Private Walking Tour · York
York Private Walking Tour
2,000 years of history in one extraordinary walled city — Romans, Vikings, medieval kings, Dick Turpin, and the greatest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe.
✉ Enquire & Book NowAbout This Tour
You can’t visit the UK without visiting York. You can’t see York properly without a great guide.
York was founded in 71 AD and was once the northern capital of Roman Britannia. Its long and often violent history saw it become a key city in the kingdom of Northumbria before transforming into Viking Jorvik. Even most British people don’t know the half of it.
Our private walking tour takes you to all the must-see sights at your own pace — and also serves as a brilliant orientation day, giving you a feel for everything else to explore in your own time.
York Minster towers above the famous Shambles
York Minster at dusk — simply breathtaking
Fully Personalised
Your tour, your interests, your pace
Like all our tours this is completely private and fully personalised. If you’d prefer to spend more time at the National Railway Museum or the Jorvik Viking Centre, just say so. We’ll build the day around what you most want to see.
We’ll stop for lunch in one of York’s many atmospheric old pubs — a chance to rest, reflect, and hear more stories over a drink.
Staying in London? We also run a brilliant York day tour by train from London — just ask.
Pricing
Per Person — Includes York Minster Entry Fees
Child prices available on request. Great value for larger groups!
Book by email or instantly via Viator below.
York Private Walking Tour
2,000 Years of History in One Day
Your own expert guide. Your own pace. The real York — from Roman fortress to Viking Jorvik to medieval masterpiece.
The city that has everything
York is one of the most extraordinary cities in the world. Few places on earth can claim two thousand years of almost unbroken history — from a Roman fortress and a Viking trading city to a medieval powerhouse and a Georgian gem. Yet most visitors only scratch the surface. Our York Private Walking Tour changes that.
With a dedicated expert guide entirely at your disposal, you’ll discover the real York: the hidden snickelways, the dark medieval lanes, the stories of kings and conquerors, highwaymen and Vikings, saints and sinners. This isn’t a generic group tour herded through the crowds — it’s your personal journey through one of England’s greatest cities, tailored entirely around you and your group.
What you’ll discover
The Shambles
One of the best-preserved medieval streets in Europe, mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. Originally a street of butchers, its overhanging timber-framed buildings lean so close together you can almost touch both sides at once. Your guide will bring its extraordinary story to life.
The hidden snickelways
York is laced with a network of narrow medieval alleyways called snickelways — secret passages threading between centuries-old buildings. Most visitors walk straight past them. You won’t.
Clifford’s Tower
Built by William the Conqueror after the citizens of York dared to rebel, this striking keep is also the site of one of the most tragic events in English history — the massacre of York’s Jewish community in 1190. Your guide tells the full, unflinching story.
The city walls
York’s medieval walls are the most complete in England, and a walk along a stretch of them offers breathtaking views over the city’s rooftops, towers, and spires. Your guide will explain how they evolved from Roman ramparts into the walls you see today.
Dick Turpin’s grave
York’s St George’s churchyard is the final resting place of the notorious highwayman Dick Turpin. The real story of his life and death is far more fascinating — and far more grim — than the legend. Your guide knows both.
York Minster
The largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe. Above ground, its soaring nave and breathtaking stained glass tell the story of English Christianity across a thousand years. Below ground, the Undercroft Museum holds extraordinary Roman and Norman treasures. We save the best for last.
Your tour, your way
Ready to explore York?
Get in touch to check availability or ask any questions — we’d love to hear from you.
Also in York & beyond
Private York Historical Pub Tour
York’s ancient inns have stories as rich as any cathedral. Let us take you through a thousand years of drinking history in one unforgettable evening.
York Day Tour from London
Based in London? We’ll take you to York and back in a day — a brilliant way to experience the city as a full day out by train.
All York Tours
Browse our full range of private York and Yorkshire tours, including themed and specialist options.
Durham City and Cathedral
Just an hour or so away from York by train and makes for a memorable day out.
Standard Adult Prices per person excluding entry fees (child prices available upon request).
Frequently Asked Questions for the York Private Walking Tour
Departure Time:10am
City Location: York
Duration of Tour: 3 hours
(Approximate times as all tours are bespoke)
Alternatively you can book through Viator Trip Advisor by clicking below.
