I'm a woman in my early 70s who is considering taking the Rick Steves Best of Scotland tour next spring. I've been on two of his France tours, but with family, and this will be the first time in my life I’ll be traveling to Europe alone. It was suggested to me that after the tour is over I should take the train to London for a few days, with a stop in York. I’ve never been to the UK before, so I’d appreciate any advice you could give me in choosing the best time to go (April, May, June, etc.), should I add York and London, and if so, how long should I stay in each, as well as lodging in both places? Thank you.
Posted by
Land of La
9265 posts
I applaud you for traveling solo for the first time. What are you interests? I love London and remain throughly fascinated with all there is do and see there. I've been traveling there for nearly 40 years so I'm biased. I will PM you my recommendation for where to stay. I know many others will rave about York. Have a wonderful time!
Posted by
Olympia, WA, USA
6713 posts
I'd suggest you spend at least two nights in York, with a full day between them to see the many sights of that city. Two full days would be better, and more if you want to explore the surrounding countryside. You could spend at least a week in London, or even two if you don't have time constraints on the overall trip. But London is one of the most expensive cities in the world so your budget may constrain you more than your schedule. Claudia is an excellent source of recommendations and ideas.
In York we stayed at the Abbey Guest House and were quite pleased, especially by the location near the center, train station, and on the river bank. It appears to have new owners now. London has a great many lodging choices and I can't recommend any in particular, but others will I'm sure.
Posted by
96 posts
Hi
I am in my early sixties and have visited both London and York several times. Both are easy to reach by direct trains from Edinburgh ( booking about 75 days in advance on nationalrail website will get you the best rate ). I am not sure of your interests but:
I would certainly recommend York as it is a very easy town for a first time solo visit. Most of its attractions, the train station and plenty of accommodation are close by and within easy walking distance. There are many museums,a spectacular Cathedral, an excellent free walking tour by the local guild of tour guides, enjoyable walks also the river or along the wall, and a theatre with new plays or shows on a weekly basis. I found the Tourist Information office very helpful.
York is also a transportation hub ( both trains and buses ) and great for day trips to Castle Howard, Thirsk ( heart of James Heriot country ), or Harrogate ( Victorian spa town ). You also have easy access to smaller villages if you want to experience the countryside for 1 or 2 nights. I would be happy to make recommendations.
You could easily add a week to your tour in and around York. It also has a direct train link to the Manchester airport for your return flight.
I also recommend London but more stamina may be required. London is crowded and busy but has everything you could wish to see. It will take longer to get oriented and comfortable and will at times seem more daunting. If at all nervous, you may want to considering signing up for a tour for your first few days to get acclimated then possibly stay on for a few days to see what the tour didn't have time for.
Hope this helps.
PS I would pick May as June can get crowded and April a it cool.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
York and London are both very easy to see on your own. York is a small city, and London is a very big one. Both have lots of attractions.
Start by looking at each one in guidebooks, videos, etc, and see if they appeal to you. Rick's videos are here (click "Great Britain" and you'll see there are two on London and one on Bath and York): https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/video/tv-show
For York itself, 2 to 3 nights is good; you'll need more if you're seeing surrounding areas. For London, it's like New York City - there are always more things to see, no matter how long you stay. For a first visit, I think staying any less than 3 nights is not worth it - even if you just intend to get a small taste. Remember that 3 nights is only 2 full days. Of course, you should adjust this depending on your interests.
Yes, there are nonstop flights from Manchester to New York, so you don't have to go to London just to get home, if it doesn't fit your itinerary.
Posted by
Sacramento, CA
695 posts
We thoroughly enjoyed our time in York last year; we were there in early July. We did a free guided tour of the city (I believe this is mentioned in Rick Steves book), attended Evensong at York Minster, and walked a lot on our own. I believe we stayed 3 nights, but during that time we took a day train trip to Durham. It is absolutely charming and easy to experience in a day. The Durham Cathedral is indescribable and so different in style than York Minster, Kings Chapel and others. And how long to stay in London? We stayed 5 days, but you could easily stay 2 weeks; it all depends on what you want to see and at what pace. We were happy with what we saw knowing that if we return there will be other places to go and see.
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
14825 posts
I'm 66 and have done a number of RS tours solo. I have had a wonderful time! I went to York last year on the Best of England tour but I would completely feel comfortable there on my own. I also try to spend time in London each time I go. The last couple of times I stayed at The Lime Tree Hotel while on my own and like it a lot. I like the location which is right near Buckingham Palace, so I can be ready if I happen to get a last minute invite, lol.
I enjoy doing the London Walks walks. Take a look at their website ( www.walks.com ) to see what they offer. They have some terrific day out walks as well if there is a place you want to see out of London that they go to. No need to reserve, just turn up and pay your money to the guide.