York Walls Private Walking Tour
Description
Your own personalized tour guide, taking you on a spectacular trip round the world famous city walls! You are provided a unique guided tour experience - you will be picked up at your hotel, or in town at a place of your choosing, at a time to suit you. You will be taken around the walls, no big groups to tag along with or time schedules to keep, and even arrange coffee/food along the way at some of York's very best food and drink establishments.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The walls of York have a rich and bloodthirsty history stretching back nearly 2000 years. Whilst free to walk on, visitors can often leave the city having missed out on discovering the secrets of the walls, and the city they have protected for so long. These personalised tours provide a totally unique, bespoke and entertaining history of the walls and the city they have protected for so long. Each tour is designed just for you, so please get in touch with the local provider if you have any special interests or needs. Refreshments can also be arranged along the way with some excellent coffee shops, pubs and restaurants to check out (own expense), and in addition will also tour other parts of the city too (Castle, Minster, Shambles etc) should you require. As local tour guides passionate about the city, they can also handle any restaurant bookings or just general advice about other things to do in York during your stay. As these are bespoke tours, please contact the local provider as soon as you can in advance so your booking can be guaranteed and the guides have enough time to prepare the tour for your adequately. Please note that the walls close at dusk, and some parts are occasionally closed if there are icy conditions. Whilst the walls are well designed for tourists, wheelchair access is limited however please contact the local provider if you require disabled access as alternative routes which walk beside the walls, not on them, can be arranged. Should you require an evening tour, please contact the local provider to discuss your requirements, often the guides focus more on the other areas of York as well as the walls to provide a more atmospheric experience. Please note that on this tour it will be only yourselves and your tour guide, for a truly personalized experience of the city.
One of the finest roman structures in England - we bring it back to life including 3D reconstructions!
The most picturesque place in York, often missed by visitors, with a world famous history - we bring it back to life including 3D reconstructions!
Now part of the University, this was once the house of the Abbot of St Marys
An entrance to the city has stood here for 2000 years - we bring it back to life including 3D reconstructions!
A world heritage site - the only place on Earth to see Roman, viking & medieval defences all in one place - we bring it back to life including 3D reconstructions!
Site of the most famous ghost story in the world!
A recreation of genuine medieval life. Note entrance is not included as part of the tour, however we can show you the best parts for free!
The most famous medieval street in the world, but it has a very dark history!
Site of the only viking houses to be found anywhere in the world!
A huge motte and bailey castle that once controlled Northern England - we bring it back to life including 3D reconstructions!
A huge motte and bailey castle that once controlled Northern England - we bring it back to life including 3D reconstructions!
the most famous gateway in England, mentioned by Shakespeare and still used today when the Queen enters the city
the most famous gateway in England, mentioned by Shakespeare and still used today when the Queen enters the city
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We typically meet at the Roman Column by York Minster, but this is YOUR tour, so we can meet you on foot at the reception of your hotel anywhere in the city centre, or at a location of your choosing
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Please inform the local provider of the preferred pick up point at the time of booking.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult/senior
- A minimum of 2 adults/seniors per booking is required (single adult is available but at a surcharge at our discretion)
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Reviews(152)
John was an excellent tour and full of knowledge and enthusiasm. Has a passion for the history. He showed us parts of York that we would never have found or known about. So glad we found him.
An amazing walk around York! John was very friendly and provided a detailed history of York’s rich history. Guaranteed to see things you would probably miss on your own. Most highly recommend
The rampart itself is actually very nice and beautiful, but there are also a lot of tourists here on the narrow path. So one is very busy avoiding the "oncoming traffic" and thanking/apologizing. For this reason, unfortunately, you can only enjoy the attraction to a limited extent. Furthermore, on a sunny day with a high tourist crowd, you walk over the wall virtually in line. For this reason, if you decide to take a walk on the wall, it is ONLY early in the morning before the majority of tourists are on the road.
Would highly recommend, we did the ghost tour. John is outstanding with his knowledge and love of history. Had he been a teacher I would have passed my GCSE history with flying colours! Engaging and passionate, this was without a doubt the highlight of our 3 day stay in York. A thoroughly educational and enlightening 1.5 hours of walking around the city listening to ghost stories and seeing the sites.
🪄🥾 Walked the ancient York City Walls or "Bar Walls" for a journey through 2,000 years of history in 2 miles. Roman Walls is the longest medieval town walls in England, originally a defensive structure dating back to 71 AD, now offering a 2 mile elevated Walking Trail around the city. It’s a popular attraction, free to visit but worth checking opening hours before you go. Dogs aren’t allowed on the walls (except assistance dogs), so plan accordingly.
I’ve been on so many tours, and John’s tour of York was the all-time best. One guide for us two private tourists. Very accommodating to our preference as pick up location and tour contents. Personable and good sense of humor. Extremely knowledgable.
John’s tour was fantastic, as always! This was our fourth tour with him (the first City Walls tour, we usually do his ghost tour) and it did not disappoint. John is extremely knowledgeable, fun and funny. We and our friends we’ve introduced to John highly recommend!
This tour was a great experience and possibly the best money spent on my trip. John is so knowledgeable about the history of York and a wonderful communicator. I saw sites and heard stories that I would never have encountered on my own.
Melinda thank you so much for this lovely review, and to be honest right back at you, you clearly know your history as well so it was a real pleasure to spend a few hours in your company! Hope to see you again someday, thank you!
My wife and I have enjoyed numerous tours - both public and private - all over the world. Thanks to good luck (and my wife's excellent research), most of these tours were very good, many were excellent. We have both agreed that the private walking tour of the York Walls that we took a few weeks ago was simply the best tour that we have ever taken. The subject matter - the history of York (as seen in the York Walls excavation) thru the Roman times, Dark Ages, Norman and Medieval times was fascinating - - but the real star of the show was our guide John. John's passion for the subject, gift of bringing the story of history to life, insights into the human condition (past and present) and exceptional sense of humor, made for an unforgettable few hours. If you have only one tour to choose in York - or anywhere else for that matter - take this one! We are now forever spoiled - many thanks John!
thank you so much for this amazing review, it was genuinely a pleasure to spend some time with such a lovely couple and I'm so glad you enjoyed your time here, and thanks again for bringing the sunshine with you!!!!
John was great wealth of knowledge about England’s and York’s history. Very enthusiastic. Great time.
thank you Simon for that lovely review, and so glad you enjoyed the tour! Hope to see you again someday!
