Ghosts, Vikings & Medieval Magic!

Stepping into York was mystical, as it makes you feel like you’ve teleported to the Vikings era, or at least the sets of the TV show of the same name! Our York trip was a result of the University event which is held twice every year, where the university arranges transport to and from York. So a £8 ticket gave us some 7 hours to explore York, and truth be told, it is possible to cover the entire city in that amount of time on foot.

The bus dropped us outside the city wall, from where we made our way to the Jorvik Viking Centre grabbing coffees and a snack along the way from a. cute cafe. York was known as Jorvik, a Vikings stronghold, and its legacy comes to life in the recreated streets of York, and the aroma of the 10th Century. You might also get a chance to meet the animatronic Norse traders and warriors, which can turn out to be a weird, but fun experience.

From there we visited the famous ‘Shambles,’ to see what the craze is all about. York, as many might already know, is officially one of the most haunted cities in the world. And there is no other way to experience this but a walk through the narrow, twisted, medieval lanes of the Shambles. We did take a ghost walk, and heard crazy stories about Roman soldiers trapped in stone walls, the Grey Lady of the Theatre Royal, and pubs where spirits flow in more ways than one.

Next on the list was York minister, and it was worth the climb it takes to reach the top. The skyline view makes you realise that York is just, timeless and not just old. The city tour continued with our lot taking a walk on the city walls, and then exploring various potion shops, apothecaries, and quirky boutiques. There is a famous Harry Potter shop there named, ‘The shop that must not be named’. Yeah, that’s a real name, and it is quite busy and one must stand in a queue just to get in.

Our trip ended with an afternoon feast, trying various cuisines in the Jorvik Centre, and shopping for a souvenirs, as we would leave the city, but wanted to take a part of it with us. So except the £8 transport fees, we must’ve spent somewhere around £30-35 each in York, on food, shopping, tours, etc. but that would depend on travellers individually.

So the experience was really short, and we did not realise where the time flew by. One thing can be said for sure is that, whether you believe in ghosts, or are fascinated about the Viking culture, York will captivate you. Because it is a city from the past, but it is very much alive, a city with a heartbeat!

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