England

York has a comforting feel to it - a warmth in its old stone and timber-framed buildings and a friendliness in its streets. It’s an incredibly walkable city, letting you take it all in at just the right pace, surrounded by a mix of history and everyday life. York doesn’t try too hard to impress, and maybe that’s why it does. It’s not a city that overwhelms you with its scale or grandeur, but it has an undeniable appeal that sneaks up on you. It’s in the details - the way the buildings lean into each other, the sound of buskers playing on street corners, the glow of the shop windows at dusk. It’s easy to be in York. It welcomes you without trying. And just like the best music, the best books, and the best places - it stays with you long after you leave.