England · TOURS IN YORK

The 15 Best York Tours & Ghost Walks

26 tours  ·  from $9 a head

The walls are free and the Minster is not, which shapes most York days. These 15 cover the daytime walks, the ghost tours after dark and the bus routes, priced, timed and clear about which are theatre and which are history.

Mad Alice’s The Bloody Tour of York -Best Tour Award Europe - The Shambles, snickleways, and medieval York
Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in York

Mad Alice’s The Bloody Tour of York -Best Tour Award Europe

1.Mad Alice’s The Bloody Tour of York -Best Tour Award Europe

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,749 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $20Our pick

Follow Mad Alice, Lady Peckett, or Margaret Pimm through York’s medieval streets for 90 minutes of dark history, murder tales, ghost stories, and theatrical humor. The walk visits York Minster, the Shambles, Roman and Viking sites, and Clifford’s Tower. It is in English, family-friendly, and suitable for most ages.

“An absolute must if in York, plenty of tales of death and torture! A cracking evening trawling the cobbled streets of York.”

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Ghost Bus Tour of York - Clifford’s Tower and York’s darker past
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Ghost Bus Tour of York

2.Ghost Bus Tour of York

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,404 reviews · 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.) · from $27

Board a classic Routemaster in central York for a 60 to 75 minute evening tour of haunted sites and grim local history. Guides such as Phil Graves, Frank Stein, and Jon Doe mix ghost stories, jokes, audience participation, and small surprises. You pass Clifford’s Tower, York Minster, and Dick Turpin’s grave before returning to the starting point.

“Fun and, history brought to life with humour. The tour was just the right duration. Highly recommended.”

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Shadows of York: Ghost Walk and Horrible History. - Starting at the Guy Fawkes Inn
Ghost Tours, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours in York, Walking Tours, Walking Tours in York

Shadows of York: Ghost Walk and Horrible History.

3.Shadows of York: Ghost Walk and Horrible History.

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,403 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $18

Start at the Guy Fawkes Inn at 6:30 pm and follow a guide such as Dan, Josh, or Mackenzie through York’s dark past. Expect about 90 minutes of theatrical storytelling, stops near the Minster, lesser-seen streets, and a finish at the Shambles. The walk suits most people, but bring warm clothes and sturdy shoes.

“So we had Dan (I think) who was fantastic. His voice carried he include a little humour and was very affable. He wasn’t put off by the locals who made ghost noises. We learned a little on a very cold evening and my only gripe I guess was that for a place that’s the most haunted city in Europe - why did we only get 5 stories?”

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Private Historical Walking Tour of York - Why this York walk works best early in your stay
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Private Historical Walking Tour of York

4.Private Historical Walking Tour of York

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,324 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.)

Walk through York’s Roman, Viking, medieval, and royal past with a private English-speaking guide. Starting near York Minster, you’ll visit major historic sights, hear stories shaped to your interests, and finish by Clifford’s Tower. Guides including Alan, Chris, Sean, Karen, and David lead tours lasting about two to three hours.

“We had a great private tour of York with our guide, Sean. He was incredibly knowledgeable and gave us a great overview of the city and its history. We enjoyed the tour and would highly recommend it.”

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Daytime Sightseeing Boat Cruise in York - Beyond the landmarks, the scenery becomes quieter
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Daytime Sightseeing Boat Cruise in York

5.Daytime Sightseeing Boat Cruise in York

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,256 reviews · 45 minutes (approx.) · from $20

Cruise the River Ouse from King’s Staith for about 45 minutes, with views of York Minster, Clifford’s Tower, city walls, bridges, pubs, and riverside parks. A live captain’s commentary adds local history and humor. Choose an open-air or indoor seat, and buy hot or cold drinks on board.

“The app sent us to the wrong meeting spot on the wrong side of the river! We missed our boat but they were very accommodating and let us take a later boat. The tour was very nice and a relaxing way to see some of the city!”

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York Dungeon Entry Ticket - The actors make or break the visit
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York Dungeon Entry Ticket

6.York Dungeon Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,108 reviews · 1 to 2 hours (approx.) · from $26

Enter York Dungeon for a 60 to 90 minute walk-through of Yorkshire’s grim past. Actors bring Guy Fawkes, Dick Turpin, Viking raids, prison scenes, and local legends to life through live shows, audience participation, a carriage ride, special effects, and jump scares. Children under five cannot enter.

“Great actors living the moment !. Putting selected customers on the spot , all with good humour. Be prepared to mix in and enjoy the experience.”

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Wizard Walk of York - WINNER Best Tour & Best of York Award - Starting at St Crux and finding the group
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Wizard Walk of York – WINNER Best Tour & Best of York Award

7.Wizard Walk of York – WINNER Best Tour & Best of York Award

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 918 reviews · 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.) · from $16Best value

Follow the Wizard of York, known as Phoenix, through the Shambles, Minster area, and Bedern on a 75-minute mix of magic, comedy, and city sights. Expect silly jokes, audience participation, magical creatures, and tricks such as a handkerchief mouse. It is aimed at children aged 5 to 10, though adults and older children can join the fun.

“Great show kids were amazed, they found it magical. Would and have recommend to everyone. The wizard is a born entertainer, very good with everyone, funny and brings the whole crowd into the walk. You can tell he loves what he does and the enthusiasm shows.”

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The Best of York on Foot in a Small Group - York Minster gets a useful exterior introduction
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The Best of York on Foot in a Small Group

8.The Best of York on Foot in a Small Group

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 783 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $27

You’ll trace York’s story from Roman foundations to medieval lanes with guides such as Alfred, Sarah, Charlotte, and Ferah. The 90-minute walk visits St. Mary’s Abbey, Museum Gardens, York Minster, Stonegate, and the Shambles. Groups are capped at eight, with iPad images, a York map, and no indoor admission included.

“It was a very interesting, condensed history of York, with wonderful buildings and walks as illustrations”

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North York Moors and Whitby Day Tour from York - Byland Abbey: a brief stop among medieval ruins
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North York Moors and Whitby Day Tour from York

9.North York Moors and Whitby Day Tour from York

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 624 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $77

Spend about eight hours exploring Byland Abbey, Helmsley, the North York Moors, Goathland, and Whitby from York. A driver-guide such as John, Steve, Trevor, Barry, or Ben A leads the small group in English, with time for fish and chips, Whitby Abbey, and, on running days, a scenic North Yorkshire Moors Railway ride.

“Perfect planning of the day with severak stops and gos totale pictures. Trésor our driver was entertaining us with explanations and stories of different sorts. Suite me perfectly 😉”

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City Sightseeing York Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour - The best way to use the 60-minute loop
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City Sightseeing York Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour

10.City Sightseeing York Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 545 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $23

See York from an open-top double-decker bus with a 24-hour hop-on hop-off pass. The roughly 60-minute loop links Exhibition Square, Clifford’s Tower, Monk Bar, York Racecourse, the railway station, and more. Expect recorded commentary, with live guides on some departures, plus indoor and open-air seating.

“The nice preciseness of the ride matching up with all the history as we made our rounds about the city.”

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J & M York City Walking Tours - Castle earthworks and the darker side of York
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J & M York City Walking Tours

11.J & M York City Walking Tours

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 480 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $18

Walk York with local guides such as Nick or James, covering the Minster, Shambles, city walls, Monk Bar, guild history, Constantine the Great, and Dick Turpin. This two-hour route mixes major sights with easy-to-miss corners, historic streets, odd tales, and practical orientation. Museum admissions are not included.

“This is an outstanding intro to the city and a great way to orient oneself as to what to see while you are visiting. Nick, our guide, was phenomenal!”

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Shared Walking Tour in York - Museum Gardens and St. Mary’s Abbey
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Shared Walking Tour in York

12.Shared Walking Tour in York

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 480 reviews · 1 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $20

Join David, also known as Dave Haws, for a flexible English-language walk through York’s old center. You’ll visit Minster Yard, Museum Gardens, St. Mary’s Abbey, the Shambles, All Saints Pavement, Saint Margaret Clitherow’s shrine, and Clifford’s Tower. The walk can last one to three hours, or longer if the group wants more history.

“David was amazing! His wealth of knowledge was incredible! He was so pleasant and fun…could have listened to his stories forever.”

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Original Harry Potter Locations Tour : Guided Tour of York - York Minster and the city-center route
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Original Harry Potter Locations Tour : Guided Tour of York

13.Original Harry Potter Locations Tour : Guided Tour of York

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 479 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $19

Walk through York with guides such as Ellie, Aliyah, or Leah, linking the city’s streets and York Minster to Harry Potter ideas and inspirations. Expect team quizzes, sorting into Hogwarts houses, local history, and a finish near the Shambles. This is not a tour of actual film locations.

“Great. A must do for any Harry Potter fan. Fantastic guide. Very informative Review wanting you to write more id pain in ass”

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Golden Tours York Hop-on Hop-off Open Top Bus Tour with Audio Guide - What the one-hour circuit gives you
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Golden Tours York Hop-on Hop-off Open Top Bus Tour with Audio Guide

14.Golden Tours York Hop-on Hop-off Open Top Bus Tour with Audio Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 468 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $22

Use an open-top bus to get your bearings in York, then hop off at any of 20 stops and reboard throughout your 24 or 48-hour ticket. An English audio guide adds city context, while occasional drivers such as Rich, Richard, and Keith have brought extra humor and detail to some journeys.

“Great time on the bus, saw lots of interesting points of interest and had a good, funny guide. I would recommend giving the tour a go.”

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York Forbidden Chronicles - Tales for the dark souls. - Starting at Clifford’s Tower, where power turned brutal
Tour Reviews, Tours in York

York Forbidden Chronicles – Tales for the dark souls.

15.York Forbidden Chronicles – Tales for the dark souls.

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 450 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $17

Walk York after dark with guides such as Jack, Finn, Ethel, and Brother Mortimer, hearing factual tales of massacres, prisons, plague, beheadings, Guy Fawkes, and local folklore. This 90-minute English-language tour is more historical than supernatural, with some role play, gruesome details, and plenty of cobblestones.

“Lovely tour, the tour guy was very knowledgeable and engaged with everyone on the tour. Would recommend this tour”

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New in Tours in York

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★ 4.5York City Pass: Access 35+ Attractions for One Great PriceFrom $88122 reviews
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