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Attractions in York

Polly Checkland Harding

When you pair the cultural venues of the ancient city of York with not only Hull but the nearby town of Skipton too, you’re in for a guide to the best attractions in the area that’s absolutely bursting with recommendations – from the incredible Fruit Market cultural quarter in Hull, to the 1,000-strong collection of paintings at York Art Gallery. Between them, this trio of destinations are home to the incredible York Minster, to Skipton Castle and the multi award-winning aquarium The Deep. There’s no shortage of heritage venues, theatres, outstanding art galleries and legendary live music joints here – some of the best in the North, in fact. Read on to discover more.

Our top picks

York Minster

York Minster, York Minster, York, Yorkshire, YO1 7HH - Visit now

The stunning and historic York Minster has been a place of Christian worship in the since the Middle Ages up to present day.

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York Minster
Image courtesy of York Minster

Skipton Little Theatre

Skipton Little Theatre, Clifford Street, Skipton, BD23 2AD - Visit now

Skipton Little Theatre is a cosy local theatre with just over 70 seats that’s the home of Skipton Players the Craven area’s active amateur thespians.

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Skipton Little Theatre

Fruit Market Hull

Fruit Market Hull, Queen Street, Hull, East Yorkshire, HU1 1UU - Visit now

Fruit Market Hull is the name of Hull’s vibrant cultural quarter – featuring places to visit, shop, eat and live, it’s a must visit.

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Courtesy of Fruit Market Hull

Jorvik Viking Centre

Jorvik Viking Centre, Coppergate, York, Yorkshire, YO1 9WT - Visit now

Jorvik Viking Centre is a visitor attraction covering all aspects of Viking life. Expect a sensorial experience you’ll never forget.

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JORVIK Viking Centre
Creative Tourist

Yorkshire Museum

Yorkshire Museum, Museum Gardens, York, Yorkshire, YO1 7FR - Visit now

The Yorkshire Museum features five galleries full of fascinating archaeological treasures and many rare animals, birds and fossils.

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Yorkshire Museum
Image courtesy of Yorkshire Museum

Skipton Castle Woods

Skipton Castle Woods, The Bailey, Skipton, BD23 1AW - Visit now

Skipton Castle Woods has idyllic spaces to walk and play in as well as a wealth of local wildlife, check out their events and tours.

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skipton castle woods
Woodland Trust

Ferens Art Gallery

Ferens Art Gallery, Queen Victoria Square, Carr Lane, Hull, East Yorkshire, HU1 3RA - Visit now

Ferens Art Gallery houses a superb collection, including masterpieces by Stanley Spencer, David Hockney, Helen Chadwick and Gillian Wearing.

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Courtesy of Ferens Art Gallery

National Railway Museum

National Railway Museum, Leeman Rd,, York, Yorkshire, YO26 4XJ - Visit now

The National Railway Museum tells the story of rail transport in Britain and how it affected society in countless ways.

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National Railway Museum
National Railway Museum

York Festival of Ideas

York Festival of Ideas, Creative Tourist, Creative Tourist, Creative Tourist, YO10 5DD - Visit now

York Festival of Ideas is an annual cultural festival that takes place for two weeks every June in venues across the city centre.

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York Festival of Ideas
York Festival of Ideas

Craven Arts Studios

Craven Arts Studios, 7A Otley St, Skipton, BD23 1DY - Visit now

Craven Arts Studios is an artist-led organisation with an aim to support local artists creating space for contemporary visual art in Skipton.

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craven arts studios
Craven Arts Studios

York Theatre Royal

York Theatre Royal, St. Leonard's Place, York, Yorkshire, YO1 7HD - Visit now

York Theatre Royal is one of the country’s leading theatres, and each year entertains over 200,000 people.

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York Theatre Royal
Image courtesy of York Theatre Royal

The Basement

The Basement, 13-17 Coney St, York, YO1 9QL - Visit now

The Basement on Coney Street in York is a live venue specialising in cutting edge music and comedy, plus classes in scriptwriting and acting.

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The Basement

Skipton Castle

Skipton Castle, The Bailey, Skipton, BD23 1AW - Visit now

As one the best preserved examples of a medieval castle in the country, Skipton Castle was originally built in 1090, and very much worth a visit.

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Skipton Castle

Wilberforce House

Wilberforce House, 23-25 High Street, Hull, Yorkshire, HU1 1NQ - Visit now

Wilberforce House tells the story of the transatlantic slave trade and its abolition, as well as dealing with contemporary slavery.

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Wilberforce House
Wilberforce House Museum

York’s Chocolate Story

York’s Chocolate Story, King's Square, York, Yorkshire, YO1 7LD - Visit now

York’s Chocolate Story is a chocolate museum and fully guided tour through the history of York’s chocolate-making families.

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York’s Chocolate Story
York Choc Story

Blossom Street Gallery

Blossom Street Gallery, 2 Blossom St,, York, Yorkshire, YO24 1AE - Visit now

Blossom Street Gallery is an independent art gallery, design shop and gift emporium, based in historic York.

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Blossom Street Gallery
Blossom Street Art Gallery

York Castle Museum

York Castle Museum, Tower St,, York, Yorkshire, YO1 9RY - Visit now

York Castle Museum is based on the site of York Castle, which was originally built by William the Conqueror in 1068.

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York Castle Museum
Image courtesy of York Castle Museum

City Screen Picturehouse

City Screen Picturehouse, 13-17 Coney St, York, Yorkshire, YO1 9QL - Visit now

York’s City Screen Picturehouse is a riverside arthouse cinema with food and drink options, with a space for live events in the basement.

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City Screen Picturehouse
City Screen York

Hull Maritime Museum

Hull Maritime Museum, Queen Victoria Square, Hull, East Yorkshire, HU1 3DX - Visit now

Housed in one of the city’s finest buildings, Hull Maritime Museum has been showcasing 800 years of maritime history since 1975.

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Hull Maritime Museum
Courtesy of Hull Maritime Museum

York Art Gallery

York Art Gallery, Exhibition Square, York, Yorkshire, YO1 7EH - Visit now

York Art Gallery consists of seven magnificent, newly-designed galleries displaying world-class collections of historic and contemporary art.

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York Art Gallery
Image courtesy of York Art Gallery

Skipton Town Hall

Skipton Town Hall, High Street, Skipton, BD23 1AH - Visit now

Skipton Town Hall is a live arts and theatre venue in the heart of the town as well as holding the Craven Museum and art gallery.

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Skipton Town Hall

Hull Truck Theatre

Hull Truck Theatre, 50 Ferensway, Hull, Yorkshire, HU2 8LB - Visit now

Celebrating its 50th birthday in 2021, the Hull Truck Theatre is dedicated to putting on high-quality productions of intimate and epic scales.

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Hull Truck Theatre

York City Walls / Wall Trail

York City Walls / Wall Trail, Unamed Street, York, Yorkshire, YO1 7LJ - Visit now

Known as York City Walls, the Bar Walls and the Roman walls, these structures have defended York for centuries, dating back to Roman times.

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York City Walls / Wall Trail
Image courtesy of York Walls

Skipton Boat Trips

Skipton Boat Trips, The Wharf Office, 3 Coach St, Skipton, BD23 1LH - Visit now

Skipton is the meeting point of three canals, making it the perfect place for a light-hearted aquatic tour with Skipton Boat Trips.

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Skipton Boat Trips
Skipton Boat Trips

Humber Street Gallery

Humber Street Gallery, Humber Street Gallery 64 Humber Street, Hull, East Yorkshire, HU1 1TU - Visit now

Home to year-round events, performances and activities, Humber Street Gallery is a contemporary art space in the heart of Fruit Market.

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Humber Street Gallery, Hull
© Chris Pepper

Guild of Media Arts

Guild of Media Arts, 1 Museum Street, York, Yorkshire, YO1 7DT - Visit now

The Guild of Media Arts was formed in 2015 as the lifelong custodian of York’s designation as a UNESCO City of Media Arts.

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Guild of Media Arts
Guild of Media Arts

Mediale

Mediale, Swinegate Court East, York, Yorkshire, Y01 8AJ - Visit now

Mediale is an international media arts festival bringing world premiere commissions from leading artists and a platform for emerging artists.

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Mediale
York Mediale

Hesketh Farm Park

Hesketh Farm Park, Bolton Abbey, Skipton, BD23 6HA - Visit now

For a fun day out with the little ones, Hesketh Farm Park is the friendliest place with lots of animals to meet, things to play with.

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Hesketh Farm Park

The Deep

The Deep, Tower St, Hull, Yorkshire, HU1 4DP - Visit now

One of the UK’s biggest aquariums, with 5,000 different species, The Deep is a multi-award-winning venue and a player in marine conservation.

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The Deep

Bloom!

Bloom!, Creative Tourist, York, Yorkshire, YO19WY - Visit now

Bloom! is an annual flower festival, focusing on colourful floral displays and hidden horticultural gems in and around York.

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Bloom!
Bloom!

Skipton Auction Mart

Skipton Auction Mart, Skipton Auction Mart, Ling Fields, Skipton, BD23 1UD - Visit now

Cattle auction by week, cultural venue by weekend. Skipton Auction Mart hosts a variety of live music, comedians and theatre on a weekend.

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Art in the Pen

Hull and East Riding Museum

Hull and East Riding Museum, 36 High Street, Hull, Yorkshire, HU1 1NQ - Visit now

The Hull and East Riding Museum of archeology offers a detailed, immersive introduction to history, reconstructing ancient civilisations.

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Wooly mammoth Hull and East Riding Museum
Hull and East Riding Museum.

Art of Protest Gallery

Art of Protest Gallery, 11 Walmgate, York, Yorkshire, YO1 9TX - Visit now

The Art of Protest Gallery is a contemporary Art Gallery showcasing work inspired by political and social unrest, featuring works by Banksy.

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Art of Protest Gallery
Art of Protest Gallery

The New Adelphi Club

The New Adelphi Club, 89 De Grey St, Hull, Yorkshire, HU5 2RU - Visit now

One of the most unusual small music venues, The New Adelphi Club has legendary status, not least for being among the first places to host Pulp

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The New Adelphi Club

The National Centre for Early Music / York Early Music Festival

The National Centre for Early Music / York Early Music Festival, The National Centre for Early Music, St Margaret's Church, Walmgate, York, Yorkshire, Y01 9TL - Visit now

The National Centre for Early Music is the national advocate of early music in England and hosts the York Early Music Festival.

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National Centre for Early Music
Creative Tourist

Hull New Theatre

Hull New Theatre, Kingston Square,, Hull, Yorkshire, HU1 3HF - Visit now

With an inspiring history, welcoming acclaimed productions and legendary performers, the Grade II-listed Hull New Theatre reopened in 2017.

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Hull New Theatre
Hull New Theatre

Bish Bash Pot

Bish Bash Pot, 64 Walmgate, York, Yorkshire, YO1 9TL - Visit now

Bish Bash Pot provides creative ceramic, pottery painting and glass making classes for everyone in the heart of York city centre.

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Bish Bash Pot
Bish Bash Pot

Where to go in York

York
Restaurant
Pearly Cow York

A flawless culinary adventure through Britain’s best seasonal meat and seafood dishes.

York
Bar or Pub
The Welly

Legendary nightclub in Hull, The Welly hosts regular events, musicians and club nights – all affordable and all incredibly entertaining.

York
Gallery
Mill Bridge Gallery

Fine art, photography and sculpture – all by talented local artists – are exhibited in the Mill Bridge Gallery located in a canal-side building.

York
Restaurant
Sotano

Sotano, in York, is a divine Mediterranean tapas bar and restaurant, also serving charcuterie boards of the finest ingredients.

York
Bar or Pub
Evil Eye

Evil Eye in York is a cocktail bar focused on embracing the spiritual, and engaging with the community.

York
Restaurant
Valhalla

Valhalla is ‘a venue that paid homage to York’s Viking heritage and somewhere with purely Rock ‘n Metal music in its soul’.

York
Bar or Pub
Fossgate Social

Coffee shop by day, bar by night – Fossgate Social is a small but vibrant independent venue serving speciality coffee, craft beer and cocktails.

Restaurant stock image
York
Restaurant
Izakaya

Tasting menus and full course dining experiences are on offer, bridging relaxed and fine dining to suit every taste with Japanese cuisine.

York
Restaurant
Legacy

Legacy, in York’s iconic ‘The Grand’, offers a modern British and Yorkshire-inspired tasting menus paired with an exceptional wine list.

See all places

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