Everyone can agree that Leeds is one super cool city. For one it was awarded a Guinness World Record in 2014 for the most people dressed as Sherlock Holmes (a whooping 443 people!). So if you’re paying a visit to Leeds or just wanting to go somewhere with your mates, why not take a look at these cool places.
1. Aire Street Darkroom
Location: 30 Aire Street, Leeds, LS1 4HT
Set up in 2017, the Aire Street Darkroom is the city’s very own public Darkroom. There are a variety of training courses available which will help you pick up a few darkroom techniques as well as skills on how to use your film camera.
2. Victoria Leeds
Location: 44 Victoria Gate, Vicar Ln, Leeds, LS2 7AU
Victoria Leeds Shopping Centre is more of a cool attraction than a mundane shopping centre. Stroll under a stunning ornate glass canopy whilst you explore the gorgeous arcade and major high street stores like John Lewis.
3. Paddy Aerial Yoga
Location: Paddy Aerial Yoga, Springfield Commercials Centre, Farnsley, Leeds, LS28 5LY
Paddy Aerial Yoga is not your average yoga class. Aerial Yoga is a fun approach to yoga and is one of the coolest places to go to in Leeds. Instead of using plain, fabricated mats, you can use hammocks which will lift you *slightly* into the air. It is said to help you achieve a deeper muscle release which helps to relax both the body and mind.
4. Lawnswood Cemetery
Location: Otley Road, Adel, Leeds, LS16 6AH
Okay, I know what your thinking. How on earth can a cemetery be cool? The Lawnswood Cemetery is a Victorian graveyard and is a macabre collection of beautiful tombs and memorials. It was designed by Georgy Carson in 1875 and includes delicate statues and beautifully engraved gravestones.
5. Horned Helmet of Henry VIII
Location: Armouries Dr, Leeds LS10 1LT
History museums are seriously cool places to visit. But there is one specific place (or ornament in this case) that you have to go and see in Leeds. This is the Horned Helmet of Henry VIII. King Henry was famous for the number of wives the lad went through but not so famous for what he wore on his head. Which in itself is strange, considering he had some pretty enigmatic headpieces to choose from. It is also used as the museum’s logo outside.
6. Clip’n’Climb
Location: Unit 3, Tristram Centre, Brown Lane, Holbeck, LS12 6BF
The Clip’n’Climb in Tristram Centre is one cool and unique place to visit in Leeds. It is the ultimate climbing centre, that is set to put you and your friends to the ultimate climbing test. Not to mention it has over 30 climbing walls to choose from!
7. Leeds City Varieties
Location: Leeds City Varieties Music Hall, Swan Street, Leeds, LS1 6LW
At the first glance, Leeds City Varieties looks like every other dark alleyway. However, on closer inspection, it is one of the last remaining Victorian Music Halls in the UK. It is a cool and magnificent place for you and your friends to watch a gig or a stand-up performance.
8. The Ivanhoe Clock
Location: Thornton’s Arcade, Leeds, LS1 6LQ
The Ivanhoe Clock is a cool place to pay a visit to and is an attraction its own right. It was made by William Potts and Sons, and you can even see characters from Sir Walter Scott’s novels such as Friar Tuck and Robin Hood.
9. The Mabgate Mural
Location: Mabgate Cafe, 97 Mabgate, Leeds, LS9 7DR
Tucked away on Mabgate Cafe is a mural that is quite spectacular and is a super cool sight to go and pay a visit to. The cafe used to be a stone cutting mill and was redecorated in 1987 by Surmak Products. The mural includes windows showing each room and what makes it particularly special is that the people in each room are based on their former employees. How touching and cool is that?
10. Leeds Beckett Pocket Gardens
Location: Leeds Beckett Pocket Beds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS2 3AX
There’s a public herb garden that is maintained by students that everyone should pay a visit to. It’s got everything from basil and parsley to wild strawberries and even an apple tree, so you can forage for fresh fruit, herbs and veggies for free!
