Leeds Travel Guide

Leeds is the principal city of the north of England. It is a centre of commerce, finance and industry situated at the crossroads where the main north-south and east-west motorways and railways cross. It is Britain’s greenest city with more parkland in ratio to its population than any other lying second in Europe only to Vienna. Its two major parks are at Temple Newsam which at 1000 acres is Europe’s largest urban park and Roundhay with its two lakes that covers 750 acres.

The city has two universities, schools of medicine and dentistry, of art and music and amongst its many museums are two of international status – the Royal Armouries and the Thackray Museum of Medicine. There are important historic houses: Bramham Park,  Harewood House, Lotherton Hall and Temple Newsam House – the last two being owned by the city council. There are four theatres and many other entertainment venues of all types. It is a great sporting city and is frequently the venue for international events.

Leeds City Centre is a thriving area with some of the finest Victorian architecture in the world, outstanding shopping, particularly around the beautiful Victoria Quarter, on pedestrian Briggate and in the Corn Exchange. There is an enormous wealth of bars, restaurants, cafés, pubs and nightclubs in Leeds as well as many interesting attractions: Leeds City Art Gallery has the best selection of c.20th British Art outside London, the Town Hall is a stunning monument to Civic Pride, Millennium Square with its many events, restaurants, theatre, museum, gardens is a great place to visit and the Exchange Quarter with its trendy bars, bohemian shops and cobbled streets has a fantastic atmosphere.

western flatts park in wortley leeds12 is also a lovely quiet spot to enjoy, with a walled rose garden, tennis and bowls and football playing areas, and walking on to cabbage hill beyond the leysholmes estate gives one of the best views over leeds.

the park itself looks out over green hills, a jewish cemetery, and morley, farnley, and pudsey on the horizon to the west and south.

if there is a match on at elland road and the wind is in the right direction the roars of the crowd can be heard.

i live nearby, and can vouch that owls, bats, as well as many bird species inhabit the area, although there are perhaps a few too many magpies.

in spring the cherry blossom is georgeous, and cherries can be picked in july.

it can be reached from the city centre - 4km away - on the 43 and 42 and 66 buses.