A True Yorkshire Christmas: Five Stunning Places to Visit in and Around York
There’s something rather special about York at Christmas. When winter starts to show at the edges and the days feel a touch shorter, the familiar places we know so well take on a different sort of magic. York, in particular, seems to slip naturally into its festive coat - all soft light, warm interiors and that comforting sense of history and heritage holding everything together.
If, like me, you prefer your Christmas outings with a little atmosphere (and a lot less bustle), these are five places that offer the sort of experience you step into and remember long after you’ve come home and warmed up. Perfect for a relaxing day out, a leisurely wander, or simply soaking up the season at your own pace.
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1. Christmas at Castle Howard: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Castle Howard never does Christmas halfway, but this year’s transformation into the world of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz promises something especially enchanting.
From the moment you step inside, you’re drawn into rooms reimagined with striking installations, soundscapes and playful storytelling - all brought to life by the team behind previous favourites like Alice’s Christmas Wonderland and Christmas in Neverland. It’s wonderfully done, with just the right touch of theatre and nostalgia.
Your ticket includes access to the gardens earlier in the day, so you can wander the grounds as they wake in the pale light - always a lovely contrast to the warmth and colour waiting indoors.
And this year, there’s an extra treat: Bettys’ pop-up shop returns where you’ll find everything from Christmas hampers and gifts to cakes, puddings and mince pies. Of course, I cannot resist taking home a box of Fat Rascals to be toasted with lashings of butter after a trip to Betty’s.
If you’re looking for a Christmas experience that feels both imaginative and deeply rooted in place, Castle Howard is always such a joy.
2. York Minster’s Christmas Tree Festival
There’s nothing quite like stepping into York Minster in December. The sheer height of the space, the soft winter light and the scent of evergreen from the 70 beautifully decorated trees dotted through the Nave, Chapter House and Lady Chapel - it’s the sort of scene that settles the mind instantly.
The festival is simple and uplifting. Each tree is decorated by a different group or organisation, creating a patchwork of stories and creativity. If you’re in York during the season, it’s well worth taking your time here. Stand beneath the vaulted ceiling, breathe and look up - this is the York many of us hold in our hearts.
3. Fairfax House: Candlelit Christmas Tours
Fairfax House does Christmas with a sense of intimacy you rarely find elsewhere. Their special curator-led evening tours offer a glimpse behind the scenes - little corners of the house not normally open to visitors, collections pieces you might otherwise pass by, and stories of Georgian life woven into each room.
As the light fades, the house shifts into something softer and more atmospheric. Candlelight flickers across polished wood and painted walls; Ann Fairfax and the Viscount are preparing for a lavish festive ball (although their adventurous Townmice may have other ideas).
You finish with mulled wine and mince pies - a simple pleasure and the perfect way to round off an evening steeped in history and charm.
4. Treasurer’s House: An Inspired Christmas
Treasurer’s House is always full of character, but at Christmas it becomes something even more special. Each room is dressed with decorations inspired by the people who once lived here, all created by the talented volunteers and local groups who know the house best.
You wander at your own pace from one space to the next - through nods to Hans Christian Andersen, 17th-century family traditions, beautiful handmade pieces and even a small army of felted servant mice in the Old Kitchen. It’s thoughtful, creative and full of stories, and that’s what makes it such a lovely way to spend a December afternoon.
And yes, the famous Christmas pudding scone makes a welcome return.
Photo credit: Alasdair McIntosh Photography
5. A Winter Walk Through York’s Historic Streets
York doesn’t need an event to feel magical at this time of year - it manages that all on its own. The city is at its most atmospheric in the quieter moments: early mornings when the streets are still settling into the day, or late afternoons when the light softens and windows begin to glow.
If you do wander towards the Shambles, go first thing or last thing, when you can actually feel the history rather than the crowd. Otherwise, York rewards those who drift elsewhere -along the snickelways, through the back streets behind the Minster, and up onto the city walls where you can catch glimpses into some of York’s grandest homes. It’s a beautiful reminder of how the city layers past and present so effortlessly.
For a festive pause, Grays Court is a favourite spot, I’ll always order a smoky negroni there, or slip into The Little Ale House, tucked inside the former home of Little Bettys on Stonegate, for a well-chosen whisky or real ale.
It’s simple, unhurried, and exactly why a winter walk in York feels so restorative. A gentle reminder that the loveliest Christmas moments are often found away from the bustle, in the quiet corners of a city that knows how to shine.
A Christmas to Savour
York really does come into its own at Christmas. There’s beauty in the big moments - like stepping into Castle Howard’s reimagined worlds and just as much in the small ones: the sound of a choir warming up in the Minster, the glow of lantern-light at Fairfax House, or a peaceful walk through the older parts of the city.
If you’re planning a festive day out, I hope these ideas bring a little inspiration. They’re the places I’d recommend to a friend: thoughtful, atmospheric and full of that particular Yorkshire charm we love so much.