Old White Swan (The), York

The best thing about this pub must be its courtyard: the Swan has for a long time been one of the few watering holes in York where you could sit outdoors with your drink. The pretty courtyard, with its family-sized picnic benches, is covered to protect you from the attempts of the English weather to water down your drink, and remains one of the pleasantest places around in which to while away a drowsy summer's afternoon. The three bars inside range in decor from the reasonably inviting to the slightly bland, in spite of a recent refurbishment. Still, the Swan is personable enough, with real ale on tap, live music four nights out of seven, and a pub quiz on Monday and Wednesday.