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York Tours
Private Ghost Tour of York
4.5

Private Ghost Tour of York

By York City Walls
Recommended by 93% of travellers
93% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 0-80
Duration: 90–120 minutes
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More


  • Tour escort/host
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off (by foot, city centre hotels only)
  • Private tour
What's not included
  • Entrance fees (2 small museums located around the walls are available for entry separately)
  • Food and drinks


Start:Multiple pickup locations offered.
  • Roman Column, 11 Minster Yard, York YO1 7HH, UK
    Outside York Minster near the entrance to the gift shop is the Roman Column. Its easy to find and right in the centre of town, a great place to meet!
Pickup details
  • We will meet you at the reception of your hotel, or alternatively anywhere of your choosing (for example we can meet you after lunch at your restaurant, or alternatively finish the tour somewhere where you can get something to eat / drink)
Hotel pickup offered
During checkout you will be able to select from the list of included hotels.
    End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

      • Not wheelchair accessible
      If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 32407P2

      • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
      • Please inform the local provider of the preferred pick up point at the time of booking.
      • Children must be accompanied by an adult
      • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
      • Not recommended for pregnant travellers
      • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
      • Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level
      • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

      • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

      If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 32407P2

      From
      £65.00
      per adult (price varies by group size)
      Select date and travellers
      Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.

      Similar experiences

      Itinerary
      • Pass by
        York Minster
        Treasurer's House
      • 1
        Pass by
        Shambles
      • 2
        Pass by
        Jorvik Viking Centre
        York Castle Museum
        Clifford's Tower
      About the operator
      Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
      • York City Walls
        9,929
        United Kingdom
      • variouslots
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Recommend the walls
        This is a great way to have a breather from the crowds in the centre, and gain a different perspective of the city. Doing a section then breaking off for a refreshment was most enjoyable.
        Written 5 December 2024
      • 980amy9
        0 contributions
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        Lovely walk
        Had a lovely independent walk around the old ruins of the walls. Interesting history and get some great views. Don't really need a guided tour as can find a lot of info online.
        Written 16 November 2024
      • Jon B
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        A must do activity in York.
        We walked the walls without a guide. The views of the city are amazing and you can get a feel how the city was in the past. There are some great photo opportunities of the along the way, just bear in mind that there are quite a few steps. This is a must do activity on a visit to your York, especially as it is free.
        Written 13 November 2024
      • lawliettl
        0 contributions
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        A good walk, lots of stairs.
        A nice walk to do, gives you a great view of all the city from pretty much every possible angle. There are a lot of steps though so it can be quite difficult if you have difficulties with that. The stairways can also be quite narrow in places. That said there are a good few spots to stop and rest on. The one thing that gets somewhat irritating is that some people can be very ignorant and inconsiderate, blocking what is already a narrow walkway to make the person they are with take a hundred photos of them pulling stupid poses in the most inconvenient of places. To clarify, I do not mean people photographing the scenery, they always stand aside and make sure others can pass, and I do not mean people in groups taking photographs against the scenery as they use the wider open rest spots and do not obstruct the paths. It is the idiots that live their lives on social media, just completely blocking walkways when there are a lot of people trying do the walks while they pout and pose for their camera while a friend takes photos.
        Written 2 November 2024
      • 18katey
        0 contributions
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        For castles lovers
        Walking along York’s city walls was one of my favorite parts of visiting the city. You get great views of the Minster and the surrounding area, and it’s a lovely way to take in the history of York. The walls are well-preserved, and there are information boards that explain the history as you go along. It’s also a nice, peaceful walk, even though there were a few tourists around. If you love history and walking, this is a must-do!
        Written 27 October 2024
      • seaydot
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Walking the York Walls
        We walked most of the existing walls around York. Beautiful views!!! There are a lot of steps and no provisions for handicapped.Well worth the time!
        Written 13 October 2024
      • AliAl-Aswad
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        A must!
        York City Walls are absolutely amazing, free to enter, and once you get to know them, they're a great way of getting around the city. Some sections have better views than others, but a complete circumnavigation doesn't take more than an hour or so, and is a great expedition. Or drop down, for a pint, or something to eat, at your leisure. Highly recommended.
        Written 12 October 2024
      • MWWildcatFan
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Best walking tour we have taken
        What a fun and informative walking tour. Unlike any we have experienced. Our guide, John, was funny and so filled with unique facts. His deep understanding of York history made our stay here far more enjoyable. Highly recommend!!!
        Written 12 October 2024
      • X8838ANjohnp
        0 contributions
        1.0 of 5 bubbles
        Dog phobic city
        Visit spoilt by not allowing dogs in all kinds of places especially the walls, next time went to Chester dogs allowed had great time.
        Written 9 October 2024
      • Safari16761515630
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Really pleasant walk
        It was a fine sunny day, not too hot snd the walk around the city walls was so pleasant and relaxing. It's not at all strenuous and you get to see York for a different and interesting aspect.
        Written 7 October 2024
      • 422dancem
        0 contributions
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        Nice walk
        The first thing time visiting here since moving to the area. Lots of sights to see and a good day out my family really enjoyed the trip
        Written 29 September 2024
      • B_lSteven
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        An amazing must-do activity in York
        Taking a walk away from the bustling streets and gaining some perspective on the city. There are some sections with fantastic views of Minster and the old town. Others provide a pleasant opportunity for a stroll and are calmer.
        Written 29 September 2024
      • johnhp702
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Walk the walls
        Stretch your legs and walk the city walls either by yourself or as part of a tour, it is a great way to view this wonderful the city.
        Written 27 September 2024
      • wzhkevin
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        A great way to see the city from a different perspective
        I walked the walls on my own without relying on any tour. That was good enough for me. I'm sure I could have learnt more on a guided tour, but really I think it's about seeing the city from a different perspective. An easy walk on even surface, albeit with unavoidable stairs here and there, sometimes steep. The stretch between Micklegate Bar heading clockwise towards Lendal Bridge is the most scenic, and if you only have a short time to walk the wall, that is the section I would do. However, the rest of the wall is also interesting, and takes you through parts of the city you wouldn't normally go.
        Written 22 September 2024
      • k8mnstrcommerce
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Fantastic Tour with Focus on Archeology (and Some History)
        John was a great guide. He was very funny and animated while also clearly have a mastery of his area of scholarship and practice. He had some interesting insights and thoughts about debunking some commonly held beliefs and oft repeated stories about UK history and culture (but not in any way outlandish or offensive). He took us (not far) off the beaten path, as well as to all the things we were expecting to see. We felt entertained and educated.
        Written 21 September 2024
      See all 9,929 reviews
      These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

      Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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      4.5
      4.5 of 5 bubbles33 reviews
      Excellent
      29
      Very good
      2
      Average
      0
      Poor
      0
      Terrible
      2

      Karl B
      2 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      John was amazing, We had arranged for me to propose during our tour (she said Yes!!) John truly made the proposal unique and even filmed for us. His enthusiasm and knowledge of the history and ghosts of york was amazing and without gimics which is truly refreshing, He was incredible and I would recommend! I can't thank him enough for an amazing experience... we will definitely keep in contact!!
      Written 9 October 2021
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Karl it was an absolute pleasure to meet you both and once again congratulations! It was a really great tour for me too so thank you for allowing me to share that special moment with you both. Do keep in touch!
      Written 10 October 2021
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      neil s
      1 contribution
      1.0 of 5 bubbles
      We scheduled a ghost tour of York with John at 7:00 pm on 29 April. I have the confirmation to verifying this. At approximately 4:45 I received an email telling me that the tour was now starting at 6:00 pm. We were unable to make that work because it conflicted with existing dinner reservations. I reached out to John via email. He did not respond. I called him. He did not answer. Finally the hotel concierge contacted him by phone. The concierge said “John was stubborn and unwilling to be helpful”.
      To say the least my wife and I were very disappointed. I suggest that Trip Advisor drop him as a tour guide.
      Written 30 April 2022
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Neil, I am very concered to read this review particularly, as this is a complete pack of lies. Fortunately we have an email trail of all correspondance, and I will flag this with trip advisor today and have no issue resolving this with you, however I will not stand for false representation. As with all our tours we offer flexible starting times, Just to confirm - the tour was booked in and you were messaged on 3 separate occasions by our company to confirm a suggested start time, all of which were ignored by you. I finally messaged you on the day as we had other tours on and stated a start time of 6pm, again which was ignored. I only received a message from the concierge at the hotel, less than 45 minutes before the tour was due to start. I will also take this up with Brian the concierge as at no point was I stubborn and unwilling to be helpful. Quite the opposite- we even contacted you and asked about moving the tour to the next day. If you wish to book in a tour and then completely ignore all messages from us then there is very little we can do. The issue is that you decided, for your own reasons, to ignore all attempts to communicate with you. This is your prerogagive but to suggest otherwise is fraudulent and I will not stand for it. I will be reporting this issue to Trip Advisor and flag this review for removal.
      Written 2 May 2022
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      ryan b
      1 contribution
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Sept 2021 • Couples
      From Ryan & Georgia,

      Absolutely amazing tour around York, John made this experience the best it could be. We have been talking about the stories and the information we learned along the way. It was a brilliantly planned and fun journey. Would recommend this above all tours. If you love your swords and shields history please look into this.

      Would more than happily plan to attend yet again. John is very friendly and very energetic. He went the extra mile to ensure our tour was creepy and informative.

      Try this experience you won’t regret it.
      Written 4 September 2021
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Kimberley S
      Portsmouth, UK10 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Aug 2018
      Myself and my mum booked a private tour after seeing some poor reviews on the commercialised group tours. We were not disappointed - John was very knowledgeable and we learnt a lot about the history of York as well which was really interesting and informative. He has a laid back relaxed attitude which made the tour fun and he went the extra mile with the tour running over the 2 hours and then insisting he walked us back to our accomodation for safety. He is clearly passionate about the subject and I would definitely recommend his tour - we both really enjoyed it.
      Written 3 August 2018
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Tom O
      Kendal, UK17 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Fantastic tour with John. History based with links to various ghost stories. Clearly passionate about what he does and clearly knows his stuff, learnt so much and all done with a lighthearted easy manner. So glad we chose this rather than one of the theatrical tours! Thanks for a really enjoyable and educational couple of hours!!!
      Written 26 June 2019
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      thank you so much it was lovely to meet you!!
      Written 27 June 2019
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      Chris H
      6 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      We were given a history of York that really helped set the scene straight away. Toured parts of the city you would never normally find and were told stories to make you shiver! I can’t recommend highly enough this superb experience! The highlight of a magical trip
      Written 6 May 2021
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Mark H
      Cannock, UK44 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      My wife and I booked this tour based on Tripadvisor reviews. They were spot on. John is a very knowledgeable guide and his tour is expertly put together mixing the ghost stories into the history of York seamlessly. We thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend to any visitors of York.
      Written 21 August 2020
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Go819273
      29 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Oct 2019 • Couples
      In booking this ghost tour, we were hoping for something less like a sideshow and more like a factual description of York’s history and what could have contributed to paranormal experiences. Wow, John and his tour vastly exceeded our expectations! He was knowledgeable and entertaining and gave us a great history lesson. And more than that, security guards walked up and corroborated the story he was telling us — from their own experience!! Thanks John, we’ll be telling that story for years! Great value, great way to spend an evening in a beautiful and historic city.
      Written 5 October 2019
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      THank you so much for your lovely review, and yes I can confirm the security team weren't actors planted there by me haha! York continues to be a very spooky place evidently, but it was a pleasure to spend the evening in your company!
      Written 21 October 2019
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      Todd C
      Camas, WA8 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Hands down the best private tour I have ever booked. We had such a great time walking around York with John learning about the history of this amazing town starting with the Ancient Romans. If you are planning a stay in York, do not miss the chance to take this tour.
      Written 4 July 2019
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      thank you for your review it was lovely to meet you!
      Written 19 July 2019
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      Safari16761515630
      4 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Oct 2024 • Family
      The ghost walk was very interesting with lots of local facts, plus a bit of added fiction for effect, but overall it was entertaining and well worth it.
      Written 6 October 2024
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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      *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

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