York

A walled city with two thousand years on show: York Minster, one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in northern Europe, the medieval Shambles, the city walls you can walk round, the Jorvik Viking Centre and the free National Railway Museum. 1 hour 50 from London King's Cross by train and 2 hours 30 from Edinburgh, so an easy stop between them, with Durham 50 minutes up the line; the North York Moors and Whitby are about 1.5 hours away by car, or the Coastliner bus over the moors.

Highlights

• York Minster and its tower climb
• Walk the city walls
• The Shambles
• National Railway Museum (free)
• Jorvik Viking Centre
• Evening ghost walk
• Day trip to Whitby or Castle Howard

Things to do

• York Minster and the tower climbMorning · 2h 30m
• City walls and the ShamblesAfternoon · 2h 30m
• National Railway MuseumAfternoon · 2h 30m
• Ghost walkEvening · 1h 30m
• Castle Howard and its gardensMorning · 4h

Tours & tickets

When to go

Best time: April – September

• Christmas markets and lights — From mid November to Christmas: Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, Edinburgh's market in Princes Street Gardens, Manchester's and Birmingham's German-style markets, and the markets in Bath and York. London's Oxford and Regent Street lights go up in November. Weekend crowds and higher hotel prices; most attractions close on 25 December, and trains don't run on Christmas Day.
• Jorvik Viking Festival — York's week of Viking re-enactments, battles and a march through the city in February half-term. Popular with families; book rooms early.