Season guide · York · United Kingdom
York in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Peter K Burian, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Christmas markets and Minster carols in December, then cold, quiet weeks and the JORVIK Viking Festival in February. Expect highs up to 8°C (46°F) and lows around 1°C (34°F), with about 31 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- 1°C (34°F) to 8°C (46°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 31
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7°C (45°F) | 1°C (34°F) | 11 | 7.9 h | 1/5 |
| February | 8°C (46°F) | 1°C (34°F) | 9 | 9.7 h | 3/5 |
| December | 7°C (45°F) | 1°C (34°F) | 11 | 7.4 h | 4/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 7°C (45°F) against a yearly 14°C (57°F), and 31 of the year's roughly 117 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 3/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- February: JORVIK Viking Festival (usually mid to late February)
- December: York Christmas Market continues (until shortly before Christmas)
Good choices for winter
Historic site · Minster Quarter
Treasurer's House
Ask the guides about the cellar ghost story, and enjoy the small garden facing the Minster.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Historic site · Castle Area
Fairfax House
A Georgian townhouse on Castlegate designed by John Carr, with some of the finest 18th-century plasterwork in the city, furnished with a collection of Georgian furniture and clocks.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
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Religious site · Minster Quarter
York Minster
Climb the central tower early, before the narrow stairs fill, and return for Evensong to hear the choir for free.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours with the tower
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Architecture
- History
- Views
- Rainy day
Museum · Coppergate
JORVIK Viking Centre
Built on the site of excavations that uncovered Viking-age houses and workshops at Coppergate in the 1970s and 80s, JORVIK takes visitors on a ride through a reconstruction of the 10th-century street, complete with sounds and smells, followed by galleries of the finds.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- History
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Museum · Leeman Road
National Railway Museum
Walk from the station via the footbridge in about 10 minutes, and check for turntable demonstrations on arrival.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
- Iconic
Day trips in winter
- Knaresborough (About 30 minutes by train) — A small market town on a gorge of the River Nidd, with a railway viaduct over the river, rowing boats for hire, castle ruins on the clifftop and Mother Shipton's Cave and petrifying well.
- Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal (About 50 minutes by car) — The ruins of a 12th-century Cistercian abbey, among the largest and best-preserved in England, set beside an 18th-century water garden with ponds, temples and a deer park.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit York?
It is a trade-off: Christmas markets and Minster carols in December, then cold, quiet weeks and the JORVIK Viking Festival in February. The best months overall are May–June and September.
+What is the weather like in York in winter?
Highs of up to 8°C (46°F) and lows around 1°C (34°F), with about 31 rainy days over the season.