Founded as Eboracum by the Romans in AD71, York is a city steeped in history. There are plenty of attractions to choose from on a visit to York, including the excellent, and FREE, National Railway Museum and no first-time visitor should miss the awe inspiring York Minster, now fully restored after the lightning strike which damaged one of the towers in 1984. Whatever your religious beliefs, we are sure no one could fail to be impressed by the splendour and history of the building.

Like many other churches, York Minster now charges an admission fee.  Whether or not you agree with this policy, this particular church is certainly worth the money if you've never experienced the Minster's glorious interior.  Services are held here on a regular basis, and of course, there's no charge to worship ...

With masses of shops, and plenty of pubs, cafes and restaurants, York has something for everyone.

As well as the NRM and York Minster mentioned above, among the many other attractions worth visiting in York are Fairfax House on Castlegate - a beautifully restored 18th century townhouse exhibiting some fine examples of Georgian clocks and furniture; The York Dungeon - experience the gory history of the Viking invaders; Jorvik Viking Centre - come face to face with "live" Vikings and view archaeological finds from the Viking age.

The York Model Railway, located next door to York station - an amazing display of model trains from past to present; and Yorkshire Museum and Gardens - which houses permanent exhibits as well as many visiting exhibits. The museum is also home to the "Middleham Jewel", an exquisite piece of 15th century jewelery, uncovered in 1985 near Middleham Castle.

Other York attractions include the York Castle Museum where you can see the cell in which notorious highwayman Dick Turpin was held, the York Brewery tour, Richard III museum and boat trips on the River Ouse.

For lovers of horse racing, York Racecourse hosts several race meetings during the year, and although slightly out of town, the Yorkshire Coastliner bus service passes the racecourse entrance.

Take a walk around the city walls, walk down "The Shambles" or join one of the guided Yorkwalks to explore some of the many parts of the city frequently missed by visitors. Jump on one of the tourist buses for a guided tour. Try a Ghost Walk (or ghose cruise) around York, officially Europe's most haunted city, and discover some of its creepy secrets. Or simply take a stroll along the banks of the River Ouse towards Clifton, returning through the attractive gardens of the Yorkshire Museum.

For a great value deal, a Yorkpass could save you heaps. Available as a 1, 2 or 3 day pass, the Yorkpass entitles the holder to entry to over 30 attractions, as well as a host of discounts on restaurants, entertainment and shopping. Buy one from the Tourist Office when you arrive, or via the Yorkpass website.

With so many attractions to choose from in York, why not stay a while and turn your trip into a weekend break?  Our recommended place to stay is  The Dean Court Hotel.   For up-to-date information on events taking place in York, visit whatsonyork for more details.

One note of caution however, to anyone of Scottish origin - apparently, it is technically still legal to shoot a Scotsman in York, but only if you spot him within the town walls after dark on a Sunday, your weapon of choice is a bow-and-arrow, and you shoot from horseback!  Similar laws once applied to Welshmen spotted in Chester, Hereford and Shrewsbury.  Yorkshire-Escapes most certainly does NOT recommend anyone trying this.

Of course this is just one of those obscure laws which was never removed from the statue book, and which has long since been superseded by more modern laws.  Another one would apply to modern taxis, which are still licenced as "hackney cabs".  Back when the law was passed, a hackney cab was a carriage drawn by horses, and it had to be able to carry a bale of hay on the back to feed them with.  As the law was never repealed, your local cabbie should still have room for a bale of hay in his boot.

York is easily accessible by train from Leeds, the North East and London, and by bus from Leeds, making it an ideal destination for a day out. York station, which has some attractive architectural features, is within easy walking distance of the town centre. Buses stop outside the station. Yorkshire Coastliner bus services X40, X45, 840, 842, 843 and 845 from Leeds all call at York. The nearest airport is Leeds Bradford.