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Our property is a one bedroom apartment in a 15th century Tudor building within the walls of the historic city of York, UK. Whilst the apartment is modestly furnished, it is tastefully decorated, clean, warm and comfortable with quiet neighbours. It is situated on the historic street of Walmgate, which is a bustling district 2 minutes walking distance from York City Centre, and either 20 minutes walk or a 5 minute drive from York Railway station.

The apartment itself has four rooms: a bedroom with a double bed and historic wooden panelling, a spacious lounge with 17th century beams, a Widescreen TV (with digital channels) and a comfortable sofa. The bathroom boasts a new power shower, as well as a standard sink and WC. The kitchen was renovated less than three years ago, and has plenty of facilities including a fridge, freezer, oven and microwave. There is a big supermarket within 7 minutes walking distance of the property, and a local shop selling all the basics less than 30 metres away!

The apartment is ideal for seeing all the sites that York has to offer. Nearly everything of major importance (York Minster, The Shambles, Clifford’s Tower, The Castle Museum, Yorvic Viking Centre, York Dungeon and the City Walls) is within five minutes walking distance of the apartment. We are also well connected on local travel routes (bus and train) for adventures further afield.

York really is a lovely city, one of England’s finest, the nicest thing being that unlike many northern cities, there are lots of attractions and facilities within walking distance as the city itself is very compact. Architecturally the city is beautiful, and largely free of the disastrous council led renovations of the sixties that destroyed the historic features and architecture of many Northern Cities. The City boasts two picturesque rivers, historic city walls that date from Roman times, a magnificent cathedral, numerous museums and parks, and of course lots and lots of shops (from the bargain to the boutique!)

For the active traveller there is scope for many sporting and leisure activities: walking, jogging, boating, cycling, running, tennis, bowling, skateboarding and swimming facilities are within walking distance of the apartment. In the summer months the Moors bus service connects the city with the nearby Yorkshire moors, (Bronte country,) and the Yorkshire Dales, all of which offer spectacular walks for both experienced and novice ramblers. York is also one of the cities on the high speed rail line that connects London to Scotland. A typical journey to London takes about two and a half hours on a direct train and costs around £35, whilst a similar length trip to the charming historical City of Edinburgh could cost as little as £40 return (depending on travel times and ticket availability.)

York is ideal for those who want to experience the best of English heritage and culture without an expansive tour of the UK. The city is very geared around tourists, and in addition to an extensive tourist information office with dedicated staff always willing to help, there are free walking tours of the city offered by the local council. It is also possible to buy a very reasonably priced ‘York Pass’ which gives free admission to dozens of local attractions. In our opinion York is a great starting place to find out about England, having historical sites in abundance, more pubs than there are days of the year, fine cuisine, a top 10 university, several theatres and an opera house, live music venues, a local football team, spectacular scenery on the doorstep and great rail links to all parts of the UK. We have lived here for nearly four years and are still discovering new things to see and do, so although it may seem a relatively small city in terms of geography and population, it packs a punch in terms of a memorable holiday!