Getting Oriented
Yorkshire is the largest of England’s historic counties. At its heart is the ancient city of York, with its Gothic cathedral and medieval city walls. To the west is the bustling city of Leeds, while a few miles away are the unspoiled hills that form what the tourist office calls Brontë Country—Haworth, where the Brontë family lived, and the valleys and villages of the Yorkshire Dales. North of York is North York Moors National Park. Isolated stone villages, moorland walks, and Rievaulx Abbey are within easy reach.
Along the east coast of Yorkshire, beaches and a fascinating history await you in the resort town of Scarborough, the former whaling port of Whitby, and Robin Hood's Bay.
- York. Yorkshire's major city with its famous Gothic cathedral.
- Harrogate. An elegant Georgian and Victorian spa town.
- Knaresborough. A historic market town in the beautiful Nidd Gorge.
- Ripon. Quite possibly England's second oldest city.
- Castle Howard. A baroque masterpiece near York.
- Leeds. A former industrial powerhouse reinvented as a shopping and entertainment hub.
- Saltaire. A planned village that's also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Haworth. The heart of Brontë country.
- Bolton Abbey. A pretty town in the Yorkshire Dales.
- Skipton. A true market town.
- Hawes. A center of English cheese-making.
- Richmond. A charming market town.
- Danby. A good base for Moors National Park.
- Hutton-le-Hole. A picturesque village in the heart of moorland.
- Helmsley. Home to the atmospheric ruins of Rievaulx Abbey.
- Hull. The gateway to England's north.
- Scarborough. The largest resort town on the Yorkshire coast.
- Robin Hood's Bay. A tiny fishing villge with rugged, steep cliffs pounded by the North Sea.
- Whitby. A Gothic fishing port and busy tourist hub.
