We're ranked in the same list as Antarctica, Berlin and Dominica.
What a title for our city.
The only UK city to make it onto the list, Leeds has a wealth of art and culture- and with a foodie scene that's ranked as 'the capital of the north', we like to think it's no surprise.
Leeds was ranked the best places in the world to visit along with some pretty iconic destinations. Antarctica nicked the top spot for for its 'dream destination status', Berlin for 'best for culture, clubbing and arty city breaks' followed in second whilst Bohol Island in The Philippines, took the bronze medal for its wealth of 'adventure, wildlife and out-of-this-world beaches'.
And then in ninth places, comes Leeds: 'best for gourmands, gallery-lovers and theatre fans'.
Rough Guides opened their guide on Leeds with "When it came to the UK, including Leeds in our best travel destinations to visit in 2023 was a no-brainer. Firstly, Leeds is the UK City of Culture in 2023. Secondly, Yorkshire was one of your top UK regions for 2023 staycations."
Image: Unsplash
Namedropping the Leeds Grand Theatre, and Northern Ballet and Opera North- the only nationally recognised UK opera company outside London no less- Rough Guides reckons that anyone visiting our city will be "spoiled for choice" if you love a live performance.
That's before mentioning the Guinness World Book of Record holder City Varieties, and the exciting reopening of Hyde Park Picture House coming in April. The last gas-lit cinema in the UK has undergone a huge renovation to modernise the space and make the cinema more accessible.
Naturally the thriving food scene in Leeds is mentioned here, shedding light on local's favourite Kirkgate Market for a lunchtime treat, quoting Leeds Indie Food as "a celebration of fresh fare from local growers and creators, plus global innovators drawn to the city's embracing of culinary culture."
Officially voted the ninth best place to visit in the world, we're ranked higher than Ljubljana, one of the most beautiful countries in the world by Rough Guides- which is impressive to say the least.
You can check out the full list of 'The Rough Guide to the best travel destinations in 2023' here.
Feature Image- Unsplash
Leeds
Iconic Leeds venue The Reliance to be brought back to life under new name ‘The Smithfield’
The Reliance, a much missed North Street site, is being brought back to life as The Smithfield.
The Smithfield is set to be a new social eatery and pub focused on seasonal, produce-led dining.
Set to open its doors to the people of Leeds in early April, The Smithfield will pay homage to the local area through both its produce and people.
The venue will focus on proper plates of seasonal ingredients, pairing a relaxed dining style with a strong sense of community. Sounds pretty brilliant if you ask us.
Building on the legacy of North Street, The Smithfield is a collaborative project between Yorkshire brewery Crooked Brewing and chef James Donovan.
Images: Supplied
Steve Dawson, co-founder of Crooked Brewing, has long admired The Reliance and want to build on its established legacy.
“What The Reliance was doing was cutting edge for its time,” says Donovan. “We want to bring that same vision and energy into Leeds in 2026. Our aim is to pick up the culinary torch that The Reliance left behind and continue its legacy of great food in Leeds,” adds Dawson.
The Smithfield takes its name from Church Street’s historic connection to the Smithfield cattle market of the early 1800s, once located on what is now Lovell Park.
“We really want the people around us to feel that The Smithfield is their space,” says Dawson. “We want to give them a place at our table.”
We'll keep you updated with an opening date as and when we know, but we're very excited indeed.
Jungle are back and have announced a huge Leeds gig for later this year
Daisy Jackson
Modern funk and soul band Jungle are officially heading back to Leeds.
The Mercury Prize-nominated group will be performing at the First Direct Bank Arena this November, following their blistering summer on the festival circuit last year.
They'll be heading to Leeds on Saturday 21 November 2026.
Jungle was formed back in 2013 by producers and friends Josh Lloyd-Watson and Tom McFarland.
While they technically worked as a duo for years (until 2023, when touring member Lydia Kitto became an official member of the band), Jungle are known for their huge live performances.
They always fill stages with musicians and vocalists, for incredible funk n soul live shows.
The bands huge hits include Back on 74, Casio, and Busy Earnin’, from four top-10 albums including 2023’s groundbreaking Volcano.
The upcoming Leeds date forms part of the band’s upcoming world tour, which arrives in the UK in November 2026 following a string of international performances across Europe, North America, and beyond.
Fans can expect a setlist jam packed with standout tracks, including fan favourites such as ‘Volcano’ and ‘Back On 74’ and newer material from their upcoming album ‘Sunshine’, released on 14 August that continues to push the band’s signature sound forward.
With over 3.4 billion streams to their name, Jungle’s Leeds show is set to be one of the hottest tickets of 2026 so we wouldn't mess about if we were you.
Tickets for Jungle in Manchester will go on general sale from 10am on Friday 27 March, with pre-sale from 10am on Thursday 26 March.
Sophie Smith -
13th December 2022 
