United Kingdom

A Guide to York, England

With summer quickly approaching, we have been reminiscing last summer's European adventures. We have great news that we will be back in the UK this summer for a Scotland/Northern England expedition! Between now and the end of July, we will also be posting travel blogs on the lovely cities of Chester and Liverpool. So stay tuned for more awesome UK cities!

Last summer we spent a day in York wandering the historic Shambles and cobblestone streets. The weather was so very "British" that day and we were so cold (and wet) that we actually bought hats! Besides the typical English weather, York was completely charming. This was not our first trip to York as we have thoroughly enjoyed visiting a few times before! We put together some of the best places to stay, eat, drink, and play for you all to check out!

xxx Ivy & Eve

Post Updated in 2024!

Map of some of Yorks best from The Perky Peacock http://perkypeacockcoffee.co.uk

Map of some of Yorks best from The Perky Peacock https://perkypeacock.co.uk/

Stay:

The Royal York Hotel - $$$$: This five-star hotel is the perfect place to enjoy a luxurious stay in York. Book a spa treatment for extra R&R time. 

Hotel du Vin & Bistro $$$: If you're looking for a great hotel, but not looking to completely splurge on a room, this is the place! Hotel du Vin is located down the street from the York train station and just out of the busy hustle and bustle of downtown York. We love the tasty smorgasbord breakfast buffet, beautiful bar, and in-room Nespresso machines!

The Trembling Madness Apartments $$-$$$: If you are looking for somewhere to stay in the city center and are up for a spooktacular night, we recommend trying one of the apartments at the Trembling Madness (not all rooms are claimed to be haunted). Bonus: they have a lovely pub and bottle shop attached to the building! See the Eat & Drink section below for more! 

Holiday Lets $-$$$$: There are some amazing deals for holiday rentals in York like this apartment with beautiful views of the Minster. These flats are perfect for families or groups traveling together. To get you started: Holiday Lettings, York Boutiquelets, Skyes Cottages, and Visit York.

Eat & Drink:

The Perky Peacock - $$: After our hour train ride from Manchester we wanted a little pick-me-up and stopped in this cute coffee shop. Situated right along the river in a tower, there are only a handful of cafe tables inside. If the weather is nice they have tables along the river to sip espresso and nibble on a toasted and buttered teacake (or more substantial breakfast items) before heading off for some York mayhem. They also have adorable logo mugs and totes available for sale!

Perky Peacock

Bettys Cafe Tea Room - $$$: Bettys is famous in York for your classic afternoon tea experience, however, you have to make reservations in advance so make sure to plan ahead! When we visited we just ordered a cream tea (this includes a pot of tea, a scone, and clotted cream) since we wanted to go grab lunch later and a full afternoon tea leaves you stuffed for hours. Tip: We find a full afternoon tea is simply too much food. We suggest ordering cream tea and bubbly for the fancy effect of the afternoon tea without feeling overly stuffed plus its much more affordable!

Trembling Madness $: For a late afternoon lunch, we stopped in this medieval pub. Also known as Delirium Tremens (DT's), this pub has been open since drinking became a thing, and it has seen its fair share of disaster and death within its walls. The rear end of the building was first built in 1180AD, people were drinking there 312 years before Columbus sailed over our way. We were pleasantly surprised with how cool this place was! On the first floor of the building is a bottle shop where they sell beer, scotch, cider, and more. On the second floor is the pub. We hunkered down in an alcove off to the side of the main dining area. The interior of the pub was fun with mounted animal heads mounted all over the place, and other hidden preserved animals (a baby alligator) were around the room. The beams of the pub are from an ancient ship that last set sail over 800 years ago! We ordered some hardy medieval-inspired fare of a classic cheese board (cheese, bread, and assorted accouterments), and a steak and ale pie, all washed down with real ale and some cider.

Trembling Madness

The Refectory - $$$$: Looking for the fanciest place to dine for dinner? Then look no further than the Refectory. They serve dishes made from delicious local ingredients and delightful cocktails made to order. They also serve a magical Champagne Afternoon Tea that includes a glass of our favorite bubbly...Lanson.

Love Cheese - $$: This cheese shop has a large selection of Yorkshire, British, and Continental cheeses for sale. In their shop, they also have cheese boards available to pair with a glass or two of wine. 

LICC (Luxury Ice Cream Company) - $$: For a bit of heaven, head to LICC for some divine "lux" ice cream. You won't be sorry!


Play:

York Jorvik Viking Center -$$: This museum tells the story of York's rich Viking history. This is truly an immersive experience where you smell the odors (good and bad) of a Viking town, sample the food they ate, and even get to try your hand at blowing a Viking horn!

Shambles Market - Free: Wander York's most famous street- the Shambles, and visit its market full of local produce, goods, and souvenirs. 

York Minster - $$: Visit the largest Gothic cathedral of Northern Europe. This place is visible from many points in the city, seemingly popping out from around each corner.

Antique Shopping - Free: There are a bunch of lovely shops to fix your antique needs. We really like the Red House Antique Center  right across from the Minster. 

W. Hamond - $$$-$$$$: If you're looking for a pretty souvenir, we suggest heading to W. Hamond. This jewelry shop on the Shambles is tiny but packed with lovely treasures. Whitby Jet is one of the local stones of Yorkshire (found on the coast) and W. Hamond has a great selection of the slightly Gothic yet completely chic stone jewelry. 

York Museum Gardens - free: If you like English gardens, then the York Museum Garden is the perfect place to visit. Surrounded by St. Mary's Abbey, these gardens are filled with botanical wonders and over 30 species of birds. Be sure to stop in the York Museum as well which is rich with some of England's most precious archaeological treasures. 

The Original Ghost Walk of York - $: This tour claims to be the first of its kind in the world! Held nightly, this tour will surely satisfy anyone's appetite for scary stories as York has been named the most haunted city in England, and possibly Europe! 

York Pass - $$-$$$: If you are planning to visit more than two of York's attractions in a day, then the York Pass is a great bang for your buck. With this pass, you have complete access to over 30 fantastic attractions in York (York Minster, Clifford's Tower, Castle Museum, York Brewery, York Art Museum, and York Dungeon to name a few) and includes some great discounts on a number of other places. 

Seemingly, all roads lead to York Minster

Seemingly, all roads lead to York Minster

Eve wandering the Shambles
One of the Gatehouses of York

One of the Gatehouses of York

Exploring one of the many tiny passages

Exploring one of the many tiny passages

Part of the Roman Wall surrounding York City

Part of the Roman Wall surrounding York City

A Wine Lover's Guide to Edinburgh

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While wine may not be the first thing you think about when visiting Edinburgh, that doesn't mean there isnโ€™t plenty of amazing places to satisfy the wine lover in you. Edinburgh is home to some of the best wine bars and restaurants we have ever been to, and thatโ€™s saying something! We canโ€™t think of many better ways to spend an afternoon, cozying up in one of these spots with a glass of wine, a bite to eat, and a friend or two.

We have teamed up with This is Edinburgh to share with you our wine lover's guide to Edinburgh.Follow the link below to find out where our favorite locations for wine connoisseurs and casual wine drinkers to visit in Scotlandโ€™s capital city.

Continue reading A Wine Lover's Guide to Edinburgh on Edinburgh.org

Here is our list of favorite locations for wine connoisseurs and casual wine drinkers to visit in Scotlandโ€™s capital city.

xxx Ivy & Eve

Smith & Gertrude

Located in Stockbridge, this hip wine bar is a cheese, charcuterie, and wine lover's wonderland. We love their wine flight option, which changes weekly. We can see why itโ€™s their best seller. They also offer a huge selection of wines by the glass and by bottle. There is plenty of room for large and small groups, or grab a seat at their communal center table and make some new friends! If you stop by on a Sunday, bring in your own vinyl and play DJ while drinking great wine.

26 Hamilton Place, Edinburgh EH3 5AU (0131 629 6280)

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Vino

With three locations within Edinburgh, the Stockbridge location is our favorite bottle shop. One half of the store lined with neat shelves of hand selected wines and the other a large selection of beer, liquor, and snacks. Vino features Scotland's first Enomatic wine tasting machine, giving customers the opportunity to try up to 8 wines before purchasing.

26 North West Circus Place, Edinburgh EH3 6TP (0131 225 6998)

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Ecco Vino

Despite being located just off the Royal Mile, this restaurant is surprisingly quiet and non-touristy. With a great wine list and affordable meals this is a great place to grab a quick bite to eat or spend a few leisurely hours sipping wine and enjoying the company. We recommend trying their Mackerel Ravioli and the Skipper's catch of the day!

19 Cockburn Street, Edinburgh EH1 1BP (0131 225 1441)

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Veeno

Conveniently located on Rose Street, in the heart of Edinburgh's New Town (with another in Quartermile), this wine bar is an awesome place to take a break from the bustling streets beyond. They do everything from flights to a killer weekday lunch deal: sandwich/salad and a wine/beer/prosecco/soda for the price of the main. Need we say more? One of the most interesting things about their menu is that all the wines come from their family estate vineyards in Sicily, and offer authentic Italian spuntini (Italian style tapas) from ingredients sourced solely from Italy.

76 Rose Street, Edinburgh EH2 2NN (0131 225 3239)

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The Fat Pony - closed

The Fat Pony is the latest venture of David Ramsden, who is no rookie to the Edinburgh hospitality business. David is the mastermind behind The Dogs, a longtime favorite restaurant of ours in Edinburgh. The Fat Pony wine bar is situated in the Haymarket area of the city and is a must for any wine enthusiast. The menu consists of a large ever-changing wine list available by the glass and bottle, several amazing hand-crafted cocktails (the bloody mary is to die for), and delicious small bites. Not to mention their knowledgeable and hilarious staff! 

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Goya 23 - closed

Situated in Edinburghโ€™s area of Stockbridge, Goya 23 specializes in Spanish wines and also has several interesting sherry flights on their menu. There is a large selection of wines you can purchase for in-house consumption or to take back home. The service is exceptional, with the staff helping guide you through the wine selection process based on your own unique wine preferences. They also feature a nice tapas menu to nibble on while you enjoy your wine. If youโ€™re in a hurry, stop in and purchase their to-go wines, charcuterie, and tapas!

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Henri - closed

Located in this location now is Whiskers Wine Cafรฉ . We have visited Whiskers a number of times and it is equally as delicious! Whiskers focuses on fresh local dishes and has a fabulous wine selection.

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