City named as top European hotspot
Leeds is only destination in UK to feature in top 10
A renaissance in Yorkshire’s largest city has seen it named among the leading destinations in Europe as travel experts heralded its regeneration and burgeoning cultural and arts scene.
The international travel company Lonely Planet has named Leeds in its Best in Europe 2017 list.
A RENAISSANCE in Yorkshire’s largest city has seen it named among the leading destinations in Europe as travel experts heralded its regeneration and burgeoning cultural and arts scene.
The international travel company Lonely Planet has named Leeds in its Best in Europe 2017 list, which highlights the top places to visit this year.
The West Yorkshire city is the only UK destination to make the top 10 list and earned its place due to its transformation over the past decade with urban regeneration, a flourishing cultural scene, a growing food and craft beer reputation and thriving entertainment and nightlife.
Leeds City Council’s leader Coun Judith Blake said: “This is a fabulous endorsement for Leeds and to be recognised as one of the top places in Europe people want to visit, enjoy and explore is something that as a city we can all be incredibly proud of.
“To see Leeds take its place alongside some of the world’s top travel destinations is testament to the vision and hard work of the many businesses, organisations and attractions who contribute so much to the continued growth of our thriving visitor economy.
“It’s particularly encouraging to see the quality of our city’s impressive cultural, leisure and nightlife scenes acknowledged.”
Zagreb in Croatia was named as the number one location, with Gotland in Sweden in second place, then Galicia in Spain in third and Northern Montenegro in fourth.
Leeds came in fifth spot, followed by Alentejo in Portugal, Northern Germany, Moldova, Paphos in Cyprus and then Le Havre in France.
Factors that have seen Leeds transform its image to a contender for the European Capital of Culture 2023 are the opening of two major shopping centres, Victoria Gate and Trinity, which in just over four years have seen the city rocket to third in the UK’s retail rankings, and the evolving business, office and financial district around Bridgewater Place.
In addition, there has been the arrival of Opera North, one of Europe’s leading art organisations, and an emerging food and drink scene which has enjoyed a 12 per cent rise in independent restaurants in three years.
The city is also witnessing a major re-development of the SouthBank area with thousands of new homes and rail links.
The director of the Henry Moore Foundation Godfrey Worsdale said: “The Henry Moore Foundation has had a venue in Leeds – the Henry Moore Institute – for some 20 years now, inspired by the fact that Moore started his artistic training in the city at Leeds College of Art.
“The city’s cultural scene has built on its rich heritage in recent years and has significant ambitions for the future.”
Lonely Planet’s UK destination editor James Smart added: “Once defined by its industrial past, Leeds is now a confident, cultural hub in the North of England.”
Never been a better time to head to Yorkshire and join the party. James Smart, Lonely Planet’s spokesperson and UK destination editor.