JUMP TO YORKSHIRE: WHAT YOU MUST SEE

The whole of England has a lot to offer tourists. And it’s definitely not just London, Oxford or Cambridge that you should visit. The north-east of England also has its charm, with its historic towns, sandy beaches and green hills. The nearest airport to this region and the aforementioned locations is Leeds, where I came at the invitation of my friend Eva. You can also take such a trip as part of a long weekend, just choose what you have enough strength for and what is closest to your heart.

SCARBOROUGH

IF YOU LIKE SEASIDE TOWNS

Scarborough is a beautiful English seaside fishing town located in the northern part of Yorkshire. The town is called the “Brighton of the North” because of its beautiful location. It is also a spa town and the first mentions of the spa can be found in the mid-17th century. Elisabeth Farrow discovered a spring of healing water in a cliff on the south side of the town and thus the famous spa was created. The town even gained another nickname “Queen of Spas“.

The town also offers its visitors amazing scenery, beautiful beaches, as well as gambling halls and casinos. Thanks to the local rich artistic community, you can visit many galleries in the side streets. Or you can just wander along the beach like I did.

Be sure not to miss a walk along the promenade, during which you can see the pedestrian Spa Bridge, the Belle Lighthouse, bombed during the First World War, and the ruins of Henry II’s Castle on the hill.

The Grand Hotel building is also unmissable, with its four towers symbolizing the seasons, twelve floors reflecting the number of months in the year, and 52 chimneys corresponding to the number of weeks. The hotel also used to have 365 bedrooms. In addition to its unique architectural layout, the hotel is also famous for being the home of writer Anne Brontë, who lived and died here at the age of 29.

THE TUNNY CLUB

The city is full of seagulls and also small pubs where you can have the traditional British dish “fish and chips“. The basis is fried high-quality fresh fish (most often cod), which is served with chips as a side dish. I visited the best-rated pub, The Tunny Club, and I did not regret it. We all enjoyed it there a lot and it was also nice that we could take our dog friend Monty with us.

In the 1930s, fishing in Scarborough was the most popular sport for wealthy aristocrats and military officers. In 1933, the British Tunny Club was even founded here, with Colonel (later Sir) Edward Peel as its first president. A frequent target for local fishermen was the Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus Thynnus). This is a really big and strong fish, probably the strongest fish in the world. There are many records from that time, including a world record for a tuna caught with a rod and line off the Yorkshire coast. Perhaps the most famous is the world record for a tuna caught of 798 pounds (362 kg).

WHITBY

WHEN YOU LIKE TO BE SCARED

Another fishing town is Whitby, where James Cook learned his seamanship and later set sail from on his voyages of discovery.

yorkshure

However, the town was made famous by the Irish writer Bram Stoker, who incorporated Whitby Abbey into the plot of his novel and created the legend of the vampire prince Dracula. He thus created the most famous work of horror literature with a bloodthirsty hero. It is said that Stoker had the novel dictated by Vlad III Tepeș himself, a prince from Romanian Transylvania, who mercilessly impaled his enemies during his reign of terror around 1450. He became the model for the vampire Dracula. He wrote his work so terrifyingly that you will be afraid that Dracula will bite your throat at night.

The ruins of Whitby Abbey are located at the very top of the town, where there is a magnificent view of the whole town and the sailing ships. You can get there easily by running up the 199 steps or you can be smart and drive up the hill like Evča came up with.

YORK

IF YOU LIKE HARRY POTTER

York is the capital of the famous county of Yorkshire, located at the confluence of the Ouse and Foss rivers in northern England. It was even the capital of England before London. It is here that you will find monuments of the Roman and Viking past. This city was the main center of both the Romans and the Vikings, during whose time it was called Jórvik. You should definitely not miss this ancient seat of York.

THE SHAMBLES

However, for me, York has a charm thanks to the many narrow streets in the city center. Probably one of the most famous is The Shambles, which translates to something like butcher shops. It is full of not only pretty medieval houses, but also shops with everything, including pubs and bakeries. Some of the houses in this street even date back to the 14th century, when several butchers operated in this street. You won’t find any here today, but on some houses you can still see the hooks on which the butchers hung their meat.

HARRY POTTER’S CROSSROADS

This street looks like Cross Street from Harry Potter, which is a cool place for Harry Potter fans. In this cute street you will find 3 amazing shops where you can buy gifts with this theme. I’ll admit, we walked the aisle twice because we loved the way everything smelled.

YORK CATHEDRAL

York is home to York Minster, one of the largest cathedrals in Northern Europe. The oldest written evidence refers to a wooden church that stood there as early as 627. The current Gothic cathedral was built in the 13th century.

FUDGE KITCHEN SHOP

You can find this delicious sweet, soft and pliable substance called fudge (pronounced fadž) in several shops in York. The word fudge can be translated as something that has gone wrong or a failed job.

This delicacy first appeared and was actually born by accident in America, when an American student in New York State in 1889 did not heat the mixture to a sufficient temperature while making caramel. So instead of caramel, only a mass was created, which she called fudge. Thanks to her mistake, one of the best sweets ever was created.

This shop makes fudge in a variety of flavors. I bought the “Belgian Chocolate Swirl Vegan” made with soy milk, vanilla bean paste, and Belgian chocolate, and the “Chocolate with Orange” made with whipped chocolate, cocoa, and oranges.

KINGSTON UPON HULL

And I can’t help but mention the city of Kingston upon Hull, where my friend Eva now lives. The city is called Hull for short. Over the course of its existence, the city has become a market town, a military and fishing port, and a commercial and industrial center.