24 Hours In York (Jorvik House & The Whippet Inn)

From the second you leave the station concourse in York, it feels like you’re taking a step back in time – straight into the setting for a historical novel. With its ancient city walls, winding cobbled streets and majestic, magnificent cathedral, York is every inch a grand and glorious English city, and it is without a doubt, one of the most beautiful and tranquil places I have visited.

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Where To Stay

Our (mine and my partner’s) accommodation for the night was the gorgeous hidden gem that is the Jorvik House hotel – a luxuriously cosy Georgian Townhouse with a very hygge feel situated near the Museum Gardens.

The whole hotel has a very Scandinavian feel to it; lots of neutral colours, wood furniture, (faux) furry blankets and fluffy cushions. The staff are wonderfully attentive – nothing is too much trouble and they’re all genuinely friendly and helpful. We left our bags with them prior to check-in and they were also happy to keep them after we’d checked out, until we were ready to catch our train. Jorvik House is directly opposite the Museum Gardens (which are open until 6pm each day) and in close proximity to the shops, restaurants and the River Ouse. It’s also around a 10 minute walk from the station (slightly less if you cut through the gardens!)

I would highly recommend staying here if you’re visiting for a night; we stayed in Room 8 which was a double room and facilities wise, it was excellent value for money. The rooms are cosy, but not claustrophobic, and come with a very comfy bed, fridge, kettle, TV (with lots of channels) and an en-suite bathroom with Cowshed toiletries and a drench shower.

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What To Eat

There is so much choice in York that trying to decide where to go for food can be a little difficult. That being said, lunch on the first day had already been pre-decided, as my one request for this trip was to have an authentic Yorkshire Pudding Wrap from The Yorkshire Roast Co. Somewhat handily, we came across one straight away, after walking around the walls of York – we came down some steps and out of a tiny door, and there across the street from us was the Yorkshire Roast Co. M had a pork wrap and I had the beef and horseradish option; they were divine.

For dinner, we spent a considerable amount of time on TripAdvisor – searching for the perfect restaurant. We both love good food and good wine, and picking somewhere nice to eat is always a highlight of going away.

York, like many major cities, is full of many fantastic eateries catering to any budget so picking just one is always a little difficult! Eventually, after reading a fair few reviews, we decided on The Whippet Inn – an adults only steak and alehouse. This was the best possible decision we could have made; it was intimate, quiet and very personal. We had bread and olives to start, and then I had a fillet steak whilst M went for an enormous rib-chop from the specials menu. We also shared a bottle of Toro De Piedra – a full-bodied Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon – this too was delicious – one of the best wines we’ve ever had (and we’ve tried a fair few full-bodied Chilean reds!) I would definitely recommend a visit to the Whippet Inn if you get the chance – the food, drink and staff are all superb and the atmosphere and styling are that of a relaxed elegance.

Our final meal in York was breakfast – although we didn’t eat until about 11, so technically I suppose you could say it was brunch. We went to the Shambles Market for this, as we’d passed it the day before and been seduced by the sights and smells of delicious, freshly cooked street food. We eyed up all of the stands and then decided on the Nukkad Indian Street Food van – which again turned out to be an excellent decision. M had a chicken kathi roll and I had a warm samosa with dip – both of which were freshly cooked and exquisitely tasting, especially on an icy winter morning. You can’t beat street food – there’s nothing like trying a new dish or an old favourite that’s been freshly and expertly cooked in front of you. And, especially in the case of market traders and stalls, buying food from them helps sustain the market community too – preserving that experience for the visitors who have yet to come.

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10 Things to Do in York

We packed quite a lot into our 24 hours in York and there is still so much to explore but for now, here’s some of the things that I’d recommend doing (in no particular order) if you ever get the chance to visit this beautiful city: