Just last week, TripAdvisor announced that Leeds had made it into their list of the top 10 destinations in the UK. After a year of growth, with a new shopping centre and arena under its belt, the title is well deserved – and it means all the more because it’s based on the reviews of every day folk, like you and me.

That is, after all, the great thing about Leeds. There’s something for everyone, whether you’re a shopaholic or a devoted muso…

1. Small but perfectly formed

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When it comes to Leeds, size really does matter. It’s a compact city, and that’s pro, not a con. You can walk from one side of the city centre to the other within half an hour, passing shops, museums, theatres and music venues along the way – not to mention a plethora of bars and restaurants. So give your feet a rest and enjoy having everything within easy reach.




2. The gateway to Yorkshire

(Picture: Leeds List)

Leeds is a thriving cosmopolitan city in the heart of Yorkshire – so you can enjoy a city break and country retreat in one. Outside the city you’ll find rolling hills, stunning countryside and a host of historical sites. Explore Kirkstall or Fountains Abbey, both built by the same sect of Cistercian monks and both equally worthy of your time. Or head to Malham Cove and see Gordale Scar, the waterfall that makes the walk worthwhile. All these things are a mere car journey away and a short one at that, which means that, even in the city, the countryside is never far away.

3. Opens the Tour de France

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This year will see one of the world’s most prominent sporting events, the Tour de France, come to Leeds. It’s set to be a momentous occasion which will see thousands flock to the city. And it’s not just the cycling that’s drawing people in. The Yorkshire Festival will run for the 100 days that precede the Grand Départ, bringing culture in all its guises. With cinema screens popping up in unusual locations, photography exhibitions that look back over the Tour and a specially commissioned stage adaptation of Maxine Peake’s radio play Beryl – it’s sure to be an exciting time for the city.

4. Eat from the streets

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Street food has made a major comeback in Leeds. You’ll find it once a month on the city’s bustling high street, when the World Feast takes over – and at Belgrave Music Hall and Canteen, where the ‘Street Feast’ has become a regular event. In an interesting twist on the norm, you can even get street food indoors, as Trinity Kitchen invite new vendors to sell their wares in the shopping centre’s food hall every six weeks. With so much on offer, you’ll never have to eat the same thing twice.

5. Drink in the culture

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Leeds is no stranger to culture. Our streets are packed to the rafters with galleries and museums. Leeds City Museum takes on the world’s long history, with everything from the famous Leeds tiger to a 3,000 year old mummy, while the Royal Armouries open up a world of weaponry. And our galleries range from Leeds Art Gallery, with its staggering collection of twentieth century British art, and the Henry Moore Institute, home to a constantly changing array of modern sculpture, to independent venues, like the White Cloth Gallery and The Tetley. You can even have a drink while you take in the local culture, in the city’s many art bars.



6. Shop ’til you drop

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The Leeds shopping scene has never been better. Last year we saw Trinity Leeds open, bringing a host of new stores to the city – many of which have never ventured outside of London before. And they’re in good company. Leeds already has a thriving shopping scene, with high street, designer and independent stores tucked away in some of the city’s most interesting landmarks. The historic shopping arcades are a key attraction, especially the Victoria Quarter, which is home to the biggest stained glass window in Europe. And both Leeds Corn Exchange, which is a prime example of the architectural genius of Cuthbert Brodrick, and Kirkgate Market, are as good to look at as they are to shop in.

7. See it on the stage

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Leeds is no London, but we get our fair share of West End Shows up here, most of them playing at Leeds Grand Theatre. And if you like insightful, thought-provoking plays, the West Yorkshire Playhouse will never disappoint. Add to that The City Varieties, which has every kind of entertainment going, and The Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre, where the Northern Ballet and the Phoenix Dance Theatre perfect their performances, and you have reason enough to admire Leeds’ stages. Especially when you think that Yorkshire Dance and Opera North also call Leeds home.

8. Hear it here first

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Music runs through Leeds as surely as the River Aire, so you’ll find no shortage of gigs here. Last year, the Brudenell Social Club celebrated 100 hundred years, welcoming back the kind of talent that small venues rarely see. While, in the city centre venues like The Cockpit and Leeds Uni Students’ Union, the latter of which hosted The Who in what was arguably one of the best live performance in history, work alongside the new First Direct Arena to bring a constant flow of talent into Leeds. And those are just the venues – our festivals are equally impressive. Leeds Festival is known across the land, while Live at Leeds and Beacons both fly the flag for emerging talent regionally, nationally and internationally.


9. Watch it on the big screen

(Picture: Leeds List)

Leeds has long been a favourite with cinema-goers. It is home to two historic cinemas – Cottage Road Cinema is the oldest in the city, while Hyde Park Picture House celebrates its hundredth birthday this year. Both are still fully functional, offering a traditional viewing experience with a choice of classic, indie and blockbuster films. The city is also home to Leeds Film Festival, a popular local event that showcases films you might otherwise never see. Their ‘Day of the Dead’ and ‘Night of the Dead’ events are the stuff of legend, giving you back-to-back horror movies which will leave you sleepless for weeks to come.

10. Make a night of it

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No list, no matter how short, would be complete without a mention of the Leeds nightlife. It has grown with the city, with popular night spots like Call Lane expanding outwards to make way for new bars and restaurants. You can drink cocktails on a rooftop terrace or in a basement bar, try beers from every corner of the globe or get a taste for local breweries, crack open a bottle of Moet or sample the unknown. And when you’re finished in the bars, move onto the clubs, where you can dance the night away…

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