York City Guide

Whether York is your intended destination or just a brief stopover on the way to your new home, we have compiled this guide to help you get your bearings on arrival. To obtain more details about the city check out the websites listed at the end of this profile.


Population

According to mid-2006 estimates, York is home to some 190,000 people.

Geography York is the capital of Yorkshire, which is the largest county in England and combines a rich countryside, including the beautiful green Dales, spectacular limestone regions and rugged moorland, with large cities and smaller towns that came into existence during the Industrial Revolution.

Economy

York has an increasingly modern and dynamic economy underpinned by traditional industries. Significantly in recent years there has been growing employment and investment in the fields of science and technology, focused through the Science City York initiative. York is still an industrial, commercial and transport centre, with a tradition of major companies in the fields of chocolate manufacturing, construction, engineering and scientific products. Today, there is substantial office employment in insurance, financial services, health care, telecommunications and the railway industry, while the tourism and retail industries are major economic sectors.

Dining Out

York lies at the centre of one of the most important food producing regions in the country.  Treat yourself to traditional morning coffee, a civilised lunch or the perfect afternoon tea at Betty's Cafe Tea Rooms. Seek out York's historic pubs tucked away in the city's ancient snickelways. Indulge yourself at the latest trendy riverside bars - York has a pub for every night of the year. Sample the city’s independent York Brewery, or splash out on award-winning restaurants such as the Blue Bicycle, Rish and Meltons.

Transport

York is well served with rail, air and road transport links. The main East Coast rail line provides an almost hourly service to London Kings Cross and the northern route goes through Newcastle to Edinburgh. Leeds Bradford International Airport is less than an hour away by car / taxi and Manchester’s International Airport can be reached by the M62 motorway, and a rapid direct train service from York rail station. Although not directly on the motorway network, York is now only 20 minutes drive from the A1-M1 link road, which gives fast road access South to London (M1), West to Manchester and Liverpool (M62) and North to Teeside / Tyneside and Scotland (A1, partially motorway). The East coast port of Kingston upon Hull is about an hour away by a good A-class road.

Arts & Culture York is a medieval city with a wealth of history, dating back to the Roman and Viking times. There are many attractions with a historic theme, but also other varied attractions due to York’s position as a railway city and strategic link to the North of England. York is home to the largest Gothic cathedral in England, York Minster. York’s streets have many ancient and timber-framed buildings allowing the visitor to immediately step back into the past. York Castle Museum, Yorkshire Museum, York City Art Gallery, National Railway Museum and the Jorvic Viking Centre give glimpses of different aspects of the city’s rich history.

On the Net

York City Council
www.york.gov.uk

York Tourism
www.visityork.org  

Weather

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Avg. Max.

7°C

7°C

10°C

13°C

16°C

19°C

21°C

21°C

18°C

14°C

10°C

7°C

Avg. Min.

1°C

1°C

2°C

4°C

7°C

10°C

12°C

12°C

10°C

7°C

4°C

2°C