THISIS

LEEDS

visitleeds.co.uk

1. GO SWORD FIGHTINGBringing 3,000 years of warfare to life, see demonstrations of everything from sword-fighting to jousting, alongside a sprawling collection of ancient weaponry from the Tower of London at the world-class Royal Armouries.

2. CELEBRATE SCULPTURECelebrating the Leeds College of Art’s most famous graduate, the Henry Moore Institute is one of the city’s cultural highlights, part of the Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle and boasting the largest sculpture collection in Europe. The Institute is housed in a modern extension adjacent to Leeds City Art Gallery, which itself boasts a fine collection of work by 19th- and 20th-century British painters.

3. ENJOY A BEERLeeds was home to the Tetley brewery for almost 200 years and has a long tradition of beer production and drinking. Try the city’s own ales: Leeds Pale, Yorkshire Gold, Leeds Best and Midnight Bell from the Leeds Brewery. There are a number of fine watering holes to choose from, from the ornate Edwardian interiors of Whitelocks (the city’s oldest pub), to the trendy bars of the Corn Exchange Quarter.

4. PICK UP SOME DESIGNER TREATSLeeds city centre is easy to get around on foot, perfect for dedicated shoppers. The ornate Victoria Quarter, housed beneath stained-glass ceilings, is home to designer brands including Vivienne Westwood, Louis Vuitton and The Kooples, as well as the designer mothership Harvey Nichols.

5. MEET THE MARKET TRADERSFor a unique Leeds experience, head to Kirkgate Market one of the largest covered markets in Europe. It’s the heart of the city’s retail heritage and home to 200 stalls,

including a Polish delicatessen, a Chinese supermarket and an Asian bazaar. Try Café Moor for an authentic taste of the Middle East.

6. SEARCH FOR OWLSThe Leeds Owl Trail, a self-guided walking tour where you spot owls intricately carved into 25 city centre attractions, was created by a local artist to provide visitors with a fun way of learning about Leeds’ rich heritage.

7. WANDER Leeds is mainly a pedestrianised city centre, which makes meandering around the city one of the best things to do in Leeds. Spend some time taking in the grand Victorian facades, the vibrant network of covered arcades and cobbled alleyways down by the canal.

8. SPOT THE MEERKATSSituated in the stunning Roundhay Park, one of the largest parks in Europe, Tropical World is one of the country’s most popular garden tourist attractions. There’s wildlife galore, including meerkats, crocodiles, terrapins, birds, butterflies, fish and exotic insects.

9. TAKE IN A SLICE OF BRITISH HISTORYKirkstall Abbey is one of the most complete Medieval Cistercian Abbeys in Britain. Enjoy the breathtaking architecture from the luscious green park that surrounds it, and take a trip to the on-site visitor centre to learn about the ruin’s history.

10. CATCH A SHOW Leeds is home to several outstanding theatres, so catch a show while you’re in town. Choose from The Grand, home to the internationally acclaimed Opera North and the Northern Ballet, The West Yorkshire Playhouse, Carriageworks or the charming Leeds City Varieties Music Hall.

TOP 10 THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN LEEDS

visitleeds.co.uk

STAY

GETTING TO THE CITYLeeds is one of the country’s most accessible cities. Frequent, direct trains carry visitors from London to Leeds in just over two hours, with all other UK cities also easily reached by train. National Express coaches run from a host of UK destinations too.

Travelling by car? Leeds is at the crossroads of the M62 and M1 with the A1/M1 link, so it’s easy to reach at speed from any direction. Leeds Bradford International Airport lies just eight miles north of the city, with direct flights from 13 UK destinations and 64 international destinations.

WHERE TO STAY Leeds’ accommodation spans well-known hotel chains, independent boutiques, luxury serviced apartments and friendly B&Bs, with something to suit every taste and budget.

The New Ellington, 42 The Calls, The Queen’s Hotel and Malmaison all offer luxury accommodation, whilst budget options include the Premier Inn, Travelodge and Ibis.

FOOD AND DRINK Leeds has become an emerging force in the UK food and drink scene during recent years and boasts an eclectic mix of quirky independents, a burgeoning street food scene and gastronomic stalwarts.

Try Trinity Kitchen for a wide array of street food, Shears Yard for contemporary dining made with modern ingredients, Red’s for BBQ flavours that pack a punch and Mrs Atha’s for urban café culture.

NIGHTLIFE Leeds comes alive at night, with residents that love to party, a huge array of buzzing bars and some of the best clubs and music venues in the UK, all combining to create a nightlife scene like no other UK city.

Go to Call Lane for a compact row of independent bars packed full of personality, Trinity Leeds for high-end venues serving cocktails complete with panoramic city views, Roxy Lanes for boutique bowling, or Leeds’ longest serving nightclub, The Warehouse, for top DJs and a mind blowing sound system.

ATTRACTIONSLeeds is a diverse city with a number of attractions, so there’s something to suit everyone. We have an abundance of galleries including White Cloth Gallery, Leeds Art Gallery and the Henry Moore Institute, home of the Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle. The Cultural Quarter is also home to a number of internationally renowned museums, including Leeds City Museum. The city also boasts the Royal Armouries, the UK’s museum of Arms and Armour and several theatres, including The Grand, home to Opera North and the Northern Ballet.

SHORT BREAKS IN LEEDS

For more information go to www.visitleeds.co.uk.

A rich industrial heritage, including historic markets and shopping arcades, is matched by a vibrant contemporary energy fuelled by fresh investment and some 250,000 students.

The city’s great strengths are its welcoming residents, eclectic shops, independent bars and rave review restaurants, along with many free attractions that all combine to make Leeds the perfect short break destination.

YORKSHIRE’S UNOFFICIAL

CAPITAL IS EASY TO ENJOY AND RIPE TO

DISCOVER, WITH A VERY WALKABLE NEAT CITY CENTRE AND LOTS OF

EXCITING DEVELOPMENTS TO SEE.

FACTS

visitleeds.co.uk

Leeds is the second largest metropolitan district in the UK; extending 15 miles from east to west, and 13 miles from north to south. This wide boundary contains some 562 square kilometres - of which two thirds is Green Belt - affording some of the most beautiful scenery in Yorkshire

Leeds was placed in the top 10 ‘Best UK destinations’ byTripAdvisors 2014 Travellers Choice Awards

Each year, Leeds welcomes 25 million day visitors, who spend over £654m while they’re here

It’s also one of the fastest growing cities in the UK, with a population of 771, 000

Natives of Leeds are known as Loiners

Described by the Lonely Planet guide to Britain as the ‘Knightsbridge of the North’, Leeds has consistently been ranked as one of the UK’s top five retail destinations

Harvey Nichols chose Leeds as the location for its first store outside London

Kirkgate Market, part of which is a Grade I listed building dating from 1875, is one of the largest covered markets in Europe

Kirkgate Market is also where Marks & Spencer was born - Michael Marks opened his Penny Bazaar there in 1884

Named the best shopping destination in the UK by the Rough Guide to Britain, Leeds city centre has over 1,000 shops

The Hyde Park Picture House in the Hyde Park area of the city is one of the last Edwardian picture houses in the country

Leeds is the only English city outside London with its own repertory theatre, opera house and ballet companies

There are more listed buildings in Leeds than in any other English city outside London, with highlights including the Victoria Quarter, Leeds Corn Exchange and Harewood House

Over two-thirds of the Leeds District is open space, public parks, gardens and green belt land, and the city centre is less than 20 miles from the Yorkshire Dales National Park

LEEDS IN A NUTSHELL

THE MUCH-LOVED GAME

OF CLUEDO WAS DEVELOPED AND

PUBLISHED IN 1949 BY WADDINGTON’S

IN LEEDS

A SPORTINGCITY

visitleeds.co.uk

The city will host two matches of the tournament during a fantastic weekend of world-class rugby in September 2015. Italy will take on the USA in a first qualifier before Scotland plays Canada, part of the programme of the third largest global sporting event, where the top 20 international teams compete for the game’s biggest honour – the Webb Ellis Cup. Tickets go on sale to the general public from 12 September 2014.

Headingley Stadium, just ten minutes from the city centre, is one of the world’s best known cricket stadiums and 2015 will see more international cricket grace the hallowed wicket of Headingley.

The second Investec Test match, England vs New Zealand, will take place from Friday 29 May to Tuesday 02 June and Headingley will also host the fourth Royal London One Day International on Friday 11 September, where England will take on Australia.

Leeds boasts a strong sporting heritage, with its impressive sports grounds and stadiums, including the 40,000 capacity Elland Road Football Stadium and 22,000 capacity Headingley Stadium, regularly playing host to some of the world’s biggest sporting names. The city is also home to several highly regarded sports teams, including the Yorkshire County Cricket Club, Leeds Rhinos, Leeds Carnegie and Leeds United A.F.C.

SPORTING PASSIONLeeds took centre stage last year as the starting point for the Yorkshire Grand Départ of the

2014 Tour de France. Millions gathered to cheer on the international sporting event, and this year will be no different, as Leeds has been selected as a Host City for Rugby World Cup 2015.

RUGBY WORLD CUP FIXTURES:

26th SEPTEMBER 2015 ITALY vs USA

27th SEPTEMBER 2015 CANADA vs SCOTLAND

CONTACTS

visitleeds.co.uk

KEY CONTACTS

www.visitleeds.co.uk

+44 (0) 113 378 1166

info@visitleeds.co.uk

For more details on Leeds, plese contact:

facebook/loveleedsmore

@VisitLeeds