Situated on the border of the beautiful Peak District, Sheffield is a fantastic city with an abundance of art and culture awaiting your discovery. Overflowing with theatres, galleries, museums, and beautiful gardens, this city offers the perfect weekend getaway for the culture vultures or family explorers. Peruse below for Sheffield’s top attractions.
If you’re staying at our Sheffield hotel for a few days or more, there’s plenty of time to venture outside of the city. Here are some of our favourite things to do just a short drive away.
If you need any more inspiration, make sure you have a chat with our front of house staff who will be happy to offer their tips and advice.
Whether you’re heading back home or continuing on your adventures, it’s easy to reach major towns and cities from our hotel in Sheffield city centre. To help plan your journey, we’ve taken a quick look at the journey times to popular onward destinations from Sheffield.
Manchester: one hour 20 minutes by car or 55 minutes by train
Leeds: 50 minutes by car or 40 minutes by train
York: one hour 15 minutes by car or 50 minutes by train
Nottingham: one hour by car or 50 minutes by train
London: three hours 20 minutes by car or two hours by train
From the whole team here in Sheffield, we look forward to welcoming you to Leonardo Hotels very soon.
Best Bar: Enjoy a great atmosphere and choose from a variety of dishes and stylish cocktails at the Browns Bar & Brasserie located right around the corner from Leonardo Hotel Sheffield.
Best Restaurant: The Milestone restaurant prides itself with being labelled as Sheffield's first true gastro pub and sources all its produce from local suppliers in addition to making their own bread and pasta.
Best Shopping: Collard Manson Boutique (125 Devonshire Street, Sheffield) has a range of innovative and unusual clothes, accessories and jewellery from the best designers around.
Best Sight: Sheffield Botanical Gardens offer visitors some respite from the city's hectic nature.
We've asked our teams to create short videos on how to see the best of their cities in just 36 minutes on foot or just a short car ride from the hotel!
Weston Park Museum
Explore this fantastic award-winning museum! Weston Park Museum offers amazing collections of beautiful and unusual treasures from Sheffield’s geological roots to people, politics and music that ‘shaped the modern city’. The museum is brought to life by fascinating histories, incredible facts, and hands-on interactive displays, offering you a captivating exploration of the world from millions of years ago to the present day.
Educational and engaging, Weston Park Museum offers the perfect activity for all ages and admission is free. The museum is open Monday-Friday 10am-4pm, Saturday 10am-5pm and Sunday 11am-5pm. A little outside the city centre, the museum is a brief 19-minute bus ride from our Sheffield Hotel.
Millennium Gallery
Situated in the heart of the city, the Millennium Gallery is one of Sheffield's architectural and cultural treasures. Considered Sheffield’s ‘premier destination for art, craft and design’, this fantastic venue provides a glimpse into the city’s unique heritage, most notably the metalwork that made Sheffield world famous. The gallery is renowned for large blockbuster exhibitions that bring masterpieces from national galleries and museums to the city, alongside innovative contemporary art and historical exhibitions.
The Millennium Gallery is open to Monday – Saturday 10am-5pm, and 11am-4pm on Sundays. Entry is free to the Millennium Gallery, which is situated a very brief five-minute walk from our hotel.
Graves Gallery
Situated above the Central Library, Graves Gallery is the home of Sheffield’s visual art collection. With eight galleries to explore, there are a plethora of famous names and pieces to peruse in a ‘peaceful haven’ of art and temporary exhibitions.
Graves Gallery offers free entry and is open Tuesday – Saturday 11am – 4pm, with reduced hours on Wednesday s (1pm-6pm). The gallery is located a brief six-minute walk from Leonardo Hotel Sheffield.
Cupola Contemporary ArtFrom paintings, printmaking, ceramics, and sculptures, to jewellery, glass, textiles and photography, Cupola Gallery offers a range of contemporary art awaiting your discovery. With over 300 artists housed in the gallery, a day out exploring Cupola will not disappoint.
The gallery is open 10am – 6pm Monday – Saturday and can be found a short 24-minute tram ride away from Leonardo Hotel Sheffield.
Kelham Island Museum
To learn more about Sheffield’s industrial heritage, a visit to Kelham Island Museum is a must. Located on a 900 year-old man made island, the museum tells the story of steel production in the city, and even has a collection of Sheffield-made cars dating back to the 1920s. We recommend: seeing the ‘Little Mesters’ at work in their Victorian workshops.
Sheffield Manor Lodge
Dating back to the Middle Ages, Sheffield Manor Lodge takes you back in time as you explore the city through the centuries. Visit the Tudor Lodge, take the kids to the Farm, and discover what life was like during and after the war at the 1940s Cottage. We recommend: getting there by catching the 8 bus from Sheffield station, just a six minute walk from our hotel.
Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Paul
Otherwise known as Sheffield Cathedral, the Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Paul is the oldest building in the city and is well worth a visit, especially if you’re seeking a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of the streets. Just a 10 minute walk from Leonardo Hotel Sheffield the route takes you past the impressive Town Hall along the way.
We recommend: stopping for a drink in the cafe after spending time appreciating the beautiful stained glass windows.
Exploring the rich culture of Sheffield is an enriching experience that unveils a tapestry of history, arts, and vibrant traditions. To discover even more cultural treasures and enhance your Sheffield adventure, be sure to check out our Sheffield City Guide. It is a valuable resource brimming with suggestions to make your visit truly unforgettable.
Chatsworth House
Nestled in the heart of the Peak District National Park, Chatsworth House is one of the ‘Treasure Houses’ of England. The magnificent house, garden, parkland, adventure playground and even farmyard are a Sheffield must-see, drawing many visitors each year. The 105 acre garden is particularly impressive with giant water features, sculptures, a maze, and stunning views of the house and park.
Chatsworth House offers over 30 rooms and displays ‘one of Europe’s most significant art collections’, making this a truly unique experience and fantastic day out for the whole family. The estate also holds a range of events throughout the year, including a Christmas market for you to peruse in November.
Ticket prices are dependent on which activity you choose, whether visiting just the House and Garden, or the farmyard and adventure playground. You can explore the whole estate with a ‘Complete Ticket’, costing £24.90 for adults and £16 for children.
Chatsworth House is an enjoyable 37-minute drive through the Peak District from our Sheffield hotel.
Sheffield Botanical Gardens
A historic landscape created in 1836, the Sheffield Botanical Gardens is a haven of peace and tranquillity offering stunning collections of plants and woodland from all over the world. The Gardens also feature several listed buildings, which includes the spectacular restored ‘curvilinear Glass Pavilions’, a Grade II listed building that houses an impressive temperate plant collection.
From the Evolution Garden to the Asia Garden, the beautiful plant life is awaiting your discovery, whether taking in the occasional open-air cultural event or simply enjoying a peruse and a picnic.
Just 19-minute bus journey from our hotel, the Botanical Gardens are a real Sheffield treasure that should not to be missed!
The Peace GardensSituated in the heart of the city, the Peace Gardens offer an award-winning public square, set against the backdrop of the stunning Victorian Town Hall. The square’s magnificent fountains, water features, and lawns make this an urban oasis for locals and visitors alike.
The Peace Gardens is located a brief six-minute walk from our Sheffield Hotel.
The Winter Garden
One of Sheffield's treasured icons, the Winter Garden houses a marvellous display of more than 2,500 plants made up of more than 150 species from around the world. Linking the Millennium Galleries, Tudor Square and the Peace Gardens, it is the largest temperate glasshouse in any European city centre. The Winter Garden also houses the Bessemer Gallery, which offers facilities for coffee and ‘light refreshments’.
The Winter Garden is open 8am to 8pm Monday to Saturday, closing at 6pm on Sundays. Admission is free and the garden is just a short seven-minute walk from Leonardo Hotel Sheffield.
The Peak District National ParkDiscover the beautiful landscapes of the Peak District National Park. Whether enjoying a walk, cycle or drive, the Peak District offers breath-taking views, quaint little towns and a range of exciting activities. Explore the various adventures and plan your visit today.
The Peak District National Park visitor centres can be found across the peak district, each visitor centre is roughly a 37-minute drive from our Sheffield hotel.
Crucible Theatre
For first-class evening entertainment, nothing beats a visit to the iconic Crucible Theatre. Whether you enjoy listening to live music, watching musicals or going to thought-provoking talks, there’s something for everyone at Sheffield’s most famous theatre.
We recommend: booking tickets to see the World Snooker Championships, which are held each year at the Crucible.
For a deeper dive into the vibrant culture and attractions of Sheffield, make sure to check out our Sheffield City Guide. It is your comprehensive resource for discovering a wide range of ideas and fun things to do and see in this dynamic city.
Sheffield's Meadowhall is one of the UK's largest shopping centres. The centre boasts most of the top high street stores, making it the perfect place to indulge in some serious retail therapy. Explore the many stores, places to eat, and cinema times to plan your visit.
Located off the M1, Meadowhall Shopping centre is a 32-minute tram ride from our Sheffield city centre hotel.
With 190 stalls to explore, The Moor Market offers a fantastic city shopping experience. This indoor market has everything from fresh fruit and veg to jewellery, clothes, crafts and fabrics, and more. The market is open 8.30am- 5.30pm Monday to Saturday.
Just a stone’s throw away from our Sheffield hotel, The Moor Market is an easy three-minute walk from Leonardo Hotels.
Be sure to check out our Sheffield City Guide to uncover an array of fun things to do and see conveniently located near our exquisite hotel. Exploring Sheffield's shopping scene is just the beginning of your journey in this vibrant city. Our guide is your gateway to a treasure trove of exciting attractions, events, and hidden gems that collectively make Sheffield a truly captivating destination.
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