10 Best Tours in York, UK

Wandering the cobblestone streets and narrow alleyways of York is a delightful way to explore this stunning walled city. However, with so many historic buildings and hidden gems to discover, taking a guided tour in York is a fun and easy way to learn more about the city’s history and landmarks. York offers a variety of tours, covering everything from its Viking past and haunted history to local culinary delights and boat cruises. Whether you’re interested in a small group tour of York’s iconic Shambles or a guided tour suitable for kids, we’re confident you’ll find a tour that suits your interests. So, jump on board and discover the best tours in York!

Note: All tours listed here can be booked through GetYourGuide – our top recommendation for guided tours and excursions. They offer excellent service, competitive prices, and free 24-hour cancellation. It’s a reliable and hassle-free way to book your tours.

Magic Potions Experience at The Potion’s Cauldron

You may or may not have noticed that York is a bit Harry Potter-obsessed. While Shambles Street resembles Diagon Alley, neither the author nor the films were inspired by or filmed in York. Regardless, you’ll find plenty of Harry Potter tours and shops around the city. We recommend skipping the standard Harry Potter tours and diving into a magical, adult-only experience worthy of even the biggest Harry Potter fan. The Potions Cauldron on Shambles offers an adults-only magic potions experience that lasts 50 minutes and includes a guided tour of their wizard-themed Potions Room. This isn’t a cocktail-making class, but more of a dinner-show-like tour that enchants visitors with charm and comedy, all while immersing them in the Wizarding World. The experience includes a welcome drink and two cocktails, including The Potion’s Cauldron’s viral Wizard Spellbound Butterscotch Beer. Guests will even have the chance to mix their own slush potion!

If this tour sounds right up your alley but you have children, consider booking the Family Experience at The Potions Academy just down the street. The family-friendly potions experience lasts 30 minutes and includes a lively guide who will teach the whole family how to make potions, leaving you with specially crafted concoctions to take home as souvenirs.

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Guided Walking Tour of York

Walking around York is a great way to experience the city, but as one of the oldest cities in the UK, you may miss out on some details, small alleyways, and hidden landmarks on your own. We highly recommend booking the York City Highlights Tour with Yorktour. Small-group tours in York are essential, as the streets and alleyways are so narrow that you won’t be able to hear or see your tour guide if you choose a large group (we witnessed this many times when passing these groups). This tour limits groups to no more than eight participants, so you can relax, listen, and ask questions without pushing through 30 other tourists to do so.

The York City Highlights Tour lasts 90 minutes, with start times at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Visitors will receive a postcard map and make stops at landmarks like Shambles, York Minster, Snickleways, St. Mary’s Abbey, and more. This is the ideal guided tour in York for those interested in the city’s history and monuments.

Yorktours also offers a similar Private Guided Tour of York, which lasts two hours and can accommodate up to eight people.

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Tour of York Minster

York Minster is a must-see in York, and there’s no better way to explore one of the largest cathedrals in Northern Europe than with a guided tour. There are two ways you can go about this. All York Minster admission tickets are valid for one year of unlimited entry and include access to free walking tours of the cathedral, led by volunteers. These free tours run twice a day (usually around 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.) from Monday to Saturday. However, these tours are very popular, and we saw anywhere from 20 to 50 people joining each one, making it hard to hear the guide and ask questions. We even returned on separate days to try to catch a smaller group, but it was still packed! Therefore, if you want to be guaranteed a smaller group, we recommend booking one of York Minster’s additional guided tours.

The guided tours are well worth the extra cost, as they allow you to explore hidden spaces normally closed to the public, such as the Mason’s Lodge, the Chapter House, and the Crypt. You can also book a tour to climb York Minster’s Central Tower—the highest point in the city—offering sweeping views! All tours include an entry ticket to the cathedral, and since the ticket is valid for one year, you can continue to explore the cathedral after the tour or return another day.

York’s Chocolate Story Tour

Are you looking for a family-friendly tour in York that will satisfy all your senses? Then we may have found your perfect match. York is known for many things: Vikings, ghosts, towering city walls, the Shambles, and… chocolate? Yes, you heard that correctly! Often referred to as the “Chocolate City,” York is the birthplace of Terry’s Chocolate and Rowntree, which introduced some of our favorite treats like Smarties, Terry’s Chocolate Orange, and Kit Kat to the confectionery world.

On this 75-minute Chocolate Story Group Tour, visitors will explore three floors of interactive exhibits covering topics such as the invention of chocolate and York’s history as the Chocolate City. Your guide will bring the chocolate-making experience to life, and your senses will swoon over the rich smells and sweet treats along the way. Towards the end of the tour, visitors will watch a chocolatier at work and even have the chance to make their own souvenir chocolate. This is a great tour for both families and adults with a sweet tooth, because, let’s be real, chocolate is for everyone!

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Comedy Horror Show: York Bus Tour

Learn about York’s seedy past and ghostly locals on one of the most entertaining tours in the city. The Comedy Horror Show Bus Tour offers an evening packed with both laughter and scares as visitors tour the most haunted city in the UK on a classic 1960s Routemaster double-decker bus, decked out in spooky décor. Your creepy conductor will take you through York’s ghost-filled history on this theatrical 75-minute outing—let’s just say the actors are very committed to their roles! Visitors will also pass several of York’s most prominent landmarks, including Clifford’s Tower, Dick Turpin’s grave, and York Minster. The Comedy Horror Show runs every evening at 7:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., and it is recommended for ages 14 and up.

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Biking Tour of York

Get active and discover York’s history on this two-and-a-half-hour Guided Bike Tour. York Cycling Tours offers city tours daily, starting at 10 a.m. in small groups of no more than 10 people. Your guide will lead the way as you leisurely bike around the city, stopping at attractions like Clifford’s Tower and York Minster, with optional stops at a local pub or café for a snack and a drink. Cycling is a fantastic way to explore the city at a slower pace and burn off some of those holiday meal calories (who’s really counting, though?). Each rider will be provided with a bike equipped with mudguards, a bell, and a helmet. Private custom tours are also available to book, but require a minimum of two participants.

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The Deathly Dark Ghost Tour

Are you interested in the paranormal? Then make your way to the award-winning, family-run tour operator The Deathly Dark Tours. The company offers two different, highly rated theatrical tours once night falls in the town. Hear about spooky ghosts and hauntings on their most popular tour, The Deathly Dark Ghost Tour, where your guide will take you on a 90-minute journey through York’s haunted history, blending impeccably timed dark humor that will have even the dead rolling in their graves with laughter. While this can be a larger group tour, the guides have perfected their path and ensure that stops are made in larger squares so everyone can see and hear the guide.

Their newest tour, The Spookologist’s Guide to Haunted York, offers a similar style but in a much smaller group. On this 90-minute tour, your guide will discuss some of the rarest and most intriguing paranormal sightings, such as orbs, poltergeists, and funnel ghosts, while also blending local history and lore.

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Snickelways Story Walking Tour

The labyrinth of Snickelways (narrow medieval passageways that wind through the city) is unique to York and well worth a tour, as it can be hard to find all of them on your own. You really can’t get more off-the-beaten-path than with a tour through these winding alleyways and cobblestone streets. Many of them lead to quiet, hidden areas, secret gardens, and charming courtyards. Your guide will explain how the Snickelways got their name, how the passageways were nearly forgotten until the 1980s, and share fascinating local history about these hidden corridors. You’ll also come across some of the most Instagrammable spots in York. This five-star-rated Snickleways Tour promises a small group experience and is completely dog-friendly. Tours depart at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. daily and last 90 minutes.

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Guided Historic Pub Walk

Learn about York’s historic pubs and landmarks with the awesome KYP Guided Historic Pub Walk. Run by York volunteers, this tour takes visitors on a journey through 2,000 years of public house history, stopping at roughly 15 historic pubs like The Blue Bell, Ye Olde Starr Inne, and The Golden Fleece. Tourists will have the chance to sip refreshing local pints while learning about York’s most notable events and characters who helped shape the city’s social life. The tour lasts about two hours, and all proceeds go toward York’s Keep Your Pet charity, which helps older residents care for their pets during times of poor health or difficulty.

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Guided or Self-Guided Boat Tour

The River Ouse runs directly through York’s city center, offering a relaxed way to explore the city from a new vantage point. Both guided and self-guided tours are available. My family and I opted for a self-driving tour, and it was a lovely, relaxing hour on the water. The self-steer boats can seat up to five people, and you do not need a boat license to drive one, as they are small, easy to maneuver, and instructions are provided upon arrival.

If you’d prefer to sit back, relax, and be served, consider booking a tour with York City Tour. Their Daytime Sightseeing Tour follows the same route along the River Ouse, offering refreshing cocktails at their fully-stocked bar and live commentary from an onboard guide. The tour lasts 45 minutes, making it the perfect afternoon activity for families.

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York truly has so much to offer travelers, which is reflected in the wide variety of fantastic tours available. Whether you’re drawn to the paranormal, quirky wizarding adventures, or sensational chocolates, there’s a tour in York for every curiosity just waiting to reveal a new side of the city! And if you’re looking for even more inspiration, check out our picks for the best things to do in York or head a little further afield with our guide to the best day trips from York.