Leeds

From MaxTravelz

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Leeds is one of the largest cities in the North of England. Said to be the new 'Capital of Yorkshire', it has some of the best shopping and nightlife in the country. Leeds is the 2nd greenest city in Europe, with many large public parks . Leeds also boasts many museums, historic architecture, and friendly locals. It's a great base to explore the Yorkshire Dales National Park, York, the North Yorkshire Moors and the Yorkshire Coast. Leeds is also home to the World famous Headingley Carnegie Stadium and Leeds United's Elland Road. Leeds has won a host of awards in recent years including Best Visitor City, UK's Favourite City, Number 1 City for Clubbing, Best City for Business etc.

Contents 1 Understand 2 Get in 2.1 By Air 2.2 By Rail 2.3 By Coach 2.4 By Ferry 3 Get around 4 See 5 Do 5.1 Theatre & Comedy 5.2 Museums 5.3 Parks & Countryside 5.4 Nightlife 5.5 Cinema 6 Buy 7 Eat 8 Drink 9 Sleep 9.1 Budget 9.2 Mid range 9.3 Splurge 10 The West Yorkshire Environ 11 Get out

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. Prosperity and vibrancy haven't always been linked with Leeds though.

Leeds started as an industrial town and has grown and developed into a service based city economy with a smart city centre.

Get in

By Air

Leeds is very accessible by air, served by its own airport - shared with Bradford. It is also possible to fly direct to Leeds from Heathrow and Amsterdam. Leeds is a member airport of Star Alliance. If travelling from Asia and the United States Manchester International Airport provides the most direct access to Leeds, with direct trains running through the night (although they're only every couple of hours or so after 1am).

By Rail

Leeds has a busy, modern train station, with regular trains to various destinations all over the country. For example, GNER & Midland Mainlineserve London (2-2.5 hrs), Trans-Pennine Express serve Manchester(about an hour and a bit), York (20-30 mins), Newcastle (about 90 mins). Virgin Cross Country also serve the south-west and Scotland. You can check timetables here.

By Coach

Express coaches also serve Leeds' modern bus station - for cheap ones from Newcastle and London check Megabus.com or for slightly more expensive ones from a far wider variety of destinations, try National Express. The Yorkshire Coastliner bus connects Leeds with York and the beautiful Yorkshire coast, though the train is faster and more comfortable.

By Ferry

Ferries can be caught from Rotterdam and Zeebrugge to Kingston Upon Hull, which is only an hour away by train, car or by coach.

Get around

Getting around Leeds is fairly easy. The bus service 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 it's suprisingly compact. Taxis can be expensive, but the black and white ones are licensed and safer than private hire cabs. There is a FreeCityBus that loops the city centre every 10 minutes during the day.

See

• Kirkgate Market. Traditional British Market, largest in Europe. Indoor and Outdoor stalls.
• Royal Armouries Museum. National museum of all things from swords to guns to armoury to live jousting.
• Art Galleries.
• Armley Mills industrial museum.
• Tropical World. Great for a rainy day as it's all indoors.
• Millenium Square (There is generally something going on! )
• Xscape Indoor real snow skiing, Ice climbing wall, cinema and restaurants!.
• Live Sport Football, Rugby League & Rugby Union, Cricket
• Harewood House . Huge estate, gardens and bird garden, owned by the Queen's cousin.
• Leeds Christmas Illuminations are an annual display from Nov-Jan and are even longer than the legendary Blackpool Illuminations.

Do

Theatre & Comedy

• Grand Theatre for major shows
• West Yorkshire Playhouse is more adventerous and often performs world premiers and encourages local talent - worth a visit.
• Leeds City Varieties is World famous and has even had Charlie Chaplin tread the boards. Home to a mix of shows.
• The Carriage Works is home to amatuer dramatics in the city
• Jongleurs is a National Chain of comedy club based in the city

Museums

• The Royal Armouries National Museum of Arms and Armouries
• The Thackray Medical Museum Museum of the year 1998
• Temple Newsam House Collection of fine and decorative arts in Tudor-Jacobean mansion with parkland and working farm
• Lotherton Hall set in parkland with Bird Garden
• Armley Mills Industrial Museum Once the world's largest woolen mill, see the industrial past of Leeds
• Thwaite Mills working water mill and museum
• Kirkstall Abbey One of the UK's best preserved abbeys.
• Abbey House Museum Walk round a Leeds street in 1880!

Parks & Countryside

• Roundhay Park Huge picturesque park with 2 lakes, cafe, flower gardens and walks. Right next to Tropical World, be sure to visit both in one day.
• Golden Acre Park Gardens and cafe set around huge lake
• Lotherton Hall Deer park, birdgarden, historic hall and cafe
• Temple Newsam Park Country mansion, parkland and rare breeds visitor farm (excellent for kids)
• Otley Chevin
• Meanwood Valley Trail

Nightlife

Leeds was voted Best UK City for Clubbing

Cinema

Leeds holds 2 annual film festivals Leeds Film Festival and Leeds Young People's Film Festival

City Centre

• The Vue in The Light Brand new 13 screen multiplex with huge screens

Headingley

• Cottage Road Cinema in the centre of Headingley. Plenty to do afterwards as well.
• Hyde Park Picture House another good independent cinema (only 1 screen) with a wide selection of both modern and classic films on show. It retains many of its original features including gas lighting.

Out of Town

• The Vue at Kirkstall just out of the city centre, free parking, restaurants, pubs a club and a gym
• Showcase Multiplex with restaurants, shops and free parking.
• Odeon Leeds Bradford brand new multiplex

• 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.
• Art - Leeds City Art Gallery 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.

Buy

Leeds has a number of options for shopping including 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) are the place to go . Fascinsting even just for the atmosphere of a traditional British market. City centre shops number over 1,000, made up of modern shopping centres and busy streets. City Centre Shopping Centres include:

• Victoria Quarter - Home of Harvey Nicholls and Vivienne Westwood, the upmarket jewel in the crown of Leeds' shopping district.
• The Light brand new home of a 13 screen cinema, retaurants, hotel, bars, gym, secure car park and shops.

Out of town there is also the White Rose Shopping Centre with free parking. Birstall Retail Park has free parking, cinema, retaurants and shops

Eat

• L'Oranaise, (Hyde Park). This Algerian restaurant offers authentic atmosphere and eating - even a Sheesha pipe for after the meal. The food is amongst the best this MaxTravelzler has tasted in Leeds. Teas and Coffees can be taken upstairs amongst the low tables and scatter cushions.
• The Clock Cafe, (Hyde Park). This MaxTravelzler has found it difficult to fault this restaurant despite several visits. Anything on the menu is delicious and the service and beers (no weak fizzy lager here!) are outstanding. The setup is basic with benches and tables but the atmosphere is pitched just right for small groups and couples - recommended.
• Anthonys, (City Centre). If your willing to spend a little bit more for that special meal then this is the place to go but book ahead as this is the most popular restaurant in Leeds. - highly recommended.
• Akbars, (City Centre). Awarding winning Indian food served in cosmopolitan surrendings - and at reasonable prices too!
• Bibis, (City Centre). Wonderful Italian food served in a fantastic Art-Deco restaurant - packed with local regulars who know a good thing when they eat it!
• Salvos, (Headingley). Salvos Italian resturant and salumeria/cafe two doors down. Both fantastic simple food, great atmosphere.

Drink

Leeds' two large universities means there is a lot of nightlife including loads of clubs.

Leeds CAMRA offer free pub guides from their website

• Whitelocks, (off Briggate). A great old pub, one of the most impressive in Leeds.
• Victoria Family and Commercial Hotel, (behind the town hall). A refurbished Victorian gem.
• The Palace, (down by the bus station).
• The Scarbrough Hotel, (near the train station). Leeds CAMRA Pub of the Year 2003/4
• The Duck and Drake, (by the markets). A 'locals' pub
• North Bar, (24 New Briggate). Great beer selection!
• Ha! Ha! Bar & Canteen, (next to millenium square near the hands sculpture). Gay-friendly, trendy - a place to meet your date.
• Fab Bar, (Just below the metropolitan university) Great place to visit if you like your music away from the mainstream, and they actually have what seems to be an original 'Star Wars: The Trilogy' arcade cabinet!

Sleep

Budget

Holiday Express Inn

Ibis

Mid range

Leeds Bewley's Hotel .

Leeds Jury's Inn .

Headingley Lodge

Splurge

42 The Calls .

Park Plaza .

Queens Hotel .

Radisson SAS .

The West Yorkshire Environ

Leeds is recognised as the economic heart of West Yorkshire. The region as a whole offers many sites and attraction.

Bronte Country .

Eureka - The Museum For Children

National Coal Mining Museum .

National Museum of Film and Photography .

Salts Mill. Recognised as a World Heritage Site.

The Yorkshire Sculpture Park .

Get out

York the historic captial of Yorkshire is well worth a trip, less than half an hour away The traditional seaside towns of Scarborough, Bridlington, Filey and Robin Hood's Bay make up the Yorkshire coast, and are easily accessible by train, bus or road (A64).

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