The Villains Rum Tour in York is perfect if you’re into rum, history, and a bit of cheeky storytelling. It’s not your typical walking tour (for a start, you don’t leave the shop!). Your guide plays a full-on villainous persona (we had Vita Villain), which makes the whole thing feel like part pub crawl, part immersive theatre, and part boozy history lesson.
You learn some of the history of York’s more murky past—highwaymen, murderous women, and scandalous tales galore. And of course you get to try lots of Villain’s Rum!
Vita was great, she clearly know her stuff and made the whole experience a really fun way to spend an afternoon.
We learned about some villains you will have heard of (think Dick Turpin and Guy Fawkes) and some you won’t have.
The tour currently costs £25 and includes five generous shots of rum (with a mixer if you prefer).
At the end of your tour you need to sign a ‘Contract of Villainy’ a certificate you can take home and proudly display!
If you’re in York and looking for something different—especially as a group—it’s definitely worth it. It would be ideal for a birthday or even a stag or hen do. You can of course buy some to take home with you afterwards too!
Have a look at our other suggestions for the best things to do in York.
Press review – we were invited to visit and review the tour.
