Christmas Guided Walking Tour in York: Explore History and Traditions of Christmases Past

Join a 90-minute festive walking tour in York to explore the history, tales, and traditions of Christmases past. Discover the secrets of England’s most Christmassy city and uncover the origins of Rudolph’s red nose and Boxing Day. Get into the spirit of Christmas in Britain’s original Christmas city!

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • York Minster - Did the first Christmas Festival take place here in 521AD? What is on the Altar at York Minster? Shelter in the shadow of this magnificent Gothic Minster and marvel at the Christmas Festivals this part of York has seen over the last 1500 Years.
  • York Theatre Royal - We pass by the Theatre Royal as we venture to another…
What's Included
  • Professional Blue Badge Guided Walking Tour
Additional Information

Embark on our daily 90-minute Festive Themed Walking Tours, delving into the History, Stories, and Customs of Yuletide periods of yore. The streets of York have been home to joyful celebrations for nearly two millennia. Underneath the twinkling lights, roam through the medieval streets and immerse yourself in the traditions and historic tales of this…

Location
Constantine the Great
Minster Yard
Outside the South doors of York Minster
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(85 Ratings)
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Gerontheroad
Dec 16, 2024
Highly recommended intro to York - Sarah was funny & engaging in her storytelling, giving us vivid historical accounts of the Romans & Viking influences in York. Our train was delayed & caused us to be slightly late to meet but she was responsive & helpful on email. My daughter & I very much enjoyed the walking tour & intro to York!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jackiemy1980qy
Dec 15, 2024
York Christmas walking tour - We thoroughly enjoyed the Christmas walking tour around York with Sarah. She was engaging and knowledgeable about many aspects of Yorks Christmas association and historical events. We were delighted that we were able to bring our dogs along too.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tazmina2023
Dec 15, 2024
10/10 Christmas Tour - Fantastic tour with Sarah, a brilliant Christmas narrative about York expertly woven in with the history of the city. Would highly recommend to anyone visiting York in the festive period!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
B8656mhjulieg
Dec 15, 2024
A magical walk through the history of York with story telling and charm ! - Sarah was such a good guide . Her enthusiasm and knowledge really helped create a magical Christmas atmosphere. I am returning from my visit more knowledgeable about the history of York and have also had my love of Christmas re- ignited ! Merry Christmas to all !
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Helenri2665se
Dec 9, 2024
Fantastic experience. We loved every minute - Myself and my 8 year old recently had the pleasure of joining Sarah’s Christmas lights tour in York, and it was truly an enchanting experience. Sarah led us through the charming cobbled streets, expertly weaving in tales of York’s festive traditions. The tour struck the perfect balance of festive cheer, history, and personal touch. It wasn’t just a walk through beautiful lights, but an immersive journey into the heart of Christmas in York. Highly recommended ⭐️🌲⭐️🌲⭐️
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sarwat71
Dec 9, 2024
A must if visiting York at Christmas time - We loved this tour. Sarah (our guide) was fun, knowledgeable and really interesting. We loved seeing the different Historic sites of York, and hearing the interesting facts about how Christmas came to be there. It also helped us to navigate our way around York for the rest of our weekend break. We Highly recommend this tour, it helped to put us in the Christmas spirit too 😊
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A3240htcarolinew
Dec 5, 2024
Well worth doing - Absolutely loved it, well worth the money. Very informative without being boring. The guide was so knowledgeable and professional. I would recommend this to anyone. Went with my friend will go back again with my husband.
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770jerryg
Dec 3, 2024
A very enjoyable Christmas activity. - Sarah was an extremely knowledgable guide. She brought the history of York to life and gave us a lot of very interesting information. We were very pleased that we decided to take the tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ldjp
Dec 1, 2024
Brilliant walking tour - Really interesting tour. Sarah is very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about events that took place in and around York. Lived here over 30 years and discovered lots of new information.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Shannon_o
Nov 28, 2024
Wonderful Christmas Tour - This was a great tour. Our lovely guide, Sarah, told us about all kinds of Christmas traditions that originated from many cultures over many centuries, including the Pagans, the Romans, the Vikings, right up to the Victorians and beyond. 😍 It was a wonderful mixture of christmas traditions that are so familiar to us today.
Review provided by Viator