Things To Do In Leeds From A Local

If you’re thinking of UK travel destinations, Leeds probably isn’t at the top of your list. However, this Yorkshire city has more to offer than first meets the eye. Here is the ultimate guide of things to do in Leeds as recommended by a local.

Although I’m not originally from Leeds, I’ve called the city home for a number of years. During that time, I’ve discovered some fascinating attractions that the world should know about! If you scratch beneath the surface, this unassuming northern metropolis is likely to surprise you!

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Things to do in Leeds

Here are the top things to do in Leeds, as recommended by a local. If you’re looking for some retail therapy, keep reading to find out our recommended Leeds shopping hotspots too!

Can’t visit Leeds in person? Not to worry! At the bottom of the post, we’ve included a unique way you can explore the city from the comfort of your own home!

Things to do in Leeds: Attractions

If you’re looking for things to do in Leeds for your next visit, we’ve got you covered! Here are the top 8 attractions you need to check out when visiting the city.

Town Hall

Leeds Town Hall is possibly the most iconic building in the city. It was built in 1858 as a mark of the city’s importance as a centre of trade. Queen Victoria opened the building on her one and only visit to the city.

The Town Hall has served a number of functions over the years, including being a law court, council chamber and even a prison! Today, the venue is a popular location for conferences, weddings and civil ceremonies. It is also used for several musical performances throughout the year, and is a popular filming location due to its historic features, both internally and externally.

Leeds Art Gallery

Located next to the Town Hall, you’ll find the Leeds Art Gallery. In 1997, the British government designated a collection of 20th-century British Art at Leeds Art Gallery as a collection “of national importance.” The collection also includes 19th-century and earlier artworks.

Entry to the gallery is free, and you’ll be able to admire some fascinating pieces in a range of mediums. The gallery is connected to Leeds Central Library on the East, and the Henry Moore Institute via a bridge to the West. The Henry Moore Institue is the city’s centre for the study of sculpture and also has some wonderful exhibitions on display.

Tiled Hall Cafe

When you visit the Art Gallery, make sure you call in at the Tiled Hall Café. This stunning room was originally the city library’s reading room and is covered completely in beautiful tile work from the floor to (and including!) the ceiling. It is the ideal place to grab a spot of delicious lunch while admiring the beauty of the room.

As well as a reading room, the Tiled Hall has also served as a sculpture gallery and a bookshop. We think that a cafe is a perfect use for this impressive space. The food is delicious too!

Leeds City Museum

Leeds City Museum is another grand building in the city centre. This is another free-to-enter attraction, which is packed full of things to see and do for all ages! The museum features 6 galleries packed with fascinating attractions.

Here, you can learn about the history of Leeds from it’s surprising inventions to its sporting success. You can also dig into the city’s Asian connection and celebrate the city’s textile heritage in a stunning exhibition on fashion. Perhaps the museum’s most famous resident is the 3000-year-old Egyptian mummy, who resides on the third floor.

Millennium Square

Millennium Square is a large, paved square that was the city’s flagship millennium project to mark the year 2000. The square is a popular location for outdoor concerts and events, including a large Christmas market throughout December.

The square was the first public square in Leeds for 60 years when the project launched in 1997. The space has all the technical provisions and facilities to accommodate up to 5000 people at events. Since its development, it has hosted events such as civic ceremonies, fairs, markets, concerts and major events on the large TV screen.

Mandela Gardens

If you pay a visit to Millennium square, make sure you don’t miss Mandela Gardens. This idyllic oasis is an award-winning garden is designed to reflect elements of South Africa and Britain. It was opened in 2001 by Nelson Mandela himself and he was given freedom of the city at the ceremony.

The gardens have seen several redesigns over the years. Its current form won a bronze award at the 2004 Chelsea Flower Show entitled “Freedom for the Future” and was installed in Leeds in 2006. It is the perfect place to take a seat, relax and reflect.

Royal Armouries

The Royal Armouries is the United Kingdom’s oldest museum and was originally housed in the Tower of London from the 15th century, making it one of the oldest museums in the world. Today, the collection is divided across three sites, one of which has found its home in the vibrant Leeds Dock area. This huge museum spans 5 floors and is free to enter.

You could easily lose yourself in the museum for an entire day exploring the history of armoury and hunting from around the world. The highlight of the collection is undoubtedly the elephant armour. This is the only example of an almost complete, all-metal elephant armour in any public collection in the world.

Hidden Gem: Railway Lifting Tower

Are you looking to find something unique on your trip to Leeds? We can point you in the direction of this wonderful hidden gem! Nestled amongst a group of new office buildings known as Wellington Place you will find one remaining railway lifting tower.

This lone tower was once part of a pair. The tower duo was used to hoist wagons from the high-level access viaduct to the yard below using steam power and chains. Today, this unassuming abandoned building is the centre focal point of a new office complex; a wonderful tribute to the industrial roots of Leeds in the middle of the city’s modern urban expansion.

Things to do in Leeds: Shopping

If you’re looking to incorporate some retail therapy into your visit, Leeds is the perfect place. Here are some of our favourite shopping destinations in Leeds city centre.

Corn Exchange

The Corn Exchange is a beautiful Victorian building with an impressive dome-shaped roof. Inside, you’ll find 30 boutique stores selling a variety of wares. Today, it is one of only three remaining Corn Exchanges still functioning as a centre for trade in Britain.

The building was designed by Cuthbert Brodrick, the architect behind Leeds Town Hall and Leeds City Museum. Brodrick’s legacy remains in these 3 iconic Leeds structures. The colourful doors and decor of the shops transform this Victorian centre of trade into a vibrant local shopping hotspot.

Kirkgate Market

This bustling market has over 800 stalls and attracts over 100,000 visitors a week. In traditional market style, it is the ideal location to pick up fresh fruit, meat and flowers.

Kirkgate Market was also the birthplace of a British icon. In 1884 the very first Marks & Spencer opened in Leeds Market as a penny bazaar. The company still owns a stall in the market as a tribute to their roots.

Trinity Shopping Centre

This mall in the city centre boasts over 120 high street shops. It is an impressive retail structure that weaves its way around some existing buildings, creating a multi-level ‘high street.’

Trinity is the ideal place to shop your high street favourites, catch a movie or grab a bite to eat. It’s all topped off with an iconic and impressive glass ceiling, and an imposing modern sculpture of a packhorse carrying cloth. Everywhere you turn in Leeds you can find these touching tributes to the industrial heritage, that formed the foundations of the city we see today.

Victoria Quarter

If you’re looking for a more up-market shopping experience, the beautiful arcades of Victoria Quarter are a must. The County and Cross Arcades were built between 1898 and 1904, designed by the theatre architect Frank Matcham. Today, the arcades are filled with high-end boutiques but still retain the beautiful Victorian décor.

The most recent addition to the shopping scene in Leeds is the Victoria Gate mall. Victoria Gate was built as an extension just beyond the Victoria Quarter to utilize an undeveloped area of the city. Boasting a large John Lewis department store and several premium retailers, it’s the ideal place for some luxury shopping.

Things to do in Leeds

So these are our top things to do in Leeds. We hope you’ll have the opportunity to visit the city soon! What is your favourite Leeds attraction? Let us know in the comments!

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