York - A Flying Visit Filled with Frights, Food and Fun!

I have just got back from a night's stay in the beautiful city of York where we were celebrating a friend's birthday which always involves some Halloween fun with it being so close to All Hallows' Eve!

We ventured to York early Sunday morning so we could enjoy a full day and prepare ourselves for the activities we'd booked. We arrived at the Hotel du Vin York in time for a glass of celebratory champagne and a delicious lunch of Welsh Rarebit enjoyed in the lovely, comfy yet modern bar area. The hotel is situated just a ten minute walk from the centre of York with ample parking (we were told parking in York is pretty horrific) and the hotel itself is beautiful living up to the Hotel du Vin standard.

Our room was a great size with a little lounge area and a big bathroom with twin sinks, a freestanding bath and waterfall shower (I have a thing for bathrooms!). The room had lots of storage and a Nespresso coffee machine alongside a mini-bar full of drinks and local snacks. My only gripe with our room was as it was on the front of the building opposite the main road it was a little loud overnight so, if possible, I'd ask to be placed towards the back of the building next time.

After dumping the bags and filling our bellies we ventured into the centre of York. As the weather wasn't great we got a taxi (only £5) but passed by the pretty railway station and the overpowering walls of the city which are the most complete example of medieval city walls still standing in England today, to our first stop, the York Dungeons! As it was near Halloween and the birthday girl likes scaring her friends we found this activity appropriate!

We quickly moved up the queue (pre-booking is advised) and was greeted by the friendly staff who took a great group picture before we entered into the darkness! I won't give too much away about the dungeons but if you like history as I do, it was interesting to hear about York's background through the ages and the whole experience awakens all of your senses (including smell!). It was lots of fun, however the scariest part for me was when we were locked in a pitch-black room hearing about Dick Turpin, the murderer who was tried and executed in York, when my friend jumped out and grabbed me - it took me a while to calm down!

On leaving the dungeons we were all in need of a drink so we walked towards the famous cobbled streets - The Shambles in search of a pub. The Shambles are gorgeous with lovely boutique shops on either side of the cobbles. We were offered tea tasters from out of the window of one of the shops which was delicious and of course, we had to go inside a traditional sweet shop where we all came out with bags of goodies! The girls carried on shopping while the boys found a traditional pub serving real ale and exotic beers - both groups were happy!

After a quick refresh in our rooms, we met for drinks in the bar of our hotel which is renowned in the area for amazing cocktails. The menu was extensive and we particularly loved the custom Hotel du Vin blends which the bar staff created. We decided on dinner in the hotel as we're all big fans of the food Hotel du Vin serves - we weren’t disappointed as both the food and service was fantastic.

Day two of our little break in York and our first stop was brunch in one of the many independent cafes in the city. Staff at the Hotel du Vin recommended Mannion & Co so we made that our first stop. The bistro specialises in artisan baking and the bread served with our brunch was simply delicious. After Eggs Benedict, Welsh Rarebit (again!?) and Chorizo Sandwiches we went on to explore.

We walked alongside the pretty River Ouse keeping an eye out for Judi Dench as Katie informed me that the dame herself has an apartment overlooking the river. It's a shame we didn't spot her!

Next, we walked around admiring the architecture and stopped in to look around a few unique shops on our way  to the York Minster. I've never seen shops like those in York before - one of my favourites was a stunning soap store The Yorkshire Soap Company which, on entering, it felt like you'd walked into Disneyland! The music was perfectly matched to the environment and the delicate sweet smells instantly made your smile. We had to pick up the cupcake designed soaps to believe that they weren't actually the real thing they were so well-made.

The York Minster is the largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe. The craftsmanship and detail is amazing. I didn't quite imagine that the cathedral would be so large, it's one of the biggest I've ever seen and it was lovely to be able to walk around the whole of it amongst the Autumn leaves and peering into the cute teashops along the way.

Our final stop in York before heading back home had to be Betty's Tea Rooms, opened in 1919, it takes you back to Victorian days... even the servers dressed the part. As Katie recommended we went to the big tearoom in St Helen's Square as opposed to the smaller Betty's to get the full experience. The queue was out of the door but the 20 minute wait didn't feel long as we had hundreds of intricate cakes to feast our eyes upon! Although it's not as cute as some of the modern cake shops, it was a wonderful and scrumptious experience. We all had cream tea with our scones and tea served on silver platters and old-fashioned cups which made it taste even more delicious.

Although we only had two days in York, we left feeling we had got to know the beautiful city and the lovely people. It's somewhere I'd definitely like to return to.

Jane x

Highlights

• Cocktails in the Hotel du Vin York - especially one of the staff's own creation 'Lipstick on His Collar'
• The beautiful shop The Yorkshire Soap Company to make you feel instantly happy!

Must-Dos

• Cream Tea at Betty's - Victorian elegance at its finest! 
• A walk around (and inside!) York Minster