Sheffield might not be the first name on the tip of someone’s tongue when you ask them which city they want to visit. Heck, most people outside of England probably haven’t even heard of the steel-producing city. Sheffield has a lot to offer and I’ll prove it to you!
Here are five fun things to do in Sheffield this weekend
The Music Scene
You might not know this, but Sheffield has quite an impressive music scene. Many famous musicians such as The Arctic Monkeys, Def Leppard and Human League hail from the city. Whether you’re looking for an intimate live gig in a small bar, or a massive concert in a crowded arena you’ve come to the right place. For the former, Plug and The Leadmill are great choices. If you see yourself as the next Ed Sheeran then head to Fagan’s where you can sing/play an instrument or even do both!
Every July the ‘Tramlines Festival’ takes over the city for three days. Here you’ll get to see local and national artists and it won’t cost you a penny as it’s all put on for free.
The Crucible Theatre
The theatre (as you can probably imagine) hosts many theatrical productions, even won the Barclays ‘Theatre of the Year Award’ in 2001 and is also a listed building. As well as this, it’s also home to the most important event in snooker history: the World Championship, which has been held there annually since 1977. You’ve sadly missed it this year, but in 2014 it’ll run from April 19th to May 5th so buy your tickets as soon as possible!
The Greenery
If it’s a nice day, don’t stay cooped up indoors, visit one of Sheffield’s 13 parks, woodlands and gardens! Firth Park was even presented with the Green Award between 2008 and 2011. The Botanical Gardens cover 19 acres and have recently undergone a £6.69 million restoration so what more reason to visit. Plants from all over the world reside there as well as lots of wildlife such as squirrels and many different kinds of birds.
The Winter Garden
If you like the feeling of being outdoors while actually being indoors (or if it’s raining) then the Winter Garden is a nice place to take a break. It’s one of the UK’s largest temperate glass houses, full of many exotic plants with plaques in front of each one so you can learn a little bit about the flora. Relax on a bench and you’ll feel like you’re in a tropical paradise. There’s also Zooby’s, a Fairtrade café in the gardens so you can have a snack if you’re feeling peckish during the sightseeing.
The Architecture
A city full of factories doesn’t sound like it’d be high up on the list of places with beautiful buildings, but there are some amazing sights to see if you look higher than the shop fronts. There are about 1,000 listed buildings in Sheffield, most of them being stunning such as the Lyceum Theatre, Norton Hall, the Old Queen’s Head and many more. Just a stroll through the town centre will unearth many photo-worthy buildings. The Town Hall on Street scored highly in the list of most-loved buildings in Sheffield. If you’re snap-happy when it comes to architecture you’ll definitely be spoilt for choice in Sheffield.
And if you’re still not convinced…Government figures in April 2013 show that Sheffield is the safest of the largest UK cities so even more reason to visit.
Author bio:
This has been a guest post by Rachel; foodie, traveller and writer. When she’s not eating or exploring different countries, she’s blogging for hungryhouse – one of the UK’s best online food platforms so why not order here next time you’re craving your favourite food?
