A Weekend In Leeds, England – Best Things To Do And Places To Visit

If you are planning to spend a weekend in Leeds, here are my recommendations for the best things to do and places to visit in this wonderful and surprising city, including where to stay and where to eat.

I have to confess that I didn’t know much about Leeds, let alone thought of it as a weekend destination, so it caught me by surprise when I discovered that it has so much to offer!

The third largest city in the UK, Leeds has something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for a few days filled with culture, shopping, or wanting to discover the foodie delights of Yorkshire, Leeds definitely has something for you too.

Where to stay in Leeds

I stayed at The Queens, a stunning Art Deco hotel in the centre of Leeds. Conveniently located right next to the railway station, it was built in 1937 for the London, Midland & Scottish Railway company. It’s been recently sympathetically restored, maintaining the elegance the 30s were known for.

Book The Queens Hotel here

This is THE place to stay in Leeds, but if your budget doesn’t allow for it, here are a couple of alternatives:

• The Chambers (Mid-range budget)
• Russell Scott Backpackers Hostel (Budget)

Things to do in Leeds in a weekend

Take a walking tour of the city

Why not start your weekend in Leeds with a tour of the city? It’s a great way to find your bearings and identify all the spots you want to come back to and explore with more time.

Led by Yorkshire Blue Badge Tourist Guides, this tour will take you through the fascinating history of Leeds. It will show you iconic spots such as the Leeds Corn Exchange and Kirkgate Market, and more hidden gems such as the Dark Arches under the railway station.

Sarah was my guide and she was incredibly knowledgeable and a great storyteller.  

The tours take place every Saturday morning, and depart from City Square.

Click here to book your walking tour of Leeds

Leeds Corn Exchange

This stunning space was built in the 1860s as a grain exchange, as its name indicates. The oval-shaped building and its ingenious roof were designed to give an even light that would allow for the careful inspection of grain, even in the greyest of days.

Today it’s one of the most impressive Victorian buildings in Leeds, and it houses a number of independent shops and eateries. It’s incredibly photogenic too. That light really comes through beautifully through the roof.

Kirkgate Market

Dating back to 1857, Kirkgate Market is one of the largest indoor markets in Europe. It’s a beautiful Victorian market with an impressive fresh food hall and street food stalls with food from all over the world.

It was here that the much-loved British retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) was born in 1884. You can see a replica of what was the Marks & Spencer Penny Bazaar, now located a few yards from the original stall. The original spot is now commemorated by a beautiful Victorian clock.

Explore the stunning arcades

Leeds Victorian arcades could easily rival those from Milan and Naples. And I’m not exaggerating. 

Head down to the Victoria Quarter, where you will find the breathtakingly beautiful County Arcade with its glass-roofed arches and domes. Then head to Queen Victoria Street, now covered by a vibrant stained glass roof and the largest stained glass window in Britain.

Other arcades worth visiting are Queens Arcade and Thornton’s Arcade, with its Neo-Gothic arches. Just gorgeous!

Do some retail therapy

Leeds is known as one of the top shopping destinations in the UK, with plenty of choice for a session of retail therapy.

I mentioned the beautiful arcades above, which also house some of the best British retailers. In addition, you have shopping centres such as Trinity Leeds and the glitzy Victoria Gate, as well as renowned department stores such as Harvey Nichols and John Lewis.

There’s certainly no shortage of options if you enjoy shopping!

Admire Leeds’ stunning architecture

Leeds’ architecture blew me away. From the imposing town hall, to the grandeur of the Victorian arcades (I know I keep mentioning them, but they are just stunning!) and markets, you can really feel how rich the city was during the industrial revolution.

This is also evident in the industrial architecture found throughout the city. Just like honey-coloured stone is characteristic of the Cotswolds, red brick reigns in Leeds.

My favourite building has to be St Paul’s House, an 1878 former warehouse and cloth cutting works that was inspired by the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. This must have been the most beautiful warehouse in the world!

Royal Armouries Museum

The Royal Armouries Museum is the UK’s National Museum of Arms and Armour. Now, I don’t particularly have an interest in arms or weapons of any kind, but, much like the Styrian Armoury in Graz, Austria, this museum is definitely worth a visit. 

The Hall of Steel is the architectural centrepiece of the whole museum. It houses the largest mass display of arms and armour created since the 19th century. It may sound scary, but it’s visually breathtaking!

Entry to the Royal Armouries Museum is free, and to get there from the city centre you can take the water taxi for £1 each way. A great way to see the city from the water.

Enjoy a drink in Leeds’ oldest pubs

There is no shortage of great pubs in Leeds, but if you enjoy a drink surrounded by lots of local character and history, you must visit Whitelock’s Ale House, established over 300 years ago, and its sister bar next door, The Turk’s Head, which has a more modern artisan feel. 

Other pubs to visit are The Ship Inn, dating back to the 1750s, or The Pack Horse, on the site of a 1615 pub. All these pubs still occupy their original burgage plots (medieval long narrow plots of land) off Briggate.

Go owl spotting

As you walk around Leeds, you will spot owls in the most unexpected places. If you are wondering why, the reason is that the Leeds City Council’s coat of arms has three owls in it, and this nocturnal animal has become the symbol of the city.

Some of the owls are more hidden than others, so if you decide to go owl spotting, there is an official Owl Trail that you can follow. You can download the map of the trail with all the locations here.

Leeds Central Library, Leeds Art Gallery and Henry Moore Institute

I’ve grouped these three places together because they are next to each other. In fact, Leeds Central Library and Leeds Art Gallery are in the same building.

Leeds Central Library was founded in 1768 and is the oldest subscription library in the world. You can visit the grand reading rooms but you need to make an appointment. 

Leeds Art Gallery holds a great collection of 20th century British art, including works by artists such as Damien Hirst, Anthony Gormley and Lothar Götz.

Don’t miss The White Gallery and make sure you stop for a cup of tea and cake in the beautiful Tiled Hall Cafe after.

Finally, visit the Henry Moore Institute for temporary modern art exhibitions, as well as works by the famous sculptor. 

Go hunting for street art

There is a lot of great street art peppered throughout the city, so if you enjoy a bit of urban art, Leeds has got plenty of it. 

A lot of the artworks are very closely linked to the city, whether it’s by telling a bit of history, like Cornucopia, next to the Leeds Corn Exchange, or by featuring owls like Athena Rising on New Station Street. 

Follow the Leeds Street Art Trail here.

Take a day trip to Saltaire

Saltaire is a Victorian model village located 15 minutes from Leeds by train. It is named after Sir Titus Salt who built both a textile mill, known as Salts Mill, and this village on the River Aire. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it’s the perfect destination for a day out.

The village itself is really pretty and worth a wander around, but the centrepiece of the place is Salts Mill. 

Built in the Italianate style in the 1850s, Salts Mill was a masterpiece of its time and was hugely productive, with 1200 looms attended to by 3000 workers. Today it houses a permanent exhibition of the history of Saltaire, a retail space focusing on home design, and the 1853 Hockney Gallery.

The 1853 Hockney Gallery houses the largest collection of David Hockney’s art in the world, and it includes a large number of his iPad artworks.

Kirkstall Abbey

Kirkstall Abbey is one of the best preserved Cistercian monasteries in the UK.

Located in a park 15 mins from Leeds city centre by bus, it was founded 800 years ago but closed in the 16th century. It was left to decay, and by the late 18th century the ruins had become a popular subject for artists of the Romantic Movement. 

And it’s easy to see why. It is a very atmospheric site and definitely worth a visit.

Get pampered at Harvey Nichols 

After a fun-packed weekend in Leeds, why not finish it off by getting pampered at one of the country’s most exclusive department stores?

Creme de la Mer has a lovely treatment room within Harvey Nichols in Leeds, where I was treated to a very relaxing and needed facial massage. I felt like a new person! And to top it all off, I also got myself a makeover by cruelty-free makeup brand Hourglass.

The best way to end my weekend in Leeds!

Best places to eat in Leeds

House of Fu

5-19 The Headrow, Leeds LS1 6PU

Head chef Ben spent 9 years in Tokyo perfecting his ramen game. After working with renowned chefs like Ivan Orkin, in 2014 he decided to return to Leeds and open a pop up restaurant that went on to win ‘Best of the Best’ at that year’s British Street food awards.

And yes, I can see why House of Fu was a winner. The Original Fu Ramen was packed with flavour and left me wanting to come back to try the other ramens. It was the perfect place for lunch.

Iberica

Hepper House, 17a E Parade, Leeds LS1 2BH

Being Spanish myself, I can be a bit picky when it comes to Spanish food outside of Spain. But I was really impressed with the selection of tapas I had for dinner at Iberica in Leeds.

I had some classics like padron peppers, croquetas and squid ink rice, and some blood pudding with piquillo peppers and pear compote, and grilled octopus with mashed potatoes. Absolutely delicious!

Iberica is located inside a stunning building that once housed auction rooms dating back to 1863.

Laynes Espresso

16 New Station Street, Leeds LS1 5DL

Laynes Espresso is conveniently located close to the train station, and it has become very popular as a coffee stopover for those on the way to catch a train.

But aside from delicious coffee, this gorgeous cafe is the perfect place for breakfast. I had the best granola I’ve ever had here. Seriously. Super fresh and tasty strawberries and peaches that had been soaked in some delicious fruit juice with cereals that had the perfect crunch.  

When I come back to Leeds I’m stopping here for that granola again.

Owt

Leeds Corn Exchange

I absolutely loved Owt. This eatery inside the Leeds Corn Exchange may be small but it packs a punch in personality.

The owner is from France and her father is the owner of Chateau Gasqui, a biodynamic vineyard in the South of France, and she is the sole UK importer of this delicious wine. A true family affair!

The food is great too. The deep fried chicken is better than finger licking. The seasoning used in the coating has the perfect level of salt and spice and it’s full of flavour. And I love that the menu changes regularly according to what’s in season and they only use local ingredients.

Grand Pacific

The Queens Hotel, City Square LS1 5PJ

If you are looking for a grand place to dine, Grand Pacific is THE place. Located within The Queens Hotel, the name of this restaurant gives you a bit of a clue to what to expect. 

And that grandness lived up to expectations through the food too. I ordered the Lamb Massaman Curry and it was so good!

Try a cocktail or two while you’re here too.

Olive & Rye

Queens Arcade, 18-20 Briggate, Leeds LS1 6LF

Olive & Rye is a lovely independent café located in the stunning Queens Arcade in the heart of Leeds. It uses locally sourced ingredients in a very cosy atmosphere. 

This place is perfect for breakfast, brunch and lunch. I came here for breakfast and everything on the menu sounded delicious, so it was really hard to decide what to order. I ended up having the eggs benedict with BBQ pulled pork. It was the perfect day to start the day.

Are you planning to spend a weekend in Leeds?
Let me know in the comments!

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Disclosure: This post has been created as a partnership with Visit Leeds. As always, all views are my own.