Leeds: Guide, Hotels, Map & Photos
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GBP 27 - 50 Saint Michaels Guest House
 Ideally situated in the heart of Headingley, this 3-star, warm and friendly guest house is 1.5 miles away from Leeds city centre and all that it has t… MoreGBP 33 - 75 Comfort Inn Leeds
 Ideally located for the train station, shopping, the theatres and the business and financial districts of the city, this hotel is a convenient choice … MoreGBP 95 - 190 Cityserve @ New York Apartments
 These striking, new, exciting apartments are located in the heart of Leeds city centre, just yards from the city’s bus station and only minutes on f… MoreGBP 49 - 159 Best Western Merrion Hotel
 The Merrion, a part of Brook Hotels, is a modern city centre hotel with parking.
Close to Elland Road, Headingley, York, Harrogate and Leeds Bradfor… MoreGBP 115 - 140 Hilton Leeds City
 The Hilton Leeds City is situated at the heart of Yorkshire's biggest city and close to the business, commercial and shopping areas of the city. The h… MoreGBP 50 - 70 The Butlers Hotel
 This privately established, period hotel offers great-value en suite accommodation and free Wi-fi access throughout, and is within walking distance of… MoreGBP 40 - 55 Harman Suites Self-Catering Apartments
 These self-catering, ground floor, detached en suite apartments offer good value-for-money accommodation close to local amenities and the city centre.… MoreGBP 159 - 294 Residence 6 Luxury Serviced Apartments
 Stay at Residence 6* and discover an unrivalled experience which will exceed the expectations of even the most discerning clientele, setting new stand… MoreGBP 129 - 223 The Chambers
 On the banks of the River Aire, this development of 34 boutique, individually-styled and decorated serviced apartments is located in the heart of the … MoreGBP 100 - 185 Thorpe Park - A Shire Hotel & Spa
 With easy access from the M62/M1 and just 6 miles outside Leeds, this stylish 4* hotel is a stone's throw from great shopping, vibrant nightlife, Harr… More | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leeds: Guide
Leeds, largest city in the historic county of Yorkshire (and third largest in the UK) is famed for it's excellent shopping, vibrant nightlife, thriving universities and sports. But in addition to these, Leeds is an extremely attractive city with wonderful Georgian, Victorian, 20th and 21st century architecture. There are also plenty of fantastic museums, cafés, restaurants and theatres to visit, not to mention easy access to the beautiful Yorkshire Dales and Yorkshire Moors.
Understand
Leeds is a proud, friendly, prosperous, vibrant city. It's people are warm, hard working, friendly and straight talking and this has always been the way. It is also one of Europe's major university cities. Prosperity and vibrancy haven't always been linked with Leeds though.
Leeds started as a market town that became an industrial powerhouse and has since grown and developed into a service based city economy with a smart and attractive city centre. Today it is one of the most cosmopolitan and multi-cultural cities in the country, with people of creeds, races and origins living almost totally in harmony. A cosmopolitan atmosphere pervades the city centre and has gifted Leeds with a huge range of authentic international eateries and shops. Enjoy!
Recently Leeds has received accolades in the field of tourism; including being voted by Conde Nast Traveller magazine Readers' Awards as the "UK's favourite city" and "Visitor City of the Year" by The Good Britain Guide.
History
Leeds' name derives originally from the Celtic area of 'Leodis' that existed in the place of the current city. In Roman times, Leeds was an important strategic fort, ford and small settlement on the York-Chester road. Recorded in the Domesday book of 1086, Leeds became a thriving market town in the middle ages, gaining its town charter in 1207. The medieval city was based around the streets of Briggate, Kirkgate and The Calls, and was a centre for merchants and wool-production, trading through the port at Hull along the 1699 Aire & Calder navigation canal. Whilst the town grew rapidly (population of over 30,000 in the eighteenth century, when the gracious Georgian West End was built), it was for a long time overshadowed by nearby York.
The industrial revolution brought about a massive change for the city, as it became a huge manufacturing centre of wool and textiles, and a major trading centre (with over half of the country's export passing through the city for a period). Leeds became known as the city of a thousand trades and by the middle of the nineteenth century the population had passed 200,000. Bolstered by the 1816 Leeds-Liverpool Canal and the Leeds-Selby railway in 1835 (The Middleton Railway was the world's first commercial railway running from The Middleton colliery to Staithes at Meadow lane, just south of Leeds bridge), the city continued to grow and prosper rapidly, with grandiose architectural manifestations of the Victorian city's wealth being built in abundance, and expanding affluent suburbs to the north. By the twentieth century, Leeds' population was pushing half a million and it gained official city status is 1893. Leeds bridge was where the first ever moving images were filmed back in 1888 and Leeds was the first city in the world to have traffic lights which were placed around the area of Vicar lane and the Headrow.
Leeds University was created around the 1880's, bringing an intellectual dimension to the city's life, and Leeds was served by one of the world's most extensive tram systems (sadly later taken apart and replaced by buses). Whilst Leeds suffered far less than many other large UK cities from the WWII blitz, it was affected by the mass industrial decline of the country in the post-war period, and became characterised by unemployment and huge council estates. However, the city's versatility enabled it to survive and it began to prosper again in the 1980s, when renovation of the centre and waterfront, and demolition of some of the worst estates began. By the 1990s the city was reborn with wealth based on service-industries and commerce, the financial and legal centres making it the most important city in the UK in these areas outside London. With the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Royal Armouries, restoration of the Victoria Quarter and Corn Exchange, clean up of historical buildings, the new Harvey Nichols and numerous new bars, shops and restaurants - all in the mid 90s, the city was truly on a high again, with a still-growing population of 750,000.
Today, Leeds remains one of the country's (and indeed Europe's) most prosperous, innovative and fast-growing cities with new developments springing up by the week and bars, clubs, restaurants and boutiques seemingly even more often, and two wold-class universities adding to the city's vibrancy.
Districts
Headingley - the lively student and sports district
Chapel Allerton - trendy north Leeds area bursting with al fresco bars and restaurants
Roundhay - attractive, leafy and well-heeled district of north Leeds home to the vast and beautiful , Tropical World, and a small selection of exclusive shops and eateries supplemented by those in nearby Oakwood.
The city centre is also divided into several distinct districts (see below - )
There are various places of interest, shops, restaurants, historic sites, etc outside of the city centre and the above districts. These are listed geographically in the following guides: North Leeds, North West Leeds, West Leeds, South Leeds and East Leeds.
Leeds is very accessible by air, served by its - shared with Bradford. It is also possible to fly direct to Leeds from Heathrow and Amsterdam, amongst a wide range of other destinations. Leeds is a member airport of . Low-cost airline Jet2 also provides a large range of European flights from Leeds, which is its main base. Leeds Bradford airport is about 10 miles north-west of the city centre, outside the suburb of Yeadon. Cabs are in plentiful supply and there is a regular bus service (the 757) into the city.
If travelling from Asia and the United States provides the most direct access to Leeds, with direct, swift (around an hour from the airport to Leeds) trains running through the night (although they're only every couple of hours or so after 1am). The rapidly growing (Doncaster or Robin Hood will suffice to make yourself understood) is also within easy reach of Leeds.
Leeds has a busy, modern , one of the biggest in the country with regular trains to a huge range of destinations all over the UK. For example, (Kings Cross) & (St. Pancras) serve London (2-2.5 hrs), Newcastle (about 90 mins). also serve the south-west, Birmingham and Scotland plus Northern trains serving Bradford (20 mins) and Huddersfield (30 mins). You can check timetables . Leeds City Station is just off City Square, right in the heart of the city centre. There are many major bus stops serving the whole city within 2-3 minutes walk of the station, principally on Infirmary Street. Cabs wait outside the station, but many hotels, attractions and the main shopping area are within easy walking distance of the station.
Express coaches also serve Leeds' modern bus station - for cheap ones from Newcastle and London check or for slightly more expensive ones from a far wider variety of destinations, try . The bus connects Leeds with York and the beautiful Yorkshire coast, though the train is faster and more comfortable. Leeds Bus & Coach station is in the east of the city centre, near Quarry Hill, where the Playhouse is situated. It is an easy walk to the main shopping area, and by 2011 extensive renovation will have linked the station to the main shopping area. In the mean time, to reach further parts of the city centre, the Free City Bus stops here, and of course many of the city's main bus routes terminate in the bus station.
Leeds is perhaps the best connected UK city by road, lying right in the centre of the country, halfway between London and Edinburgh on the A1 (now largely motorway), and halfway between the two coasts, linked to Liverpool, Manchester, the M6 and Hull by the M62. The M1 motorway runs from London to Leeds via Milton Keynes, Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield.
can be caught from Rotterdam and Zeebrugge to Kingston Upon Hull, which is only an hour away by train, car or by coach.
Getting around Leeds is fairly easy. The isn't bad - most major routes within the city are every 10 minutes or so. If you're just visiting the city centre, you might as well walk, as much of it is surprisingly compact. Taxis can be expensive, but the black and white ones are licensed and safer than private hire cabs. There is a that loops around much of the city centre every 10 minutes during the day. There is a limited suburban train service, which is unlikely to be of much use to the casual visitor, but plans are underway for a radical overhaul of the city's transport system since the proposed tram system had its funding withdrawn by the government.
To orientate yourself, free maps are available at the tourist information and a number of visitor attractions. There are some street maps dotted around the city centre, and it is possible to download one online at (quite simple but good for basic orientation) or in guide books, street atlases, etc. However, Leeds' central area is fairly compact with most of the major attractions and shops within walking distance of one another.
Useful bus routes for visitors include:
1 - Running from Holt Park in North West Leeds through Headingley, past the universities, through the city centre and on to Beeston
2 - Runs from Middleton in South Leeds through the city centre to Chapel Allerton, Moortown along Street Lane through Roundhay to Roundhay Park
3 - Also connects South Leeds, the city centre and Chapel Allerton
12 & 13 - links the city centre, South, Harehills, Oakwood and Roundhay Park
18 - Links North West Leeds, Headingley Cricket Ground, the City Centre and Temple Newsam as well as other East Leeds destinations
28 - Connects the Clarence Dock, city centre, Headingley, and Adel
51/a - Connects Morley in the South via the city centre with Meanwood and Moor Allerton
95 & 96 - run along the main City Centre-Headingley-Otley Road corridor
97 - Leeds to Bradford via Headingley and Guiseley
757 - connects the city centre and airport
Although not considered a 'traditional' tourist destination, Leeds has plenty to occupy the visitor for a short break or a longer stay. As well as the main sights, museums, galleries, shops, parks etc, wandering around the buzzing city centre to take in the atmosphere and admire the fantastic blend of architectural styles from the past few hundred years is a pleasure in itself.
Leeds shopping arcades. When the Victorian civic authorities sought to improve the sights and foul smells of Briggate and the city centre, they decided to demolish some of the city's dirtiest alleyways, shambles and lanes and in there place build covered shopping arcades filled with fine establishments. These were to cater for the refined tastes of the growing moneyed classes of Leeds. This rebuilding continued into Edwardian times and the legacy of which are some of Englands finest, most elegant shopping centres. Even today these arcades are home to some of the most exclusive shops the city can offer
. (Kirkgate/Vicar Lane) This traditional British market is largest in Europe. Housed in an opulent late Victorian palace to commerce, it has both indoor and outdoor stalls.
. (Clarence Dock) National museum of all things from swords to guns to armoury, famous for its regular live jousting.
. (The Headrow) A world of art is at your disposal in Leeds.
The Corn Exchange. Shopping in surroundings to rival any of Leeds fine arcades. Located just to the south of Kirkgate markets on Vicar Lane. Designed by Cuthbert Broderick and architecturally based on the Paris corn exchange. A largely circular building with a great glass dome roof that allows light to stream in even on the most grey winter mornings. (Broderick was also architect of Leeds town hall and the Leeds Mechanics' Institute, Millenium Square, Two shops designed by Broderick still survive opposite the Mechanics Institute on Cookridge Street, now converted into a bar)
. (Princes Avenue, Roundhay) Great for a rainy day as it's all indoors, this extensive menagerie has animals, birds, fish and insects from across the globe in thoughtfully themed zones.
Award winning (Beckett Street, by St James' Hospital in the Burmantofts, to the east of the city centre) is the best of its kind in the country, with all manner of exhibits and the chance to experience the life of a Victorian child or mill-worker (and their often gruesome medical history). If you've got children, you'd be mad to miss it!
Millennium Square (There is generally something going on! ) - a great public space home to some gorgeous civic architecture, concerts, exhibitions, ice rinks, Christmas markets...
Xscape (Near Castleford, south-west of Leeds) Indoor real snow skiing, Ice climbing wall, cinema and restaurants! .
Live Sport , ,
Harewood House . (Harewood, north of the city on the A61 Harrogate Rd) This huge estate, complete with extensive gardens, lake, lovely café and bird gardens, is owned by the Queen's cousin. The opulent roccoco house itself is well worth a look around.
Temple Newsam, (4 miles from Leeds City Centre off A63, 2 miles from M1 junction 46). Temple Newsam is one of the great historic estates in England. With over 1500 acres landscaped by Capability Brown in the 18th century, it is a large Tudor–Jacobean mansion housing a large collection of works of art. The garden has some excellent walks and houses a working Rare Breeds farm.
is another such stately home to the north-east of Leeds with a long history and lovely gardens and grounds.
is the oldest working railway in the world. Situated in South Leeds between Middleton and Hunslet, it used to carry coal from the coal mines to the south of the city to the factories of Hunslet and central Leeds. You can now have a ride on the historic rolling stock.
the UK's biggest display, are an annual display from Nov-Jan comprising both big show lights and the subtle and beautiful across the city, and are even longer than the legendary Blackpool Illuminations (known as 'The Leeds Lights').
(The Headrow) is the city's symbol and pride and joy, one of the world's finest Victorian buildings, and home to a dazzling array of concerts, particularly during the city's popular and extensive . The recently restored interior is stunning.
Park Square is a lovely Georgian square reminiscent of Dublin, and is often an overlooked haven of tranquility in the city centre
The Waterfront has been attractively restored with flats, offices, bars and restaurants now filling the 18th and 19th century warehouses and quaysides, whilst preserving their historic character. Dock Street is full of old world charm, and the soon-to-be-completed redevelopment of the promises a vibrant selection of shops, bars, restaurants and waterside life
Churches of Leeds:
Leeds has a number of fine and historically interesting churches, most of which are tranquil little-visited (except of course for services) havens. Some highlights include:
St Anne's Cathedral (Cookridge Street) - small, but an extremely interesting example of an Arts and Crafts, Catholic Cathedral unique within the UK
Leeds Parish Church (Kirkgate) - an attractive and fairly large neo-gothic church with a renowned choir and concerts from time to time, during the rebuilding of the Parish church in Victorian times the original Saxon cross where Leeds folk would have worshipped in the 8/9th centuries, before the first church of Leeds had been founded was unearthed in the medieval tower and is permanently on display inside.
Holy Trinity Church (Boar Lane)- an unassuming location and exterior hide an elegant baroque interior, built for the merchant class by subscription and donation so they could worship away from the working classes of the city. The Sir Christopher Wren influenced spire has dominated the skyline of the city for hundreds of years and after undergoing restoration in 2006/7 will continue to do so.
Salem Chapel (Bridge End) - across the river lies this interesting and unique Unitarian chapel. Also the place where Leeds United football club was founded replacing the old Leeds City football club .
St John's Church (New Briggate) - hidden away in peaceful gardens lies this true gem, built during the English Civil War, it has beautiful ornate woodwork in its charming interior and architecturally is an extremely rare example of a 17 century double nave design.
Oxford Place Chapel - lovely red-brick baroque church
St John the Baptist (Adel) - whilst a long way out of town (take a bus and then walk! this leafy and extremely affluent suburb has some lovely houses, and is a world a way from the bustle of the city centre - nearby York Gate garden is beautiful and well worth a visit), this lovely and well-preserved early Norman church set in verdant grounds is a hidden treasure
And of course, don't miss the beautiful Kirkstall Abbey, largest abbey in the North of England - see below
New Developments (of interest to the visitor): Leeds is a rapidly expanding and changing city, with many new developments in the pipeline or underway already, from soaring skyscrapers that will grace the skyline in years to come, to renovation of historic buildings and the redevelopment of abandoned and derelict sites. Here is a pick of the new developments that may be of interest to a visitor:
The renovation of the will bring over a hundred new shops to the city as well as restaurants, bars, cultural facilities, a cinema, the renovation of historic buildings and a face-lift for the Eastgate into the grand boulevard it was intended to be
is nearing completion and will bring new life to Leeds' long-derelict docklands. Centered on the Royal Armouries, the new area will have a casino, shops, restaurants, cafés, bars, a 'discovery centre' and a unique waterside atmosphere
will, as well as being a dramatic addition to the city's skyline (at 52 stories the tallest UK building outside London) that will no doubt grab the attention of visitor's and residents alike, contain a winter garden, shops and restaurants
The redevelopment of the waterfront area at Granary Wharf will contain large landscaped public space (which is planned to be used for a multitude of events), as well as a hotel, shops, restaurants, bars, etc
Criterion Place (dubbed the 'kissing towers' due to its design-Simpson architects Manchester) is to be one of largest buildings on the city's skyline, with its beautiful design the new building that is in the planning stages will be one of the country's tallest buildings with new development with apartments, a hotel, bars and new shops.
Greenbank Leeds is a new proposed skyscraper to be built on the edge of the Leeds/Liverpool canal and is to provide massive new waterfront development for this area.
Wellington place is to be one of the city's biggest developments with one of Europe's only two landlocked beaches, it is a new development with exiting shops, bars, a new hotel and offices all with a stunning contemporary design.
Leeds City Museum will open in its new home in a beautiful building on Millennium Square in 2008 and promises all manner of new galleries and state of the art facilities
Mentioned elsewhere, is a new theatre and arts centre due to open in 2007 in Chapel Allerton
is the complete renovation and restoration of an entire city district. In the south-west of central Leeds, this historic area was key to the Industrial Revolution, and has many buildings and sites of interest, including the stunning Egyptian-style Temple Mill and Italianate Tower Works. The restoration and redevelopment has already begun with the Round Foundry, a new-age village of offices, flats, cafés and media centres complete with traditional paved streets and 200-year old buildings. A plethora of other developments promise that this area will become more and more of an exciting destination.
Trinity Quarter, due to commence next year, will replace the shabby arcades that currently lie (mercifully hidden for the most part) between Commercial St and Boar Lane with a sleek ultra-modern shopping centre fanning out from a glass-roofed square behind the historic Holy Trinity church
Although it is currently expanding, Leeds' city centre is remarkably compact for a city of its size, and most attractions, areas of interest, shops, restaurants, etc are within walking distance of one another, however a free bus service (see above) loops around some of the city centre, and for longer journeys (eg University - Clarence Dock) the city has a huge number of other bus services that run through the central area. However, the city centre does divide neatly into several distinct areas, which can be useful to structure sightseeing.
Home to the Town Hall, the fantastic Art Gallery, Henry Moore Institute and Millennium Square, this grand corner of the city is where many of the main tourist draws are to be found. The Light with its shops, restaurants, bars, hotel, cinema etc in a beautifully converted historic building is of course a major pull; but venture along the Headrow and experience some of the best cultural attractions on offer in the city. The Art Gallery has great rotating exhibitions and the best collection of 20th century British Art outside London. Adjoining it are the Henry Moore Institute and the Central Lending Library with its beautiful Victorian interior. Both the library and art gallery are going to be comprehensively renovated and restored in the next few months. Across the road is the Town Hall (see above), a breathtaking demonstration of civic pride.
On Great George St is a small selection of shops, the 19th century entrance (with a lovely colonial-style entrance hallway and small gallery space up the stairs) of the Leeds General Infirmary, and the recently restored Electric Press which is now home to the Carriageworks Theatre and several bars and restaurants, providing a semi-al fresco eating environment for all weather conditions. Next door is the impressive and well-used public space of Millennium Square (see above) with its attractive Mandela Gardens (opened by Mandela himself, now a freeman of the city, they are a lovely spot especially in summer) abutting the Electric Press building. The square is crowned with the Portland Stone neo-classical Civic Hall and the new City Museum (due to open 2008). Down on Cookridge St is the city's small but unique Arts and Crafts St Anne's Cathedral.
Whilst the Financial District doesn't have the obvious draws of the Civic Quarter, it is nonetheless an interesting area that deserves at least a little of your time. Roughly bounded by the Headrow and Westgate to the North, the A58 motorway to the West, the River Aire to the South and Park Row to the East, this is the most expensive business real estate in the city. Many large companies have their offices here as well as innumerable lawyers, estate agents, etc.
Park Square is probably the number one attraction of the area. Situated just south-west of the Town Hall, this large and handsome Georgian Square has lovely formal gardens that fill up with workers at lunchtime in the warmer months. Whilst most of the square is bounded by rows of 18th century redbrick townhouses that made the square one of the city's most fashionable addresses 200 years ago, the South West corner is home to a little-known architectural highlight of Leeds, a converted warehouse (now offices) built in the 19th century as a replication of a Moorish Palace, complete with turrets and Islamic-style ornate design. The streets to the south of Park Square are a mixture of Georgian townhouses and more modern office buildings sitting cheek-by-jowl. Whilst not hugely diverting, there are several interesting buildings in this area. Wellington Street, a busy thoroughfare which marks the bottom of the Georgian area, has several restaurants and bars as well as being characterised by more modern business development. The area between Wellington Street and the river is being comprehensively redeveloped as an ultra-modern business district ('Wellington Place'), which is planned to include cultural attractions and the UK's first city beach on the banks of the Aire; currently new glass and steel towers rising seemingly every few weeks. Work is due to start on La Lumiere, the tallest building to be built in the city on Wellington Street. This massive skyscraper will be the tallest residential building in Europe upon completion.
Between East Parade and Park Row, two busy main routes through the area, are a series of parallel streets that are home to some of the city's top restaurants and bars, most famously Greek Street. There is a rich patchwork of architecture spanning the past two centuries in this small area, with fine Gothic buildings and sleek modern towers. Park Row itself boasts outstanding buildings such as the Leeds Permanent building, blending seemlessly into modern glass building-fronts.
The south-east corner of the Financial District is City Square, one of the most important hubs of city life. Recently cleaned up and repaved, the square is still home to bronze nymphs holding gas lights and the famous statue of the Black Prince. The old post office is now the swanky Restaurant Bar & Grill and Loch Fyne seafood restaurant. A rarely beautiful 1990s office block sits at No1 City Square, and the south side is taken up by the Art Deco facade of grand old dame of the Leeds hotel trade, The Queens Hotel.
The very centre of Leeds is a temple to commerce. Bounded by the 'Public Transport Box', a rough half mile square between The Headrow, Vicar Lane, Boar Lane and Park Row gives Leeds one of the most compact, busy and diverse pedestrian shopping districts in the UK where the highest concentration of the city centre's stores are to be found.
The principle shopping street is the broad and bustling Briggate (recently attractively repaved), where many flagship stores such as Harvey Nichols, House of Fraser, Debenhams are to be found alongside high-end fashion (eg Louis Vuitton) and high street favourites (Topshop, Zara, H&M) etc. Briggate's attractive and eclectic architecture spans three centuries, and the grand shop fronts only add to the streets appeal.
Either side of the top end of Briggate are the city's famous arcades, splendidly palatial Victorian roofed-over shopping streets home to some of the city's most exclusive and interesting shops. The famous Victoria Quarter (Victoria St, County Arcade and Cross Arcade) are the jewel in the city's crown, beautiful to wonder round and soak up the atmosphere even if the clothes are out of your price range. Queen's and Thornton's arcades are a little more affordable with more independent stores. Down from the arcades, several medieval yards (or "loins") run off almost hidden from between shopfronts on Briggate. Whilst some are little more than shop-backs and some are closed off, some exude genuine historic atmosphere and a few are home to attractive pubs and bars, including three-hundred-year-old Whitelocks'.
Beyond Briggate, there are several other prominent shopping streets, including gorgeously symmetrical King Edward Street with its matching Victorian terracotta buildings. Commercial Street, Kirkgate, Lands Lane and Albion St are other principal streets in the area, continuing the mix of shops, cafés, a lively atmosphere and lovely architecture. There are also several indoor shopping centres, and a central focal point is tiny but busy Central Sq at the base of Lands Lane. Albion Place is a quieter street of elegant Georgian buildings (mainly offices) including the exclusive Leeds Club and the city's central private members library, running between the square and Albion St. Swan Street is a quiet and pretty little street between Briggate and Lands Lane with a few attractive little shops, cafés and bars and a laid-back vibe, as well as the internationally famous City Varieties theatre and music-hall, once home to Charlie Chaplin.
Centred on the massive dome of the Corn Exchange, the Exchange Quarter is the centre of Leeds' bohemian life, with one-off boutiques, funky cafés and piercing parlours filling its pretty cobbled streets. It is becoming increasingly chic, however, with a plethora of upscale bars and stylish restaurants, particularly on Call Lane.
The Corn Exchange dominates the area, sitting squattly at the junction of several major roads. This grand victorian building is one of the finest in the city, and was a functioning corn market for several decades, but was almost unused for much of the twentieth century, until its restoration to its present form in the 1980s. It now houses a myriad of little boutiques, a few cafés and market stalls. The goth and emo teenagers that hang around outside frequent many of the shops such as Grin and Exit, but there are also a range of fashion and artisan stores to please grown-ups as well, and the buzzing atmosphere and beautiful architecture (the shops fit into the retained 19th-century store-fronts, and the domed roof is spectacular from the interior) can be enjoyed by everyone.
Three sides of the Corn Exchange are bounded by semi-pedestrian cobbled streets lined by a hotch potch of attractive victorian buildings home to shops and restaurants from Blue Rinse (see below) to Pizza Express, housed in the beautiful Third White Cloth Hall, sadly sliced in half by the railway in the mid-nineteenth century, but retaining its lovely facade and clock-tower. Along the railway, the continental feel continues with bars and cafés that spill on to the pavement. Beautiful Assembly Street, a hub of nightlife, is lined with elegant and imposing eighteenth-century warehouses and has been recently repaved, and in the summer is a relaxing place to sip a coffee or cocktail and admire the buildings and atmosphere. Nearby Crown Street buildings are a fine example of modern architecture at its finest, sympathetic to the surrounding environment but adding a dash of vibrancy with bright use of colour above its restaurants and bars.
Call Lane, the area's main drag, is a hive of activity in the evenings, with several of the city's best and most stylish bars vying for attention. In the day-time however it is quieter, with a few vintage and alternative clothes stores at the Kirkgate end, and some enjoyment to be had from wondering the pretty historic yards between the Lane and Lower Briggate (at night these too come alive and are full of revellers).
Kirkgate is currently a fairly downmarket shopping street with a few off-beat stores amongst the tat and dereliction. However plans are afoot to refurbish the historic town-houses and bring life back into the street as a centre for independent shops, with the renovation of the dilapidated First White Cloth Hall along similar (if smaller) lines to the Corn Exchange. The east end of Kirkgate and New York Street also increasingly have a number of bars and clubs, including the celebrated Northern Light; there are also several new apartment buildings springing up. The end of Kirkgate is market by Leeds Parish Church, a grand (if not enormous) neo-gothic structure home to one of the country's most revered children's choirs. To the west, Central Road links Kirkgate to Duncan Street, and is home to some attractive Flemish-style buildings, a few off-beat shops and the acclaimed Little Tokyo restaurant and Leeds institution the HiFi Club. Duncan Street has a number of small shops.
The Calls was where riverside life restarted in Leeds, with its renovation from a derelict nowhere to the city's most desirable real estate in the 1980s. The apartments lining the waterfront may not be as exclusive or as rare today, but it is still an attractive and expensive area, home to some of Leeds' longest running high-end establishments including the fantastic 42 The Calls hotel, Pool Court and the Calls Grill. Some of the waterfront and streets around here are surprisingly yet to be fully renovated, but it's unlikely to be long before developers get their claws into the remaining warehouses, railway arches and mill-cottages. Leeds Civic Trust's heritage centre and left-wing arts centre The Common Place fill the gap between the Calls and the railway line.
for major shows (often straight from the West End); also this is the home of the world famous (and extraordinarily good) who perform a wide repertoire of operas and operettas
is more adventurous and often performs world premiers and encourages local talent - well worth a visit. Lucky travellers may arrive in time for one of the themed, almost festival-style programmes.
is World famous and has even had Charlie Chaplin tread the boards. Home to a mix of shows.
is home to the city's impressive range of amateur dramatic and musical groups, including the acclaimed
is a National Chain of comedy club based in the city
is a new theatre and arts centre due to open soon on Harrogate Road in Chapel Allerton.
National Museum of Arms and Armouries (Free entry too).
Museum of the year 1998
Collection of fine and decorative arts in Tudor-Jacobean mansion with parkland and working farm
set in parkland with Bird Garden
Once the world's largest woollen mill, see the industrial past of Leeds
working water mill and museum
One of the UK's biggest and best preserved abbeys, recently restored with a new visitor centre. It's a few miles out of town but lovers of history and architecture, or those in search of a beautiful and peaceful spot in the city won't regret making the trip.
Great museum opposite the Abbey - walk round a Leeds street in 1880!
is on the Headrow, by the Town Hall. It has a small but interesting range of exhibits, and is a great place to kill half an hour, and it's free!
houses the city's sculpture collection, renowned rolling exhibitions, archives and a library; named after one of the city's most famous sons. (Adjacent to the City Art Gallery on the Headrow)
Leeds museum to be opened in 2008 with all new attractions.
Whilst hardly tropical, Leeds has an unusually mild and sunny climate for northern England, protected from the worst and wettest weather by the Pennine Hills to the west ... this gives more than ample opportunity to explore the fantastic parks of one of Europe's greenest cities (Leeds has the most green space in its city limits of any European city other than Vienna).
Huge picturesque park with 2 lakes, café, flower gardens and walks. Right next to , and the lovely formal Canal Gardens, be sure to visit them all in one day.
Gardens and café set around huge lake
Deer park, extensive and interesting bird garden, historic hall and café
Country mansion, wonderful parkland and rare breeds visitor farm (excellent for kids) - all within the city boundary!
in North West Leeds is a large botanical garden set in lush woodlands with a wonderful selection of plants
Woodhouse Moor is the closest big park to central Leeds, between Leeds University and Hyde Park Corner. In summer months it is packed to bursting with students and other young people sunbathing and playing sports. There are large fields, small formal gardens and a skate park.
Hall Park in Horsforth, whilst some distance from central Leeds, has lovely Japanese Gardens and is accessible by bus
Take a ride on the famous , 'England's most scenic railway', which can be accessed easily from Leeds station.
Escape for the day to the Yorkshire Dales or Yorkshire Moors for fantastic outdoors.
Leeds holds 2 annual film festivals: the increasingly prestigious , with its huge menu of different films and
City Centre
Modern, well located 13-screen multiplex with huge screens
Headingley
atmospheric old cinema near the centre of Headingley. Plenty to do afterwards as well.
is another excellent independent cinema in the midst of the hot-bed of student habitation in the town. The cinema shows a mix of modern mainstream and art-cinema films as well as a formidable selection of classics. Lucky cinephiles may even experience the latter in conjunction with an introductory speech prepared for local film students. It retains many of its original features including gas lighting.
Out of Town
just out of the city centre, free parking, restaurants, pubs, a and a - unfriendly staff, lacking in information and for late night showings it takes on an almost apocalyptic quality with rubbish blowing about the place and few people in sight.
multiplex with restaurants, shops and free parking.
brand new multiplex
14 screen multiplex under the indoor snowdome, with bars, retail clearance outlets and restaurants
Football (August-May): - currently in the Championship (the second tier of English League football), but traditionally one of the larger English clubs.
Cricket (April-September): , based at Headingley (which is also a Test Match venue).
Rugby League (February-September): - also based at Headingley, World Champions in 2004
Rugby Union (September-May): - currently in League 1 (the second tier of English Rugby Union) - Powergen Cup Winners 2004
Swim: Leeds has a brand new (2007) 50 metre pool and diving centre in South Leeds at the
Athletics: has international standard facilities for all four jumping disciplines: triple jump, long jump, high jump and pole vault. As well as an area for javelin throwing, an indoor throwing cage is available for discus and hammer. The centre also has its own specific weights area, designed specifically for use by athletes, dedicated to high performance and strength training. Eight lane all weather outdoor athletics track which conforms to full International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) specifications.
Tennis: has 6ix indoor courts and six outdoor floodlit courts which provides the ideal tennis environment either for the complete beginner or the established player.
Leeds is home to many live performances from big-name stars, mostly at outdoor concerts. If you are unable to get tickets direct from the sites below, try . The city's music scene is burgeoning at the moment, and Leeds is a great place to see up-and-coming talent, with recently successful bands such as the Kaiser Chiefs, Corinne Bailey Rae and the Sunshine Underground.
- 3 days of live bands and stars from around the world play to 80,000 people every summer bank holiday weekend. Northern twin of the famous Reading festival. You can camp over, or attend just one day. 2006 includes Pearl Jam, Franz Ferdinand and Kaiser Chiefs.
Millennium Square in the city centre regularly has gigs with a 7,000 capacity. Including in 2006 Kaiser Chiefs, Snow Patrol & Hard-Fi.
The nightclub and the are great for live bands indoors.
Leeds is planning to build an of around (or possibly over) 14,000 seats.
Roundhay Park is host to occasional huge one off concerts including Robbie Williams 90,000 capacity concerts in 2006. Previous artists include Madonna, U2, The Rolling Stones and 'The King Of Pop' Michael Jackson.
holds concerts throughout the summer, including - in 2006 - The Who, and Westlife.
Leeds University Refectory hosts a huge number of concerts from medium-large bands across the year. It is famously where the Who recorded their seminal live album 'Live at Leeds.'
The Irish Centre on York Road in East Leeds hosts regular concerts from a variety of different types of musical acts
The Wardrobe in Quarry Hill is famed for its diverse range of quality live music, including a strong jazz offer
The Hifi Club also has a good range of live music, particularly jazz
Every year, Temple Newsam plays host to the UK's original Party in the Park pop extravaganza featuring big name chart stars of the minute.
Opera in the Park is a massively popular outdoor festival of opera and songs from the shows, also at Temple Newsam
Real snow indoor ski slopes (with designer outlet, cinema and nightlife)
Helicopter flights over the city.
Take a hot air balloon ride
Try paintballing
Race Go-Karts
- every winter the UK's largest outdoor ice rink takes over Millennium Square. Fun for everyone in a gorgeous setting but the queues can be very long.
There are plenty of , gyms and swimming pools across the city, though unfortunately no public ones will remain in the city centre after the International Pool closes. Major city centre fitness/leisure centres are deluxe Esporta, LA fitness and the ubiquitous Virgin Active. Some hotels have great leisure facilities or agreements with local centres for free access for guests.
Leeds is one of the UK and Europe's foremost university cities, with a student population of well over 80,000 (10%+ of the population!) concentrated on several higher educational facilities including the two main universities. This gives the city a young feel and lively buzz, and many bars, clubs and restaurants are geared towards students particularly in Headingley and North West Leeds, although if this isn't your scene the city has plenty to offer away from student life.
- One of the most important and respected academic institutions in the UK, with a student population of around 30,000 based around the city centre campus; also a major centre for research. One of the country's original 'redbrick' universities.
- A more modern and larger establishment with two main campuses, at Headingley and in the Civic Quarter. Leeds Met is rapidly expanding and improving, with major redevelopment planned in the Civic Quarter. The full and part time student population numbers around 50,000 in total.
Leeds has a myriad of options for shopping including the beautiful Victorian-era shopping arcades, offering anything from the reasonably priced to the expensive items . If you're after cheap stuff - and cheap food - the city markets (Kirkgate Market, the biggest cover market/market on one site in Europe) are the place to go . Fascinating even just for the atmosphere of a traditional British market. Plans are also afoot for a massive extension of the main shopping district.
City centre shops number well over 1,000, made up of modern shopping centres, the lovely arcades and busy streets - principally Briggate, a wide and attractive pedestrian street with all the high street favourites and much more (from time to time there are markets and other events, and there are usually street performances of some kind). Much of the central shopping area is pleasantly pedestrianised, making retail therapy even easier.
City Centre Shopping Centres include:
- Home of , Louis Vuitton, , and much more, the upmarket (and architecturally stunning) jewel in the crown of Leeds' shopping district.
Thornton's and Queen's arcades, opposite the Victoria Quarter offer a range of interesting (if mainly fairly pricey) shops including some great boutiques and one-off places.
brand new home of a , restaurants, , bars, , secure car park and shops.
, centre of Leeds' counter-culture has a stunning domed interior and a range of shops to please both label-lovers and teenage goths, as well as stalls and cafés. There are occasional concerts, exhibitions, fetes and the Christmas decorations are lovely.
(unofficial site), by the canal under the station, has a selection of interesting boutiques, restaurants, exhibition space, a small concert venue, street performers and more in a unique subterranean setting. There is also a regular market. The waterfront area is undergoing redevelopment but the range of shops on offer is set to only get bigger.
Other major city centre shopping centres include the Leeds Shopping Plaza (still locally called the 'Bond St Centre'), Headrow Centre, St John's Centre and the rather shabby monolith of the Merrion Centre.
Out of town there is also the with free parking.
has free parking, cinema, restaurants and shops. in Castleford is home to a host of designer outlet clearance shops.
The districts of Headingley, Chapel Allerton, and Roundhay also offer a smaller (but worthwhile) range of boutiques and other shops.
Crossgates in East Leeds has a medium sized shopping centre and many highstreet shops and cafés, and Horsforth in the North West offers a range of shops and eateries.
In November and December, Millennium Square is turned into a Christmas wonderland of stalls, eateries and fairground-rides for Christkindelmarkt - the city's German Christmas market. There are also several outdoor markets held across the city more regularly, including occasional French markets on Briggate.
OPENING HOURS: Most city centre stores are open 9am-6pm Monday-Wednesday and until 7pm Thursday-Saturday, but close at 5pm or open at 10am on Sunday. Many larger stores are starting to open until 8pm Thursday-Saturday, and close to Christmas there are extended opening hours. Out of town shopping centres have individual opening times (see their linked websites), and in out-of-central districts, most shops are open 9-5 most of the week, sometimes extended to 6 or 7pm Thursday-Saturday.
- the first store outside London is still one of the most popular and profitable, with all five floors rammed with designer clothes, accessories, food and all manner of other latest-trend items, as well as the rich and beautiful buying them. The restaurant is also held in high acclaim.
- a few minutes stroll down Briggate is the city's House of Fraser with its extensive designer and mid-range collections. Whilst a bit small for the number of clothes, people and the size of the city, it still has a great range of stuff and if you avoid Saturday afternoon it doesn't have to be a stressful experience.
Get in
By air
By rail
By coach
By road
Whilst driving into Leeds and around the city centre, particularly at rush hour, is best avoided, making the trip by car is fairly uncomplicated, with the M621, A64, A65, A61, A58 and several other major roads converging on central Leeds.By ferry
Get around
See
. (Armley, west of the city centre) Excellent museum of industry and Leeds' (major) role in the Industrial Revolution.Civic quarter
Financial district
Central pedestrian shopping area
The Exchange quarter
Do
Theatre & comedy
Museums
Parks & countryside
Cinema
Sport
Live music
Action
Learn
Buy
Department stores