We will be in York for two days in two weeks. Several people have highly recommended visiting Castle Howard. We will arrive in York on a Tuesday afternoon and will leave on Thursday for London. Castle Howard looks beautiful--is it worth a visit with only two days in York? And what's the best way to get there? Are there half day tours or is it best to rent a car for the day?
Posted by
white plains, ny, usa
4140 posts
Judith ,the answer is purely based on personal taste , so here is mine ; We did go to Castle Howard on the day we left York on our way to Glasgow , and we had a car , which made it relatively easy to access . We liked it ,a sort of smaller and more intimate version of Blenheim . My wife , being a Brideshead fan was pleased . However ,with only two days in York , I would stay in the city . There is quite a lot there , and I think that less than two full days would be giving it short shrift . Again , a subjective point of view .
Posted by
New York City, NY, USA
5678 posts
I too really enjoyed Castle Howard. I had a car and drove out to see it and then went on to see Rivaulx Abbey which was wonderful. That said, you probably can fill two days in the city. Pam
Posted by
Chicagoland
279 posts
Like Pam, I also took our newly rented car to both Castle Howard and Rievaulx Abbey on the same day, which was our third in York and its environs. It was raining in the morning, so we stuck close to the castle after touring it and only looked at the formal gardens next to the building. I will say the castle is very impressive indeed, but I found on that trip (my first abroad) that I personally prefer medieval ruins to gorgeous manor houses, but YMMV. Rievaulx blew my mind and was my favorite stop out of all 18 days of our trip. However, if you only have two days, stay in town. I was wiped out from London and only saw a little bit of the city in our two days there, so my next time in England, I am going to start in York and add a day so I can see everything before heading into the countryside.
Posted by
washington
837 posts
Judith, look at it this way: if you go to Castle Howard, you are essentially making the stop to see Castle Howard. Would you make the trip for that purpose alone? There is much more to see in York. Castles/palaces abound in the UK. Either add a day to York or skip the castle.
Posted by
OP
Davis, CA, USA
18 posts
Thanks, everyone, for your feedback. It was fun to learn about the Abbey--looks like a beautiful place. Unfortunately, at this point, we can't extend our stay in York, though we had originally considered it. So I think this time, we'll stay in the City and enjoy all that York has to offer. On another journey, we'll plan for more time and go out to Castle Howard and the Abbey.