Leeds is a flourishing city where you are sure to find something that appeals, its strong culture and heritage provide it with a vibrancy and atmosphere that is just calling out to be discovered and explored. Named as one of the top destinations in the UK for attractions, shopping and nightlife, it has a fantastic nightclub scene, hundreds of bars and restaurants for any city to cope with, and is a fashionable city break destination with visitors from the UK and abroad.

Home to over 75 nationalities and with the University of Leeds attracting more student applications than any other in the country, Leeds is a multicultural and cosmopolitan place to live and visit. This once northern industrial city has transformed itself with new developments such as the Leeds waterfront and the Millennium Square that can accommodate up to 20,000 people and includes the famous Nelson Mandela Garden. With the city centre being fairly compact, it is still quite easy to get around the centre by foot, or take a bus or canal boat to the many museums, night clubs, public houses and theatres.

There are more listed buildings in Leeds than in any other UK city apart from London, and areas not to miss include the Victoria Quarter, Leeds Corn Exchange and Harewood House, a fine example of a stately home. Leeds boasts its own theatre, opera house and ballet company. Museums and art galleries litter the city and surrounding areas and it has one of the UK’s best collections of contemporary British art located at the Art Gallery, including works by Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth. The city is also home to the Royal Armouries, the national collection of arms and armour.

During the daytime the city is fast-paced and energetic, in complete contrast to its background of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and landscape of moorlands and coastlines. There is also a mixture of successful local communities and cultures that make Leeds the interesting place it is today. Often compared to London, Leeds is a great place to find a bargain as the city has more than a thousand shops located in its shopping centers, arcades, high streets and markets. The spectacular Roundhay Park embraces more than 700 acres of parkland, lakes and woodland including scented gardens for the blind, National Plant Collections, Canal Gardens, the Monet and Alhambra Gardens, plus Tropical World.

Once the sun goes down, the city starts to come alive with its broad range of restaurants, bars, clubs and other types of leisure activities. Spend a cultural evening at the opera or theatre or watch the ballet. For excitement head to one of the 4 casinos in Leeds, The Gala Casino has a card room, Grosvenor Casino Leeds Merrion is located in the Podium Building, Grosvenor Moortown Casino offers a dedicated Poker Room and Napoleons Casino have American Roulette, Black Jack and 3 Card Poker.

Sport is big in this area with Headingley Carnegie Stadium home to the Rhinos in Rugby League and Leeds Carnegie in Rugby Union and Michael Vaughan’s Yorkshire County Cricket Club. Mention Elland Road and most people will recognize it as the base for Leeds United.

There are heaps of famous people from Leeds, including Sir Jimmy Savile, who is best known as the presenter of Jim'll Fix It and Top of the Pops.  Mel B from the Spice Girls is a Yorkshire lass and Elizabeth Dawn best-known for her character Vera Duckworth in Coronation Street. Chris Moyles, the BBC Radio 1 DJ, Alan Bennett, performer in Beyond the Fringe and author of The Madness of King George, and the actor Peter O'Toole famous for his role in Lawrence of Arabia all hail from Leeds.