The world famous JORVIK Viking Centre is a ‘must-see’ for visitors to the city of York and is one of the most popular visitor attractions in the UK.

Welcoming over 18 million visitors over the past 30 years, visitors journey through the reconstruction of Viking-Age streets, as they would have been 1000 years ago. JORVIK Viking Centre also offers four exciting exhibitions and the chance to actually come face to face with a ‘Viking’.

The remains of 1,000 year old houses are revealed beneath your feet, objects taken from the excavations are explored and Viking-age timbers are brought before your eyes. New audio and video displays help you to investigate all of the information gathered from the 5-year long dig at Coppergate and piece together the puzzle of where the Vikings came from, why they came here and how they lived and died.

At JORVIK Viking Centre you are standing on the site of one of the most famous and astounding discoveries of modern archaeology. Between the years 1976-81 archaeologists from York Archaeological Trust revealed the houses, workshops and backyards of the Viking-Age city of Jorvik as it stood nearly 1,000 years ago. These incredible discoveries enabled us to build the JORVIK Viking Centre on the very site where the excavations had taken place, creating a groundbreaking visitor experience that enabled you to experience life in Viking-Age York.

As you travel around the Viking-age city of Jorvik aboard our state of the art time capsules you will encounter the old-Norse speaking citizens, see inside their houses and back yards, experience a blast of smoke from blacksmith’s furnace and enjoy the smell of home-cooked stew inside the home of our.

Find more info here

Clifford’s Tower stands as a proud symbol of the power of England’s medieval kings. Originally built by William the Conqueror to subdue the rebels of the north, it was twice burned to the ground, before being rebuilt by Henry III in the 13th century. The tower takes its name from one grisly incident in its long history, when Roger de Clifford was executed for treason against Edward II and hanged in chains from the tower walls. With sweeping panoramic views of York and the surrounding countryside, it isn’t hard to see why Clifford’s Tower played such a crucial role in the control of northern England.

Find more info here

York Maze is famous for the giant Maize Maze, the largest in Eurpoe, but we also boast many other curious maze based attractions for you to puzzle over.

Underground Tours

Meet a Miner

Get kitted out with your hard hat and battery lamp then step into the cage to descend 140m underground to discover the harsh realities of coal mining through the centuries.

Led by our lively former-miner guides, our ‘Meet a Miner’ tour will take you on a journey through time to discover the different ages of mining, from Victorian times where women and children worked underground alongside men, through to pit ponies and modern machinery.  Hear all about your guide’s working life and experiences in the mines. What’s more, the displays on this underground tour were recently updated as part of our Making Sense of Mining development project – see if you can guess which display is modelled on your guide!

You can book in for an underground tour at Reception on arrival but please note that during school holidays we advise you to arrive early to book your places, as the tours are often all fully booked up by midday.

Find more info here

An entertaining and informative river cruise. Escape the city rush and enjoy York from a different perspective whilst our friendly team guide you along the beautiful River Ouse.

A York City Cruise enables you to admire the scenery from the comfort of the enclosed saloon or open top deck. Take home fascinating facts on the incredible history of York and its river, from the live commentary delivered by our local and knowledgeable skippers. Treat yourself to a refreshing drink from the bar and rest your feet.

See for yourself where Saxons fought Vikings in 1066, where monks entertained their guests and where witches were ducked in the Middle Ages.  Sit on the open sundecks or retreat to the warmth of the bar and lounge.

Find more info here