Our Leeds Tourist Information guide below lists tourist attractions in North Yorkshire.
Yorkshire has spectacular coastlines, beautiful countryside, traditional market towns and historic sites. Yorkshire can be explored by foot, steam railway or by car.
Yorkshire is famous for its Dales and its Moors which have formed the basis of the stories of James Herriot and Heartbeat.
Yorkshire is a great destination for a family holiday and there are lots of tourist attractions.
Leeds is a city on the River Aire in West Yorkshire, central England. Leeds is one of the largest cities in the UK and is a popular city break destination with visitors from the UK and abroad. Leeds has two universities: University of Leeds and Leeds Metropolitan University and is the UK’s largest centre for business and financial services outside London, making it an ideal destination for business.
Leeds offers plenty in the way of arts and culture – it is the only English city outside of London with its own repertory theatre, opera house and ballet companies, and there are more listed buildings in Leeds than in any English city except London. The city of Leeds also has a great sporting heritage, home to Leeds United A.F.C. the city’s main football club, Leeds Rhinos from Rugby League, Leeds Carnegie from Rugby Union and Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
Leeds is the ideal gateway to the Yorkshire region – the Yorkshire Dales National Park is just 20 miles away, and features some of the country’s most beautiful landscapes. Popular tourist attractions in Leeds include the Royal Armouries, National Media Museum, Leeds Art Gallery and Elland Road – home of Leeds FC.
Leeds Art Gallery
Leeds Art Gallery opened in 1888 and houses a world class collection of 20th century British art, regular temporary exhibitions, displays, learning programmes, events and activities. Leeds Art Gallery is home to one of the best collections of 20th century British art outside London, is a great place for all ages and with free admission is a Leeds attraction not to be missed! Explore the wonderful collections and exhibitions, take part in the family friendly events, or relax over lunch in the new Tiled Hall Cafe.
Royal Armouries, Leeds
Leeds is home to the Royal Armouries, the national collection of arms and armour where you will be taken on a journey through history from the Dark Ages to the present day. The Royal Armouries is a multi-million pound purpose built building with over 8500 objects on display throughout its five themed galleries. From falconry and horse shows to jousting with knights in the Tiltyard, there is plenty for the whole family at the Royal Armouries in Leeds.
Shopping in Leeds
Leeds has a multitude of shopping centres, designer outlets, shops and department stores, with plenty of hotels near to the five miles of shopping streets for your convenience. Referred to as the ‘Knightsbridge of the North’, Leeds is home to some of the more exclusive stores such as Harvey Nichols and Louis Vuitton outlets.
The Victoria Quarter is several existing arcades connected together by a stained glass roof over Queen Victoria Street to form Leeds’ main shopping street and it is often described as one of the UK’s most beautiful shopping centres.
Other popular shopping attractions include Leeds Kirkgate Market, Granary Wharf, Leeds Shopping Plaza, Headrow Shopping Centre, The Light, The St John’s Centre, The Merrion Centre Leeds, Birstall Retail Park and the White Rose Centre.
Nightlife in Leeds
Leeds is renowned to offer one of the best city nightlife’s in the country – this city really does like to party! You will be spoilt for choice with the sheer variety of restaurants, bars and nightclubs on offer, everything from old fashioned drinking dens to swanky cocktail bars, visitors don’t have to walk far to find something that suits their tastes.
Leeds Bradford International Airport
Leeds Bradford International Airport (LBA) is a continually growing and popular regional UK airport in Leeds, handling over 450 weekly flights to over 70 major European business and holiday destinations. Located in Yeadon, about 10 miles to the north-west of Leeds city centre, Leeds Bradford International Airport makes an ideal way of travelling to Leeds.
Leeds City Station
Leeds City Station is one of the busiest train stations in England outside of London, with over 900 trains and around 50,000 passengers passing through every day. It provides connections to London and the south, Birmingham and the Midlands, Manchester and the North West, the East Coast, Bristol and the West Country, Newcastle and Scotland as well as to local and regional destinations. The station itself has 17 platforms, making it the largest in England outside London.
