York

This week I spent a rainy couple of days in York! It was my first time in the city, and I found it really interesting. Visiting from Nottingham only takes two train journeys and about two hours in total, but it feels like a very different place - it's much more historic and old fashioned (though Nottingham does have its historic places too).

On my way from the train station to the hotel, I was able to have a look at some of the famous sights. From outside the station you can instantly spot the city walls, which you can walk along to get around the city and to see some nice views as well.

Further along, I found the Micklegate bar - the best known medieval gateway in York. Apparently they used to hang severed heads from it!

There are really nice views when crossing the River Ouse.

After that, I saw Clifford's Tower, the largest part of the old castle which is still remaining.

After unpacking, I went out again to explore the city centre a bit.  I had a look around the Merchant Adventurers' Hall, a medieval building which can now be booked for weddings and other celebrations.

Then I walked along The Shambles, the most famous street in York. It's very narrow with cobblestones, and was used as Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter films. There are very unusual and interesting shops there, including several Harry Potter shops!

My second day in York was very busy! First I went to York Minster, which is one of the biggest cathedrals I've seen. I had booked a ticket to go inside, and the interior was very grand with lots of stained-glass windows.

Afterwards, I went to the Museum Gardens, and on my way I saw the Mansion House, the residence of the Lord Mayor of York. It's a really beautiful house!

The Museum Gardens were also very beautiful and a great place for a walk.

Then I went to Bettys for tea and cake! I would definitely recommend going to Bettys if you're in Yorkshire, because the tea there was amazing and it was really good value for money.

In the afternoon, I went to two different museums, the Jorvik Viking Centre and the National Railway Museum. The Jorvik Viking Centre literally takes you on a ride through the viking history of York, which was a lot of fun, but I think the National Railway Museum was my favourite. I've always found trains really interesting, so it was great to see so many old trains in one place, some of which you could go inside, including a Japanese bullet train. You can get into the museum for free, but making a donation is encouraged.

On my last day, I went to another museum - the York Castle Museum. It was built where the prison used to be, and there is a part where you can go inside the old cells. I think my favourite bit was the recreation of a Victorian street.

I had a really good time in York and could imagine living there! It's a beautiful city and there are lots of interesting shops, cafés and restaurants to check out. It was nice to go travelling again after several months of hard work at university, and it reminded me of when I lived in Austria and went off all over Europe by train at the weekends.

I haven't got any trips abroad planned for the time being, but I will be leaving England tomorrow... and going to Wales for the day with my parents! I plan to write about it on this blog very shortly. 😊