Whitby Abbey
Gothic abbey ruins on a clifftop by the sea, which inspired Dracula. Climb the 199 steps from the harbour for views over the North Sea.
Whitby Abbey was founded in the 7th century, and its surviving 13th-century Gothic ruins stand on the East Cliff. Bram Stoker drew inspiration from the abbey while on holiday in Whitby and wrote Dracula here. Every year the Whitby Goth Weekend draws large numbers of fans in Gothic costume. The site is managed by English Heritage, and entry costs about £15. The town itself is worth exploring too: the harbour, the Captain Cook Memorial Museum and the famous fish and chips. It is about 75 km from York, roughly 1.5 hours by car, or you can take the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.
Opening hours
Approx. 10:00–17:00 (open weekends only in winter)
Nearby sights
- Whitby 199 Steps & St Mary's Church
- Captain Cook Memorial Museum
- Whitby Harbour & Swing Bridge
- Whalebone Arch & West Cliff
- Sandsend
- Falling Foss
- Robin Hood's Bay
- North Yorkshire Moors Railway (Goathland)