Leeds Area Guide

Today, the thriving city brimming with history offers an architectural dream, with a balanced mix of old and new, grand and stylish homes, and landmark buildings.

According to public body, English Heritage, there are more listed buildings in Leeds than in any English city outside London.

Sport has been a major part of Leeds life for many years, with a favourite heritage site being the world famous Headingley Carnegie Stadium – home of world rugby super league champions Leeds Rhinos and Michael Vaughan's Yorkshire County Cricket Club First XI. The cricket ground also hosts Test matches featuring the world's top international sides, with the likes of South Africa and Australia playing frequently.

Thousands of visitors are drawn to the city centre every month, the award-winning Royal Armouries - the national collection of arms and armour – has become a top attraction, along with Leeds' finest stately home, Harewood House, and the West Yorkshire Playhouse.

The Victorian arcades, the famous clubs, the vibrant art scene, the diverse cuisine, the astounding attractions, theatrical productions, and live operatic performances combine to offer a cosmopolitan culture. And with five miles of shopping streets, it is no surprise that the large pedestrianised centre has become known as the 'Knightsbridge of the North'.

The Victoria Quarter is the lovingly-restored Victorian home to 70 leading fashion brands, including the likes of A-List favourites Vivienne Westwood, Prada and Paul Smith.

With high street giants lining the Headrow, vintage boutiques dotted in-between and a special collection of quirky stalls and shops in the elegant Corn Exchange, the city centre caters for every taste and every budget.

And with the prestigious Harvey Nichols taking centre stage, Leeds has become the favourite destination for a chic, stylish retail experience outside the capital.

The snippets of beautiful greenery found dotted around the city offer the perfect peaceful retreat away from the hustle and bustle of city life, and are luckily never more than a few miles away.

These include the famous Monet Garden at Roundhay Park, Temple Newsam House & Gardens and Harewood House.

Leeds has a compact, easily walkable city centre, and is the perfect gateway to the stunning Yorkshire countryside. Accessible by a variety of channels means living in Leeds couldn’t be easier:

Ideally connected to the British motorway network from all directions, Leeds has easy access to M1, M62 and A1. Its train station is considered to be the busiest outside London with over 900 trains and 90,000 passengers passing through each day. And if travelling by air, Leeds Bradford International Airport is just 11 miles northwest of the city centre.