Best in Britain
York was named the best place to live in Britain by The Sunday Times 2018. Our city's excellent cafés, restaurants and bars, innovative industries and mixture of modern and medieval architecture propelled it to the top of the list.
York city guide
Lively, full of culture and beautiful, York is regularly voted one of the best places to live and visit in the UK. If you're coming to an Open Day make sure you explore the city while you're here. Be warned, you might just fall in love with the place - adored by students, staff and parents alike!
York is a vibrant, student-friendly city. It's a contemporary, charming, and iconic city, known for its rich history and heritage. With a population of 200,000, it’s big enough to feel lively, but small enough to be friendly, and easy to cycle and walk around.
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Christmas in the city
From the twinkling lights of The Shambles to the scent of mulled spices in the air, York is a magical place over the festive season. Two of our current students share their love of Yuletide York:
- Amy explores the Christmas market and watches the Christmas lights being turned on.
- Lily chats to her housemates about their experiences of staying on campus over the Christmas holidays.
Why our students love York
You don't have take our word for it, our student bloggers will happily tell you about why they love York.
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The Festive Season In York
Posted by Amy on 5 December 2018 York is known as one of the most festive cities in the country and walking around, it’s easy to see why. From the bustling…
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Staying in York over the Christmas holidays
Posted by Lily on 5 December 2018 Hi, I’m Lily, a 2nd Year Chemistry student. Now, I may not be staying in York over the holidays myself but I live with…
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A Student Guide to the City of York
Posted by Lauren on 22 November 2018 Congratulations! You’re thinking about living in York, one of the most beautiful and charming cities in the country. The cobbled roads and winding streets…
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5 reasons to choose York
Posted by Sarah on 18 November 2018 It can feel overwhelming when it comes to weighing up the pros and cons of the many different universities you may be looking at…
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Five Reasons Why York is Right for You
Posted by Finn on 17 November 2018 York’s a sleepy cathedral city in Northern England… …with a different nightclub for every day of the week, over 200 unique student societies and…
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The Student Guide to York
Posted by Kirsten on 16 November 2018 So, you’re thinking of studying in York! You’ve made a good choice – York’s been named the best place to live in Britain, and…
Got a question about living in York?
Hot spots and hidden gems
These top picks, suggested by students and staff, will give you a good idea of city living in York.
Green space and outdoors
York is easy to explore on foot or by bike. It's flat and there are plenty of cycle lanes and paths.
- The York Museum Gardens, the York Minster gardens, and the Treasurer's House gardens provide idyllic settings for a spot of relaxation and reflection, or you can take a riverside stroll, or a walk on the ancient walls.
- Head to Rowntree Park for a picnic by the river, or a '99' from the solar-powered ice cream boat!
- Next to campus you'll find Walmgate Stray - a summer picnic spot for students and an outdoor practice space for student societies like the Juggle Society.
- You can also cycle the Solar System, a 6 mile cycle route with to scale models of our planets.
Live music
Venues across the city showcase everything from national names to local talent.
- Listen or play! There are acoustic and open mic nights happening most days of the week - such as Ruby Tuesdays open mic night at Sotano and Vinnie's Open Mic Nights.
- For a mix of indie, punk, metal, pop and reggae - covering some of the best international, national and local live music and club nights - get down to Fibbers.
- If it's local artists and DIY/punk bands you're after The Fulford Arms is the place to be. These bands often perform at other small venues in the city such as City Screen's The Basement.
YUSU's Summer Ball
- Practice your jazz hands at the The Phoenix Inn. They have live jazz jams on Wednesdays and Sundays which are usually free!
- For ska and rocksteady, try Bangarang at the Spread Eagle.
- If you're into roots, reggae, dancehall and dub check out the Irie Vibes nights at The Crescent.
- The biggest venue in the city York Barbican puts on mainstream and nationally acclaimed artists such as Paloma Faith, Newton Faulkner and Jools Holland.
- And you're only 20 minutes away from Leeds (by train) which has a number of larger venues including the O2 Academy and the First Direct Arena.
Nightlife
A long-standing urban legend says there's a pub for every day of the year in York. That’s not quite true, but there is a high density of pubs and bars in the compact city centre, including traditional pubs, cosy bars, indie nights and cheesy clubs.
- The Students' Union (YUSU) organises regular student club nights in the city that cater to all tastes, as well as supporting student-run club nights.
- If you're into real ale and craft beers you'll be spoilt for choice in York at pubs such as the House of Trembling Madness, Pivni and York Tap.
- For a cocktail or a mocktail the Evil Eye, Sotano and Bar Lucia are all well-known spots.
- You can also hop on a train to Leeds (20 minutes) or Manchester (90 minutes) for a taste of the nightlife in the bigger nearby student cities.
Art, cinema and comedy
There are plenty of options to soak up some culture in York - a haven for art lovers, film buffs and theatre fanatics. York has also recently become a UNESCO City of Media Arts.
- The Arts Barge Project is the brainchild behind a quirky arts venue on a barge, which will be coming to York city centre. They also organise community arts events.
- You can't go far in York without seeing street entertainers and buskers like The Magic Ball Man. Or violist Ed Alleyne-Johnson, who was a member of New Model Army and a supporting artist for David Bowie, Bob Dylan and more.
York City Art Gallery
Bishy Road street festival
- For film-lovers there are two city centre cinemas, an out of town multiplex and Aesthetica Film Festival, a BAFTA-recognised short film festival.
- Plastic Fortune run events, exhibitions and monthly creative meet ups in York.
- York City Art Gallery has a great collection showcasing modern art through to 16th century masters.
- To see a play there are two large theatres, York Theatre Royal and the Grand Opera House, as well as other smaller venues.
- For comedy check out The Barbican for well-known names and The Basement for local talent.
Festivals and events
Being a major tourist destination, there are activities and festivals all year round.
- You'll get to see York in a different light at Illuminating York - a magical outdoor festival of lights.
- For one weekend a year, the Ice Trail transforms York into a sparkling ice sculpture city.
- York Festival of Ideas is a University of York event which attracts speakers from all over the world.
- Celebrate York's Viking heritage at the largest Viking festival in Europe.
- York Pride is an event to recognise LGBTQ history, protest for ongoing equality and celebrate what has been achieved so far.
- And nearby Leeds is well-known for big music festivals such as Leeds Festival, Live@Leeds and Slam Dunk fest.
For more information see York Festivals.
Museums
York offers museums and galleries galore - from Vikings to trains and ghosts to chocolate. When you start your studies, you can get a YorkCard for discounted and sometimes free entry to many York attractions.
- You can't miss the York Minster - the grand and gothic highlight of the city.
- For ghosts and ghouls check out the York Dungeon, a ghost bus tour or a ghost walk.
- Come face-to-face with a 'Viking' and take a tour of a Viking-age street at Jorvik Viking Centre.
Dean's Park next to York Minster.
York Museum Gardens
- You don't have to be a train spotter to enjoy the National Railway Museum. They have an impressive collection telling the story of 300 years of history. It's also the home to the Flying Scotsman!
- York's Chocolate Story - take a tour through York's history with chocolate-making, how to make it and taste it like an expert.
For more information see Museums in York (yorkmuseumstrust.org.uk).
Eating out
York is true foodie heaven. Every cuisine and budget are catered for.
- You can't live in York without without visiting Bettys Café Tea Rooms at least once. It's a great choice for when your parents visit.
- Brew and Brownie are known for tasty brunches, pretty pancakes and delicious cakes!
- Ever tried Polish food? Barbakan is a cosy independent café and restaurant serving up delicious pierogi (Polish dumplings) and borscht (beetroot soup).
- Get a view of the Minster from the roof terrace at The Habit while sampling some Jamaican street food.
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The Habit
- Try some North African and Middle Eastern street food at Los Moros near the market.
- For a tasty curry including Halal options you could try Lal Quila or Akbars among many others. Freshways supermarket also specialises in Halal, Arabic, Indian, Polish, Chinese, Turkish and Greek food.
- Sample some authentic Italian food at Il Paradiso del Cibo or Toto's.
- For vegetarian and vegan food try Goji Café and Deli or El Piano.
- If you're a chocolate lover go to the York Cocoa House (started by York alumna Sophie Jewett) for sweet and savoury chocolate treats.
For more information see places to eat in York (visityork.org).
Beyond York - city, coast and country
York is a great base from which to explore the stunning scenery of Yorkshire. Great rail and transport networks also connect you with the major cities of the UK and friends at other universities.
- We have two of the country’s most beautiful national parks right on our doorstep – the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors.
- You're only an hour away from a stroll on the beach - head to sunny Scarborough! Slightly further away, Whitby is also a great seaside town with amazing fish and chips.
- And you're a short train ride away from big cities such as: Leeds (20 minutes), Manchester (1.5 hours) London (2 hours) and Edinburgh (2.5 hours).
8 reasons why there's nowhere else quite like it
The city centre is full of character that will surprise and delight you throughout your time at York and beyond.
- Ancient walls encircle the city centre dating back to Roman times. Take a stroll and see the city from a different view.
- Whip-ma-whop-ma-gate is the shortest street in York with the longest name! Hundreds of years ago it was the site of York's Pillory, a post where criminals were tied to for humiliation and punishment. These days it's a popular spot for selfies!
- The Shambles is believed to be the oldest shopping street in Europe, even getting a mention in the Domesday Book of 1086. Back then it was a street of butchers and slaughterhouses.
Illuminating York, a magical outdoor festival of lights.
York's riverside by night.
- The spectacular York Minster is the largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe. Climb the 275 steps to the top of the Minster Tower to get a great view of the city.
- Chocolate is a major part of York’s history - it’s the birthplace of the Kit Kat and Terry’s Chocolate Orange. If the wind is blowing in the right direction you can catch a whiff of chocolate in the air!
- Guy Fawkes was born and educated in York; you can even have a pint in the Guy Fawkes Inn on the site where he grew up.
- Our colourful city offers more than 25 festivals with free events throughout the year.
Nowhere in northern England says 'medieval' quite like York, a city of extraordinary cultural and historical wealth.
Lonely Planet
Awards
Here are just a few of the recent accolades the city and region have won:
- The third 'must see' region in the world: Lonely Planet Best in Travel Guide 2014
- 8th most popular destination in the UK: TripAdvisor
- Best European travel destination: World Travel Awards 2014
- Britain's best small town or city: Rough Guide reader's survey 2011
- Most picturesque shopping street (The Shambles) in the UK: Google Street View awards 2010
Beautiful York
If you're still not convinced about how amazing our city is - watch this stunning video made by a North Yorkshire-based production company Hewitt & Walker. It features lots of the highlights mentioned on this page!