Leeds is a great city to explore. Every day you'll discover something new!
To get you started here's some of the top things to do and places to visit when you arrive in Leeds.
Walking around you’ll see art progress through time as you pass from room to room in the Leeds Art Gallery, where the last two centuries of British modern and contemporary art are housed in one building.
A great mix of information and education with six exhibitions across four floors makes the City Museum perfect for a rainy Saturday.
A butterfly house, tropical fish displays and a desert full of meerkats will leave you feeling a long way from city life. If the weather’s good, round things off with a wander through Roundhay Park.
Leeds has endless boutique shops as well as its glorious high street to spend hours and thousands on! Head for the hills! Visit Ilkley & Ilkley Moor An ideal place for walking, hiking, or enjoying a yummy Sunday lunch, Ilkey is a picturesque Yorkshire town, easily reached by train.
It’s only a decade old but it’s already earned national and international respect for unique visual arts exhibitions and is situated right next to the Leeds City Art Gallery and Henry Moore Institute.
An impressive 95 years old, and the only gas-lit cinema remaining in the UK. Fully independent, it shows a unique mix of the latest film, art house and classics.
Regarded as one of the finest combinations of art and stunning scenery in the country, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park offers stunning works spread across 500 acres of open space.
Whether you’re after stand-up comedy or world class acting you won’t be short of entertainment.
Xscape Leeds might not be listed in any Skiing holiday brochures, but don’t let that stop you! Xscape in nearby Castleford offers indoor ski slopes and a whole lot more. Get adventurous and give it a try.
Leeds has a rich live music heritage, still strong today. The Who’s ‘Live at Leeds’ album, earned a blue plaque for the Refectory on campus, but the venue has hosted big names for decades.
9,000 students visit every year for our Summer Ball, the largest event of its kind in the UK, but the stunning gardens and bird park mean there’s plenty of reason to visit throughout the year.
Always a great option on a sunny day, Kirkstall Abbey offers plenty of green, open space centered on the old ruins. But events like the Leeds Shakespeare Festival and Classical Fantasia are what really bring the Abbey ruins to life. In the summer, congregate on Hyde Park to catch the rays, play footie and chill out.
Ilkley is the ideal place for walking, hiking or enjoying a great Sunday lunch. It's the quintessential Yorkshire village, and it's easily reachable by train.