Travel

A Day in Beautiful {Sunny} York

February 21, 2017

Who would have thought that we would be experiencing some sunny days, up here in the North? Not I, nor did I think we would be so lucky for it to coincide with our past Monday visit to York. York is stunning, even on cloudy days, but that light blue sky creeping up behind the famous York Minster, adds so much to its ancient allure.

Nestled within historic walls and between the rivers Ouse and Foss, York exudes a certain charm. This said charm always ensures that I bring my visitors to experience it, over and over again. My boyfriend was visiting me for two weeks, and hadn’t yet seen very much of Yorkshire. I thought it would be a lovely change for him to experience Yorkshire’s capital with my friend M and I. It was a short visit, but a lovely one.

Our first stop was Clifford’s Tower. For someone visiting York for the first time, it’s a nice opportunity to view the city from the top of an ancient castle. Clifford’s Tower is not cheap (£5 per person) for a castle that does not have very much to see inside, but I always like to take some photos from up top.

For history buffs like me, Clifford’s Tower’s history is enough to keep me coming back. William the Conqueror built this castle in 1068, and it has been destroyed and rebuilt a numerous amount of times since then. Tragically, this is a site of the Jewish Massacre of 1190, alluding to the region’s violent and turbulent past.

The region has been home to the native Celts, Romans, Vikings, Normans and the modern day English. I’m sure you can appreciate the importance of this beautiful city in the past, as well as the present.

Medieval, crooked houses line the ancient cobblestone streets near the Minster. Nowadays, a lot of them are shops or pubs, but walking through these neighborhoods transports you to another time.

The Minster is one of the crown jewels of the city. We couldn’t tour inside, as there was a funeral taking place, but we stood and basked in its glory for a little. The contrast between the gothic cathedral and the sky was mesmerizing.

York is also a vibrant center for shopping. Besides your typical clothing stores, you have many unique shops and cafes. There were so many chocolate/fudge makers. I was trying very hard to resist buying myself sweets at every corner but it was difficult.

Somehow I managed to resist, but it was not an easy feat. York also has handmade soap shops, outdoor markets and lots of charming corners awaiting discovery.