Overview
*IMPORTANT NOTE: This tour is offered in ONE LANGUAGE ONLY. Please make sure you BOOK THE CORRECT LANGUAGE on the day that it is available.*
The Saints and Sinners Tour looks at the history of York through the eyes of those who shaped it.
Meet the King, the Bishop, the Highwayman, the Chocolatier, the Martyr, the Terrorist, the Emperor, and the Artist.
Do you know their names? What do you know about their lives? Where can you find their traces in the city? Were they saints… Or sinners..?
I am your guide: Irene, an art historian born in Madrid and living in York for the last seven years.
Join me on a fascinating walk around York to discover all this and more!
- Recommended by 98% of travelers
- Badge of Excellence
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- Mobile ticket
What's included
Your guide: Art Historian; MA Archaeology & Heritage; background in museums and customer services.
Meeting and pickup
Travelers meet at the meeting point.
Meeting point
Go through Micklegate Bar if you are coming from outside the city walls, or stop just before it if you are coming from inside the walls. We meet at the corner of Bar Lane and Micklegate.
End point
We finish outside York Art Gallery (please note that a ticket to the gallery is not included).
What to expect
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Micklegate Bar
10 min
We will meet in front of Micklegate Bar, inside the city walls. There we will talk about the first of our "sinners": the most infamous king in English history... Was he a monster, or a hero? A murderer, or a pious man who did his duty?
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Ouse Bridge
10 min
We will stand on Ouse Bridge, the place where our first saint performed an incredible miracle! It is also where another saint, whom we will talk about later on, was executed for her faith...
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Clifford's Tower
10 min
Clifford's Tower is all that is left of York's Castle. For decades it was also part of York's prison, and its most famous inmate is our second sinner: the most well-known highwayman in England... Did he really ride from London to York in just one day!?
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York Castle Museum
10 min
Once York's prison, today a wonderful museum of Yorkshire's social history from the 1500s to today.
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Jorvik Viking Centre
10 min
A museum where you can go for a ride through an old Viking village and learn about York (Jorvik)'s past.
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Parliament Street
10 min
We stop at the end of one of York's busiest shopping streets to look at the old house of our second "saint", whose name is synonymous with chocolate. But he didn't make people's lives sweeter only with his products; he also did so with his actions and beliefs.
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Shambles
10 min
Arguably the most well-known street in the city, we will stop here to talk about York's most famous martyr: the butcher's wife who lived here and was executed on Ouse Bridge for her Catholic faith.
*PLEASE NOTE* as Shambles is a very narrow street and usually very busy, we will take a detour instead of going up it. You can explore it at your leisure in your own time. -
York's Chocolate Story
10 min
A fun museum where you can learn everything about York's chocolatey history, and even make a chocolate lolly yourself!
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St. Michael le Belfrey Church
10 min
The church where our third sinner, the most famous terrorist of all time, was baptised. He could have changed the course of England's (and Europe's) history had he not been discovered. Remember, remember...
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Statue of Constantine the Great
10 min
Our fourth and last "saint", Constantine the Great, was proclaimed emperor in York, where we can see his statue today. He changed the course of history and religion forever, but was he really a Christian himself..?
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York Minster
10 min
The greatest landmark of the city of York is its magnificent Gothic minster, whose origins date back to the 7th century.
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Exhibition Square
10 min
We finish our tour in Exhibition Square, a very appropriate name for the place where the York Art Gallery stands. Here we will meet our last "sinner": an artist whose life was shrouded in admiration and controversy in equal parts... And who saved the York walls from destruction.
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York Art Gallery
10 min
Home of the CoCA (Centre of Ceramic Art), the biggest and most complete collection of British contemporary ceramics. It also has an extensive collection of paintings - most of which are not on display - and hosts temporary exhibitions periodically.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the start time.
Times are local to the experience (Europe/London).
Additional Information
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Up to 15 travelers per booking
- Each booking must include at least one adult.
FAQs about Tour of York - Saints and Sinners
Can I cancel Tour of York - Saints and Sinners for free?
Yes. For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the start time.
How long does it take?
It takes about 2 hours.
Where does it start?
Go through Micklegate Bar if you are coming from outside the city walls, or stop just before it if you are coming from inside the walls.
What's included?
- Your guide: Art Historian; MA Archaeology & Heritage; background in museums and customer services.
Which places does it visit?
It visits Micklegate Bar, Ouse Bridge, Clifford's Tower, York Castle Museum, Jorvik Viking Centre, Parliament Street, Shambles, York's Chocolate Story.
Which languages is it offered in?
It is offered in English, Spanish.
What fitness level is needed?
It is suitable for all physical fitness levels.
Is it suitable for children?
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Operated by Old Yorker Tours
