York Ghost Tour: Shambles, Minster & Haunted Pubs
Roman soldiers in the basement, orphans' whispers in the alley: York's ghost tour walks you through the streets where they're said to linger.
You walk 1.75 miles through York's haunted streets with an expert guide who covers Clifford's Tower, The Shambles, Bedern Passage, and The Golden Fleece pub. The tour is wheelchair accessible, family-friendly, and ends at a historic pub. Book with comfortable shoes and expect to spend roughly two hours learning the real history behind York's ghost stories.
Step-by-step itinerary
Explore York's haunted landmarks
- Start at Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma Gate
- Visit Treasurer’s House basement
- Walk through The Shambles
- Explore Mad Alice Lane
- Stop at Clifford’s Tower
- Pass Bedern Passage
- End at The Golden Fleece pub
What’s included
Your tour includes an expert guide with extensive knowledge of York's history, visits to five major haunted landmarks (York Minster, The Shambles, Bedern Passage, Clifford's Tower, and The Golden Fleece pub), an interactive quiz along the route, and a 1.75-mile walk through York's historic streets and snickelways. The tour is wheelchair accessible, suitable for all ages and fitness levels, and infants can ride in a pram or stroller throughout.
- Every day 19:00
Last departure this season: 7 Jan 2027
Information
Walking ghost tour through York's haunted streets, 1.75 miles. Visit Shambles, Minster, Clifford's Tower, and The Golden Fleece pub. Family-friendly, wheelchair accessible.
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The experience
Clifford's Tower echoes with the cries of the lost. That's where the ghost tour through York starts to feel real, not because someone tells you a story, but because you're standing in the actual place where it happened. The walk covers 1.75 miles through the city's snickelways and historic streets, starting at Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma Gate by St Crux church, and it moves at a pace that lets you absorb each stop instead of rushing through a checklist. Your guide knows the history (the tragedies, the mysteries, the documented accounts), and knows how to tell them without the theatrical nonsense.
The Shambles is where you'll spend time understanding why the crooked streets and overhanging timber shops matter. Butchers once worked here. Plague victims died here. The cobbles are real, the buildings are real, and the stories are rooted in what actually happened. Then there's Mad Alice Lane, with its tragic history that the guide unpacks as you walk. Bedern Passage comes next: a narrow alley where orphaned children died under circumstances that still aren't entirely clear. The Treasurer's House is on the route too, the one where Roman soldiers are said to march through the basement. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, you're learning York's actual past, and that's what makes the ghost tour through York worth doing.
The walk ends at The Golden Fleece, one of York's most haunted pubs, where you hear about its resident spirits before heading out. The whole thing is family-friendly, wheelchair accessible, and doesn't require any special fitness level. You'll want comfortable shoes, 1.75 miles on old cobbles, but that's the only real requirement. The guide includes a quiz along the way, which keeps it interactive instead of just listening. Public transportation is nearby if you need it, and infants can ride in a pram or stroller the whole route.
Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English, French and German.
How long is the ghost tour through York?
The walk covers 1.75 miles and takes around two hours, moving at a pace that allows time at each stop.
Is the York ghost tour suitable for children?
Yes, it's family-friendly. Infants can ride in a pram or stroller, and the stories are presented as history rather than horror.
What's included in the tour?
An expert guide, visits to Clifford's Tower, The Shambles, Bedern Passage, York Minster, and The Golden Fleece pub, plus an interactive quiz along the way.
Is the ghost tour wheelchair accessible?
Yes, all areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible, and transportation options nearby are also wheelchair accessible.
Where does the tour start and end?
It starts at Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma Gate by St Crux church and ends at The Golden Fleece pub.
Do I need to be fit to do this tour?
The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. Comfortable shoes are recommended for walking on historic cobbles.
Can service animals join the tour?
Yes, service animals are allowed.
What if I don't believe in ghosts?
The tour focuses on York's documented history (real events, real people, real tragedies) told by a guide with extensive knowledge of the city.
Operated by See Your City. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.
Prices and times updated today
York Ghost Tour: Shambles, Minster & Haunted Pubs
2h · EN · FR · DE
from £ 13.50 per person
≈ US$ 18 in your currency
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