When it comes to picking a British city for a pre-Christmas mini-break, you’d be hard pushed to find a better option than York
It's easily accessible from most of the country, has a frankly greedy amount of attractions to explore and maxes out on heritage good looks. But it also has the key ingredients to bring out the festive spirit
DO YOUR SHOPPING
If stocking up on presents is the main goal, then York provides plenty of opportunities. The major department stores are in the city centre, but where York really excels is with its small, independent shops.
Many of them gather on the city's most photogenic cobbled lane, the Shambles. Here, jewellers W. Hamond specialises in jet - a semi-precious black stone found around Whitby - and Cox's Leather Shop sells everything from handbags to slippers.
Elsewhere, Fraser & May on Bridge Street has a great range of trinkets and gift ideas. It's the sort of place where you're bound to find something for someone - and it'll probably be something you hadn't even considered before.
Street 19 sm Meanwhile, Burgins Perfumery on Coney Street, which has been operating since the late 19th century, is a great spot to stock up on smellies.
The joy of York's compact centre, though, is that you can find a specialist indie shop on nearly every street. Half the fun is in getting lost.
TAKE ON THE CHRISTMAS MARKETS
The Shambles will also play host to a market in the run-up to December 25, but York's main Christmas market is St Nicholas' Fair. This sees traditional chalets stretch out along Parliament Street, St Sampson's Square and The Judge's Lodging, each hosting a small local business with plenty of stocking-filler ideas.
Thor's Tipi on Parliament Street will be the place to stop for a break, serving hot chocolates and mulled wines around a log fire.
GO TO CHURCH
Not just any old church, York Minster (yorkminster.org) is one of the most spectacular cathedrals on Earth. And the Gothic wonder is hosting several Christmas events, from an advent procession to a Christinglemaking workshop.
But even if there's nothing special on, it's worth going into climb the central tower, admire the stained-glass windows and take a trip through 2,000 years of history in the undercroft. The displays and archaeological remains here head through the Roman, Viking and medieval eras. Entry is £15 for adults and £5 for children.
VISIT SANTA
York has put a novel twist on the whole Yor Santa's grotto concept. YorkBoat (yorkboat.co.uk) is running special river cruises, with face-painting, craft activities and the jolly old fella in the red hat handing out personalised presents. These run three times a day at weekends and are £9.50 for adults and £13 for children.
From December 3, Father Christmas will have a base on land as well - his wooden grotto will be outside York's Chocolate Story, which backs on to the Shambles.
PIG OUT ON CHOCOLATE
No prizes for guessing what York's Chocolate Story (yorkschocolatestory.com) concentrates on.
It's a fun, interactive museum that digs into the history of chocolate, back from its origins as a bitter drink in Central America.
It also traces the proud chocolate-making heritage in York itself. This is the city that gave us Rowntree's and Terry's, while the local Nestlé factory still makes millions of Kit-Kats every day.
As part of the jaunt round, there are chocolate-making demonstrations and samples liberally dished out. Tickets cost £10.95 for adults and £8.95 for children.
But York's chocolate-scoffing potential goes way further. There are several independent chocolate-makers in town, including the Monk Bar Chocolatiers on the Shambles.
There's also the York Cocoa House (york cocoahouse.co.uk), where everything on the menu contains some form of chocolate, and where you can also sign up for workshops that teach you how to make your own chocolate bar.
EAT AND DRINK TOO MUCH
If you've not filled yourself up on chocolate, then York has some excellent restaurants in which to continue feasting.
The Star Inn The City (starinnthe city.co.uk) looks amazing - it combines centuries-old listed buildings with modern, shiny glass pizzazz.
The food is pretty darned exceptional too - expect slow-braised lamb shanks, venison bolognese and hefty steaks in Yorkshire blue cheese sauce.
But what York really excels in is atmospheric old pubs.
The Maltings is a great wooden-floored real-ale joint on Tanner's Moat, the Punch Bowl on Stonegate is supposedly haunted and Pivni at Patrick Pool serves up craft beers by candlelight.
Then there's the House of The Trembling Madness on Stonegate. It's hidden upstairs, and accessed through an off-licence.
Once there, it turns out to be an astonishingly well-preserved medieval drinking hall, serving up Belgian beers among decor that includes stuffed animal heads.
And that's a far better surprise than anything you will get behind an advent calendar window.
GO: YORK
ROOMS at the 3H Hotel 53 cost from £82 a night. See hotel53.com.
See visityork.org for more information.