The Shambles is the kind of street that shouldn't still exist and does. The timber-framed buildings, many dating from the 14th and 15th centuries, overhang the narrow lane so severely that upper floors are separated from the opposite side by a few feet. It was once the butchers' quarter of York; the hooks for hanging carcasses are still visible on some of the older shops.
It is extremely popular and will be busy in season, come in early morning for the best version of it. The surrounding Shambles Market is the practical complement: daily street food and produce in the yard immediately adjacent, worth visiting alongside.