As the festive season draws near, UK cities are teeming with Christmas shoppers and market-goers.

If you’re considering a last-minute pre-Christmas getaway or planning ahead for 2025, consider adding the historic city of York in North Yorkshire to your list of staycation destinations.

Earlier this year, York was declared the world’s second most beautiful place to visit in winter.

Premier Inn’s research praised York for its “captivating medieval walls and narrow lanes of The Shambles”, noting: “The York Minster cathedral looks even more majestic, while the city’s famous Christmas market, St Nicholas Fair, comes alive on Parliament Street.

“Winter visitors can warm up in one of York’s many historic pubs or enjoy the JORVIK Viking Centre perfect if you need a bit of shelter from the cold while exploring the city.”

After delving into the past at the JORVIK Viking Centre, why not marvel at the grandeur of York Minster, or traverse the remnants of the city’s 700 year old walls?

For those who can’t wait until next Halloween, the York Dungeon awaits, along with numerous ghostly tours, reports the Mirror.

York also beckons Harry Potter enthusiasts. Although J.K. Rowling has never confirmed it, The Shambles is widely believed to be the inspiration for Diagon Alley, with the resemblance between them strikingly apparent.

The Shambles, renowned as one of Europe’s most well-preserved medieval shopping streets, stands as a prominent landmark in the city.

Its narrow, cobblestone path and timber-framed structures that jut out over the street by several feet lend it an enchanting, fairy-tale-like aura.

Such is its charm that it draws legions of Harry Potter fans annually, who flock to The Shambles to capture photographs and explore the numerous stores brimming with merchandise from the film series, including the famed ‘The Shop That Must Not Be Named’.

Despite not being a filming location for the Harry Potter series, parts of the inaugural movie were shot at York’s railway station.

As per Visit York, the station was transformed to resemble King’s Cross for the iconic scene where Harry traverses the bridge to locate Platform 9 34.

York boasts more than just The Shambles when it comes to unique streets.

Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate, measuring a mere 24 metres, is among the shortest ‘streets’ you can find.

In addition to York, Premier Inn’s compilation of the world’s most visually striking winter cities also includes Boston in the USA, Dublin in Ireland, Cologne in Germany and Stockholm in Sweden.