25/05/2010

Those short on ideas for a family weekend travel break with a difference this Bank Holiday, can experience the unique sights, sounds and smells of Roman life provided by a visit to York Roman Festival (May 29-30th).

Organised by Keith Mulhearn, the festival is an intriguing celebration of Roman life in Britain, with a range of York attractions hosting themed events and activities, including tours, screenings and displays, over the two-days.

Gray's Court, a beautiful historic house and café,  in the centre of York is the main setting for this year's event.  Throughout the weekend, there will be Romans and Celts on hand to give talks and demonstrations on weapons, armour, food & cooking, medicine, religion, bathing and to the delight of most young visitors - toilets!

Younger visitors can join Roman soldiers Maximus and Minimus, to learn about the skills needed by the Roman army to take on the Celts at Creepy Crawlies Adventure Play Park on Wigginton Road. There's also face painting and workshops for children who want to become a Roman Emperor for the day, by making their own laurel wreath crown or designing and making a Roman shield. 

York Pullman will be running Roman themed open top bus tours from Exhibition Square every hour from 10am over the weekend, and the City Screen Picturehouse will also be offering visitors the opportunity to enjoy the full cinematic version of Gladiator starring Russell Crowe.

If the drama of Roman life gets a bit too much for the adults, York also provides the perfect shopping experience by offering a diverse and vibrant mix of exclusive boutiques and independent retailers, set in beautiful historic surroundings.*

For those with an eye for a bargain, tourism agency, Visit York has also launched a free Shopping Passport which entitles visitors to over £70 worth of exclusive shopping vouchers and discounts across the city.  The passports can be downloaded for free at http://www.shopandthecity.org/ or are available from the Visit York Information Centre - allowing visitors to York to access discounts ranging from 15 per cent off at L.K. Bennett of London to 25 per cent off a luxury hand and nail pampering session at Nail Bar One.

It has never been easier for visitors to travel to York, with the city providing strong bus and rail links and park and ride services.   

For further information on York Roman Festival, visit http://www.yorkromanfestival.org.uk/. To receive a Shopping Passport, simply download it for free from http://www.shopanthecity.org/ or collect it from the Visit York Information Centre at 1 Museum Street.

The passports are provided by Visit York as part of its 2010 Shop and the City campaign which is supported by the City of York Council and York Designer Outlet.

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