Do you love history? Do you love Vikings, gothic cathedrals, and ghost stories? Step back into the middle ages with me, and I will introduce you to a little city called York. Now, when I say little, I mean tiny. Tiny city, that is. I would have called it a town, but I would be technically incorrect. So let’s just say city. But tiny… OK, I think you get it.
Within its ancient, encircling walls (Yes, York is surrounded by walls built by the Romans. FUN FACT: The original walls were built around 71 AD. Woah!) York’s medieval streets and buildings are beautifully preserved and the historic heart of the city is mostly traffic-free, making it quiet, clean and very pleasant to stroll around, day or night.
The York of today is quite fashionable. It combines its heritage and marvelous historic architecture with classy designer shops, delicious restaurants, pubs and cafes, to attract tourists from all over the world. Once first arriving in York, I discovered that every aspect of York’s modern life is very much linked with its past. Even their evening entertainment included ghost walks through the city’s shadowy streets. I took it upon myself to do this ghost walk, and I was so impressed. I will post pictures below of the streets at night.
Stonegate and Petergate, York’s two most tasteful shopping streets, still occupy the same routes as they did over 2,000 years ago. Back then they were called Via Praetoria and Via Principalis. If you were to follow these streets, it would lead you to the massive Roman headquarters which once occupied the very same site where the gothic Minster stands today.
