Two days in York: a plan and what to book

The short version

Spend day one inside the walls on foot: Minster, Shambles, Jorvik and Clifford’s Tower. Spend day two on the railway museum, the Yorkshire Museum and a stretch of the city walls. Book Jorvik before you arrive. Book the Minster and Clifford’s Tower if your dates are fixed.

This split is our suggestion, built from what each official site says. York is compact, so you can swap the days without losing much.

Day one, morning: York Minster

Sightseeing at the Minster needs a ticket, and each one is valid for a calendar year [1]. The Minster is open every day of the year, but it can close for services, so check its calendar for current sightseeing times before you go [1]. The page we read gave no advice on booking ahead, which means you should look at the ticket page for your date.

You can climb the tower, 275 steps, as a separate “Tower Challenge” with its own page and booking [1]. Decide before you arrive, not at the door.

Day one, midday: walls and the Shambles

The city walls are an elevated walkway that the council says you can walk for free all year [2]. You reach them by steps, and there is no disabled access to the walkway. The sidewalk alongside lets you follow the line instead [3]. Bootham Bar is one of the places to join [3].

Two cautions. Weather can close the walls [3]. And when we read the council’s pages on Oct 25, 2026, the section between Bootham Bar and Monk Bar was closed from Oct 19 to 30 for tree work and stonemasons’ maintenance, with gates locked [2]. If you visit after that, check again.

The Shambles is a short walk from the Minster. Visit York says it was built narrow on purpose, to keep meat out of the sun, and that the old buildings now hold cafés, boutiques and sweet shops [4]. Go early or late if crowds bother you.

Day one, afternoon: Jorvik and Clifford’s Tower

Jorvik is a ride through a reconstructed 10th-century Coppergate, followed by galleries of artifacts, some of which you can handle [5]. Everyone must pre-book. If you turn up without a ticket, you will be offered the next free slot, and booking at least a day ahead gets the best price [5]. The page says only one wheelchair user is allowed in the building at a time, so phone ahead if that applies [5].

Clifford’s Tower is a short walk away. English Heritage says to book early to save up to 15%, and it is open daily [6]. The steps up the mound are steep, with three resting places, and the timber roof platform gives views over the city [6]. It closes for high winds: it was shut on 24 and Oct 25, 2026 for that reason, and pre-booked tickets were refunded automatically [6].

Day two, morning: National Railway Museum

Entry to the National Railway Museum is free, but you need a free ticket for admission, booked on its site [7]. It is open daily [7]. Wonderlab and the Flying Scotsman VR Experience are booked separately [7]. The address is Leeman Road. The museum says walking routes have changed, so use its travel page rather than an old map [7].

Day two, afternoon: Yorkshire Museum and the walls

The Yorkshire Museum sells tickets that last 12 months, and its current exhibitions include Roman York and Viking North [8]. The site did not state opening days on the page we read, so check before you plan around it [8].

Finish with another stretch of the walls. Pick a section that is open that day.

Before you go

• Book Jorvik.
• Book the Minster and Clifford’s Tower for fixed dates.
• Get your free National Railway Museum ticket.
• Check the council’s walls page for closed sections.
• Check Clifford’s Tower for wind closures on the morning.

For more places, see our Minster Quarter and Shambles and Stonegate guides.

Places in this article

Photos from our guides; each links to the page that lists the place.