Tourists visiting the UK mostly travel around London and take a flight to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to depart. But if you take a train north from London, you can find many cities that have preserved the history and culture of England. Especially ‘York’**, the capital of North Yorkshire, has long been a political center in England.** Built in the Viking era, the city has continued uninterrupted for over 1000 years to this day. **The most famous city in the world, 'New York', is said to have originated from this old York.**

Shambles

The Shambles is a market inside the York city walls. Originally, this market was a butcher's street that existed from the 11th century. There were 31 butcher shops along the main street. Most of the wooden buildings that existed since the Middle Ages have disappeared, but it is one of the best preserved medieval shopping streets in Europe. The buildings with protruding second floors and shelves where meat was displayed tell us that this was once a medieval butcher's street.**

There are no more butcher shops in the modern Shambles. But there are many restaurants that serve British meat dishes and various cafes. This street is known as the prototype of 'Diagon Alley', a shopping street for wizards in Harry Potter. 'The Shop Must Not Be Named', a Harry Potter souvenir shop located in Shambles, blends seamlessly with this street.

‘Shambles Kitchen’, located in Shambles, is a representative restaurant. Conscious of its history as a butcher street in the Middle Ages, the restaurant specializes in pulled pork. Pulled pork sandwiches are famous, and they also sell vegan or gluten-free menus. The price is also relatively reasonable among tourist attractions in England.

Pubs like Valhalla York retain the old-fashioned atmosphere of York, offering a unique experience. This pub features a Viking-style interior, inspired by York's history as a Viking city. There are Viking round shields and Nordic murals everywhere. A bottle of beer and a Yorkshire tablet are perfect snacks.

York City Wall

York is a city over 1000 years old. The walls that passed through the Romans, Vikings, and Normans still surround the city. It's also a great option to take a walk around the city along these walls. As you walk along the wall, you can see the scenery of the old city and the river flowing beside it.

It takes about 2 hours to walk around the wall. The defensive facilities and stone structures found throughout the wall evoke a sense of being transported to 500 years ago in England. The Seoul city wall tour in Seoul, the capital of Korea, was modeled after this York city wall tour.

You can find various cafes and restaurants on your wall tour. Wheldrakes is a dessert cafe located inside the north gate of the York city wall. Desserts are famous, but brunch menus are also well-received.

If you go through the western part of the wall and cross the River Ouse to Museum St, you will find several cafes. I ate Yorkshire pudding at Bailey’s Cafe and Tearoom. Yorkshire pudding is a typical traditional dish of York. It is a dish made by putting beef or sausage in a bowl-shaped bread and pouring gravy sauce over it. It is sold at various cafes and restaurants in York, so I recommend trying it once.

Perky Peacock is another cafe on the Ouse River. This cafe was originally a tower built in the Middle Ages. It was built to levy taxes on ships passing by the river. On the other side of the river, there is another tower facing this tower, and a chain was hung between these towers, which could block ships passing by. Perky Peacock offers various teas and desserts that you can enjoy while sitting in a medieval tower.**