Things to do in Leeds

In 2013 Trinity Leeds, a modern and interactive retail space, opened in the city centre. While in 2016 Victoria Gate opened its doors to the public. 75% of stores that opened in Victoria Gate were new to Leeds with many of those stores being their first branches outside of London.

Leeds is home to one of the largest indoor markets in Europe – the Leeds Kirkgate Market. Leeds also has various regular local markets in Otley, Pudsey, and Yeadon.

There is an annual German Christmas Market in Millennium Square from November to December.

Roundhay Park is one of the largest city parks in Europe, with more than 700 acres of lakes, woodland and gardens.

Other parks in the city include Golden Acre Park, Middleton Park, Potternewton Park, Pudsey Park, Temple Newsam, Western Flatts Park and Woodhouse Moor.

The Otley Folk Festival is an annual festival. Light Night Leeds takes place each October and turns the entire city into an art installation with light shows, projections and art installations.

The Leeds International Film Festival is the largest in England outside London and incorporates the highly successful Leeds Young People’s Film Festival.

The Garforth Arts Festival has been an annual event since 2005.

Leeds’s main museum, the Leeds City Museum, showcases the city’s collections of local history, natural history, archaeology and arts.

Abbey House Museum is housed in the former gatehouse of Kirkstall Abbey, and includes galleries describing the history of the abbey and Victorian Leeds.

Armley Mills Industrial Museum includes industrial machinery and railway locomotives. This museum also shows the first 2 moving pictures in the world which were taken in the city called A Roundhay Garden Scene and Of Leeds Bridge.

Thwaite Mills Watermill Museum is a fully restored 1820s water-powered mill on the River Aire to the east of the city centre.

The Thackray Museum is a museum of the history of medicine, featuring topics such as Victorian public health, pre-anaesthesia surgery, and safety in childbirth. It is next to St James’s Hospital.

The Royal Armouries Museum, the United Kingdom’s national collection of arms and armour Part of its collection was transferred from the Tower of London. It is located a short distance from the city centre at Leeds Dock.

Leeds Art Gallery houses important collections of British art while next door, The Henry Moore Institute is dedicated to sculpture.

The Tetley is the city’s centre for contemporary art, with themes centred on creativity, innovation and experimentation.

The city has teams representing all the major national sports. Leeds United F.C. is the city’s main football club. Other clubs include Guiseley AFC and Farsley Celtic.

Leeds plays at the Elland Road Stadium in Beeston. Guiseley plays at the Nethermoor Park Stadium in Guiseley. Farsley Celtic plays in the National League North. Their home stadium is Throstle Nest.

The Leeds Rhinos rugby team became first club to be Super League champions three seasons running, and play at the Headingley Rugby Stadium.

The Yorkshire County Cricket Club plays at Headingley Cricket Stadium and is the most successful cricket team in England, with 33 County Championship wins.

Leeds is home to a number of field hockey clubs. These include Leeds Hockey Club, Leeds Adel Carnegie Hockey Club, the University of Leeds Hockey Club and Leeds Beckett University Hockey Club.

The city has dozens of sports facilities including the Elland Road stadium, the Headingley Carnegie Stadiums, the John Charles Centre for Sport and others.

Leeds features some of the best diving facilities in the United Kingdom, such as the John Charles Centre for Sport.

Leeds also has an ice hockey team, the Leeds Chiefs, who play at the Planet Ice Arena in Beeston, Leeds.