Self-catering holiday accommodation in the City of York, Yorkshire, England, UK

York is a popular tourist destination after London and Stratford-upon-Avon. It's a lively city, with lots of hustle and bustle, a thriving market, pubs and tea shops, a good shopping centre and lots of 'touristy' things to do.

For a good choice of self catering cottages in or within travelling distance of York click for:

• accommodation in York and within easy distance

Clifford's Tower - remains of Castle	Elegant Georgian town houses	The  River with boat trips	Old Tudor Houses

The centre, much of which lies within the yellow city walls is where tourists head for.  Here you will find the Cathedral, the Castle, the Jorvik Visitor Centre, boat trips on the river, charming old buildings, many originating from the 16th Century or earlier, and the famous Shambles with its narrow lanes and interesting range of specialist shops.

 A narrow street near Little Shambles is shown on the left. Some of the buildings date back to the 16th Century.  Their upper floors hang out over the lane.  You will find original goods for sale here - quite unlike the usual high street shops of England's towns and cities.

Street entertainers gather crowds in nearby squares.  Tourists of all nations wander around contributing to the buzz. There's something happening all year round.

The Jorvik Viking Centre exhibition with it's tour of ancient York is a draw for families.  But beware, the queues grow quite long - arrive early.  Every January, the Jorvik Centre arranges events all around the city to celebrate its Viking past, one of which is the popular Viking boat race in the River Ouse which culminates in the spectacular  Viking boat burning ceremony.

You can tour the city in various ways, each of which offers something in the way of history and bring the past to life. The boat trips and bus tours (Tel: 01904 692505) are always useful for quick summaries of  the history of York and for identifying the tourist attractions you would like to visit later.  Walking tours are highly enjoyable and entertaining in their own right.  They offer good value for money and often incorporate a social element by finishing with a drink in the pub.

Tourists are confronted with a vast array of choices of things to do in York, with organised entertainment in the form of theatre, visitor attractions, museums, exhibitions, tours of one type or another.  York is a must to visit for anyone who is interested in history or architecture.  The city has a wealth of beautiful and smart buildings across the centuries from about the 13th Century to the present - all in a fairly compact area. 

Accommodation is plentiful with all types of accommodation on offer; self-catering, hotels, bed and breakfast etc. 

Self-catering country cottages - convenient for York