Romans, Vikings and Medieval Marvels: A Walk Through York’s History

York's remarkable 2,000-year history is etched into every stone, street, and structure of this magnificent city. On this immersive walking tour, you'll journey through the city's fascinating past, from its Roman foundations to its Viking heyday, medieval golden age, and beyond. You'll uncover the stories of emperors, saints, and sinners who shaped this crucial center of English history while experiencing the atmospheric snickelways and ancient structures that make York so unique.

The tour starts at York Art Gallery, where you'll enter the old Roman fortress through Bootham Bar, one of the city's medieval gateways. You'll walk along what was once the Via Principalis, passing the birthplace of Guy Fawkes, before reaching the magnificent York Minster. Along the way, you'll discover how this great city evolved from a Roman military stronghold called Eboracum to the capital of Viking Jorvik and finally into one of medieval England's most prosperous centers.

You'll weave through York's atmospheric snickelways and explore The Shambles, one of the world's best-preserved medieval streets, learning about the life and brutal death of the city's own saint, Margaret Clitheroe. You'll discover the stories behind York's imposing castle, the tragic history of Clifford's Tower, and the city's Viking heritage as you make your way through a landscape where history is layered beneath your feet. The tour ends at King's Manor, a grand building that witnessed a scandalous royal affair that changed the course of Tudor history.

On this 2-hour walking tour covering 2.5 miles, you'll have a chance to:

• Visit York Minster, one of the world's greatest Gothic cathedrals with its magnificent Great West Window known as The Heart of Yorkshire
• Explore the atmospheric Holy Trinity Church with its ancient, uneven floors and medieval stained glass
• Walk the narrow, timber-framed street of The Shambles, home to butchers for centuries and the inspiration for the English word shambles
• Discover Barley Hall, a beautifully restored medieval townhouse hidden down one of York's historic snickelways
• See the Merchant Adventurers' Hall, England's largest medieval timber-framed building still used for its original purpose
• Visit the ruins of St. Mary's Abbey, once a rival to York Minster in size and grandeur
• Explore the fascinating Roman remnants, including the Multangular Tower that formed part of the original fortress walls
• Learn how Roman Emperor Constantine was proclaimed emperor on the very ground you'll walk upon

As you walk in the footsteps of Romans, Vikings, medieval merchants, and Tudor monarchs, you'll understand why King George VI once said, The history of York is the history of England.