Discover York - our area guide
Learn more about living in York. Could this be a place to buy your next home?
Living in York
York is a gem in North Yorkshire, reportedly referred to as Notting Hill of the north, surrounded by the Pennines, North York Moors and the Yorkshire Wolds. Steeped in history with Roman and Viking heritage, York offers a vibrant city centre with great schools, a sought-after university, a vast choice of shops, cafes, diverse eateries, a pub for every day of the year (they say) and direct trains to London in less than two hours. Frequently voted one of the best places to live in the UK, let’s discover York.
Voted most popular city in the UK
York was voted the 'Best Place to Live' by The Sunday Times in 2018. In 2023, the city came runner up in a separate survey and in 2024 York was announced the UK’s most popular city beating both London and Edinburgh in a YouGov poll. But perhaps it’s not for the faint-hearted, as the city has also been declared the most haunted city in Europe due to its bloodstained history and over 500 hauntings within the ancient city walls. York Minster - the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York - is one of the finest mediaeval buildings in Europe and the second largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe.
What York has to offer
Local schools
York offers an excellent choice of good, excellent and outstanding schools. There are over 50 primary schools and around 15 secondary schools in the City of York including Fulford School, Manor Church of England Academy, Archbishop Holgate’s School, Joseph Rowntree School and Huntington School. In addition, there are a number of renowned and highly regarded independent schools, including St Peters School (incorporating St Olaves and Clifton Pre-Prep), Bootham School, The Mount School and York Steiner School. For higher education and degree level, you’ll find York College, University of York and York St John University.
Things to do
York residents are spoiled by a wide range of things to do and places to eat, drink and socialise in and around the city. Historic sites such as York Minster, the city walls, a number of museums and galleries including York Art Gallery, York Castle Museum and Jorvik Viking Centre offer constant cultural appeal for people living in York. Many offer free or discounted entry for residents. York Theatre Royal, the Grand Opera House and York Barbican bring an impressive lineup of plays, shows, events and music gigs. The York Racecourse hosts a calendar of race meetings as well as shows, conferences and live music throughout the year. A day out at York Races is not to be missed. On race days, people flock to the city from all over the country.
Green spaces and leisure
York boasts a number of gyms, leisure facilities, running and cycling clubs, several Park Runs and a number of green spaces where residents can enjoy the outdoors. Rowntree Park along the River Ouse is a popular park with the locals, as is Museum Gardens, Homestead Park and the Knavesmire, a large expanse of parkland by the famous York Racecourse. Here you can often see hot air balloons take off as well as regular car boot sales and the local Park Run on Saturday mornings.
Transport links
York has excellent rail connections with direct trains to London Kings Cross in less than two hours running frequently throughout the day. There are also direct trains to Newcastle, Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Harrogate and Hull. The A64 links York to a network of motorways including the M1, A1 and M62. There are bus services serving surrounding villages, Leeds as well as coastal towns including Scarborough and Filey. York is approximately 45 miles from the stunning North Yorkshire coastline.
Agents operating in this area
What's nearby?
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