York Travel Guide & On Mondays We Link Up (#88)

With a brief detour for other fun and important content, I’m back on my Englandecap with a post on the city of York. England is sooo beautiful and I have too many pictures to not share each city individually. Plus, I’m beefing up my travel content, which is hopefully helpful for your own travel ideas.

So, without further ado, here’s

The Ultimate York Travel Guide

The Best Place to Stay in York

We stayed at a bed and breakfast called Arnot House. It is a small hotel owned by a mother and daughter, within walking distance of both the train station and the medieval city center. It has lovely Victorian decor, a comfy bed, and a delicious breakfast. We really enjoyed our stay there, and highly recommend it.

Things To Do In York:

• Explore On Foot. The city is very walkable, with layers of Roman ruins upon medieval ruins upon existing European treasures. We began our visit by walking on the city wall, with views of the beautiful York Minster.
• Shopping. York is full of great shopping, with big stores like Marks & Spencer and TopShop, to smaller vintage boutiques. I bought a scarf, and would have bought everything at this small vintage shop if I had more room in my suitcase. We also popped into almost every bookstore we passed, and enjoyed the sometimes perilous charm of the winding, steep staircases revealing more dusty rooms of books.
• Ghost Tour. Apparently York is very haunted, with lots of ghosts and spirits. And I would never pass up the opportunity to learn about that side of a city. On our first evening, we joined one of the tour companies on a walking ghost tour around the city. It was a great way to learn about some of the history, whether or not you believe in freaky supernatural things.
• The Minster. After visiting so many churches in Europe, they all start to run together. What makes the York Minster different is that there is a museum underneath revealing the anthropology of the site upon which the church is built. Over the years, the same spot was used as a Roman fortress, then a pagan temple, and many layers of churches and additions to each. Definitely worth the visit.

Top Places to Eat in York

• We were lucky enough to be in York on September 25-26 during the York Food & Drink Festival. There were blocks and blocks of food vendors and a tent with live music and beverages! We went both days, and munched on some delicious crepes, a meat pie with mushed peas, and some of the best loaded scones I’ve ever had.
• Il Paradiso Del Cibo. We really felt like eating something other than English pub grub one evening, so we ducked into this popular authentic Italian restaurant. We felt like we were being transported back to our honeymoon in Italy, with the friendly Italian wait staff and delicious pizzas.
• Hole In the Wall Pub. After the ghost tour, we wanted to hang out somewhere with nice ambiance and have a well-earned beer. Chillin’ by the wood-burning fireplaces and listening to the dreamy live acoustic guitar was the perfect end to a hectic day of sightseeing.

For Harry Potter Enthusiasts.

Head Straight to The Shambles. We had no idea that this small, odd street was the inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter series. The street has 3 Harry Potter stores on it, along with a bunch of other lovely boutiques. And if you’re patient, you can get some great photos! It is the street in the photo above where I’m holding a yellow leaf.

What To Wear in York

For a late September trip, I recommend light layers and comfortable walking shoes. I was just fine in my wool mini skirt and frilly blouse (two new favorites of mine) with a light jacket.  The orange dress and plaid blazer were a bit light so I bought a scarf in a boutique for some extra warmth.

If you’re planning a trip to England, you must put York on your list. It deserves at least a day and a half to fully explore and enjoy the laid-back portions of the city.

Shop My York Outfits:

–Roxanne

• Headed to England and need some ideas just like in this York travel guide? I’ve got them! Here are my guides on Windsor, Bath, and The Cotswolds, as well as the ultimate England packing list.

• Find my woven belt bag and lace up booties here.

On Mondays We Link Up

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