Photo: Mtaylor848, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Inside a distinctive art deco building, this cinema is held close to the hearts of York residents.
The Odeon Cinema is a Grade II listed building immediately west of the city centre of York, England.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Founded in the 17th century, when Catholics were widely persecuted in England, the convent is still home to a community of nuns, members of the Congregation of Jesus. In a small interactive museum, you can discover the brave sisters' remarkable story, from their underground origins hidden in plain sight of the authorities, right through to their survival under the bombs of the Luftwaffe. There is also an on-site café and 'secret' garden, as well as B&B-style accommodation.
Micklegate Bar was first recorded in the 12th century, but reuses stone from an earlier Roman gate. It has long been the official entrance to the city of York for royalty, and welcomed Queen Elizabeth II during her Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012. The indoor exhibition closed in 2025, but you can still view the very impressive exterior.
Founded prior to 1066, this is the only pre-Reformation monastic building in York that is in use today. The wooden beams supporting the roof are breathtaking, and there is a small interactive exhibition about those medieval monks and their priory, making use of touchscreens and 3D imagery.
Approximately 75-minute comedic horror tour of the city in a black routemaster bus, with onboard actors and technical wizardry creating an experience you're unlikely to forget. (calls incur a 7 pence per minute service charge, plus your phone provider's per-minute access charge)
Colourful angels smile cheekily down at you from the ceiling in this 12th century church, which is grade I-listed due to having the finest collection of medieval stained glass windows in the city. The most famous window, dating from around 1410, depicts the Prick of Conscience - a popular Middle English poem.
The largest railway museum in the world, with a magnificent collection of locomotives, rolling stock, railway equipment, documents and records. The bulk of it is British, but there are also great snorting monsters from China and the U.S. Highlights include Queen Victoria's opulent Royal Train, famous locos such as Stephenson's Rocket and Mallard, and a first-generation Shinkansen - the only one outside of Japan. When it's not cruising the rails in summer, Flying Scotsman overwinters at the NRM. Out in the yard, a steam-engine hauls rides in the summer, and a miniature railway operates year-round. And the best thing for railbuffs: the museum is in sight of York station and has a viewing deck overlooking the East Coast Main Line!.