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Walking Tours - Association of Voluntary Guides
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Walking Tours - Association of Voluntary Guides

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See all things to do
Walking Tours - Association of Voluntary Guides
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York, North Yorkshire, England
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Travellers' Choice
2024
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Walking Tours - Association of Voluntary Guides
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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles1,043 reviews
Excellent
952
Very good
70
Average
12
Poor
4
Terrible
5
Philip d
United Kingdom187 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Absolutely Fabulous Walking Tour
Oct 2020
Positively Brilliant !!!!

I did this walking tour 30 years (1990) ago and have raved about how great it was. I have come to York again and the walk was totally different and equally entertaining and fascinating.

I did the walking tour on Wednesday with Ian and my wife did the walking tour on Thursday with Andrew A. We both had fascinating tours and yet we walked on totally differed tours seeing totally different sights as we were shown the history and fascinating attractions/sights of York,

The amazing thing is these tour guides are 'free' and the Association of Voluntary Tour Guides of York only ask that we enjoy the may fascinating sights of York because the walking tour enables the guide to share 'their love of their city',

We have been keen tourists for the past 30 years and have travelled an endless number of walking tours in and endless number of cities but seldom do any walking tours match the quality and calibre of the York Volunteer Walking Tours.

There are many tours guides charging for walking tours but the free walking tour guides with the official badges who meet in front of the York Art Gallery are the ones to choose.

Many thanks to Ian (walking guide at 1:15pm last Tuesday) for a thoroughly enjoyable walking tour, and yes, you surpassed the '"height of the bar" set by the wonderful walking tour l did 30 years ago.

Many Thanks

Philip
Written 9 October 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.
Euan W
Redcar, UK1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Well worth the time!
Jul 2021 • Couples
As we were about to walk down to the city wall, we noticed that a “free walking tour” was due to start in literally 1 minute’s time. We gladly jumped along and I’m glad we did! Alan took us on a 2 hour recce around York to explain what gates where built when and telling stories about them at each stop. Always doing his best to find a spot of shade at each stop, Alan was a great guide who answered follow up questions along the way - something you don’t get on open top bus tours! You’d be amazed as a casual visitor to York just how many fascinating things you walk past without realising. Following this tour, my perspective of this city has been changed and I would highly recommend this very informative tour to any visitor, whether it’s their 1st visit or 101st.
...and yes their tours are running again!
Written 20 July 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.
Helen0864
London, UK17 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Brilliant
Dec 2021
We visited York last weekend and booked the AVG guides which was an amazing experience and it's true it's free! The walk was full of interesting facts and knowledge of the beautiful York city. Mick was our guide and he was brilliant nothing was to much to ask him. I would really recommend this tour as you will get to see sights of the city you may not come across if you do it your self and as much as there are the every days sights there is so much more.
Written 7 December 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.
Michelle M
1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Don’t bother if you have kids
Apr 2022 • Family
I have no idea if the tour is good because we didn’t get to go. We had only a couple days in York and chose this as one of our major activities, hoping to take in many of the major sights and learn something of the history behind them. (Especially as our oldest loves history and has learned about all of the major time periods/civilizations represented in York.) We pre-booked our spot as requested on the website. We have three kids, the youngest being two, and we brought him in a lightweight umbrella stroller. When we arrived the guide refused to allow us to join the tour due to the stroller. She said we would be walking the city walls and couldn’t do that with the stroller, even though there was no information on the website about the tour being unsuitable for strollers. I tried to suggest ways to make it work but she was adamant about not allowing us to go and not very kind or sympathetic to our situation. After the group left, I read through all the FAQs on the website again and found out the tour offers an accommodation for people who cannot walk the walls, but the guide did not offer that option to us. I can only guess she did not want to deal with us, a family with small children. We had a wonderful time walking the city walls ourselves (news flash - lightweight strollers are easy to carry and can also fold up if need be). We were sad to miss all the rich historical knowledge the tour promised, and our interaction with the guide left us with a bad taste in our mouths and some very disappointed children. If you have kids I would recommend looking to into one of the other tours available in York. We have been traveling with our kids for several months now, and this is one of the worst experiences we’ve had.
Written 19 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.
JBWl37
Manchester, UK1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Book this walking tour
Oct 2020
Just finished a 2 hour walking tour with Richard A and can honestly say that this man is a mine of information on the history of this beautiful city. He started with a 2000 year snapshot of the city then took time to explain the history behind each area as we walked around. He kept the group entertained even taking time to point out where key buildings had been used in TV drama's. His enthusiasm and knowledge shone through the entire tour. Recommended
Written 8 October 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.
Lois L
4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
History lesson on foot!
Mar 2022 • Friends
We happened upon a sandwich board sign for this tour in Exhibition Square and decided to book it up for the following day. We received a warm welcome from Richard A, and really enjoyed listening to all he had to say about the history of York. It really enriched our visit to the city, as there are so many things we would have just walked by without realising their significance. I'd highly recommend this tour to anyone who has an interest in the past, and wants to broaden their knowledge of York.
Written 31 March 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.
dart4dtony
Dartford, UK28 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Absolutely fascinating - a must for every visitor to York.
Sept 2020
Richard A was our tour guide who gave us a fascinating insight into the city of York. Richard started with a potted 2000 year history of York from the Romans, Vikings, middle ages to the present day, all who left their mark on York and this put the rest of the tour in context. Richard then led us on a two and a half our walk around this fascinating city with so much living history, giving us interesting information and anecdotes at every turn.
It was excellent and we would certainly recommend this tour as a must for every visitor to York. Even if you are familiar with the city you will learn something new.
Written 12 September 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.
Vinicius Tesseroli
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Amazing Experience
Apr 2022
I had just a short time in York and this Tour was definitely the best thing that I have done! I went to do the Tour in my second day of staying in York (I wish I had known about it before), I could see the town with other eyes after our walkthrough around the city. Helen was the guide, she was brilliant, explaining every detail about the history and curiosities of the city formation. I really recommend you travelers to go, if possible, as soon as you arrive in York, you will be able to explore the city with a different point of view after having heard about the historical facts!
Written 13 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.
Francesco M
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam21 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Informative and very well done, and also free!
Jan 2020 • Solo
It was thanks to this tour that I came to appreciate my trip in York, seeing the city in a more aware light. The guide was absolutely passionate about York and his historical background, funny and easygoing, he even stayed with the group a little longer than due and giving us some good foodie advice in the end. Very very recommended!
Written 23 January 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.
Anoosha R
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Incredible tour
Apr 2023
I took this tour immediately upon arriving in York and found that it gave me a good foundation for everything else that I was going to see and hear about. The tour is free, completely free and they do refuse to take tips. The personality of the guide (I'm afraid I don't remember her name) came through and she was very clearly spoken and knowledgeable. I would highly recommend this tour and booking in advance, especially in the summer, as people gathered in the Square quickly even without a booking and one will ensure your space on the tour.
Written 8 April 2023
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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