Tour of York - Saints and Sinners | La Vacanza Travel

Tour of York - Saints and Sinners

Duration: 2 hours
Destination: United Kingdom, England, York
from
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  • 2 hours
  • York
  • E-Voucher
  • Lowest Price
  • Not-Cancellable

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!

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Micklegate Bar, 27 Micklegate, York YO1 6JH England

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?

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Ouse Bridge, Bridge Street, York YO1 9QU England

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...

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Clifford's Tower, Tower Street, York YO1 9SA England

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!?

Duration: 10 minutes

Pass By: York Castle Museum, Eye of York Tower St, York YO1 9RY England

Once York's prison, today a wonderful museum of Yorkshire's social history from the 1500s to today.

Pass By: Jorvik Viking Centre, 19 Coppergate Coppergate Shopping Centre, York YO1 9WT England

A museum where you can go for a ride through an old Viking village and learn about York (Jorvik)'s past.

Stop At: Parliament Street, York YO1 8SG England

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.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: 11 Shambles, York YO1 7LZ England

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.

Duration: 10 minutes

Pass By: York's Chocolate Story, King's Square, York YO1 7LD England

A fun museum where you can learn everything about York's chocolatey history, and even make a chocolate lolly yourself!

Stop At: St. Michael le Belfrey Church, High Petergate, York YO1 7EN England

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...

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Statue of Constantine the Great, York Minster, York England

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..?

Duration: 10 minutes

Pass By: York Minster, Minster Yard Deangate, York YO1 7HH England

The greatest landmark of the city of York is its magnificent Gothic minster, whose origins date back to the 7th century.

Stop At: Exhibition Square, York England

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.

Duration: 10 minutes

Pass By: York Art Gallery, Exhibition Square, York YO1 7EW England

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.

Inclusions
  • Your guide: Art Historian; MA Archaeology & Heritage; background in museums and customer services.

Exclusions
    • Wheelchair accessible
    • Stroller accessible
    • Service animals allowed
    • Near public transportation
    • Most travelers can participate
    • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    Departure Point

    Micklegate Bar, Micklegate, York YO1 6JX, UK


    Return Details

    Exhibition Square, York, UK

    Voucher info

    You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.

    Duration

    2 hours


    User's Reviews

    Sue W

    17 Mar, 2024

    Irene was really interesting and informative and we really enjoyed the tour. She is Spanish and also bilingual so was a natural in explaining lots of interesting and amusing facts about a handful of people famous in York to a group of mixed language speakers. I would recommend her tour to anyone wanting a view of the city in either Spanish or English. She certainly knows her English history and was a very enjoyable guide for us.

    Y1940HVdaniels

    23 Feb, 2024

    If you want to find out the real story of the people who make York great, rather than the usual tripe about witches and ghosts, then this is the tour for you. History needn’t be boring with Irene Altares Lerma, who brings the past to life with humour and knowledge.

    H6081XWjohnw

    19 Jan, 2024

    Travelled to York on the morning of 13th January and had booked the Saints and Sinners Tour of York for 2pm that day, as an introduction for the family to Yourk and to our time there. What an inspired choice! Through the prism of the characters chosen, Irene brought people and periods in the history of York vividly to life before us. From first moment to last we three were engaged as a family. Brilliant storytelling, insightful pathways through the city and a huge degree of personal charm, all of which are testament to a quite brilliant guide. As a lover of place and history, could not have asked for more. My recommendation, to end, is to book Saints and Sinners without any hesitation. Thank you, Irene for such a superb start to our break in York. John, Amanda and Saoirse.

    Kirsty186

    18 Sep, 2023

    Great afternoon tour with friends. Irene brings York to life with her interesting Saints and Sinners tour, can definitely recommend.

    Sarah_A

    17 Sep, 2023

    As a frequent visitor to York we wanted to learn more about the city and its history whilst avoiding the novelty tours. Irene pitched her tour at the perfect level for us, delivering interesting information about York & its citizens across many periods of the last 2000 years relating it to both well known & "hidden" locations. The tour has whet our appetite to explore more of the city and its museums/galleries. If you are looking to do a walking tour of York then Irene’s tour is not to be missed!

    User's Picture Gallery

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    Interesting informative fun.

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    A fascinating tour of York and its real historical characters.

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    I enjoyed my time in York thanks to this tour

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    Outstanding Sinners &Saints Tour

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    A must do in York!

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    Muy muy recomendable

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    Recorriendo York con los santos y pecadores de Irene

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    Excelente tour

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