Exploring York: The Original Tourist Destination

York, England, is a captivating blend of history, culture, and charm, making it one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Known for its stunning York Minster, the city boasts a rich heritage that dates back to 71 AD, including ancient walls and Viking history.

Visitors can enjoy a delightful experience at Betty’s Tea Room, famous for 60 years for its traditional tea and crumpets, and explore the fascinating exhibits at the National Railway Museum. The atmosphere is further enlivened by street performers, such as a talented boogie-woogie piano player who brings a lively spirit to the town. With its haunted history and ghost tours led by engaging local guides, York invites travelers to uncover its many stories and treasures.

York, in the north of England near Leeds, is one of the most popular tourist sites in England. It has the huge York Minster, a boogie-woogie piano man in the street, Betty’s Tea Room and the National Railway Museum, plus ancient walls and Viking history. Read more about York, England.

https://www.gonomad.com/2175-york-england-the-original-york

Nestled between Leeds and the east coast, York boasts a rich tapestry of experiences, from its impressive medieval walls to the scenic River Ouse that runs alongside them. Listeners are transported to the vibrant streets where the sounds of a boogie-woogie piano player fill the air, reminding us of the city’s lively atmosphere.

Listeners are invited to take a stroll through Shambles, an ancient street that retains its 19th-century charm, once bustling as the city’s meat market. The narrative unfolds to reveal the Viking history that shaped York, with mentions of the Jorvik Viking Center, where visitors can experience life as it was in the Viking age. The episode doesn’t shy away from the darker side of York’s past, sharing chilling tales of ghostly encounters and the tragic events at Clifford’s Tower in 1190, where a mob’s violence led to a significant loss of life in the Jewish community.

Through the voice of local guide Mark Graham, listeners gain insight into the ghost tours that reveal York’s haunted heritage, making the city not only a destination for history buffs but also for those intrigued by the supernatural. This rich tapestry of narratives creates an enticing invitation to explore York, a city that is undeniably steeped in history yet vibrantly alive with local culture and attractions.

Takeaways:

  • York, England is a historic and scenic city with a rich history dating back to 71 AD.
  • Visitors to York can enjoy attractions like the York Minster and the National Railway Museum.
  • Betty’s Tea Room in York has been serving tea and crumpets for over 60 years.
  • York is known for its ancient city walls and is one of England’s most haunted towns.
  • The Jorvik Viking Center offers a glimpse into Viking life with animatronic displays.
  • Ghost tours in York, especially by Mark Graham, share spooky tales from the city’s past.

Companies mentioned in this episode:

  • Betty’s Tea Room
  • National Railway Museum
  • 19 Restaurant
  • Jorvik Viking Center

Links referenced in this episode:

Transcript
Speaker A:

Today on Gonomad, we visit York, England, a town located in the north of the country between Leeds and the east coast.

Speaker A:

York is well known in England as a classic touristy town, but one with great reasons to bring those tourists.

Speaker A:

The city has a two kilometer wall around it and the River Ouse flows right near those walls.

Speaker A:

York is historic, scenic and full of things to do.

Speaker A:d a spirited rendition of old:Speaker A:

I kept wondering, what do they do with that piano when it rains?

Speaker A:

Because as you all know, it rains a lot in northern England.

Speaker A:

I never did find out about that, but I did get a chance to enjoy tea and crumpets on a towering display at Betty's Tea Room in the center of York.

Speaker A:

This place is legendary and they have been serving this tea for 60 years.

Speaker A:

As you must have guessed, this is a York that New York was named for.

Speaker A:

A city of 140,000, known as being one of the most haunted places in England.

Speaker A:

York's history goes back to the year 71 AD.

Speaker A:

Back then, York was called Eboracombe.

Speaker A:

All around this city are the famous walls and a stroll is definitely in order.

Speaker A:

Where you can see the ancient walls of a church caved in and the striking huge York Minster.

Speaker A:

That's what they call it.

Speaker A:

It's a cathedral.

Speaker A:

It towers above York with a 275 foot high spire where visitors can go and take in the views at the top.

Speaker A:

You have to pay £18 to get up there.

Speaker A:

The giant cathedral takes up a lot of space downtown.

Speaker A:

All the streets in New York converge like spokes on a wheel to the Minster.

Speaker A:

When visiting York, there are some things that everybody does.

Speaker A:

First, climbing the tower in the Minster and visiting the city's fine National Railway Museum.

Speaker A:

Here you can find an authentic Victorian train station with opulent royal carriages, old commuter trains from bygone eras, and even an original Shinkansen bullet train from Japan.

Speaker A:

Another must see in New York is called Shambles.

Speaker A:

And it's an ancient street in the city which still looks like it did back in the 19th century.

Speaker A:

In medieval times, this was the city's meat market.

Speaker A:

Set amidst the city's hat houses, this narrow lane has wonderful shops to discover.

Speaker A:

After the Romans, the Vikings were the people who ran the city of York for a while.

Speaker A:

And in York, you can see how the Vikings lived.

Speaker A:

Besides Betty's famous tea house, when we were in York, we found the oldest restaurant in the city called 19 Restaurant on Grape Lane.

Speaker A:

We dined on Delic Rabbit and rolled about Table 9.

Speaker A:

This spot has the best view of Swingate, a famous street in the city of York that people enjoy strolling.

Speaker A:

Now, about those ghosts that York is famous for.

Speaker A:

We met a local man named Mark Graham, a guide who shared a story about a particularly heinous event involving bigotry.

Speaker A:r tower in the city center in:Speaker A:

More than 150 Jewish residents sought sanctuary in the tower.

Speaker A:

A mob tried to storm the castle and lit on fire.

Speaker A:

And then the victims took their own lives rather than giving themselves up to the mob.

Speaker A:

Some say as many as 500 Jews died there in York.

Speaker A:

On Graham's ghost tours, he tells tales like this with just the right timing and punch.

Speaker A:

Scary stories about ghosts in New York and jittery objects.

Speaker A:

Then when he tells the story, he yells, which made his audience shudder with fright.

Speaker A:

He offers the tours most weeknights at around 8pm There are many others who offer ghost tours, but apparently Mark Graham is the original.

Speaker A:

At the Jorvik Viking center, the lives of Vikings are explored with dioramas and animatronic figures depicting the families.

Speaker A:

Jorvik is what they called the city of York.

Speaker A:

You take a little train ride inside the building and life sized Vikings are shown busy making dinner and carving spears.

Speaker A:

There's so much to see in York.

Speaker A:

This is just some of it.

Speaker A:

Well, there you have it.

Speaker A:

A pitch to visit what some would say is the most touristy city in all of England.

Speaker A:

Regardless, there are still many good reasons to see the original York.