The Cat Gallery is the place to pick up the York Cat Hunt leaflet, a self-guided city centre trail to find over 20 historic cat statues. It’s great fun for all ages, is FREE and includes a quiz for kids with a wristband souvenir prize.

The Cat Gallery has been meeting the gifting and collecting needs of cat lovers for almost a quarter of a century. How can we serve you?

The Cat Gallery, 45 Low Petergate, York YO1 7HT – Visit the website

Pick up the Cat Hunt leaflet (24/7) at The Cat Gallery on Low Petergate. The walk
takes 1-2 hours and, with a minor detour, is wheelchair accessible.

Starting at The Cat Gallery, you’ll walk the length of Stonegate one of Roman York’s main thoroughfares. Explore a York snickleway en route to the River Ouse and 100-year-old cat statues. Your Cat Hunt passes York Minster, Clifford’s Tower and the world-famous Shambles. The tour ends at The Cat Gallery where you’ll find a magical new Wizard Walk of York cat. Why not pick up a souvenir Lucky Cat? They are highly collectable and make meowvelous gifts!

The Cat Gallery, 45 Low Petergate, York YO1 7HT – Visit the website

The Magic Hatter brings his award-winning entertainment to the streets, with The Wizard Walk of York. Click to book online

Magic, mystery, comedy and excitement plus a dash of York’s history…the ingredients for a truly unforgettable experience for all the family!

Join The Wizard of York on a quest to find magical creatures as we wand-er the alleys and snickelways of this enchanting city. A wonderfully whimsical tour that wizard fans will go Potty for!

Ideal for children aged 5-10 in particular, or bigger kids with a silly sense of humour and passion for the wizarding world! A truly magical alternative to the many ghost walks in the city – no spooky ghosts, no scary stories…The Wizard Walk focuses on FUN over frights!

Add to the magic with a Wizard Wand Kit. A handcrafted wand and instructions for seven tricks that young witches and wizards can learn at home. Includes a FREE printable certificate!

Walks run on selected evenings, starting from the bottom of The Shambles. Pre-booking required.

To check availability and book online visit the wizarding website at www.wizardwalkofyork.com

Private Tours

Magic Hatter Entertainments have over 10 years experience delivering magical, memorable birthdays – and now offers Wizard Walks for spellbinding parties too. Private bookings are available for birthdays, schools, rainbows, beavers and more.

You can follow at www.facebook.com/wizardwalkofyork and www.instagram.com/wizardwalkofyork for all the latest magical news, updates and special offers!

Visit –  www.wizardwalkofyork.com for more details

Email – info@wizardwalkofyork.com

Facebook – www.facebook.com/wizardwalkofyork

Instagram – www.instagram.com/wizardwalkofyork

Twitter – www.twitter.com/wizardwalkyork

With so many things to do and attractions to see, York is the perfect place to hop on a smart red open-top bus and explore. Here at York CitySightseeing we’ll take you to the finest attractions that our thriving home city has to offer.

Our tours leave up to every 15 minutes from 9am to 5.30pm. Your ticket is valid for 24 hours, so you can complete a full loop of the bus tour, hop on and off all day at the other places you want to see, or both!

Even if the weather lets you down, we won’t! With our Rainy Day Guarantee, when you book online you can use your ticket any day during the week after your booking if it’s raining on your tour day.

Get money off at other attractions across the city like City Cruises tour boats, the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall and many more. Just ask one of our friendly guides for an up-to-date list.

New – A special kids’ commentary transforms your tour into a lively journey through York’s incredible past. Young explorers will time‑hop through centuries of history, meeting mighty Romans, mischievous Vikings and colourful medieval characters who once roamed the very streets you’ll be driving along.

Exhibition Square, York YO1 7EW – Book online

– Download the map from our website

– Pick an I Spy Trail map and leaflet from the Visit York Information Centre on Parliament Street

Statues of cats have been placed on buildings in York for around two centuries, although statues since removed or rotted are thought to date from medieval times. The original cat statues were placed on buildings to frighten away rats and mice which can carry plague and illness. They were also thought to ward off wandering evil spirits and generally to bestow good luck and good health on citizens who needed feline friends to ensure a good night’s sleep in old and temptingly chewy timber-framed buildings!

Find out more about the York Cat Hunt here

EVERY THURSDAY, FRIDAY, AND SATURDAY

January – 18:00 (Saturdays only)
February/March – 18:00
April to October – 18:00 & 20:00
November – 18:00
December – 18:00 (Saturdays only)

Prices – Adults – £7 , under 14’s – £4  (under 4’s are free)

City Cruises York Sightseeing Cruises, Self-Drive Boats and so much more……City Cruises York has a wide range of cruises for you to keep your children entertained all year round, and it’s a great way to see York from another perspective. The river is one of York’s biggest and best attractions, and no visit to York is complete without spending some time walking by it or sailing on it!

Their daytime sightseeing cruises sail nearly all year round and offer a unique view of our wonderful city. With a live commentary delivered by the captain, you’ll hear about York’s rich history, see some of its famous sights and might just be treated to a bit of Yorkshire humour too. Alternatively, treat yourselves to a delightful lunch or afternoon tea cruise (April to September).

The Early Evening Cruise every evening from March to November is a great post-dinner family option if you’ve got older kids.

Fancy taking charge of your own boat? Then don’t forget their fleet of fourteen Self-Drive Boats, perfect for your own family outing exploring the river. Don’t worry shipmates, no experience is required as you will be given full instructions, a map and life jackets for your children. Bring a picnic and watch the world go by. Book online for hires on a Monday to Friday morning, and you can even save money at off peak times with a special Little Vikings City Cruises York discount – find out more here.

There are also seasonal cruises that are perfect for children and families, including the famous City Cruises York Santa Experience in December, their most magical cruises of the year.

DOWNLOAD AND CREATE A SAILOR CAP BEFORE YOU BOARD! Click here to download the pattern!

Good to know – Buggies are permitted onboard but may need to be folded and wheelchair access is available on some vessels at the King’s Staith Landing only. Under 5’s sail free. Your little Viking might even be able to get a picture with the captain in the wheelhouse if they ask him or her nicely!