York itself is a historic city with a lively past. Attractions celebrating this include the Jorvik Viking centre; a journey into York's Viking heritage. Elsewhere, the Castle Museum has an authentic Victorian street on show and Clifford's Tower offers both a gory past and stunning views from the top. Pubs and restaurants have also soaked up some of this ancient character, with many of the inns claiming a rich history and even a ghost or two.
East of the city walls lie the gentle hills of the Yorkshire Wolds. Stretching to the coast, nearby beaches include the cliffs at Flamborough Head and the fishing harbour and ever-popular promenades at Bridlington. There are street markets at Beverley and Market Weighton at which you can buy genuine local produce as well as take in the picturesque sights of these typically English towns. On a grander scale, visitors can see the house and gardens used for the tv series Brideshead Revisited, Castle Howard, or view the elegant Burton Agnes near Driffield.
Opportunities range from picnicking in the hills, to hiking the Yorkshire Wolds way and cycling from one rural village to the next. With miles of rolling landscape, clutches of market towns and the spires of York close by, this area is a great place to explore on holiday.