Racegoers gear up for the Ebor Festival

The highlight in York Racecourse's calender begins this Tuesday. The Ebor Festival will attract huge crowds to the city. Gates open at 11:00 on each of the four days of the Festival with racing scheduled to begin at 13:45 throughout the meeting. The Festival will include the richest race ever run on the Knavesmile, the Juddmonte International at £550,000.

Racegoers might be concerned about what to wear. Gentlemen in the County Stand need to wear a jacket and a tie. In the main Grandstand and Paddock viewing areas, there is no dress code at all, and racegoers can wear whatever they feel comfortable in. Visitors attending the Ebor Festival may wish to dress up as the Festival invariably attracts a very fashionable race-going crowd. Thursday is Ladies Day. The lady judged to have the best outfit will win the title of Marriott Hotel Best Dressed Lady and a luxury trip to Dubai.

On the track, the highlight of the extended four meeting will be the Juddmonte International on Tuesday, the totesport Ebor Handicap on Wednesday and the Nunthorpe Stakes. The totesport Ebor Handicap was first run in 1843.

Three years ago York Racecourse hosted Royal Ascot, the jewel in Ascot's racing calender, while the Berkshire venue was undergoing a £185m transformation. In 2006 York Racecourse was the venue for the St Leger, while Doncaster Racecourse was re-developed.

The Romans first raced in the city in the early third century AD. York Racecourse opened in 1731.

The action will take place on the Knavesmile, a colloquial name for the racecourse, the place where executions traditionally took place.

Racegoers and visitors to York can enjoy the historic city with the Best of York audio walking tour. Listeners to the Walk Talk Tour York travel guide will hear how one infamous nineteenth century highwayman met his end on the Knavesmile. The tour does not include York Racecourse.

Listeners to the Best of York audio walking tour will hear about a former Queen who is said to haunt the King's Manor, how the Rowntree family made its mark on the city, hear about 'the pub the floods'. Listeners will hear about one of - if not the - darkest episode in the city's history at Clifford's Tower.

The Walk Talk Tour mp3 guided tour of York concludes with a walk on the city's walls before concluding in front of the city's magnificent Minster. To hear an audio sample from the Best of York iPod travel guide please click here.

Don't have an iPod or MP3 player? Don't worry, you can still enjoy the Walk Talk Tour of York mp3 guided tour. Visitors can hire the Best of York podcast guided tour from the city's two Visitor Information Centres for £5.

With a Walk Talk Tour city walking tour you're in charge. No need to feel too conspicuous with a guidebook in your hands or struggle to keep up with - let alone hear - the tour guide with the umbrella. Listeners to the Best of York iPod travel guide are free to stop, start and listen again. Customers can purchase the Best of York city guide from walktalktour.com for just £4.50.

Each Walk Talk Tour mp3 guided tour comes complete with a free downloadable map - along with easy to follow instructions - so you won't miss a thing. To make the most of the Best of York tour guide have a look at our Where & When page, which provides information about the admission charges and opening times of key attraction along the tour's route.