Before You Visit York: How Long to Stay and What to Book
In episode 219 of the UK Travel Planning Podcast Tracy is joined by Sinead of York Travel Expert, a York local. Between them, they cover how much time York actually deserves, whether you need a car, and where to base yourself.
This is the next in the Before You Go series, following Edinburgh, where we talk through what visitors most need to know before they arrive. Sinead first joined us back on episode three, still one of our most downloaded episodes. This is that conversation taken back to the beginning, with more on accessibility, parking, York Minster tickets, and the weeks of the year worth avoiding altogether.
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Episode 219 – Summary
What you’ll learn in this episode
- Why York surprises people with its size, and what a population of around 200,000 means for how you plan your days
- The four ways in, from a direct two hour train out of King’s Cross to flying into Leeds Bradford or Manchester
- Why the train station location changes everything, and how to use York as a stop on a London to Edinburgh trip
- What the cobbles are actually like, where the pavements run alongside them, and how the snickelways cut your walking time
- Where the one step free access point onto the city walls is, and which gateway to avoid if steps are difficult
- How Jorvik handles wheelchair users, why only one can go in at a time, and what to ask when you call ahead
- Where to hire a low cost wheelchair in the city centre, and where the accessible toilets are
- The park and ride maths: £4 return on the bus against £15 to £20 a day to park in town
- Why staying inside the walls means character and bells but no lift, and the two modern exceptions
- What your £20 York Minster ticket actually includes, and the extra £6 climb Sinead recommends with one warning
- The stretch of wall to walk if you only have half an hour, and the one to walk if you have two
- Sinead’s one day plan for York, and the museums and churches most visitors walk straight past
- The dates to avoid booking, from race days to the last weekend in January, and why midweek is a different city
Links mentioned in this episode
- Mountain Goat – small group tours from York and the Lake District, including the All Creatures Great and Small tour we took in June. Use code UKTRAV10 for 10% off.
- York Travel Expert– Sinead’s own guide to York, from the best attractions to where to stay.
Related podcast episodes
- Episode 3 – Visiting York
- Episode 17 – Best day trips from York
- Episode 137 – Yorkshire Uncovered: Top 5 Must-Do Experiences with Andrew Ward from Expedition Yorkshire
- Episode 201 – Before You Visit Edinburgh: 12 Things to Know Before Your First Trip
Related articles
- York Travel Guide (including essential travel tips, itinerary + map)
- Things to do in York ( + Itinerary, Map & Tips)
- 11 Best places to stay in York (for all budgets & travel styles)
- How to get from London to York [All options compared]
- 19 Best Things to do in Yorkshire (Day Trips & Tours)
More from us
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