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York City Walls, York

4.7
Must see · Ruin · Scenic Walking Area
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Experience York's ancient history by walking along the incredibly well-preserved York City Walls. The walls date back to Roman rule over 2,000 years ago. Walk their entire 3.2 km (2 mi) length if you can. Less than one-third of the 108 walled towns throughout Britain have even a single gateway remaining. These walls, though, retain four main and two minor gatehouses, all of which are still ornate and intact. Take the self-guided audio tour to hear about how the walls developed through the Roman era, the Dark Ages, and the Viking and medieval periods. Be careful in sections with steep drops and no protective barrier. Your ticket for the walls includes free admission to the Richard III Museum, where your tour starts and finishes. Plan your York City Walls visit and explore what else you can see and do in York using our York trip planner.
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York City Walls reviews

TripAdvisor traveler rating
TripAdvisor traveler rating 4.5
9,846 reviews
Google
4.7
TripAdvisor
  • York's medieval city walls are not complete but do, in sections, encompass much of the medieval city centre and walking along them can be a nice and interesting way to see the city, with a different.....  more
    York's medieval city walls are not complete but do, in sections, encompass much of the medieval city centre and walking along them can be a nice and interesting way to see the city, with a different.....  more »
  • Surprisingly hard to find at certain points, the York walls are nevertheless a fascinating way to view the city. From their lofty heights you can see everything from the stunning York Minster to what....  more
    Surprisingly hard to find at certain points, the York walls are nevertheless a fascinating way to view the city. From their lofty heights you can see everything from the stunning York Minster to what....  more »
  • The walls don't extend the full length of York but enough for some fine views across the city particularly the section northwards towards the train station with views of the Minster. 
    The walls don't extend the full length of York but enough for some fine views across the city particularly the section northwards towards the train station with views of the Minster.  more »
Google
  • York has retained so much of its medieval structure that walking into its centre or around its 3 mile long ( 4.8 km ) Ancient city walls is like entering a living museum. Amazing experience! Be aware of no security fences in place in some parts along the pathway. The wall's gates close at dusk. Must be seen. Such a free of charge wonder!
  • this took us a few hours as we stopped frequently to look at the views. Was a lot of fun. Its around 4km distance to walk. Its not continuous- but easy to pick up when the wall runs out. Highly recommend
  • Not every city has ancient walls you can walk around!! Great scenery away from the bustling crowds. Be a little mindful though, some places have a drop at the side without any fencing so keep an eye on any children you have with you. A great way to get into the city centre, easy enough to do a full lap as well, some steep stairs along the way.
  • Really enjoyed being able to see and walk around the old city walls. Not something you’re still able to do in most towns/cities these days. Throughly pleasant for a stroll and gives some nice view points too.
  • Our hotel thankfully collected our bags for us upon arrival so we entered the wall straight from the rail station and followed it to the other side of town. It was a pleasant walk, some parts fairly narrow, especially if there was a passing by group or family. Most dangerous parts did have a railing for safety. You do need to climb some steep stairs in some parts, particularly near the gates. I'd recommend a dry day over a wet one for this activity. Definitely do include at least some part of the wall on your visit to York

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