Several of York’s smallest attractions have been awarded the 2023 Travellers’ Choice Award from TripAdvisor.
York is synonymous with its Minster and major attractions like the Railway Museum, but visitors are universally enjoying the more personal touch from the city’s smaller heritage options.
This award is given to the top 10% of listings receiving consistently good reviews throughout the year.
Winners include some of the city’s finest buildings, bursting with stories across the centuries – Fairfax House, York Mansion House and Treasurer’s House.
Contrastingly, the most modern and spine-chilling of English Heritage’s properties, York Cold War Bunker, and those with much deeper roots in history including Holy Trinity Church and Merchant Adventurers’ Hall won the accolade.
Museum director at Merchant Adventurers’ Hall Lauren Marshall said: “Our appeal, like other smaller attractions in York who have also achieved this recognition, is to enhance a visitor’s stay by highlighting some of the lesser-known stories of the city’s rich heritage.
“We tell the story of our city’s trading past in the stunning surroundings of our timber framed Hall – still owned and run by the organisation that built it seven centuries ago!”
Another winner, is Treasurer’s House, tucked in the shadow of York Minster and operated for most of the year by volunteer led tours.
Sue Jordan, visitor operations and experience manager said, “Volunteers are fundamental to every area of the National Trust’s work and its testament to the dedication of the whole team to receive this award. We’re pleased to see visitors are thoroughly enjoying the more personal experience of a house tour.”
The smart traveller has a ready-made itinerary for a day out in York, linking together several of the places on TripAdvisor’s top list.
Head to York Mansion House to start the day, the oldest purpose-built home for a Lord Mayor in the country before soaking in the stained glass at Holy Trinity Church.
Compare the collection at Treasurer’s House and Fairfax House – one of the finest Georgian townhouses in England, step from the modern-day streets into the world of Georgian Britain and the splendour of 18th century city-living.
Finally completing the day with a short trip to the suburbs to uncover the secret history of Britain’s Cold War.
Within the brutal concrete exterior of the bunker is a chilling time capsule, where original monitoring and communications equipment sits alongside the necessities of life; a canteen, a dormitory and support systems designed to last just 30 days.
With no shortage of choices in a city as rich in history as York is, let the experience of fellow travellers’ point the way to those places not to be missed.
Whether you’ve lived in York all your life and never got round to visiting, or fancy a day being a tourist, it’s a good time to support the smaller venues in the city big on heritage.
[tptn_list limit=3 daily=1 hour_range=1]