One day in York, UK: an aesthetic day trip from London

York is a mystical place, in part because of its medieval heritage and in part because of the Harry Potter lore that has infiltrated the place. Either way, the crooked shops on the Shambles and the centuries-old city walls lend an air of magic to the city. Despite being up North, it is easy to visit York as a day trip to London as the train there takes a little less than 2 hours.

I’ve always wanted to go to York, but the UK’s extortionate train prices have always prevented me from doing so. I finally had the forethought to book a train a few months in advance, and visited York for a little over 24 hours while on my way to Edinburgh.

Here’s my guide to an aesthetic day trip to York.

Getting around York

York is not large and it’s best to get around by foot. I did nearly 30k steps in my 29 hours in the city!

We stayed overnight at the Moxy hotel on the other side of the city from the station, and a cab ride was only £5 when we didn’t want to make the 20 minute walk back with the suitcase.

Getting to York

We got the LNER train from London Kings Cross which took 1hr46 minutes, meaning that we arrived in York by 10:30 am. Trains can be very expensive in the UK (sigh) but with foresight I was able to book the tickets a few months in advance and the single ticket was about £21 each with a railcard, meaning it would have been about £30 without.

So, to be clear about my experience, my partner and I visited York for a day and a half while on the way to Edinburgh — so didn’t have a return train that day.

Railcards make a huge difference, so I’d highly suggest you get one, whether you qualify for the young person’s scheme or the two together railcard, etc. They save 1/3 off rail tickets so the cost of the railcard (£30) will be covered very quickly!

I’ve been foiled many times before by expensive return tickets to York, so do book in advance as it is crucial for finding affordable fares!

When to visit York

I’ve always thought of York as a autumnal or wintery city, and I think the slightly spooky vibes would be heightened in that atmosphere! The views from the city walls must be stunning with autumn foliage.

We visited in the height of the summer, which really paid off because the long evenings meant that we could see the city streets at a bit of a quieter time after the crowds had dispersed.

York can get very busy. If you want to avoid the crowds, try your best to visit on a weekday.

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One day in York: Morning on the city walls and visiting museums

Breakfast

A scone for breakfast? Why not! When I saw Parlormade Scone House on the Shambles I was immediately enraptured. I always love a scone with cream and jam but I fear that being up North really transformed me into a scone girly because I ate 3 in my 24 hours there (more on Betty’s little rascals later).

Peeking in the window of Parlormade revealed a variety of homemade scone flavours from blueberry and lemon to cherry and lime. We were shown up several flights of narrow, creaky stairs to a tiny wonky room overlooking the Shambles market, and from there we enjoyed a scone, cream and jam with a hot chocolate for breakfast. Breakfast of champions, truly.

The bonus about coming here for breakfast is that it will probably be a bit quieter around the Shambles at that time, which may mean easier photo ops. It gets very busy around here, which is why I suggest coming back much later in the evening.

Walking the city walls

York's city walls boast a Roman origin, tracing back to the 3rd century. These fortifications underwent enhancements through the medieval period, serving as a bulwark during important historical confrontations. While urban expansion led to the removal of certain segments in the 19th century, a significant portion of the walls still stand strong, providing a vantage point for viewing the majestic city.

My favourite portion of the city walls are those behind the York Minster, particularly looking over the garden of Gray’s Court Hotel which is truly stunning. The site also houses National Trust - Treasurer's House, a charming Georgian house museum.

The York City walls are open from 8:30am-6pm daily.

Museum Gardens

After exploring the city walls, head to Museum Gardens, the historic gardens that are filled with beautiful flower beds, ruins, and several important museums.

The Yorkshire Museum houses a range of ancient artefacts from this historic region of England, while the York Art Gallery displays a beautiful range of paintings and ceramics.

I loved the small but wonderfully curated collection at the York Art Gallery, there were so many treasures to see and interesting combinations of historic and contemporary art. It is normally £8, but was free with my National Art Pass.

Midday: lunch and mini golf

Lunch in York

The Shambles Market is a great place to stop for lunch as the stalls provide a good variety with little fuss. I like Miller’s, a chippy with a twist. The halloumi fries are delicious and they offer slightly elevated fish&chips fare such as lemon pepper fish bites. There are plenty of other options here, or if it is a bit too busy for you, try Spark, another street food market nearby.

Another excellent lunch option is Ipuku, a charming Japanese eatery in the centre of York. They have a lunch deal for their onigiri, which are delicious. Everything is calming and aesthetically pleasing here.

Wizard Mini Golf

While walking around the area near Clifford’s Tower, we passed Hole in Wand, a ‘wizard’ (read: unofficially Harry Potter) themed mini golf and couldn’t resist trying it out. At only about £8 a person, it felt like a pretty good deal. While small, the holes were good fun as we were on a mission to find a missing goblin. After finishing the quest, we were given a ‘potion’ - soda - corresponding to our score. A nice way to break up the day and do something a bit different!

Afternoon: shopping and tea

York’s streets are undeniably charming, so having more of a wander around is necessary. There are a lot of chain and tat shops around here (an issue I have with most UK cities and towns — how I wish the historic aesthetic were a bit more preserved!) but still some cute gems.

One of my favourite shops in York is Country Traditionals, a polish pottery shop selling the most gorgeous crockery. I can’t get enough of it, and restrained myself to a soap dish this time! Just to note, there’s another location in Cambridge which I first discovered on my way to the Kettle’s Yard Museum — do check it out if you’re nearby.

Betty’s

Betty's Café Tea Rooms is a Yorkshire institution, so is a must-visit while in York. Known for such treats as their ‘fat rascals’, fruit scones with cherry eyes, Betty’s is the perfect place to stop for afternoon tea or just a treat. There’s usually a queue to be seated in the cafe, but there is a takeaway entrance to the side of the main queue which offers the chance to grab a rascal or other cake to go.

I fell in love with chocolate and orange ‘little rascals’ while I was here and shared 3 with my partner over the course of our 24 hours in York!

Fairfax House

I didn’t have time to visit Fairfax House on my recent trip to York, but it was on my list since I am such a lover of house museums. This Georgian townhouse was built in the mid 18th century and shows the elegant interiors of the time period. For lovers of interior design and history, it’s a nice activity to keep busy and avoid crowds in York.

Evening: dinner and quieter streets

York can be quite busy, especially on the weekends, and the small medieval streets can’t hold too many people at once. I waited to visit the Shambles and other historic streets until sunset and the evening, because it meant that most of the crowds left the city and I had a chance to properly enjoy the architecture.

But, before we get there, here are some suggestions for dinner in York.

Dinner in York

The Blue Barbakan

The Blue Barbakan is a Polish restaurant which is so charming and cosy. The dishes are all Polish crockery from Country Traditionals, and the dishes are comforting as you would expect. Generous portions and amazing selection of cakes for dessert. They have a great set menu deal for lunch/early evening as well.

Melton’s Restaurant

I was gutted that we were in York on a day when Melton’s was closed, because I had one look at this place on maps and was sold. It’s my favourite kind of restaurant: fine dining, but casual about it, with cosy vibes and beautiful plating.

Rustique

Another warm and cosy option, Rustique is a French place with an affordable and popular set menu.

Los Moros

Los Moros is a North African restaurant with a strong reputation for delicious, colourful food and a beautiful interior design.

York at golden hour

An advantage to visiting York in the summer is that the late light hours provide an opportunity to see the city at a quiet time, with few visitors on the streets. When I visited in July, I was able to spend time between 8-9:30pm walking the streets and capturing photographs with beautiful golden light and empty streets.

The Shambles is of course York’s most famous street. This small, wonky street of medieval architecture and overhanging timber-framed buildings carries a distinct charm. Because of its likeness to Diagon Alley from Harry Potter (despite no official link) the street has filled with wizard-themed shops and tours. This makes it very busy during daylight/trading hours, and in my opinion also takes away from the true historic nature of the street. By visiting later in the evening, you’ll be able to see the street for what it is a little easier.

York Minster is the stunning and enormous Gothic cathedral seen from all points in the city. The magnificent architecture draws a number of visitors during opening hours, but I really enjoyed seeing it at golden hour when the warm light lit up the details of the intricate carving on the facade.

Between the Shambles and York Minster are many charming streets worth having a wander around in the evening.

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One day in York is plenty of time to see the highlights of the city and enjoy the charming streets and atmosphere. As an easy day trip from London, it can certainly be done by train in one day. However, if you want to stay for a bit longer, you can take things a little slower in York.

I opted to stay overnight and then travel to Edinburgh the next day, and it was the perfect pit stop to break up the train journey. If you’re looking for somewhere to stay, I’d suggest the Moxy, a modern and comfortable hotel with very affordable prices — we really enjoyed our stay here.

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