48 hours of Fabulous Food and Historical Wonders with Visit York #Gifted
Known as Eoforwick to the Saxons, Eboracum to the Romans and then invaded by the Vikings who coined the name Jorvik, York is a city steeped in history and charm, an architectural Aladdin’s cave of all things historic, but is an ever-evolving city which offers a range of exciting events, activities, and some superb restaurants.
The Visit York tourist information centre right in the heart of York city is an extensive hub of information providing tourists with all the must have advice of where to stay, where to eat and where to go.
Now here are my personal recommendations highlighting the best way to Visit York, so grab a cuppa, sit back, relax and enjoy the read.
Where to Stay
Prepare to escape with a stay at the 4-star Delta Hotels by Marriott York, situated on five acres of lush greenery and landscaped gardens, located just steps away from the iconic York Racecourse.
Warmly welcomed by marvellous Margo and her team who checked us into our gorgeous Grandstand Room which has floor-to-ceiling windows, lots of natural light and doors opening onto our very own private balcony.
The room had a large bathroom boasts a separate shower and bathtub for relaxing, the bedding was wonderful, there was a large flat screen television and importantly there was high-speed internet access.
Extremely lucky, that during our stay, we had the weather on our side and enjoyed the both a sunset and sunrise from our balcony while enjoying our complimentary fully stocked tea tray in the evening and in the morning our tea, coffee and croissants.
Our room service, Beautiful Breakfast, served on our balcony was deliciously divine. Exactly what you want with a range of hot options including the sensational smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel, fabulous Full English and a range of continental offerings such as pastries, muffins, fresh fruit, cereal, cheese, deli meats and so much more.
Rest and Relax at the hotels onsite spa which has a range of facilities including a modern fitness centre, an indoor pool, Sauna, Steam room, a well-maintained tennis court, and a full-service spa.
Now, you have the perfect York base, let me give you the inside information of where to eat and what to do while visiting York.
Where To Eat
The Cast Iron Bar & Grill, located within the 4-star Delta Hotels by Marriott York, serves seasonally inspired dishes crafted from local ingredients.
Their super signature service provided by Kieran and the team was absolutely amazing throughout the evening.
Scrummy starters included the sensational squid and the beautiful broccoli soup. Mouthwatering mains included the superb steak burger with fries and the fabulous Fish & Chips with all the trimmings.
The extensive drinks menu has something to suit every palette including quality wines, beers, spirits and I highly recommend sampling a few of their divine cocktails too.
No visit to York is complete without stopping by the iconic Bettys located in the central St Helens Square location.
Bettys is famous for afternoon tea, where loveliness awaits you, and if you want to experience the finest way to enjoy you can pre-book a bookable Betty’s Afternoon Tea offering in the Beautiful Belmont room.
The charming historical Belmont room York can be accessed via an exclusive private entrance, where you will be serenaded by their pianist, as you enjoy a rather lavish selection of dainty sandwiches, that are replenishable may I add, specially selected teas and irresistible miniature cakes and scones.
The fabulous Floral Forage restaurant and bar York is an organic oasis of calm and tranquillity, the most perfect setting to enjoy some superb small plates and high-end unique quality cocktail offerings.
Brilliant Betty and her team make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave, the place oozes with warmth and has that outdoors inside vibe about the place.
The cocktails that we sampled are next level, cleverly crafted and seamlessly mixed to perfection, and importantly are not generic offering guests a different drinking experience.
Small plate offerings at Forage are superb, pretty presentations, sublime ingredients and just the very best of the best in the most refined and yes relaxing surroundings.
Where to go
Founded at the confluence of the rivers Foss and Ouse, with an eclectic mix of Georgian, Medieval and Victorian characteristics, the wonderful walled city of York, with winding quaint, narrow streets and snickleways, has been perfectly preserved making it a picturesque location with so much to see and do!
In no particular order, here are my suggestions to ensure that you have lots of fun and enjoy some unique experiences when visiting York.
Wizards and witches be prepared to be spellbound at Yorks very own Hole in the Wand a marvellously magical golf experience that will delight and entertain audiences of all ages.
Let to wizard choose their wand or in this case their golf club to make sure you have the best shot of hitting a hole in one! Excitingly, if you do there is a reward to be had…your very own Hole in One pin badge – superb stuff!
The 9-hole course is fabulous family fun and the magical theming is spot on with plenty of exciting twists and turns around every corner. Upgrade and you can swish and flick with your fabulous feather pen to keep a note of your scores.
Highly recommend upgrading packages to include the merchandise, as there is a fantastically spellbinding array of offerings including potions and my personal favourite the photo memories.
York Theatre Royal have their jazz hands at the ready as they can’t wait to welcome their patrons with open arms to make sure that your theatre visit is all singing and dancing. See a live show, be part of the action and experience this stunning venue stepped is historical charm and character.
The York Light Opera Company production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid was the performance during our visit which featured stunning projection, dazzling costumes, and unforgettable musical numbers, including ‘Under the Sea’, ‘Part of Your World’, ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls’ and ‘Kiss the Girl’.
Based on the classic 1989 Disney animated film, The Little Mermaid tells the enchanting story of Ariel, a mermaid who dreams of trading her tail for legs and exploring the human world. With the help of her mischievous sidekick, Flounder, and the cunning Ursula, Ariel strikes a bargain that will change her life forever.
The performances were outstanding and Ursula and her glowing hench men baddies for me a personal highlight of the spectacular show.
Van Gogh – The Immersive Experience
The Van Gogh Immersive experience is a unique and inspiring attraction based within the stunning St Mary’s church in York city centre.
We received such a lovely welcome from the team and the whole ambiance was relaxed, chilled and exactly what you need to escape the hecticness of life.
Have you ever dreamt of stepping into a painting? Well, this is the activity for you, tap into your creative flow and allow yourself to drift into the artists colour palette, free your mind ad wander around Van Gogh’s world.
During your visit, for a nominal fee, there is a virtual reality experience which I highly recommend it creates a dimensional immersion like no other and really tops of the visit to a whole new level…just sublime and a really lovely experience.
Are you terrified, petrified…well you should be because the team at The York Dungeons are awaiting your arrival and want to make sure that you have a truly horrible visit. Learn about York’s gruesome historical past in a deeply immersive interactive experience where audience participation is a must.
Yep, we got picked out of our group crowd and we had the responsibility of tapping into our inner warrior to defeat the opposition – such fun!
The incredible acting capabilities of all the characters we encountered during our visit was second to none. I was in ore, because the experience felt super real…one of my favourite lines “I like pulling out the bits” and yes, it’s as scary as it sounds, so be afraid very afraid!
York dungeon have it spot on with the right balance of scare, laughs and historical information this is a must when visiting York.
Ooo now who doesn’t like a bit of chocolate!? Well York’s Chocolate Story have got you covered with their fully guided immersive tour through over 4000 years of chocolate history!
Learn how cocoa is transformed from bean to bar and unwrap the secrets of York’s famous chocolate brands with the likes of Rowntree’s, Terry’s and Craven’s.
You have an opportunity to learn to taste chocolate like an expert, marvel at the skills of the professional chocolatiers and sample their crafty chocolate creations.
Try out your creative flair during the lovely lollypop making session where you create your very own chocolate lollipop to take away with you as a sweet momentum of the day.
Immerse yourself in centuries of history at one of York’s most iconic sites and experience stunning views over the ancient city.
Built to subdue the rebellious north by William the Conqueror, Clifford’s Tower has been a royal mint, a medieval stronghold and a Civil War garrison. In 1190, one of the worst antisemitic massacres of the Middle Ages took place on the site of the tower when York’s Jewish community were trapped there by a violent mob and many Jews chose to commit suicide rather than be murdered.
Today, a new roof deck gives unrivalled views over York’s historic skyline, with its medieval buildings and famous Minster. Inside, new walkways and staircases have opened up parts of the tower that have been off-limits for centuries, and immersive soundscapes and stories are bringing the tower’s turbulent history to life like never before.
An iconic York landmark, the York Minster Cathedral with its Gothic architecture, is a breath-taking sight and the beating heart of York. Marvel in the Minsters magnificence, a sanctuary of worship, a place of calm, peace and tranquillity.
Nearly burnt down, deliberately in 1829 by Jonathan Martin and the mysterious fire of 1984, but now meticulously restored, the Minster basks in all its glory, where visitors can view key highlights including the nave, medieval stained glass, the under croft, chapter house, memorials, the kings screen and the central tower.
For a nominal fee you can pre- book a visit to the top and climb up the 275 steps to the very top of York Minster’s Central Tower. See marvellous medieval stonework and gothic grotesques, as you climb high, whereby climbers are rewarded with amazingly breath-taking panoramic views over York city.
So, got a taste for Yorks food scene and historical loveliness well now it is your turn so #LetsMakeYorkGlow and enjoy visiting York in 2024.
Thank you for reading 😊
Melanie xx
Jack was an amazing chap, welcomed us warmly, provided instructions and our life jackets.
In your self drive motorboat, that can accommodate 8 people, explore York’s sights seamlessly, as the Vikings once did.
Hire is by the half hour or full hour and City Cruises York have fourteen Red Boats in total, their names are Josephine, Angie, Leonie, Sarah, Yvette, Kathryn, Alice-May, Lucy, Tina, Heather, Ellen, Rebecca, Emma and Penny!
Have fun and sail your boat all the way down the Ouse and you will even see the millennium bridge.
When visiting York Cocoa Works it feels like family, as Michelle and her team are just as lovely as their chocolate treats.
The Chocolate Lollipop making was a simple, but fun experience which took me back to my childhood evoking memories of baking in the kitchen with my mum.
You are free to release your inner artistic and creative spirit and use the toppings to create your Lollipop Piece de resistance aka your marvellous masterpiece.
In 1989 Jeremy and Viven Caseel converted the building, into the luxury four-star hotel, opening to the public in 1990.
The opulent reception consists of a plush period sitting area along with a spiral style staircase and for our fabulous festive stay the lobby space boasted a beautiful Christmas tree with all the trimmings.
Lavish in the Lady Betty Afternoon tea, men are welcome too – this is not just a treat for the ladies, served in the tranquil setting of the Belmont room, with interiors inspired by the Queen Mary Ocean liner, and a perfect pianist playing an assortment of musical melodies, you would be mistaken for stepping back in time to a bygone era of elegance and opulence.
Proceedings at Bettys begin with the most amazing pea, cucumber & tomato cocktail appetiser. Along with some the sensational savouries, including the Smoked salmon Romanov with beetroot and lemon crème fraîche, on a wholemeal croute and the miniature pork & apple pie. Also, the vegetarian offerings including miniature spring onion & herb frittata and the super sun-dried tomato & basil roulade with rocket leaves served on a wholemeal croute.
The main Afternoon Tea, a selection of delightful, delicious and dainty offerings, served on sensational stylish silver tea stands, included a range of fresh and fabulous finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream & jam and lovely pretty pastries all perfectly presented.
The breath-taking building with grandeur and grace stands dominant and proud, awaiting to welcome visitors to enjoy a first-class experience.
The gorgeous grounds have that secret garden feel. These vast sprawling gardens are an ideal hub in which to escape the hustle and bustle of York and have some rest and relaxation time. You may not be the only residents taking advantage of the greenery, you may be lucky to see a ducky.
Their fully roofed brilliant boat will protect you from natures elements and allow you to sit back, relax and enjoy.
forkwardthinkingfoodinista 