York is definitely worth a stop when in the North of England based on its rich and well preserved medieval history, the pretty Harry Potter-style lanes to wander through and the immense York Minister Cathedral. 5 basic tips:
Tip #1 Can do as a day trip – you only need a day, so this is a simple trip from anywhere in the North of England. You could even push it as a day trip from London as its only 2 hours up the east coast train line.
#2 Walk the City Walls – a great way to see York is by walking along the City Walls. They’re 3.4km / 2miles in length, so a decent walk, and are in place for around 3/4 of their total length, meaning you only have to walk off them 3 times to cover a section that isn’t walkable. Friends of York Walls do a great simple guide for the walk here – York Walls Route.
#3 Be sure to visit York Minister Cathedral – the largest Medieval Cathedral in Northern Europe and a must.
#4 Have afternoon tea and scones – its the quintessentially York / English thing to do. There are heaps of tea rooms to try, but Betty’s is the favourite. Wandering around there also gives you that Harry Potter vibe you may be looking for.
#5 Try to learn some of the history but don’t get museum’d out – York has some fascinating history dating all the way back to the Romans, but it can be a bit overwhelming for a day trip considering you also want to do the above things. My suggestion is only to visit one of the museums / visitor attractions and for that to be Jorvik Viking Centre for an hour as it gives a good flavour of the time of the Vikings.