The Unconventional York™ Tour
Overview
Available languages
1 hour 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Join us on an insightful walking tour of York, highlighting untold histories and diverse stories.
On the Unconventional York™ tour, you will go beyond the conventional stories of the city, hearing about the impact of women, people of colour, and LGBTQIA+ individuals from York's past.
This tour invites attendees to see beyond the stonework and uncover the lesser known narratives of York, while learning about the long and rich history of the medieval city. Walking through the beautiful city centre, you will discuss its early settlement, medieval expansion and vibrant industrial heritage.
This tour was written and researched by academic historians from the University of Oxford and is delivered by trained guides from York.
PLEASE NOTE: We cannot always accommodate last-minute bookings for private or group tours. Please contact us directly if you want to book a tour within the next 24 hours.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Uncomfortable York Guide
Tour does not go into any buildings or attractions.
What To Expect
York Minster
Tour begins outside the dazzling York Minster Cathedral, where we introduce the tour and discuss the staging of heritage sapces.
Barley Hall
Learn about Medieval York and the holes in our modern understandings of it.
Options
Private Tour
Private Tour: Book a private tour for your group.
Public Tour
Reviews
5 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
The York you won't know
47hiteshd,
Nov 14, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A very informative tour of York, and I learned a lot about York's history, even though I grew up near York, and thought I knew a lot about the city! Big fan of the way the tour was structured around discussions.
A great unconventional way to discover York
635cassl,
May 21, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I took the York Uncovered Tour as part of a professional event (Art History conference). It was a really interesting way to discover the city and its history, with a tour that valued the voices of those not usually included in history (women, queer people, people of colour, etc.). Informative yet fun and critically engaging. Our guide made lots of efforts to spark discussions with the group about the issues raised, and answered all of our questions in detail and with a smile. A great moment and an unconventional experience! Particularly interesting for people who like to challenge traditional histories and feel connected to social issues.
Excellent and interesting
O2307AJlaural,
May 15, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Excellent tour - really engaging and interesting! Our guide had been studying history at the university and covered some great stories, especially of women in the past who helped shaped its history. Really great introduction to York and saw all the main sites.
Best alternative tour of York
116oliviad,
Feb 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00What a great tour! It really helps bring out the connections between York and many other places in the world, focusing on unheard stories and promoting marginalised histories of women, queer people, and migrant communities. It really brings a lot of nuance to the typical stories about York! The guides are super friendly and passionate, and you will have such a good time talking with them throughout the tour!
Great for students & international visitors
annahU739AJ,
Sep 14, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Really fun introduction to the city & great to see it on foot. Walking tour took about 1.5 hours which was the perfect length, and our guide was very knowledgeable, friendly and opened up some very interesting discussions about how we experience history and heritage. Loved getting to see York like this, especially because it is very affordable (I also got a student discount) - can't wait to come back and/or try their offshoots in Cambridge & Oxford.
From £18.00
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Operated by Uncomfortable York Tours