As one of the UK’s biggest tourist destinations, Paul and I fiddled with chocolate buttons and ate like Fat Dan from Rate My Takeaway recently in York. For our stay we drove 20 miles North East of the city centre to Sandburn Hall Hotel which had the most sophisticated wetroom we’ve yet to encounter on our travels for Hopezine. It was all gunmetal-grey tiles with a long mirror for wheelchair users and able bodies alike. See if you can spot Paul taking the photo! After a restful night’s slumber, we had a full day ahead so a big breakfast buffet at Tykes restaurant was essential. We took a ten minute drive to Castle Howard for coffee and cake set in a beguiling stately home, all naked statues and historic artworks displayed with impeccable taste for interiors. Our next stop was York city centre for a City Cruise on an accessible boat. It’s a lovely way to take in all the history and sites of York while bobbing along the canal, dotted with fisherpeople! One thing we learnt about on the cruise was York’s world-famous chocolate industry and we explored this a little more in-depth at nearby York’s Chocolate Story in King’s Square. Here we had an entertaining tour of the site and got to add buttons and wafers to our own chocolate lolly sticks! We also watch on with watering mouths as skilled chocolatiers give a demonstration of chocolate making in action! Our final stop in our tour of York is the York Minster, one of the world’s most magnificent cathedrals, and the largest gothic cathedral in Northern Europe. Since the 7th century, the Minster has been at the centre of Christianity in the north of England. Paul loves the accessibility of the place and we both enjoy the colossal stained glass windows. Before leaving with give thanks to all York has to offer by lighting a candle and saying a prayer. – Erica Crompton