Shambles — Attraction in Great Britain

Surrounded by a majestic cathedral and picturesque shops, the Shamble is highlight of York that no one should miss. Though not very large, every step down the old (now wizardly) alley gives you something to see. Would you like a potion made (alcoholic or non) they have you covered. Want some memorabilia (harry potter or other wise) plenty to choose from. An absolutely wonderful knick knack shop (selling novelties and signs), i spent half my budget there. How about a lovely ghost or historic tour with some dramatic actors or a relaxing afternoon brunch or tea in a “proper” tea room, yep and yep. It can get quite crowded and hectic so just be aware and keep an on the little ones if you have them with you. York is certainly a place that you would not take a day or weekend trip out for a single thing. Thankfully there is soo much to choose from to do there that you would have more worries on what to miss out from your itinerary, and the one thing that you certainly shouldn’t miss out, and the icing on any cake when going to York is...

I love to stroll along this quaint cobbled street whenever I'm in York! It's lined with medieval and Tudor houses, some with overhanging gables that in places lean towards each other. Hard to imagine that, in the Middle Ages, it was a street of butchers and abattoirs, but you can still see the meat hooks and the wooden shelves on which the freshly slaughtered meat was displayed. Nowadays, the Shambles is lined with quirky little shops (Harry Potter merchandise, Viking souvenirs, Celtic jewellery, handmade chocolates), as well as cafes and tea rooms, and there's a lively street market just around the corner. It's all very touristy and can get uncomfortably crowded during the day, with long queues waiting to get inside the tiny shops (the York Ghost Merchants is especially popular!). If you want to get a really good look at the buildings and take photos, it's better to come here in the early morning, or at night when it's at its most atmospheric and magical. Ghost walks start from here in the...

My first time visiting the Shambles and it was so cool and cute.

During the day, not to anyone's surprise it is super busy with tourists and there always seemed to be a queue to The York Ghost Merchants, (closed on Wednesdays and open 10 til 5:30 the other days). The Harry Potter shop also had a queue when we arrived on Sunday but not during the weekdays.

The daily market in the Shambles is huge and also has a nice food court full of food trucks. We really like the Thai food truck and ate there twice. It was also nice because they give you a beeper so you don't have to stand there waiting for your food order. There seemed to be a fair amount of seating but if it is busy you may have to wait for a sit-down shared table area.

TIP: Go to the Shambles after sunset.....when it is dark. There are hardly any tourists (almost none after 10pm). You can get some super photos the...