. Learn all about York's history, culture, architecture, and people as you walk.

Immerse yourself in the storied past of this historic city with a guide who’s passionate about sharing their knowledge. Spend a fascinating 1.5 hours walking the cobbled streets of Durham, from Market Place to UNESCO World Heritage Site Palace Green—all while you learn about the city’s past and present.

Blend history with entertainment on this spooky walking tour of York. You’ll hear historical tales as you walk through the city and marvel at the medieval architecture of sites like York Minster cathedral. Learn about the city’s history with an emphasis on stories related to witchcraft, the spooky, and the strange.

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.

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.

The heartwarming TV series “All Creatures Great and Small” has inspired a new generation with the beauty of the Yorkshire Dales. Skip the stress of car hire and pair sights from the series with key locations from the creator’s life on this tour from York. Along the way, sample Wensleydale cheese, photograph Aysgarth Falls, and soak up views from high passes to get a taste of true English culture.

Get the lowdown on Whitby’s historic East Side, with a self-guided audio tour that lets you explore at your own pace. After downloading the cellphone App, you can start the tour whenever you wish, following a carefully prepared route around the seaside neighborhood. Tales of Charles Dickens’ characters, the Penny Hedge, and vampire blood complete the experience.

Take a historical walking tour of Durham, in a small group, with Peter. He's lived a few miles from here most of his life, and delivers the tour with knowledge and humour. You'll walk through a thousand years of history, from saints and kings to bishops with armies and the coal industry that shaped it. We start at the Journey Statue, where monks fleeing Viking raids buried St Cuthbert in 995. We pass the Marketplace and the Castle William the Conqueror built in 1072, before he fled the city in terror over a saint's coffin. We see Cathedral stonework, barely changed since 1180, and hear how Durham's Bishops ruled with near royal power for 750 years. You'll hear how coal defined this county for nearly 500 years, until 1993, and how its Miners' Gala still fills these streets every July. Along the way: a statue almost nobody liked, a ghost said to still play his pipes at midnight, and a fog said to have saved the Cathedral from German bombers in 1942.

Discover the enchanting Yorkshire Moors on this captivating day tour from York. Begin your adventure in the picturesque village of Hutton-le-Hole, where charming cottages and serene landscapes invite a leisurely stroll. Continue to the historic port of Whitby, the backdrop for Bram Stoker's Dracula, and enjoy time to explore its cobbled streets, abbey ruins, and sample local fish and chips. Visit the quaint Robin Hood’s Bay and snap photos at the iconic Goathland Station, known as Hogsmeade in Harry Potter. With a small group setting, benefit from a personal touch and insights from your driver-guide. - Full-day tour of Yorkshire Moors and Whitby from York - Free time to explore Hutton-le-Hole, Whitby, and Robin Hood's Bay - Visit Goathland Station, famous from Harry Potter - Travel in a comfortable 16-seat mini-coach with expert commentary

Enjoy all the perks of a ghost tour without having to rush to keep up with a group or spend heaps of cash to have a Yokr guide all to yourself. With this app tour, you don’t have to worry about getting lost in a new city while you hear spooky tales of alleged hauntings that lots of locals don’t even know about.

With almost 1,000 years of recorded history, Durham has racked up ghostly residents aplenty. Start your evening off with a dose of the chills on this dark walking tour that covers ghosts, criminals, rebellions, executions—and even a miracle. Discover secret cemeteries, morbid dungeons, haunted bridges, and a pub with a dark past. Your guide is also happy to provide recommendations for where to go next.

Don’t worry about getting lost in the winding streets of medieval York during this introductory small-group tour of the city, ideal for first-time visitors and those with limited time in the region. See several York highlights—including St Mary’s Abbey, York Minster, and The Shambles—without worrying about directions, while benefiting from the insight of your guide throughout.

Discover the rugged beauty of rural Northern England on a full-day tour from York—no need to rent a car or tackle the area's country roads yourself. Explore traditional English moorland villages, Hutton-le-Hole and Goathland, famed filming locations for the Harry Potter™ movies. Head into the North York Moors National Park for panoramic views over the rolling countryside, then wander Whitby at your leisure, with options to visit Whitby Abbey, the port, or the Captain Cook Museum. Return via the Hole of Horcum.

You don’t have to join a tour group to discover York. This self-guided audio walking tour lets you set the pace and pick up and drop the route when it suits you. Hit all the signature spots—York Minster, Stonegate, Mansion House, the Shambles, one of the best-preserved medieval streets in the world, and more. The app works online and offline, and includes geodata, so you don't need to waste money on roaming charges.

The ruins of Whitby Abbey crown a clifftop over the historic fishing port of Whitby. The headland has hosted St Hild’s Anglo-Saxon monastery, the great medieval abbey and a Stuart mansion, and it’s long been the focus of myths and legends. You can find out more about the headland’s people and stories in the big Whitby Abbey museum, packed with objects and stories. Listening posts, peep-holes and animations tell the headland’s many tales: how St Hild turned snakes to stone, how Anglo-Saxon Caedmon became a poet, how the lost abbey bells are still heard beneath the waves, and how a real shipwreck helped inspire Dracula, which in turn has made Whitby the ‘Goth capital’ of England.

Explore the lanes and stories of one of England’s most atmospheric cities on this Private York Historical Pub Tour — an unforgettable journey through centuries of rebellion, intrigue, ghosts and good cheer. York is a city layered with history: Roman foundations, Viking streets, medieval walls and Georgian elegance. But some of its most vivid stories are told not in museums — they’re told in its pubs. On this private walking tour, we visit a hand-picked selection of York’s most historic and characterful taverns. We begin at the birthplace of Guy Fawkes, the Guy Fawkes Inn, before descending to Roman remains beneath the Roman Bath. Hear ghostly tales inside the famously haunted Golden Fleece, soak up centuries of atmosphere at the Blue Boar, finishing by the river at the flood-prone yet beloved King's Arms. A complimentary drink is included in every pub. Relaxed, private and entertaining, this is York’s story told as it should be: in historic pubs, one glass at a time.

Discover the best of Whitby and the North Yorkshire Moors on this captivating full-day tour. Start in the charming market town of Pickering, then explore the North Yorkshire Moors National Park. Visit the moorland village of Goathland, known as ‘Hogsmeade’ in 'Harry Potter.' Enjoy Whitby’s seaside charm with fish and chips, stroll the harbor, and visit Whitby Abbey. Conclude in Glaisdale, home to the romantic Beggers Bridge.

Despite its UNESCO World Heritage–listed castle and cathedral, Durham doesn’t get much detail in the guidebooks. Learn facts about the city that you won’t easily find online and get recommendations for things to do in the center on this guided walking tour that spans everything from history to hauntings. See the university, bridges, the marketplace, and more, and capture postcard-perfect views of the cathedral.

Delve into England’s colorful history and admire architecture dating back to the Middle Ages on this morning or afternoon York walking tour. Follow a guide through the streets of York and discover landmarks including Bedern Hall, Clifford’s Tower, Fairfax House, King’s Manor, the Multangular Tower, St. Mary’s Abbey, Stonegate, and St. William’s College. Hear how Emperor Constantine, Guy Fawkes, and Richard III shaped modern York, and learn of the English Reformation as you explore York Minster.

Round up the sights of the Yorkshire Dales National Park in just one day and without renting a car when you book this exciting small-group excursion from York. Drive past stone-walled villages, winding valleys, and grazing sheep, making stops at Bolton Castle, market towns, and the Aysgarth Waterfall. Enjoy a scenic drive through the Dales with multiple photo stops, commentary from your guide, and multilingual audio guides for a richer experience.

Take a break from bustling York on a full-day tour of Herriot and the Yorkshire Dales, and travel across the mountainous region with ease via air-conditioned vehicle. Discover the region’s top attractions, including the filming location for "Darrowby" in the TV series "All Creatures Great and Small", Bolton Abbey, and Penistone Hill, and benefit from insights provided by your guide, as well as the more personalized experience of a small-group tour.