York city guide

From quirky pubs to popular clubs, York has a diverse mix of venues that showcase aspiring musicians and established acts. Venues across the city showcase everything from national names to local talent.

• Listen or play! There are acoustic and open mic nights happening most days of the week in York, including Sunday nights at the Blue Boar, Wednesday nights at The Habit, and Ruby Tuesdays open mic night at Sotano.
• If it's local artists and DIY/punk bands you're after, The Fulford Arms is the place to be. Similar bands often perform at other small venues in the city such as City Screen's The Basement.
• Practice your jazz hands at The Phoenix Inn, with live jams on Wednesdays and Sundays, which are usually free!
• For grassroots music, tribute acts and more, try The York Vaults.

• If you're into roots, reggae, dance hall and dub, check out the Irie Vibes Sound System nights at The Crescent, a community venue with other regular, independent gigs and events.
• The biggest venue in the city, York Barbican, puts on mainstream and nationally acclaimed artists.
• And you're only 20 minutes away from Leeds (by train) which has a number of larger venues including the O2 Academy and the First Direct Arena.

York’s lively cultural scene offers lots to get involved with. With a major event happening every month, there is always something unique and exciting to discover in York. Whatever your interests, you’ll find plenty of entertaining cultural events to enjoy.

• A city-wide celebration of our rich Norse heritage, JORVIK Viking Festival sees York transported back to the Middle Ages with living history encampments, markets, workshops, talks and dramatic combat performances.
• For film fans the Aesthetica Short Film Festival is an annual celebration of independent film from around the world. Featuring emerging talent and established filmmakers, you can even submit an entry yourself.

• With inspiring speakers from all over the world, exhibitions, theatre, music, films and family-friendly activities, York Festival of Ideas offers a huge range of events at venues across campus and the city.
• There's something particularly magical about York at Christmas. Soak up the festive spirit at St Nicholas Christmas Fair and find unique crafted gifts, or get cosy at a pop-up alpine bar with a warming mulled wine and roasted chestnuts.
• The annual York Pride celebrations paint the town all the colours of the rainbow with a parade and musical performances to celebrate and support the LGBTQ+ community.
• Nearby Leeds is well known for big music festivals such as Leeds Festival, Live at Leeds and Slam Dunk fest. Each year, they also host Light Night Leeds, the UK’s largest annual arts and light festival allowing you to explore art in the dark.

York’s iconic medieval streets are lined with the major fashion retail chains, independent stores and market stalls, so you’ll have plenty to choose from.

Explore the world-famous Shambles, York's very own Diagon Alley and one of the best preserved medieval shopping streets in Europe. From ghost merchants to Greek food, this charming cobbled street offers you a unique shopping experience. Around two-thirds of York’s businesses are independent, so you can find one-of-a-kind bargains while supporting the local economy.

• Music fans can build their vinyl collection and swap music intel at Earworm Records or at Forty Five, a cafe bar and record store.
• There are several quirky clothing stores such as Dog and Bone Vintage and Chinese Laundry to keep you kitted-out throughout the seasons.

• York is a city filled with excellent indie bookshops like Lucius Books or The Little Apple Bookshop.
• The Shambles Market in the heart of the city is the bustling home of York’s largest group of independent traders.
• There are plenty of Harry Potter-themed shops, including The Shop That Must Not be Named.
• Buying gifts or indulging in local products is an absolute pleasure in York, where there are intriguing speciality stores like York Cocoa Works, York Gin and Love Cheese.
• Or catch the regular bus up to the York Designer Outlet for discounted prices on designer products.

Read more about independent shops in York.

You can travel between campus and the city centre using our regular bus service, which takes between 15 and 30 minutes. You can also cycle which takes about 15 minutes and by foot it's around 30 minutes.

Lots of York students use bikes. There are plenty of cycle paths and bike lanes, and not many hills! There is also a riverside route between the University and York railway station, which is a cycle-safe route into the city and takes about 20 minutes. You can buy a second-hand bike on campus or from many cycle shops in the city. Our on-campus Bike Doctor offers free bike safety checks once a month, and there are lots of places to lock up.