Apartments in York

Table of Contents

• At a glance: What should you know about renting an apartment in York?
• Apartments in York: find your perfect retreat
• Exploring York: our top recommendations
• Activities: What are the top things to do and see in York?

• Self-catering in the walls: Most apartments sit inside the medieval city walls, so York Minster, the Shambles and the riverside are a short stroll from your front door.
• Best areas to stay: The city centre suits first-time visitors, while Bishophill, Fulford, Bootham and Clifton offer quieter streets with easy bus links.
• What guests praise: Reviewers highlight spotless kitchens, secure parking and walkable locations, with several York stays rated 9.9+ over the past year.
• Where to eat: Melton's and Karoo York lead the ratings, with Skosh, Giggling Squid and Hatsu all popular for relaxed evenings out.
• Things to do: Walk the walls, tour Jorvik Viking Centre, climb Clifford's Tower and browse the Christmas market in December.

Apartments in York range from compact studios above shops on Fossgate to riverside flats overlooking the Ouse and converted Georgian townhouse conversions near Bootham Bar. Couples and small families make up most bookings, and travellers comparing options often also browse cottages, holiday homes and bed and breakfasts before choosing. Apartment are a great options for family-friendly layouts, with log cabins near York an alternative for greener stays. Whatever you pick, a self-catering base keeps the whole walled city within walking distance.

• Fully equipped kitchens for cooking with produce from Shambles Market
• Allocated or permit parking, a real advantage inside the walls
• Wi-Fi and workspaces for longer city breaks
• Balconies and terraces with rooftop or river views
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Book early for race meetings, half term and the December market weekends.

What are the best areas to stay in York?

For a first visit, stay in the city centre between Micklegate and the Minster, where almost everything is walkable. The table below details regions for specific interests:

What do our guests say?

Guests staying in York can't stop raving about the same things: how quickly you can reach the Minster on foot, how welcome a proper kitchen is after a long day of sightseeing, and how quiet the side streets become once the day trippers leave. Ratings across the city sit high, with several properties holding 9.9+ scores over the past year.

Here are our top-rated stays in York from the past year:

1. Grange Garth Cottage - 9.9+: A cottage for four in York with parking, an enclosed yard and a dishwasher, praised for its easy access into the centre.
2. Floating Lodge - 9.9+: A chalet for two near York with a well-equipped kitchen and TV, popular with couples wanting a quiet waterside base.
3. Creamery Cottage - 9.9+: A spacious cottage for eight around York, the most reviewed of our top stays and a favourite for family groups.

York is a walled cathedral city in North Yorkshire, ringed by the River Ouse and the Foss, with the Dales and the North York Moors an easy drive away.

🥗Where to eat in York?

According to Google Maps data and reviews, Melton's Restaurant is the best rated restaurant in York. Below is a table showing the top 5 highly-rated restaurants hand-picked by our travel experts.

⭐Our guests' recommendation: Our guest travellers recommend Ambiente Tapas on Fossgate in York: it is a two-minute walk from most central apartments, so you can eat late and still be home in minutes.

1. Walk the city walls
2. Marvel at York Minster
3. Wander the Shambles
4. Travel back to Jorvik
5. Explore the National Railway Museum
6. Climb Clifford's Tower
7. Cruise the River Ouse

1. Walk the city walls

   York's medieval city walls run for roughly two miles and make the ideal first morning of any stay. From Bootham Bar the walkway lifts you above the rooftops for the classic view of the Minster, while the stretch towards Micklegate Bar is the one locals save for sunset. It is free, it takes about two hours at a gentle pace, and because the circuit passes so close to the centre you can drop down for a coffee whenever you like.

2. Marvel at York Minster

   York Minster is the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe and dominates the skyline from almost every street. Inside, the chapter house and the Great East Window reward a slow visit, and the undercroft explains the Roman fort that lies beneath. Fit visitors can climb the central tower for a panorama that stretches across the rooftops to the surrounding countryside. Arriving at opening time is the surest way to enjoy it before the coach parties.

3. Wander the Shambles

   The Shambles is York's most photographed street, a narrow lane of timber-framed buildings whose upper floors lean so far forward that neighbours could once shake hands across the gap. Once home to butchers, it now holds independent shops, bakeries and a well-known wizarding emporium or two. The surrounding snickelways repay aimless exploring, and the daily Shambles Market next door is handy for picking up cheese, bread and produce to cook back at your apartment.

4. Travel back to Jorvik

   The Jorvik Viking Centre sits on the Coppergate site where archaeologists uncovered the timbers, workshops and everyday objects of Viking-age York. A ride carries you through a reconstruction of the tenth-century streets, complete with sounds and smells, before galleries display the finds themselves. It works especially well with children, and the annual Jorvik Viking Festival in February fills the city with re-enactors, markets and torchlit processions.

5. Explore the National Railway Museum

   Just behind the station, the National Railway Museum holds one of the world's great collections of locomotives, including Mallard and a Japanese bullet train. Entry is free, the vast halls are covered whatever the weather, and the interactive galleries keep younger visitors busy for hours. It is a ten-minute walk from most central apartments, which makes it an easy option to slot into an afternoon when the Yorkshire rain arrives.

6. Climb Clifford's Tower

   Clifford's Tower is the quatrefoil keep of York Castle, raised on its mound by William the Conqueror's original earthworks and rebuilt in stone in the thirteenth century. A recent walkway and viewing deck let you look out over the rooftops, the Minster and the two rivers. The site's history is sobering as well as scenic, and the interpretation boards tell it plainly. Combine it with the neighbouring castle museum for a full morning.

7. Cruise the River Ouse

   A boat trip along the River Ouse gives you York from an angle most visitors miss: guildhalls, warehouses and willow-lined banks drifting past at walking pace. Short sightseeing cruises leave from King's Staith and Lendal Bridge, with evening and floodlit options in summer. Prefer to stay on land? The riverside path towards Bishopthorpe is a flat, easy walk, and York Chocolate Story is minutes away when you return to the quay.