Travel: 48 hours in York

Friday, 7.30pm Check in at the Best Western Plus Dean Court Hotel, in the shadow of York Minster.

8pm Visit DCH, – the hotel restaurant, where the star choice is a rib of matured Yorkshire beef for two, carved at your table.

Saturday, 9am Enjoy a full Yorkshire breakfast.

10am The Yorkshire Museum brings the history of “England’s other capital” to life.

Noon York Minster is the city’s most iconic sight. The steps up to the tower are tough, but the view is sublime.

1pm Melton’s Too (25 Walmgate, www.meltonsrestaurant.co.uk) offers good tapas, and hefty sausage and mash.

3pm Jorvik Viking Centre’s “time capsule” wheechs you back over 1,000 years to when York was a Viking stronghold.

4pm Succumb to sweet temptation at York’s Chocolate Story.

8pm Take a spooky tour (www.theoriginalghostwalkofyork.co.uk).

9:15pm Dinner at The Blue Bicycle (www.thebluebicycle.com) – formerly a house of ill repute.

Sunday, 10:30am Rent a self-drive motorboat on the Ouse for a new view (www.yorkboat.co.uk).

Noon Lunch at Betty’s Café Tea Rooms, one of Britain’s grandest caffs.

2pm See Stevenson’s Rocket and Japan’s bullet train at the National Railway Museum (www.nrm.org.uk).

3pm Hop into one of the Wheel of York’s space-age capsules for a farewell, eagle’s eye view of the city.

5pm It’s a short walk from the Wheel to the station and your train home.

ROBIN GAULDIE

THE FACTS

East Coast trains (tel: 08457 225225, www.eastcoast.co.uk) run hourly from Edinburgh Waverley. A two-day York Pass (www.yorkpass.com) costs £48 and offers admission to more than 30 attractions. Until March 28, Dean Court Hotel (www.deancourt-york.co.uk, tel: 01904 625082) offers two nights B&B for £350 per double/twin room, including dinner with wine for two on the first night (www.visityork.org).