City guides: Leeds

With three universities and numerous colleges to its name, Leeds is undoubtedly one of the most vibrant and varied student cities in the UK. Get cultured taking in the sights and sounds of the city and discover a day in the life of a loiner (yes that’s really the name for a native of Leeds).

Bars and clubs

Leeds offers a huge range of clubs and bars with one of the latest to open being Maluko, which is bound to take off with students, particularly on a Thursday night which will also compete with Lipstik Jungle at The Warehouse. One of the great features of Leeds’ nightlife is the number of quirky venues that have been transformed into clubs such as Halo – an 18th century church, and for house lovers the Stinky’s Peephouse factory which is home to the legendary BackToBasics. One of the big traditions for Leeds students is the Otley run. Here you tour down Otley road, to the city centre, stopping at every bar for a drink along the way and usually in fancy dress. A must for freshers, but if all else fails you can guarantee a good night out on Call Lane.

Shopping

Leeds caters for all budgets and the number of shops is rapidly expanding. The Trinity Leeds shopping centre, opening in March 2013 is set to hold 120 shops. Leeds is home to one of the largest indoor markets in Europe – perfect for saving money and snapping up vintage clothes or cheap necessities. At the other end of the scale the Victoria Quarter hosts some of the most enviable names in fashion, including Vivienne Westwood and Harvey Nichols. In between these two extremities Leeds has the main high street brands as well as a number of smaller boutiques surrounding the Corn Exchange.

Eating out

Leeds is a foodies heaven and caters for all budgets. At the top end of the market, Brasserie Blanc in the city centre serves up simple French food while Mr £andwich in Headingley lets you chow down on any sandwich for £1. For a post exam treat, Salvo’s in Headingley is a favourite and hits the spot perfectly. It is a notch pricier than the average student dinner, but it’s worth it for the delectable pizzas. The Arc and The Box are Headingley favourites after a heavy night, offering vegetarian and vegan options. The Arc has also created the perfect hangover cure with the ‘Desperate Dan’. This whopping breakfast contains a huge full-English encased in a pizza dough pie.

Entertainment

To see local bands in action visit The Packhorse, The Drydock and keep an eye out on your student unions, especially Stylus at the University of Leeds. HiFi hosts some pretty heavy club nights but it also opens its doors to acts such as Corrine Bailey Rae and are famed for their comedy shows, graced by Alan Carr this year. Headingley is home to rugby leagues, Leeds Rhinos and rugby unions Leeds Carnegie – with a student discount available it’s a cheap and fun evening.

Student accommodation

Hyde Park and Headlingley are the obvious and choice areas if you’re studying here, but if you’re studying at Leeds Trinity University College it is worth bearing in mind the train journey that will need to be taken. Headingley tends to be more expensive than Hyde Park, but Hyde Park does have a great student feel to it and you can’t beat a sunny day on Woodhouse Moor.

Top 3 places to see

• Take a day trip to York
• Have a night out on Call Lane
• Visit the Yorkshire Dales

Leeds is a vibrant and exciting city where you will never be short of things to do. No student would feel out of place here. First-class universities, exciting nightlife, more shopping opportunities than you can shake a stick at and a world of culture at your fingertips, Leeds is the perfect city to live and to study.