If you are looking for things to do in York, UK, the city is at its best on foot. Almost everything on this list is a short walk from our flat in the Skeldergate area, inside the city walls. Walking times are approximate, measured from the Skeldergate area. One seasonal highlight sits outside the walls, and we say so below.
In winter, start earlier than you would in summer. The walls close at dusk, the Minster and the museums have last-entry times, and a frosty morning can close the wall walk for the day. Official hours can change around services and events, so it is worth checking before you set out.
York's city walls
Walking the walls is one of the best free things to do in York in any season. They are the longest medieval town walls in England, 3.4 kilometres in all, and a full circuit takes about two hours. From the Skeldergate area you can join at Baile Hill, a couple of minutes from the flat.
The gates usually open at 8am, except on 25 December, and they close at dusk. In November and December the council starts locking them from about 3.30pm, and on icy mornings the walkway can stay closed all day. Our York walls walk guide has the route and the full timetable.
York Minster
About 13 minutes' walk. York Minster is the city's great cathedral, and one of the classic things to do in York, UK. Sightseeing is generally 9.30am to 4pm, Monday to Saturday, and 12.45pm to 2.30pm on Sunday, with last entry at those times.
Hours can change around services and events, so check the official calendar and book a sightseeing ticket before you go. A winter visit is quieter if you arrive when sightseeing opens.
The Shambles and Shambles Market
The Shambles is about 8 minutes' walk: a medieval street of overhanging timber buildings, and usually busy from late morning. Just beside it, Shambles Market and the Food Court are open every day from 9am to 5pm, which makes them an easy lunch stop in any season.
Clifford's Tower
About 8 minutes' walk. The largest surviving part of York Castle sits on its mound, with a roof platform and views across the city. English Heritage currently lists daily opening as 10am to 4pm, with last entry at 3.30pm. Hours change with the season, so check before you go, and wear shoes you trust on the steps if it has been wet or frosty.
York Castle Museum
About 9 minutes' walk, next to Clifford's Tower, and a solid choice for a rainy or cold afternoon. It is open Monday from 11am to 5pm (from 10am in school holidays) and Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Pre-booking is advised on Saturdays and in school holidays. It is due to close from Tuesday 5 to Thursday 7 January, so check the official page if your trip falls then.
JORVIK Viking Centre
About 7 minutes' walk, on Coppergate. This is a booked time-slot visit, so reserve before you go. From 9 November to 18 December it is open 10am to 5pm, then 9am to 5pm from 19 December to 3 January, except 24 to 26 December when it is closed. Opening times change again later in January, so use the official list when you book.
Museum Gardens and the Yorkshire Museum
The Museum Gardens are about 9 minutes' walk: more than ten acres of gardens around the ruins of St Mary's Abbey, free to enter and usually open from 9am to 6pm. York Museums Trust also lists the gardens as closed on 25 and 26 December and 1 January. The Yorkshire Museum, in the gardens, is about 11 minutes' walk and is open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm, so it is a good indoor stop if the weather turns.
York Art Gallery
About 15 minutes' walk, in Exhibition Square near Bootham Bar. The gallery is open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm. Arrival is in timed slots, after which you can stay until closing. A quiet indoor option for a winter afternoon.
National Railway Museum
About 20 to 25 minutes' walk, just beyond York station (the station itself is about 12 minutes). Entry is free, and it is open 10am to 5pm, seven days a week, except 24 to 26 December, with last admission at 4.30pm. Book a free ticket if you can, especially in the holidays and around Christmas, as busy days can mean a wait for walk-up entry.
Merchant Adventurers' Hall
About 8 minutes' walk, between Fossgate and Piccadilly. A medieval merchant hall with a timbered upper room and an undercroft by the River Foss. Usual hours are 10am to 4pm, with last entry at 3.30pm, and you can pay on arrival. The Hall sometimes closes for private events, so it is worth checking before you set out.
The River Ouse
The river runs right past the Skeldergate area, so you can be on the path in a couple of minutes. It is a simple way to stretch your legs at the start or end of the day, and it links towards Lendal Bridge and the Museum Gardens if you want a longer loop. In winter it is a coat-and-scarf walk, and the paths can be slippery after frost.
York Christmas Market
From mid-November until just before Christmas, York Christmas Market fills Parliament Street and St Sampson's Square. For 2026 it runs from Thursday 12 November to Monday 21 December, open Wednesday to Monday from 10.30am to 7pm and closed on Tuesdays, according to Make It York. On the last day, Monday 21 December, it closes at 5pm. Parliament Street is about 7 minutes' walk from the flat. Weekends get very busy; a midweek evening is usually more comfortable. Our guide to staying for the York Christmas Market covers parking and quieter days.
Yorkshire's Winter Wonderland
This one is not walkable. Yorkshire's Winter Wonderland at York Designer Outlet, south of the city, runs from Friday 13 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. It is free to go in, with a large open-air ice rink, a funfair and a rinkside cafe and bar. Skating needs a separate ticket, and it is wise to book at weekends. The rink is closed on Christmas Day, and the last sessions are earlier on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Get there by bus or taxi from the city centre, not on foot.
Where to stay
Stay inside the walls and you can do most of this list without getting the car out again. Our 1 bedroom flat is for two adults, in the Skeldergate area, with your own secure parking space inside York's city walls, a kitchen and Wi-Fi, and a 2-night minimum stay. If you are driving and want the public options as well, see our guide to parking in York city centre. Check dates and book direct.
Sources: City of York Council: City Walls opening times; Visit York: York's City Walls; York Minster: plan your visit; Make It York: Shambles Market; English Heritage: Clifford's Tower; York Castle Museum: visitor information; JORVIK Viking Centre: opening times; York Museum Gardens: visitor information; Yorkshire Museum: visitor information; York Art Gallery: visitor information; Merchant Adventurers' Hall: FAQs; National Railway Museum: visit; Make It York: York Christmas Market 2026 dates; Yorkshire's Winter Wonderland; Yorkshire's Winter Wonderland: times and prices