48 hours in Leeds
Leeds, Leeds, Leeds. The home of Marks and Spencer, Leeds United Football Club and the biggest urban park in Europe, Roundhay Park. Leeds is the third largest city in the UK, filled with history and diverse culture, making it filled to the brim with things to see and do, and a great place to visit for your next weekend away.
Fun fact, did you know that the Jelly Tot was discovered by
Brian Boffey who was from Horsforth?! It’s known that he was experimenting with different ways to produce powdered jelly, but instead ended up making the sweets we’ve loved since 1965. His discovery led him to help NASA create freeze-dried food for the Apollo space missions.
But that’s enough history! Lets get back to how you can spend a jam packed 48 hours in Leeds today, so without further ado…
Friday – time to check in and get some lunch
Just a five-minute walk from Leeds Train Station and a half an hour drive from Leeds Bradford Airport, it’s time to check into the
Dakota Leeds hotel. This hotel is all about contemporary elegance, impeccable service and true luxury. The rooms have been designed to the finest detail, and you can enjoy Sky Movies whilst sinking into the spacious superior beds.
But not yet, you need to eat! The Dakota Grill serves only the finest quality seasonal produce and is rated one of the best restaurants in Leeds.
It would be rude to stay there and not try the food, right?
Bellies full it’s time for a day of exploring!
It’s time to travel to the
Royal Armouries Museum in true Leeds style, on the
Water Taxi. The water taxis run every 15 minutes, and for only £1 per person (children under 5 free) you can travel from Granary Wharf (just by the new South entrance of Leeds train station) to Leeds Dock in only 4 minutes! If you fancy talking a longer route, you can walk which is only 20 minutes, or the traditional taxi which is 12 minutes.
The
Royal Armouries Museum is a great day out no matter what age! Entry into the museum is free and you can find over 8,500 artefacts from the National Collection of Arms and Armour. There are six themed galleries to walk around, as well as the Hall of Steel, where the little (and big) ones can see an amazing tower made from glass and steel that displays everything from canons to spears! Every day different events are held that are suitable for the whole family, including online story videos, discussions, combat demonstrations and fascinating objects.
A busy day of exploring calls for a relaxed Friday evening
After a busy day of roaming around the Royal Armouries, it’s time to wind down with a trip to the cinema, but not just any cinema, the
Everyman Cinema, which is only a 7-minute walk from the Dakota. This cinema shows the latest films, with a twist. Forget the awkward “
excuse me” to move past people to get to your uncomfortable individual seat, all whilst trying not to drop your popcorn. This cinema is all about the bar, velvet sofas and food & drinks delivered to your seat.
We’re going for a luxury weekend here, can you tell?
A short walk back to your hotel and it’s time to call it a night There’s a busy day planned for tomorrow!
It’s Saturday and it’s time for another day of adventure...
But first… breakfast! Fettle serves quality food that has been sourced locally. Located on Great George Street, this cosy little café is a master at food and everything has its own little twist. Hearty bowls of porridge are made with black rice and topped with seasonal fruit preserve, and even the classic favourite of eggs Benedict is served on an irresistibly tender pork belly round rather than a traditional muffin!
Time for a spot of shopping
A short 7-minute walk from Fettle and you will find yourself immersed in the beautiful shops in
Victoria Leeds. With over 80 of the most desirable shops catering for all your fashion and lifestyle needs, you can find it all under one roof.
The perfect destination for when the rain hits! Shops include
Harvey Nichols,
John Lewis and Partners and
Hobbs just to name a few!
If you want to shop for clothes, then you need to head over to
Trinity Leeds which is only a 6-minute walk away from Victoria Leeds. Trinity is the home of fashion, food and film. You can find shops such as Topshop, Marks and Spencer and the Apple Store! Trinity has the most amazing bars which are a perfect stop off for those mid shop drinks. The hard decision is choosing whether you visit
The Botanist,
Angelicas, or
The Alchemist first!
If lunch is on the brain
Trinity also is home to
Trinity Kitchen which has the best street food you can find in Leeds. Trinity Kitchen rotates six new street food vans every eight weeks and offers visitors the chance to experience various flavours and cuisines all under one roof. The rotating street food vendors trade alongside permanent eateries: Chicago Rib Shack, Pho, Rola Wala, Tortilla, Pizzaluxe, Absurd Bird and Doner Shack.
Evening entertainment. Let the games begin…
Let’s start the evening with a round of golf at
Junk Yark Golf Club the home of crazy golf, mad cocktails and bad puns. Choose from three 9-hole courses that are made up of reclaimed junk, towers of tyres, twisted clowns and tropical jungle. Trust us, these courses are nothing like you’ve seen before. It’s all about the cocktails at this place too. You won’t be disappointed! It’s time to carry on with the games and head over to
Roxy Ballroom. Booze and ball games, what more can we say?
It’s teatime and we have the perfect spot…
Tattu is THE place to be for the best Chinese food you will probably ever taste. This family run restaurant was founded in 2015 and is the ultimate modern Chinese tasting experience. As soon as you walk into the restaurant you’re taken on a sensory journey from the traditional East to the modern West. We highly recommend choosing a few small plates and sharing them with the table, we promise you won’t be disappointed! Tattu is in the perfect location too as it’s only a 3-minute walk back to the hotel!
Sunday and it’s time for a walk in the park
There’s nothing like a stroll on a Sunday, and where better to do it than at
Roundhay Park, one of the biggest parks in Europe may we add! There’s so much to do; pack a picnic, go on the playground, play tennis or just ramble around the place, visiting landmarks like the Mansion, the landscaped gardens and the old follies. You won’t be short of activities that’s for sure. It’s such an easy relaxing day out, it takes zero planning!
Time to see the butterflies
Tropical World is definitely one of the best attractions in Leeds for sure. It’s great for little and big kids! It’s home to a whole host of animals and it’s just a few minutes’ walk from Roundhay Park. You’ll start in the Butterfly House, before making your way to the aquarium where you can see piranhas, crocodiles and stingrays. From here, you’ll enter the Rainforest and Creature Corner, ahead of the Desert where you can spot those curious meerkats. You’ll end your adventure in the dark where their bats and nocturnal animals live. All great weekends must unfortunately come to an end, but what better way to end it than with a Sunday dinner at
The Mustard Pot in Chapel Allerton.
As you can see, there’s tonnes to do in Leeds, which is why it’s a great city to live near! Check out
latest homes available and find your dream home today.