What is York Famous For?
York is among the most historically significant cities, not just in the UK, but in the world. Nowadays, it’s a place that’s fallen into the shadows of larger neighbours like Sheffield and Leeds. But if you’re planning a visit to Yorkshire and you’ve got a taste for the historical, then it’s only sensible to make a trip to the county town.
But what is it about York that makes it so special and worthwhile? Let’s take a closer look.
About York
York holds the honour of being the second most visited city in England (with London claiming top spot). It’s an ancient city that’s been variously occupied by the Romans, the Vikings, and just about everyone since then. As such, you’ll find that it comes with a layered identity, that’s visible when you’re strolling around the town centre. Medieval cobbled streets, towering city walls, and an absolutely sprawling gothic cathedral in the form of York Minster.
The city is reachable easily via train. If you’re based in the south, you’ll find trains to York running regularly.
What is York Famous For?
The House of York was, of course, one of two beligerents which eventually settled their differences and gave birth to the Tudor era, which was among the most consequential in the history of modern Britain. But modern York has several features which distinguish it from the other cities in the country.
For starters, there’s a wealth of pubs here. If you were to visit just one of them every day, you could stay in the city for an entire year without drinking in the same one. Among the pubs in the city is one of the oldest in the country, the Grade-II-listed Ye Olde Starr Inne, which is to be found on Stonegate: one of the city’s oldest stone-paved roads.
Best Things to Do in York
York offers a shopping experience like no other, in the form of the famous Shambles. This cobblestone street is crammed with imposing Elizabethan buildings. Once home to more than two dozen butchers, it’s now where you’ll find the best boutique shops in the city.
Aside from the Cathedral, there are a few other notable structures worth visiting. These include the Castle, which has been knocked-down and debuilt multiple times throughout its lifespan. Then there’s the city walls, which feature a number of features left over by the city’s roman occupants.
If you’d like to explore the viking era that contributed so much to shaping the city we know today, then a trip to the famous Jorvik Viking Centre might well be worthwhile. It gets its name from the original Norse term for York (which means that you pronounce it with a ‘y’ sound in place of the J.
