ENJOYAQUICKGETAWAYDOWNSOUTH
experience: Descend from the bridge above Platform 17 at Leeds Railway Station into the Dark Arches (brick tunnels built in Victorian times to carry the waters of the River Aire), then emerge into a blaze of daylight by the Leeds And Liverpool Canal. From £73 per night room only.
A budget option is Art Hostel (arthostel.org.uk) in Kirkgate. Managed by East Street Arts as a social enterprise, each room has been individually designed using recycled materials. A private twin room costs £55, while a bunk in a 10-bed mixed dorm is £22.50. The Royal Armouries (royalarmouries.org) is the national collection of arms and armour, much of it previously stored in the Tower Of London, and essentially a shrine to the ways people can kill each other. Horrible? Yes. But the collection is also about innovation, technology and superb craftmenship.
Pick up the free water taxi near the DoubleTree by Hilton and enjoy a 20-minute cruise along the River Aire to the steps of the waterside museum. Entrance is free. The Grand Arcade is, ironically, the least grand of Leeds’ many covered shopping streets. These range from Thornton’s Arcade (opened in 1878 and home today to quirky independent retailers, such as OK Comics) to the much newer Victoria Gate, anchored by one of the largest John Lewis stores in the UK.
The jewel in the crown is The Victoria Quarter, designed in 1900 by Frank Matcham, better known for his theatres. A branch of Harvey Nichols now stands on the site of the original Empire Theatre.