York

York is two thousand years of England packed inside a walkable ring of medieval walls: a Roman fortress, a Viking capital, a wool-rich cathedral city, all layered one on top of another. The great Minster towers over a knot of snickelways (the tiny alleys locals call ginnels) and the crooked, overhanging Shambles, once the butchers' street. Approach it on foot and, wherever possible, from above: the two-mile circuit of the city walls is the finest way to read the town, and the Minster's tower gives you the whole plan at a glance. Between sights, York is a city of tea rooms, real-ale pubs and chocolate history, so pace yourself with a mid-morning brew and an afternoon pint. Much of the centre is car-free, and the compact core means you rarely need transport. Note that the Minster charges admission and closes to sightseers during services, that popular restaurants and the afternoon tea at Betty's need booking, and that the Ouse can flood in winter. Give York two or three unhurried days, walk the walls at least once at golden hour, and let its stacked history unfold street by street.