Ideas for weekend breaks in Leeds

The Black Prince statue in Leeds City Square

You won’t believe those ridiculous tales about it being “grim up north” when you see Leeds with its pavement cafés and its glittering arcades. Leeds has all the shops, boutiques, clubs, bars, restaurants and entertainment you could wish for, and it has one thing that London and many other big cities do not have: a feeling of space and fresh air.

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Shopping in Leeds

Walk around the pedestrianised central shopping street of Briggate, going from Muji to Harvey Nicks to M&S, without having to run the gauntlet of taxis, buses or cars. Just off Briggate you will find the fashionable Victoria Quarter, designed in 1900 by Frank Matcham, who also did the London Coliseum.

It includes the pretty Victorian County Arcade of fine marble and gilded mosaic; in the nineties, Brian Clarke’s magnificent stained-glass roof was erected over adjacent Queen Victoria Street, which now has pavement cafés and gently bubbling fountains.

All the stores have traditional shop fronts with mahogany-framed windows and gilded art nouveau lettering indicating such fine names as Louis Vuitton, Mulberry, Vivienne Westwood, Quiksilver and top chocolatier Charbonnel et Walker.

Building on Leeds’ tradition of arcades is the newer construction The Light, which incorporates an entire street covered over by a glass roof, providing a bright, warm indoor space complete with pavement eateries, top shops such as Joy, Superdry and O’Neill, a thirteen-screen cinema complex, Esporta gym, and places to eat such as Café Rouge, Nando’s and Brio.

Largest indoor market in Europe

If all these top names are making you feel dizzy, Leeds also has traditional markets, both indoor and outdoor, where you can browse for bargains. Kirkgate Market is actually one of the largest indoor markets in Europe, with a Butcher’s Row, Caribbean vegetable stall, coffee and sandwich bars, delicatessens, Indian food, electrical goods, florists, linen, a haberdasher’s where you can buy glitzy ribbons and buttons of all shapes, sizes and colours, and loads of other stalls and shops besides.

Take in the local culture

Leeds isn’t just about shopping and eating – go to Millenium Square and you’ll be amazed by the blend of old and new architecture, with traditional buildings such as the crisp white Civic Hall topped by its gilded owls and the Leeds City Museum sitting side-by-side with the exciting modern constructions on the Square. In winter an ice-skating rink is created here, and throughout the year the Square has musical and cultural events.

Nearby you have the Leeds Art Gallery with its world-class collection of art, and many works by the local artist Henry Moore. The Art Gallery is linked to the library by the Victorian Tiled Hall, which with its original parquet floor and colourful tile work is a must-see. The Hall has now been turned into a café so you can sip latté and eat cakes while you admire.

Live music venues of all genres

Like music and a good night out? Leeds is simply great for gigs and clubbing, with a whole host of venues for live music and DJs. At O2 Leeds Academy you’ll find big names such as Kasabian, N-Dubz and the Sisters of Mercy. The centrally located tapas bar Sandinista! is great for night owls – it has live bands, and stays open till 3.00 am every night. The Library Pub on Woodhouse Lane has a vast upstairs room where they put on a variety of indie, metal, electronica and other genres.

The Refectory up at the University of Leeds has been putting on major acts since the 1960s, and recently hosted The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys and Kaiser Chiefs. The Cockpit has both local and international acts, from Amy Winehouse to the dramatic Swedish metal band In Flames.

Hotels in Leeds

So hopefully we’ve given you some ideas for where to visit and eat – but which are the best hotels in the city for your short break? As a local it is difficult for me to recommend places to stay, but, based on consumer reviews, the Mint hotel on Granary Wharf is popular. Roomzzz Leeds City is in a good location for restaurants and bars, and is perfect for a weekend break in the city.

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For big-name shopping, bargains, terrific nights out, good food, great music, and a brilliant blend of old and new, it does not get much better for a weekend break than Leeds.

Leeds Map

Browse the map and click on the pins to find the location of the places featured in this guide.