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Posted Dec. 13, 2013
Student City Guide: York
Relocating to an unfamiliar city as a student can be a daunting process for many postgraduates, especially if you studied for your first degree at a small regional institution or lived at home instead of in halls of residence. One solution, therefore, may be to study in a smaller city where you are less likely to feel overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude and scale of the place.
Once an important Roman stronghold in the cold wastelands of northern England, today York is a bustling university city which retains an intimacy and charm largely as a result of its diminutive size. As a tourist magnet it does tend to get pretty crowded, especially in the summer months as visitors arrive from across the world, but the fact remains that you can traverse the city centre on foot in less than half an hour. With a choice of the University of York , now in its 50th year, situated only 3 miles from the narrow winding medieval streets of the city centre, and the University of York St John nestling inside the limestone city walls, you are never far away from this attractive medieval city and its lively nightlife.
A City of Culture Student life is never complete without savouring a city’s cultural offerings and York boasts a rich array of activities and events to rival its larger counterparts. The history of the city, from its Roman origins to Viking Jorvik and its subsequent development as a medieval city, surrounds you. The imposing Gothic Cathedral – the largest of its kind in Northern Europe – is a place of immense inner tranquillity and beauty while the roman baths (situated beneath the inspirationally-named Roman Bath pub) is one of the last true vestiges of Eboracum. History is at your fingertips in every corner of the city from the narrow winding Shambles where overhanging Tudor buildings lean at impossible angles to the dominant Clifford’s Tower sitting atop a hillock in the heart of York to the treasure trove of artefacts held at the superb Castle and Yorkshire Museums.
If history doesn’t press your button then there are ample other options for your amusement. For arts, music and theatre head to the York Opera House or the Theatre Royal or alternatively many a fine evening can be whiled away on a night-time river cruise along the Ouse, a knee-trembling ghost walk along the tiny snickelways or a taste of Yorkshire’s finest in one of the innumerable pubs or wine bars (allegedly one for every night of the year).
Getting Around The city centre is a largely pedestrianised affair so wandering at your leisure free from traffic is a great way to spend your downtime as you explore the comprehensive shopping options, especially if you have children. York is also a cycling-friendly city with a wealth of attractive routes along which to pedal, taking in some of the city’s finest architecture or even extending beyond the walls to Hull or Middlesborough for the more intrepid.
A comprehensive bus service serves all parts of the city well, with services to the University campuses every few minutes throughout the day. And if you feel inhibited by the compactness of the city then there are ample options to escape into the Yorkshire countryside, with bus services to Bridlington, Scarborough and the North East coast and all-night train services to Leeds (30 minutes) and Manchester (90 minutes) for those seeking the bright lights of a larger city.
Accommodation Finding somewhere to live is straightforward owing to the plentiful availability of properties. The University offers a graduate college which serves as the hub for accommodation and entertainment for postgraduates. A variety of private tenancy options exist throughout the city with Heworth, Hull Road, Layerthorpe and Heslington being among the most popular. These areas are close to the University campuses and are well-served by bus and cycle routes, making them convenient locations for postgraduates who wish to enjoy some freedom from campus life without being at an impractical distance from college.
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Once an important Roman stronghold in the cold wastelands of northern England, today York is a bustling university city which retains an intimacy and charm largely as a result of its diminutive size. As a tourist magnet it does tend to get pretty crowded, especially in the summer months as visitors arrive from across the world, but the fact remains that you can traverse the city centre on foot in less than half an hour. With a choice of the University of York , now in its 50th year, situated only 3 miles from the narrow winding medieval streets of the city centre, and the University of York St John nestling inside the limestone city walls, you are never far away from this attractive medieval city and its lively nightlife.
If history doesn’t press your button then there are ample other options for your amusement. For arts, music and theatre head to the York Opera House or the Theatre Royal or alternatively many a fine evening can be whiled away on a night-time river cruise along the Ouse, a knee-trembling ghost walk along the tiny snickelways or a taste of Yorkshire’s finest in one of the innumerable pubs or wine bars (allegedly one for every night of the year).
Getting Around The city centre is a largely pedestrianised affair so wandering at your leisure free from traffic is a great way to spend your downtime as you explore the comprehensive shopping options, especially if you have children. York is also a cycling-friendly city with a wealth of attractive routes along which to pedal, taking in some of the city’s finest architecture or even extending beyond the walls to Hull or Middlesborough for the more intrepid.
A comprehensive bus service serves all parts of the city well, with services to the University campuses every few minutes throughout the day. And if you feel inhibited by the compactness of the city then there are ample options to escape into the Yorkshire countryside, with bus services to Bridlington, Scarborough and the North East coast and all-night train services to Leeds (30 minutes) and Manchester (90 minutes) for those seeking the bright lights of a larger city.
Accommodation Finding somewhere to live is straightforward owing to the plentiful availability of properties. The University offers a graduate college which serves as the hub for accommodation and entertainment for postgraduates. A variety of private tenancy options exist throughout the city with Heworth, Hull Road, Layerthorpe and Heslington being among the most popular. These areas are close to the University campuses and are well-served by bus and cycle routes, making them convenient locations for postgraduates who wish to enjoy some freedom from campus life without being at an impractical distance from college.
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