top of page

Best Medieval Town in England

Updated: Dec 10, 2024

Best Medieval Town to Visit is York, England, a travelers guide


York sign carved out of green hedge with cathedral in the background
York, England

York is one of the most magical cities surrounded by a medieval wall, home to a gothic cathedral and home of the Shambles.  While York can be touristy, it is definitely a unique location with so much history and medieval architecture making it our best medieval town to visit in England.


In order to maintain our sustainable, eco-friendly travel we took the train using Trainline to book it, from London and decided to stay in York for a week instead of just a few days. We were incredibly surprised at what York had to offer, so here is our guide to why York is the best medieval town to visit!


 The buildings and streets were so amazing it was like traveling back in time.  We spent our mornings walking the medieval city walls, through the parks, down by the river, and through the amazing streets of York.




York was extremely and remarkably budget friendly.  Not only did we find amazing inexpensive places to eat, we had a lot of free activities at our fingertips.


The National Railway Museum was a fantastic place to see a lot of old trains and take you through the history of European train travel.  This is a great place to take the entire family, and it is free.  We walked here which was interesting because it was on the other side of the main train station, and with all the road work going on, it was difficult to navigate.  I think there may have been an easier way but we are always up for a walking adventure.






One of the best things to do in York is to walk the city streets, the walls, and through all the medieval areas. (go here for more information on York). There are so many shops and restaurants that you can’t go wrong.  We wanted to try the famous English Sunday Roast, so we stopped into the Royal Oak Restaurant to give it a try.  The Royal Oak is a pub/restaurant located in a 14th century building.  It is by the Minster and is definitely worth a visit.  The meal was great and we would return to this pub again. Try the Yorkshire Pudding that comes with the Sunday Roast!



We walked along the city walls to Cliffords Tower and through the many gates/bars allowing access into the city.  It was such an incredible view from the top of the wall.



The Shambles is a must see in the city of York.  This is a very old street, dating back to the 14th century.  The buildings are timber-framed and transport you back to the time when the butchers lived on the top with the shops below.  This area is like Diagon Alley in Harry Potter movies! This is one of the best parts of the medieval town.



The people of York are super friendly and were always willing to give us great suggestions on what to see and do.  One of the suggestions given to us, when we were having coffee at Gert & Henry’s, was to see the York Museum Gardens.  So glad we took the advice of the locals and walked over to see the beautiful gardens and old ruins.  Not only are the gardens majestic, but the ruins of the former

St. Mary’s Abbey are so incredible and make for stunning pictures.



We paid a visit to some trendy and eclectic eateries as well. 

The Cosy Club Restaurant was so interesting with the many pictures on all the walls of famous people and the most comfortable chairs.  After walking around 5 miles that morning it was a great place to kick back, eat a wonderful meal and people watch.  The Cosy Club is located in the very first electric cinema and is on Fossgate which is a well traveled street in the city.  The prices were reasonable, the service was great and the food was extremely tasty. Our pictures that are





On your trip to England, it is a definite must to stop and see York.  I hope you will be as impressed with the city and people as we were.  York is without a doubt the best medieval town to visit on your vacation. I hope you enjoyed our guide to spending time in York.


Since we are Frugal Travelers, we do use Expedia.




Comments


bottom of page