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Great British Heritage

Art Nouveau around York

Discover York and Leeds’ elegant embrace of Art Nouveau, where sinuous lines and organic forms ripple across stained glass, sculpture and ironwork. Travel through city and coastal towns to reveal how this movement flourished here – from the quiet beauty of a seaside church to gallery walls and architecture detail shaped by nature and imagination.

Based in historic York at the Art Nouveau styled Elmbank Hotel the tour includes visits to nearby Leeds and Scarborough to view Art Nouveau architecture and design and also to Whitby for a view of the Jet and Jet Collection.

From

£840

per person

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what’s included

At A Glance

  • The Travel Editions Experience
    Our tours are thoughtfully crafted and meticulously planned, with every destination, hotel, excursion and stop along the way having been selected to form a truly memorable experience.
  • Meals Included
    All breakfasts and two dinners.
  • Handpicked Accommodation
    Three nights accommodation at the four-star Elmbank Hotel, York, based on shared occupancy of a twin/double room.  
  • Discover Art Nouveau around York
    Discover the elegance of Art Nouveau and the Pre-Raphaelites on a fascinating tour based in York, featuring Leeds’ architectural treasures, Whitby’s jet heritage, Scarborough’s William Morris interiors and expert insights from Professor Anne Anderson.
  • Your Expert Guide
    Expert guide Professor Anne Anderson throughout the tour.
  • Visits & Tours
    All talks, guided tours and admissions as per the itinerary.
  • Transport
    Coach touring as per the itinerary.
Meet Your Expert Guide

Professor Anne Anderson

Anne is an author, broadcaster and Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, with a first degree in archaeology and a PhD in English. She was a senior lecturer in Art and Design History for fourteen years, specialising in the Aesthetic Movement, Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau and Modernism.

An experienced international speaker and published author, Anne has inspired Travel Editions travellers for more than fifteen years with her wit, wisdom and enthusiasm. Her tours reveal the connections between architecture, interiors and design, bringing the artistic revolutions of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries vividly to life.

Meet Our Expert Guides
itinerary & excursions

Your Itinerary

Explore this incredible tour in detail and discover what makes each day so special. Below, you’ll find a full day-by-day breakdown of your journey, from the moment you arrive to your final farewell. Learn more about the highlights you’ll experience, the unforgettable places you’ll visit, and the unique moments that bring each destination to life. Whether you’re drawn by rich history, stunning landscapes or unforgettable cultural encounters, this itinerary gives you everything you need to picture your adventure and look forward to every step of the way.

Exact order of itinerary may vary due to local conditions and tour manager’s discretion.

Day 1: Arrival and Introduction to York

Arrive independently at the Elmbank Hotel, York from 15.00.
This evening there will be a welcome reception, private dinner with wine and a talk by Professor Anne Anderson: ‘Leeds and York: Art and Industry‘.

Day 2: Whitby and Scarborough

This morning we visit St Mary’s Church in Whitby for a free-flow exploration of this historic site, accompanied by our guide, Anne Anderson. We then continue to the Whitby Museum and Pannett Art Gallery, where the group will enjoy a special talk from the curator on the Jet and Jet Jewellery Collection. Afterwards, there is free time to explore the museum and view the collection, with access also to the Pannett Art Gallery. Following this, we enjoy free time for lunch (not included), before rejoining the coach for Scarborough.

In the afternoon, we visit St Martin-on-the-Hill Church, where a church guide will lead a tour of this remarkable building, known for its Pre-Raphaelite connections. Here we’ll see William Morris-designed stained glass windows and wall paintings by leading Pre-Raphaelite artists. Second talk from Anne this evening: ‘Pre-Raphaelites in Yorkshire‘.

Day 3: Leeds City Art Gallery and Lotherton Hall

We start our touring today at Leeds Art Gallery with its interesting collection of modern art as well as being home to the Henry Moore Institute, a world-recognised centre for the study of sculpture. Anne will then guide a walking tour taking in the Art nouveau architecture around the Victorian Quarter, including magnificent shopping arcades, such as the County Arcade, Leeds Town Hall and the Corn Exchange.

After free time for lunch (not included), we head by coach to Lotherton Hall, a fine Victorian country home and chapel which was home to the Gascoigne family from 1825 until it was gifted to the city of Leeds in 1968. It is a charming house, and a visit here gives a taste of the lives of both the English upper classes and their servants. Return to the hotel for approx. 17.00.

Post-tour nights at the hotel are available at a supplement.

Availability

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Date
Departing From
Price From
Availability
16/06/2027
York
£840
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Solo Traveller Supplement From: £158
Destination
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HOTELS

Tour Accommodation

Elmbank Hotel, York
Located in historic York, the Elmbank Hotel boasts one of the UK’s finest and most complete Art Nouveau collections, including stained-glass, beautiful murals, and detailed stencils. The hotel provides a restaurant, bar, and fitness centre, and stylish bedrooms with modern amenities including en-suite bathroom, TV, WIFI, and tea/coffee making facilities.

Elmbank Hotel has on-site parking for 10 cars charged at £10 per night. Alternatively you may park in the Car Park at the Mount School, located next to the hotel, postcode YO24 1EJ, the cost of this is £18 per 24hrs.

Hotel Website

our regular tours

Mobility Information

This tour has a moderate fitness rating, reflecting a fuller itinerary with a good balance of visits, walking and time spent exploring on foot.
 
Some visits may involve cobbled streets, uneven paving, slopes, steps, stairs, limited seating, or walking from the coach drop-off point to the entrance of a site or attraction. The exact demands will vary from day to day, and we highlight specific practical details within the itinerary wherever possible.
 
You should feel comfortable walking at a steady group pace, standing during visits and enjoying a full day of sightseeing. If you are unsure whether this tour is right for you, please contact us before booking.

Mobility Information
Your questions answered

Tour FAQ

If you have a question, we are more than happy to answer it via email or phone, but you may find your answer below more quickly.

Simply complete our online booking form or give us a call on 020 7251 0045 between 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday where you can speak to a real person. A 20% deposit per person is required at the time of booking, to book your place. Payments by debit card or credit card incur no charge. 

You must pay for the balance of your holiday at least 12 weeks before departure. A reminder will be sent to you approximately 10 days before the balance due date. If you book your holiday within 12 weeks of departure, full payment is required at time of booking. Please note that some tours may require final payment to be paid earlier than 12 weeks, due to financial commitment with suppliers. The exact date will be notified to you at the time of booking. Final joining instructions and documentation will be dispatched approximately 10 days before travel.

In almost all cases, the price includes your accommodation, meals as described in the itinerary, all excursions shown in the programme, and travel arrangements from the UK. Excursions are taken by private coach exclusively for Travel Editions guests. If anything is ever excluded from the price, it will be clearly marked as optional and payable locally, you won’t find any hidden extras on your final bill. Travel Editions operates a firm no-surcharge policy, so the price you are quoted is the price you pay.

The specifics vary by tour and are set out in your individual itinerary, but most of our tours depart from London, either by Eurostar from St Pancras International or by air. For rail tours, we advise allowing at least one hour before the Eurostar departure when planning your journey to London. For flights, all costs are based on economy class unless otherwise stated, and all times shown are local time. For tours in the UK, these often start at the hotel in question.

Flight upgrades and connections from regional airports are available on request and subject to availability, contact us on 020 7251 0045 or at tours@traveleditions.co.uk for details. We strongly recommend not booking non-refundable connecting travel until you have received your final joining instructions, which are sent around 10 days before departure and confirm all timings and meeting points.

Yes, and you’re very welcome. Single room supplements apply on most tours, reflecting the fact that single and double rooms are generally priced similarly by hotels. If you would prefer to share with another solo traveller of the same gender, we are happy to arrange this, simply let us know at the time of booking. Sharing is subject to another traveller in the same situation being booked on the same tour.

Each tour is accompanied by a dedicated tour manager, who in most cases will travel out from the UK with the group. On some tours, the tour manager will meet you at your destination station or airport, with full details being confirmed in your joining instructions 10 days before travel. Many of our tours are also led by expert lecturers or specialist guides whose knowledge brings each destination to life; details of who will be accompanying your particular tour are included in the individual tour pages and itineraries.

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