Sheffield

The original Steel City, Sheffield is one place most have heard of, but isn't usually on many travellers' bucket lists. If this is you, you're missing out. It's true, Yorkshire's second city has a bit of an image problem. Its cutlery may be in kitchen drawers the world over, but Sheffield hasn't necessarily reinvented itself in the way that other northern English cities have managed to do.

For other places with the same name, see Sheffield (disambiguation).

City Hall and Cenotaph, Barkers Pool

That being said, first-time visitors are more often than not surprised by what they find. Many remark on how they wish they'd discovered the place sooner, and wonder why nobody told them it was here.

Why? Sheffielders are too modest; they know their city is wonderful, but they won't tell you so, even though that means getting overlooked more often than not. When pushed, they might mumble something about metal and hills, but they won't tell you about their creative talents, or their museums and art galleries. If the locals mention the city's two universities, they won't brag about their size (30,000 students apiece) or successes (world leaders in industry, engineering and the sciences).

They certainly won't talk about the fact that Sheffield is England's National City of Sport, nor that it has a credible claim to being the real ale capital of the world, nor even that it is home to Britain's biggest and best theatre scene outside London. As for telling you how many trees Sheffield has (three times the number of people), or just how close it is to the Peak District (one third of the city lies within this national park, the UK's oldest), you can forget it. But now you're in the know, there can be no more excuses - you'll find there's plenty to discover in "England's largest village".

Understand

Sheffield
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D       83     7 2       60     7 2       63     10 3       66     13 5       54     16 8       76     19 11       56     21 13       65     21 12       64     18 10       81     14 8       79     10 5       87     7 2 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation+Snow totals in mm See the 5 day forecast for Sheffield at the Met Office
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D       3.3     44 35       2.4     45 35       2.5     50 38       2.6     55 41       2.1     61 46       3     66 51       2.2     70 55       2.6     69 54       2.5     64 51       3.2     56 46       3.1     49 40       3.4     44 36 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation+Snow totals in inches

Orientation

Sheffield is one of the United Kingdom's biggest cities, with a population of 575,000, and around 1.6 million in the wider metropolitan area. The city lies in the most southerly part of Yorkshire, with Derbyshire to the west and south-west, Nottinghamshire to the south-east, and Lincolnshire not far to the east. The M1 motorway runs along the city's eastern boundary and separates Sheffield from neighbouring Rotherham. The beautiful Peak District National Park extends to within the western city boundary, and the South Pennines area ("Last of the Summer Wine country") lies just to the north. The cities of Leeds, Manchester and Nottingham are all roughly 30 miles (48 km) from Sheffield, in different directions.

Local folklore states that Sheffield is, just like Rome, built on seven hills; there are in fact considerably more than seven, and pretty much every neighbourhood is on the top or side of one hill or another. As well as the hills, the city is the meeting point of five rivers; the Don, the Loxley, the Porter Brook, the Rivelin, and the Sheaf, from which Sheffield gets its name. The city owes its existence to this rich landscape. Even before the Industrial Revolution, the villages around Sheffield were established as centres of industry and commerce thanks to fast flowing rivers and streams that brought water down from the Pennines. The valleys through which these flowed were ideally suited for man-made dams that could be used to power water mills. A walk along the Rivelin Valley from Malin Bridge tram stop or along the Porter Valley out from Endcliffe Park towards the Peak District will reveal some of these old dams.

The City Centre lies where these rivers and valleys meet. The city has expanded out along the valleys and over the hills between, creating leafy neighbourhoods and suburbs within easy reach of the centre. Each valley has its own character, from the densely industrial Don Valley in the north-east, to the green and cosmopolitan residential streets in the Porter Valley in the south-west. Speaking very generally, Sheffield is split into two; the western half, closer to the Peak District, is more affluent, and contains some of the wealthiest postcodes in England, whereas the eastern half, where most of the heavy industry is concentrated, is more working class, and unfortunately has some of the country's most deprived neighbourhoods.

Industrial Revolution and aftermath

Poet industrialist Ebenezer Elliott was a tireless champion of the working class in Sheffield and nationally. Here's his statue in Weston Park

“	Sheffield, I suppose, could justly claim to be called the ugliest town in the Old World	”
—George Orwell in The Road to Wigan Pier, after a three day visit in 1937 that presumably went brilliantly.

Industry in the city really took off when the railways arrived, allowing for the mass import of raw materials and export of finished products. The crucible technique of making exceptionally high quality steel was invented here by Benjamin Huntsman in 1852, and for decades it was to give Sheffield the economic advantage over other steel-producing cities. The Sheffield metallurgist Harry Brearley is the most commonly-credited inventor of stainless steel, in 1912. Sheffield is still home to several steel works and a number of cutlery and blade manufacturers (including Swann Morton), and Sheffield steel can be found in surgical equipment and kitchen drawers the world over.

However, the economic recession of the 1980s hit Sheffield hard, and large numbers of workers were left unemployed by the changing shape of heavy industry in Britain. Increased mechanisation has meant that while the steel industry has remained an important part of the city's export economy, it employs a fraction of the former workforce. Like Liverpool and Glasgow, Sheffield gained the reputation for a socialist political scene in reaction to the Conservative government of the day and the not always tongue-in-cheek label of "The People's Republic of South Yorkshire" was applied to the city and its environs. The resilient spirit of Sheffielders in these bleak times made the city famous in the black comedy film The Full Monty, and people even today retain a remarkable optimism against hardship. This is seen most acutely in a local saying, "Smile, tha's not dead yet!"

View of Sheffield City Centre

Sheffield today

It has become something of a local joke that post-war town planners did more damage to the face of Sheffield than even the Luftwaffe managed during the blitz. Bold housing projects such as the widely-known Park Hill, and the pedestrianised shopping street The Moor are relics of the 1960s vision of a "city on the move". In reality, this left much of Sheffield with a poorly maintained legacy of failed utopian concrete fantasies, but this braveness and edginess is cited by many as being a fundamental part of Sheffield's character.

Even if the built environment of Sheffield occasionally leaves something to be desired, large parts of the City Centre have been spruced up by investment, while in other areas this is still a work in progress. However, the large amount of pedestrianised space and the presence of street-running trams gives the centre something of a continental feel. Furthermore, the kind of mid-century brutalist and functionalist architecture that Sheffield has in spades has had an upsurge in popularity, and both Park Hill and the Moor have been sympathetically reinvented for the 21st century, while maintaining their essential character.

People

Sheffielders - people from Sheffield - speak with a distinctive, melodious accent, that has spurred people from other parts of Yorkshire to give them the nickname dee-dars (a play on the local pronunciation of "thee" and "thou" - yes those pronouns are current in these parts!) If you know of the actor Sean Bean, you will have possibly already heard his natural Sheffield accent, which he has used in many roles, including in Sharpe and Game of Thrones. There are also some dialect words in common use; see the main Yorkshire article for details.

While the whole of the north of England claims to have friendly natives, Sheffielders pride themselves on an egalitarian warmth and hospitality that goes above and beyond the call of duty. This is a city of over half a million people, where folk still greet friends and neighbours in the street to pass the time of day. Visitors may find this familial atmosphere, which has earned Sheffield the nickname of "England's largest village", most noticeable in the affectionate terms that slip into everyday conversation. Even when making a simple purchase in a shop or market, you can expect to be called 'love' or 'pal' at least once. If a stranger strikes up a conversation with you on the tram, don't be alarmed, that just how Sheffielders are!

But as well as ticking a lot of Yorkshire stereotypes, Sheffield is also a vibrant multicultural city, and is home to significant Chinese, Somali, Ethiopian, Turkish, Kurdish, East European and Romany immigrant communities, while tens of thousands of people born in the city claim historic Pakistani, Irish, Caribbean, Polish and Spanish ancestry. The two universities and one huge further education college have 84,000 students between them, many of whom are from overseas. The University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University have excellent ratings in teaching and research, and are important drivers to the regional economy. Sheffield is increasingly prosperous and economically active, with a youthful population, due to the high number of graduates who choose to stay in the city.

Culturally, Sheffield is no slouch, offering everything from fine art, opera, and ballet, to dynamic theatre, film, comedy and street art. The edgy environment has nurtured a reyt good reputation for popular music, and the city is home to Jarvis Cocker, Pulp, the Human League, Def Leppard, the Arctic Monkeys and others. The large student population means that nightlife is always lively, and suitably different to that of other major cities.

Get in

Navigate to: By train, By car, By bus or coach, By boat

By plane

• Manchester Airport (MAN ^IATA) has global direct flights, including from North America, the Middle East, Pakistan and Hong Kong, and competitive fares compared to flying into London. There is an hourly direct train to Sheffield taking 75 min. You can also drive over the Pennines on the picturesque A57 Snake Pass.

Doncaster Sheffield Airport

• 🌍 Doncaster Sheffield Airport (Robin Hood Airport DSA ^IATA) (near Finningley, 8 miles east of Doncaster). Flights to DSA are 1) short-haul by Flybe, e.g. from Amsterdam, Belfast City, Berlin Tegel, Dublin and Paris CDG; 2) from Poland, Lithuania and Romania by Wizzair, and 3) from Med holiday destinations by the major package operators. The airport terminal is modern, and spacious given its limited traffic.
  Stagecoach Bus 737 runs direct between the airport and Sheffield Interchange, taking 45 min. It runs daily, roughly hourly, but only in the evenings, which fits well with most departing flights to Eastern Europe. Buses from the airport depart for Sheffield 17:20-22:40, and return to the airport 16:30-21:50.
  First South Yorkshire Bus routes 57a and 57c run between the airport and Doncaster Frenchgate Interchange, the railway and bus station which is linked by frequent trains to Sheffield all day and evening. Most 57a/57c journeys take 20 min, but this can vary - check the timetable. 57c buses run from the airport M-F every 30 min between 06:00 and 23:55, M-Sa every 30 min between 06:30 and 23:55, Su every hour between 07:40 and 23:25. This journey takes 20 min. 57a buses run to the airport M-F every 30 min between 05:22 and 22:50, Sa every 30 min between 05:32 and 22:50, Su every 30 min between 08:50 and 22:20. The fastest trains between Doncaster and Sheffield take 25 min, with slower trains taking up to 40 min. (updated Sep 2018)
• East Midlands Airport (EMA ^IATA) offers a largely similar range of flights to Doncaster, as well as from Brussels, Budapest, Naples, Prague and Rome Ciampino. It is approximately one hour south of Sheffield on the M1 motorway. There are several daily bus services to Sheffield from the airport, operated by National Express. Trains also run to Sheffield from East Midlands Parkway station, which is a short bus ride from the airport.

By train

Wikivoyage has a guide to Rail travel in the United Kingdom.

Night-time view of Sheaf Square and the railway station

• 🌍 Sheffield Station (Sheffield Midland), Sheaf Square, S1 2BP. The city's central station. You can reach the city centre on foot via Sheaf Square and Howard Street in 10-15 minutes' uphill walking, or in about five minutes by tram. Supertram services stop at the station (Sheffield Station / Sheffield Hallam University), at the far end from the main entrance of the pedestrian bridge that crosses over the platforms. There is a lift from the station concourse and platforms, and several places to buy food and drink. Toilets on several platforms are free to use, whereas the toilets on the main concourse charge 50p. There is no left-luggage service or lockers. Most long-distance coaches and many city buses stop at Sheffield Interchange, two minutes' walk from the station: cross the pelican crossing and walk through the covered walkway. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Meadowhall Interchange, S9 1EQ. Serves as a useful point of entry for the Meadowhall complex, as well as the Arena and Valley Centertainment leisure park, which can be reached via the Supertram. The station includes a tram and bus interchange. There is a luggage-storing service. (updated Nov 2017)

Summary of services

Sheffield lies at the crossroads of three major railways. The Midland Mainline (south-east to north), cross country route (south-west and Midlands to north east and Scotland) and a trans-Pennine service (north-west to north-east and east). All routes serve Midland station in the City Centre, and some also serve Meadowhall.

• London St. Pancras International (for Eurostar from continental Europe), via Leicester and Derby, twice per hour, operated by East Midlands Trains. One train an hour also stops at East Midlands Airport. (Midland)
• Edinburgh Waverley, Newcastle Central, and York twice per hour, operated by Cross Country Trains (Midland)
• Birmingham New Street twice per hour, operated by Cross Country Trains (Midland)
• Leeds up to three times an hour; fast intercity services are operated by Cross Country Trains, and slower commuter trains operated by Northern Rail (Midland, Meadowhall)
• Doncaster (on the East Coast Mainline - London to Edinburgh) five times an hour, operated by Northern Rail and Cross Country Trains (Midland, Meadowhall)
• Manchester Piccadilly three times per hour operated by TransPennine Express, East Midlands Trains and Northern Rail (Midland)
• Manchester Airport once per hour, operated by TransPennine Express (Midland, Meadowhall)
• Liverpool Lime Street once per hour operated by East Midlands Trains (Midland)
• Hull once per hour, operated by Northern Rail (Midland, Meadowhall)
• Bournemouth, Southampton, Reading and Oxford once per hour, operated by Cross Country Trains (Midland)
• Plymouth, Exeter St Davids and Bristol Temple Meads once per hour, operated by Cross Country Trains (Midland)
• Norwich, Peterborough and Nottingham once per hour, operated by East Midlands Trains (Midland)
• Lincoln once per hour, operated by Northern Rail (Midland)
• Hope Valley (Peak District) stations once per hour, operated by Northern Rail (Midland)

Timetables and fare information for all train services can be obtained from National Rail.

By car

The city end of the Sheffield Parkway, with elevated tram tracks running alongside.

See also: Driving in the United Kingdom

Sheffield sits beside the M1 motorway, one of the UK's primary north–south routes linking the city with London, Leicester, Nottingham and Leeds. The M18 links Hull and Doncaster to the M1 next to Sheffield. The M1's interchange with the M62, the main route from Manchester, Liverpool and Bradford, is 25 miles (40 km) north of Sheffield. The City Centre is most easily reached from junction 33 of the M1, via the Sheffield Parkway dual-carriageway.

Two scenic routes from Manchester, the Snake Pass (A57) and the Woodhead Pass (A628) make for breathtaking trips through the Peak District National Park. In the event of heavy snowfall in winter, the police close both routes to all traffic. Should this be the case, you might try the M62 to Leeds, and then down the M1 to Sheffield.

It is also possible to use the Peak District as the scenic route from Birmingham (via Lichfield, Ashbourne and Bakewell) or Stoke-on-Trent (via Leek and Longnor). Beware that the route becomes very busy over holiday periods, and can be treacherous during cold or snowy weather.

Park and ride

There are several places on the outskirts of Sheffield where you can park your vehicle or bicycle for the day or longer (up to 3 months) and catch a tram or train into the city. All sites are open 24/7 unless otherwise stated, and public transport runs between 6AM and midnight.

• 🌍 Dore & Totley Park and Ride, Abbeydale Road South, S17 3LB (on the A621; Handy for coming in from the southern Peak District). 130 parking spaces. Served by infrequent trains; check timetable here Free parking. Train to Sheffield: £2.60 return; buy from station. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Halfway Park and Ride, Eckington Way, S20 3GW (on the B6053, 10 min from the M1 J30, via the A6135 and B6058). 190 parking spaces. Served by Supertram Blue route every 10 min during the daytime. 1 day: £4.50; 1 week: £18; buy from machine - ticket valid for one return tram journey. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Malin Bridge Park and Ride, Holme Lane, S6 4JR (on the A6101, handy for coming in from the northern Peak District; on the Sheffield-bound A57, bear left onto A6101 soon after passing the "City of Sheffield" welcome sign). 104 parking spaces. Served by Supertram Blue route every 10 min during the daytime. 1 day: £1 from machine, plus £4.80 for two single tram tickets; pay on-board the tram. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 IKEA Sheffield Park and Ride (Carbrook Supertram station), Sheffield Road, S9 2YL (off the A6178, a few mins from M1 J34). M–F: 7AM–6PM. 167 parking spaces. Served by Supertram Yellow route every 10 mins during the daytime. Free parking, plus £4.80 for two single tram tickets; pay on-board the tram. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Meadowhall Park and Ride, Barrow Road, S9 1EP (1 min from M1 J34.). 328 parking spaces. Served by frequent National Rail services and Supertram Yellow route every 10 min during the daytime. The train is much quicker into the City Centre. Parking free for public transport users. Supertram: £4.80 for two single tickets; pay on-board the tram. Train: £3.60 for a return train ticket; buy from station. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Middlewood Park and Ride, Middlewood Road, S6 1TQ (on the A6102, close to the A61 coming from the north). 343 parking spaces. Served by Supertram Yellow route every 10 min during the daytime. 1 day: £4.50; 1 week: £18; buy from machine - ticket valid for one return tram journey. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Nunnery Square Park and Ride, Sheffield Parkway, S2 5DH (close to the city end of the Sheffield Parkway (A57); well sign-posted). 377 parking spaces. Served by Supertram Yellow route every 10 min during the daytime. 1 day: £4.50; 1 week: £18; buy from machine - ticket valid for one return tram journey. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Valley Centertainment Park and Ride, Attercliffe Common, S9 2EP (a couple of mins from M1 J34; follow signs to Valley Centertainment). 200 parking spaces. Served by Supertram Yellow route every 10 min during the daytime. Free parking, plus £4.80 for two single tram tickets; pay on-board the tram - ticket valid for one return tram journey. (updated Nov 2017)

By bus or coach

A fleet of waiting coaches at Sheffield Interchange

• 🌍 Sheffield Interchange, Pond Square, S1 2BD (2 mins' walk from Sheffield Midland Station). 5AM–11PM. The city's hub for local and national bus services. National Express operate long distance coach services from all parts of the country, including a regular direct service from London (Victoria and Golders Green), as well as Birmingham, Bradford, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, London Stansted Airport, Milton Keynes and Swansea. There are also many bus services from towns in the local area, including from Bakewell, Barnsley, Buxton, Castleton, Chesterfield, Doncaster and Rotherham. (updated Nov 2017)

The discount coach operator Megabus does not serve the city centre, but offers direct services each day to Meadowhall Interchange from London (Victoria), Birmingham, Bradford, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Leicester, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne and Nottingham. Meadowhall is 15 minutes away from the city centre by tram, or five minutes by an equally frequent train. Megabus departures may not be listed on departure screens at the Meadowhall Interchange: services generally depart from the same bay as National Express services.

Megabus and National Express offer through-tickets from many other towns and cities throughout the UK and Europe.

Sheffield and Meadowhall Interchanges have waiting areas sheltered from the elements, travel information desks and toilet and refreshment options. However, neither offer lockers; Meadowhall train station has a left luggage service.

By boat

There are visitor moorings for boats travelling on the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal at the 🌍 Victoria Quays canal basin, found to the north-east of the city centre.

Get around

Navigate to: Cycling, Public transport, Taxis, Driving

On foot

Sheffield City Centre is compact and within it, few attractions are much further apart than 1 mile (1.6 km). There has been significant work done to prioritise walking access, including extensive pedestrianisation, excellent links from the railway station, and a comprehensive signage system with area maps on metal pillars at strategic points, including by transport connections.

Even outside the central area, Sheffield is pleasantly walkable, with the Don Valley attractions and the Peak District being linked by walking routes from the City Centre, although of course the distances are further. Sheffield walking directions can be planned online with the Walkit route planner.

For information on walking as an activity, please see the section below.

Accessibility

It's no secret that Sheffield is hilly, so walking around it can be demanding if your fitness isn't great or you have mobility issues. Some streets, even in the City Centre, are very steep, so comparatively short distances are more tiring than on the flat. If this sounds problematic to you, it may be as well to rely on other means of transport. Still, if you are going to be walking around Sheffield, a sturdy pair of shoes with decent grip and heel support is essential.

Using postcodes

The red number 1 indicates that Esperanto Place is in S1.

Like the rest of the UK, Sheffield has an extensive system of five and six-digit postcodes, which each refer to only a small number of addresses on the same street. A typical Sheffield postcode follows the pattern of S10 2TN. Each postcode area, which is the first half of the postcode (S10 in the given example) corresponds to a geographical area in the city, all of which are S followed by a one or two digit number. For instance, most of the City Centre forms the S1 postcode area, though parts are also in the S2, S3, S4 and S10 areas. Every street name sign in Sheffield includes the postcode area, minus the preceding S, so you can tell at a glance roughly where you are if you're a bit lost. The latter half of the postcode is what helps you find a specific address.

See also: United Kingdom#Addresses and postcodes

By bicycle

Cycling in Sheffield can be an interesting experience. The city poses many challenges to safe and easy cycling: busy roads, an unfortunate dearth of dedicated cycle lanes and a hilly terrain are chief amongst these. The Supertram tracks, often embedded in the road surface, are also known to cause cycling accidents, so pay attention around these, especially in wet weather. Despite these setbacks, pedal power is a popular way of getting around. Sheffield is compact and densely-populated, meaning most parts of the city are within close distance. For those not bothered by steep climbs and swift descents, cycling Sheffield can be an exhilarating experience, and the constantly undulating terrain provides an ever-changing sequence of views and aspects. It's not for nowt that stage two of the 2014 Tour de France ended in a gruelling series of climbs and descents through the streets of the Steel City!

Sheffield City Council provide handy maps and useful information for cycling in the city, while Cyclestreets allows you to plan your cycling journey.

• Sheffield ByCycle, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 24 hours. The city's 'hilariously' punny brand new bike hire scheme, perfect for short journeys, and the local equivalent of London's famous "Boris Bikes". Users can rent a bike from and return it to any of the network's automated docking stations, at any time. Because the scheme is in the early stages of development, docking stations are for now only found in the city centre and around the University of Sheffield. In the centre, find stations at 🌍 Sheaf Street (over the road from the railway station), 🌍 Barkers Pool and 🌍 Leavygreave Road. The bikes are sturdy but have limited gears, and overall are great for short distances and casual use. Annual membership is available for £10, though if you're only visiting, the best would be to rent as a casual user. Each bike costs £1 per hour, with a maximum daily cap of £7, though you can store more credit for a later date. (updated Nov 2017)

Mountain biking in Wharncliffe Woods.

Alternatively, private cycle hire is available:

• 🌍 Russell's Bicycle Shed, Sheaf Street, S1 2BP (Within the railway station; next to the taxi ranks), ☎ [phone]. M–F: 7AM–7PM, Sa: 10AM–4PM. This service is more geared-up for longer hiring periods, from a day up to three months. The bikes are somewhat better equipped for the local terrain than Sheffield ByCycle's, so are the natural choice for anyone wishing to take their bike into the countryside. Folding bikes are also available. £6 for a day (return by 7PM), £12 overnight, £50 for 1 month, £100 for 3 months. (updated Nov 2017)

If the challenges of city cycling are not for you, that's still no reason to leave your bike at home. In Sheffield, the cyclist's paradise of the Peak District is on your doorstep. Whether you're up for mountain biking or just a leisurely glide along flat, well-marked trails, there is something for every level of cycling ability in the Peak.

Public transport

Public transport - buses, trams and trains - is an excellent way to get around Sheffield. All services are deregulated and operated by private enterprises. However, all of these companies are under licence to Travel South Yorkshire, who are the main source of unbiased travel information, updates, timetables and transport maps for the city. TSY also have a decent journey planner, accessible through their main page.

Although most fares are set by the service operators (see below), here are listed some combined tickets that offer the best value for money on multiple journeys across different operators:

• CityWide Day: £4.60 for one calendar day's unlimited travel on all buses and trams in Sheffield.
• CityWide 7 Day: £16 for one week's unlimited travel on all buses and trams in Sheffield.
• Citywide 28 Day: £60 for four weeks' unlimited travel on all buses and trams in Sheffield.
• SYConnect+: £7.90 for one calendar day's unlimited travel on all buses, trams and trains in South Yorkshire.

By tram

The Stagecoach Supertram, normally known just as the Supertram, is a modern tram network with four colour-coded lines (Blue, Yellow, Purple and the Black tram-train service) which serve the city centre and many of Sheffield's suburbs, including Rotherham. Tram services run from just before 6AM (Monday-Saturday) or 7:30AM (Sunday) until around midnight. The tram train runs 5:30AM-10:30PM (M-Sa) and 8:30AM-6:30PM (Su).

Map of the Supertram network.

Is it a bus, is it a train? No, it's Supertram!

•  B  Malin Bridge to Halfway, serving Hillsborough, Kelham Island, the University of Sheffield, the city centre, the railway station, Hallam University and Crystal Peaks. Every 10 min during the day.
•  Y  Meadowhall to Middlewood, serving Valley Centertainment, the Arena, Nunnery Square, the city centre, the University of Sheffield, Kelham Island and Hillsborough. Every 10 mins during the day.
•  P  Herdings Park to Cathedral, via the railway station and Hallam University. At peak times, the service is extended to Meadowhall. Every 30 min during the day.
•  TT  Cathedral to Rotherham Parkgate (tram train), serving Nunnery Square, the Arena, Valley Centertainment, Meadowhall South, and Rotherham Central. Every 20 min during the day.

Using the tram

Full timetables can be downloaded from Travel South Yorkshire: Blue, Yellow, Purple, Black tram train.

Notices at your tram stop will indicate the route and fare needed for your destination. Most stations are now fitted with LED signs displaying the time and destination of the next four trams to arrive, however they don't always work particularly well. There are no ticket machines at stations. Don't panic! You can purchase your ticket on board the tram from the conductor, who walks up and down the length of the vehicle calling "fares please!" Payment is by cash only. Supertram conductors seem to have very good facial recognition, and can keep track of who has and hasn't bought a ticket even when there are a hundred people on board. There are also sporadic on-the-spot checks from ticket inspectors, so it is important to hold onto your ticket until you have reached your destination.

All stations are request stops, meaning the tram will only stop if a passenger presses the 'stop' button or if people are waiting at the station. In practice, it is rare that a tram will pass a station without stopping, but this is worth bearing in mind if you're travelling at a quiet time.

The Supertram network is fully accessible to wheelchair users and parents with prams. Station platforms are raised up to be at the same level as the tram floor, and there is ample space on board for storage of luggage, pushchairs and wheelchairs. Passengers with no mobility constraints often sit on chairs reserved for those with such constraints, as these are closest to the doors, but nearly always move without being asked when they see someone in need getting on the tram.

Bicycles and dogs (with the exception of assistance dogs) are not allowed on the tram.

Fares and concessions

A single ticket within the city centre boundary (stations between Granville Road, The University of Sheffield, and Hyde Park) costs £1.70 for a single and £3 for a return. Longer journeys beyond these points cost £2.30 (single only), although the £1.70/£3 fares are still available for short journeys outside the central area. Various Dayrider and Megarider passes are available as well, but unless you are absolutely sure you're only going to use the tram and Stagecoach buses to get around, these are to be avoided.

Children under 5 travel free. Senior and disabled persons' reductions are only available to residents of England in possession of a valid concessionary pass. Other concessions are available only to applicable residents of South Yorkshire.

By bus

Sheffield has a very large bus network, which serves practically every neighbourhood and point of interest. Most buses are operated by two multinational private companies, First and Stagecoach, though there are some smaller local operators running certain routes, such as Hulleys and TM Travel. Buses generally run every 10–30 minutes during the day, and every 20–60 minutes in the evening. Some routes offer a higher frequency of service: every 4-10 minutes throughout the day and evening. Every stop has a paper timetable of all the buses that serve that stop, plus there is a bus-tracking service called YourNextBus. Text the stop's unique code (written on the flag) to 64422, and you will receive a text telling you how many minutes away the bus is; this costs 12p on top of your network rate. If using mobile internet, you can simply search for the stop or bus route number on the Travel South Yorkshire website.

A single bus fare costs £2. For all other journeys, get a CityBus (bus only) or CityWide (bus and tram) ticket, as return tickets and other fares like the Megarider and FirstDay are only valid on one company's services, whereas City tickets can be used on all operators. Roads with a high frequency of service are served by routes from different companies, and some very busy routes with the same number are operated by more than one company, so you don't want to be caught short by having the wrong company's ticket!

Bus maps of North and South Sheffield are available to download; you can also obtain paper copies at bus interchanges. Both maps show the city centre in detail. Transport map geeks should head to Sheffield Interchange (as if you weren't planning to already!), to see the cool wall maps showing the whole city's bus, tram and rail services on one large sheet. These are 'rare' in the sense that they're not available to purchase or download, and aren't displayed anywhere else in the city.

The vast majority of bus services stop running around midnight; however there is one night bus route, the 952, which runs in the early hours of Sunday. Saturday night revellers can join the bus at Sheffield Interchange at 2:30AM and 3:30AM, or else catch it as it passes through the nightlife hotspots of West Street and the University a few minutes later. The service then heads out to the residential and largely student-inhabited neighbourhoods of Broomhill, Crookes and Hillsborough, where it terminates at the interchange. With just two one-way departures every week, this route's utility to travellers is questionable, but at least you now know it exists!

By train

Midland Station

Although there aren't many rail services within Sheffield itself, there is a decent network of suburban rail services serving the city region, all of which depart from Sheffield's pretty Midland station. Tickets can be bought from any National Rail station in the UK, or online. The following services are operated by Northern Rail:

• Barnsley via Meadowhall, Chapeltown, Elsecar, Wombwell (this service continues either to Huddersfield or to Wakefield and Leeds);
• Chesterfield via Dronfield;
• Doncaster via Meadowhall, Rotherham, Swinton, Mexborough, Conisbrough;
• The Peak District / Hope Valley line: serving Dore, Grindleford, Hathersage, Bamford, Hope, Edale, Chinley, New Mills Central (this service continues to Manchester);
• Worksop via Darnall, Woodhouse, Kiveton Bridge, Kiveton Park, Shireoaks (this service continues to Lincoln)

By taxi and black cab

There are no regular night bus routes in the city, and all tram services terminate around midnight. Sheffield's two main taxi companies operate 24 hours a day. Travellers from the south of England, and particularly London, will find the local taxis to be very good value; the base fare is £2.60 in the daytime (7AM–8PM) and £3.10 at night (8PM–7AM), with 20p added for every 200 m travelled. As with elsewhere, extra charges apply over Christmas and New Year.

When taking a taxi outside of Sheffield city limits (this includes most of the Peak District), always agree a fare with the driver before departure. The driver must by law let the meter run as normal, and if by the end of the journey the amount on the meter is cheaper than the agreed fare, you pay what it says on the meter. Likewise, if the fare you agreed is cheaper than the meter, then you pay the agreed rate. The taxi driver or firm is legally obliged to accept the cheaper of the two fares.

Black cabs can be easily hailed in the street in the city centre (especially around the railway station, High Street, Barker's Pool and West Street) and West End (especially around the University and Broomhill), as well as on some of the main routes into the city, but elsewhere it is usually necessary to phone for a taxi:

• City Taxis, ☎ [phone]. Pre-booked taxis and black cabs. 
• Sheffield Taxi Services, ☎ [phone]. Black cabs and pre-booked minibuses. 

Alternatively, Uber is gaining in popularity and prominence.

By car

Why drive when you can go by tram?

The use of a private vehicle is generally discouraged for able-bodied travellers, as Sheffield's roads are congested and not always easy to navigate, and parking is not particularly easy. One of the options already mentioned should be suitable for most visitors, however if you still intend to bring your car, you might as well know a few basics.

The major roads in Sheffield are:

• The Inner Ring Road (A61) forms a complete circle of dual-carriageway around the city centre.
• The Outer Ring Road (A6102) forms a semicircle of single and dual-carriageways around the city through the eastern suburbs. Confusingly both the inner and the outer rings are referred to just as "Ring Road" on signs.
• The Sheffield Parkway (A57 / A630) is a grade-separated dual-carriageway linking the inner and outer ring roads with junction 33 of the M1 and Rotherham
• The A57 comes from the Peak District in the west, through Broomhill and the city centre, then east along part of Sheffield Parkway, before deviating south-east through Handsworth, Beighton, the M1 junction 31 and on towards Worksop.
• The A61 goes straight north and south from its Ring Road portions, linking to Hillsborough, Chapeltown, the M1 junction 36 and ultimately Barnsley to the north, and Heeley, Woodseats and on towards Chesterfield to the south.

As mentioned already once or twice, Sheffield is hilly! This means that many roads have steep gradients, which will be a good test for your brakes, especially during winter when snow and ice are common. Be prepared for hill starts when moving off from on-street parking and when stuck in heavy traffic. The hills, winter conditions and extreme local government budget cuts also mean that the road surface quality is generally poor; watch out for potholes.

Most car parks in the city are owned by either Sheffield City Council, or the private companies NCP and Q-Park. The inner ring road and its approach roads all have brown signs indicating which additional signs you should follow for particular attractions and neighbourhoods, for example: "Follow Cathedral Quarter for City Hall & Cathedral." Follow the appropriate signs, even if they seem to take you half-way around the city, and you will eventually be directed to off-street paid parking close to the desired attraction. Alternatively, there are some cheaper car parks on what would otherwise be wasteland at the fringes of the city centre; these are easy enough to spot from the inner ring road.

See

Navigate to: Museums and galleries, Parks and gardens, Street art and graffiti

Monuments and landmarks

Anglican Cathedral

Peace Gardens and the Town Hall

Winter Gardens

• 🌍 Anglican Cathedral (The Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Paul), Church Street, S1 1HA (Supertram: Cathedral), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M 8AM–5PM; Tu–F 8AM–6:30PM; Sa 9:30AM–4PM; Su 7:30AM–5PM. Sheffield's 13th-century cathedral. Not to be missed are the crypt - dedicated to the York and Lancaster Regiment of the British Army, the 1960s nave and the gargoyles on the intricate gatepost. Free guided tours are available on request and last around 45 minutes. Free. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Arts Tower, Western Bank, S10 2TN (Supertram: Netherthorpe Road). M–F 9AM–6PM. Topped out in 1965, the University of Sheffield Arts Tower is a superb example of mid-century architecture. The main interest inside is a rare surviving paternoster lift; claimed to be the largest in the world, this is a continuously moving elevator which you can ride up 19 floors. You're not supposed to go over the top, or below ground level into the basement, but you do so 'by accident', there's no safety issue. The tower is grade-II* listed along with the adjacent Western Bank Library, which you can access across the mezzanine bridge, and which you may be able to visit with permission from the front desk. Please remember that these are busy university buildings; respect the students and staff. Free. (updated Feb 2019)
• 🌍 Barker's Pool, S1 2HB (Supertram: City Hall). Large square that is used for public gatherings and demonstrations. In the middle is the Sheffield Cenotaph, which is a memorial to the city's fallen. At the western end there are two monuments to very different heroines; the Women of Steel sculpture honours local women's contribution to the steel industry during times of war, while the post box on the corner of Division Street was spray-painted gold to commemorate Jessica Ennis' successes at the 2012 Olympics. Barkers Pool is also the location of the City Hall theatre. (updated Jan 2018)
• 🌍 Catholic Cathedral (Cathedral Church of St Marie), Norfolk Row, S1 2JB (Supertram: Cathedral), ☎ [phone]. Open daily 8:30AM–5PM. Closed to tourists during mass and offices. Opened in 1850, this is the Mother Church of the local Catholic community. There are several interesting architectural elements inside, including stained-glass windows and a 19th-century Lewis organ. Free. (updated Jan 2018)
• 🌍 Central Library, Tudor Square, S1 1XZ (National Rail and Supertram: Sheffield Station), ☎ [phone]. M Tu Th F 9:30AM–5:30PM, W 1PM–8PM, Sa 10AM–4PM, Su closed. A grand 1930s library in Art Deco style with an impressive volume of books. Free. You must be a resident of Sheffield to borrow books, but anyone can read library books inside. (updated Jan 2017)
• 🌍 Cholera Monument, Norfolk Road, S2 2SX (500 yards (460 m) steep uphill walk from Sheffield Station's Supertram platforms.). Open all day. A monument to and burial ground for 402 victims of the 1832 cholera outbreak in a lovely park and woodland setting and with commanding views over the city centre. Worth slogging up the hill for. Free. (updated Jan 2017)
• 🌍 Hillsborough Disaster Memorial, Hillsborough Stadium, S6 1SW (Just outside the main entrance on Catch Bar Lane. Supertram: Leppings Lane), ☎ [phone]. On public land, so always accessible. On 15 April 1989, at the FA Cup semi-final, 96 Liverpool FC fans lost their lives in a terrible crush in this Sheffield stadium. The memorial at Hillsborough is understandably more low-key than the one at Anfield, but if you want to pay your respects, you can follow the example of others by leaving flowers, messages of condolence, or the shirt or scarf of the team you support. Free. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Park Hill, S2 5QX (National Rail / Supertram: Sheffield Station. 500 yards (460 m) walk steep uphill). Grade-II* listed brutalist blocks of flats. Try to spot the graffiti on one of the overhead walkways, where the sprayed words I love you will u marry me have been displayed for over 15 years, and are illuminated in neon by night. Park Hill also featured prominently in the 2018 series of Doctor Who. (updated Feb 2019)
• 🌍 Peace Gardens, Pinstone Street, S1 2HH (Adjacent to the Town Halk, Supertram: Cathedral). The rising and falling fountains and grassed areas make this small piece of open space popular in summer, with many people choosing to eat picnics here. The gardens are also often used for festivals and entertainment. Adjacent is 🌍 Millennium Square, a rather windy place between modern office blocks (including the city's tallest building, St Paul's Tower) and with several large restaurants. The steel balls on the square have been chosen to represent Sheffield's industry. (updated Jan 2017)
• 🌍 Sheffield Town Hall, Pinstone Street, S1 2HH (Supertram: Cathedral). The hub of Sheffield's local government - you can't go inside, but it's worth walking all the way around to admire the Victorian municipal architecture. Of note is the magnificent clock tower upon which the Roman god of metalworking Vulcan poses, and the many stone friezes depicting the city's industries. As you walk, don't miss the Sheffield Legends walk of fame - with plaques for actors Sean Bean and Michael Palin, olympic athletes Jessica Ennis-Hill and Seb Coe, astronaut Helen Sharman and musicians Def Leppard and Joe Cocker, among others. You will also spot a green and white police box dating from 1928, which is still in use as a public information point. (updated Jan 2018)
• 🌍 Victoria Quays (Sheffield Canal Basin), Wharf Street, S2 5SY (Supertram: Fitzalan Square, 700 yards (640 m). Walk across the pedestrian and tram bridge to Park Square, and follow the signs). An attractive basin at the end of the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal, with colourful narrowboats and old warehouses that have been converted into offices and apartments. There are also a couple of places for drinks and snacks, with outdoor seating. The Quays is the starting point for boat trips in summer. Free. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Winter Garden, 90 Surrey Street, S1 2LH (Adjacent to Millennium Gallery. National Rail and Supertram: Sheffield Station). M–Sa 8AM–8PM, Su 8AM–6PM. The largest urban glasshouse in Europe, built spectacularly in glass and timber, and home to exotic ferns, trees, cacti and other plants from around the world. Temperatures are kept relatively cool in summer and warm in winter. Lots of benches and a coffee bar inside makes it a pleasant place to sit and read or watch the world go by, particularly if the weather outside is not so nice. In fact, there are few more satisfying experiences to be had anywhere than listening to rain or hail lash the glass while you're warm and dry! There is a visitor information stall in the gardens, space for a pop-up shop and a tourist information centre on nearby Norfolk Row. Free. (updated Nov 2017)

Museums and galleries

Tilt hammer at Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet

Bishops' House

Central library and Graves Gallery

Bessemer converter in Kelham Island Museum

"'Ee, it's cowd aht!" - Weston Park Museum's natural history collection includes Spike the woolly rhino, who lived in Yorkshire during the Ice Age.

• 🌍 Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet, Abbeydale Road South, S7 2QW (Bus: 97 and 98. National Rail: Dore & Totley, ½ mile (800 m)), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–Th 10AM–4PM, Su 11AM–4:45PM; Closed (rather annoyingly) F and Sa. The early industrial history of Sheffield, including water-powered grinding wheels and trip hammers, set among a collection of Grade I- and II-listed buildings. Adults £4, Concessions £3, Under 16s free. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Bank Street Arts, 32-40 Bank Street, S1 2DS (Not well-advertised on the street; pay attention to the house numbers and you will find it. Supertram: Cathedral.), ☎ [phone]. W–Sa 11AM–4PM. Arts centre which houses some of the best new art, writing and culture from across the region and throughout the UK, all in a handsome Georgian townhouse. Free. (updated Jan 2017)
• 🌍 Bishops' House, Lees Hall Avenue, S8 9NA (in Meersbrook Park; bus: 18 or 20 to Lees Hall Avenue, or a wider and more frequent selection (24, 25, 43, 43a, 44, 294, X17) to Millhouses retail park on Chesterfield Road. From here, walk down Beeton Road and through Meersbrook Park; the Bishops' House is on the far side of the park), ☎ [phone]. Sa Su 10AM–4PM. 16th-century Grade-II* listed timber frame house, managed as a museum and events venue by friendly and knowledgeable volunteers. There are exhibitions on life during the Stuart era, and period-decorated rooms. The historical investigations are ongoing and as recently as September 2017, ring-dating of the house's timber framing has dropped the rather significant bombshell that this was never the residence of bishops, as had long been thought. Free. (updated Oct 2017)
• 🌍 Graves Gallery, Surrey Street, S1 1XZ (3rd floor of the Central Library. National Rail and Supertram: Sheffield Station), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Tu, Th–Sa 11AM–4PM; W 1PM–6PM; Closed Su. Sheffield's municipal art collection, with a good chronological selection from the 16th century to the contemporary era. The British, Flemish and French impressionist sections are particularly impressive. Includes works by Paul Cézanne, Paul Gauguin, Damien Hirst, L.S. Lowry, Grayson Perry, both Pissarros, Stanley Spencer, JMW Turner and Jan van Goyen. Often has notable travelling exhibitions. The gallery is not especially big, allowing you to see and appreciate everything within two hours. Keep your coat, as some galleries are kept uncomfortably chilly to the extent that blankets are left out for customers to borrow. The current temporary exhibition is Dan Holdsworth: Mapping the Limits of Space, showcasing photographs of glaciers and mountains. Until 17 March 2018. Free. (updated Jan 2018)
• 🌍 Kelham Island Museum, Alma Street, S3 8RY (Supertram: Shalesmoor (½ mile / 800 m), from where the museum is well-signposted), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–Th 10AM–4PM, Su 11AM–4:45PM. Inexplicably closed F–Sa. The industrial and social history of Sheffield, within a hipster area that was once the heart of the steel industry. Main attraction is the massive 3-cylinder rolling mill engine (in steam every hour) from the River Don Steelworks. Adults £6, Concessions £5, Under 16s free. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Millennium Gallery, Arundel Gate, S1 2PP (National Rail and Supertram: Sheffield Station.), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–Sa 8AM–5PM (exhibitions from 10AM), Su, bank holidays 11AM–4PM. A gallery dedicated to arts, craft and design, with two permanent galleries, and one temporary exhibition space. The Metalwork Gallery includes an extensive collection of Sheffield-made cutlery and extravagant metalwork. The Ruskin Gallery was established by John Ruskin in the 19th century, and is a hotchpotch of different artefacts. New temporary exhibitions are being installed, and launch on 17 and 22 February 2018. Free. (updated Jan 2018)
• 🌍 National Emergency Services Museum, West Bar, S3 8PT (Supertram: Cathedral 500 yards (460 m). Follow pedestrian signs for Law Courts), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. W–Su, bank holidays 10AM–4PM. Also open M and Tu during school holidays. The world's largest collection of vehicles, uniforms and memorabilia from the police force, fire brigade and ambulance service. Adults: £8; Children 3–15 years old: £6; Children under 3 years old: free; Families: £22; Concessions: £7; 999 staff: free. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 National Videogame Museum, Castle House, Angel Street, S3 8LN (Supertram: Castle Square), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. School term time: F noon-5PM, Sa Su 10AM-5PM; school holidays: daily 10AM-5PM, "late night": 2nd or 3rd F of month noon-7PM. This collection moved from Nottingham at the end of 2018, so is still establishing itself. If you want to play nostalgic games for hours on end, you will adore this place, but if you're looking for any narrative, information, or context, you might find the place lacking. If you go there thinking of it has a retro games arcade rather than a museum, you won't be disappointed. Adults £11, children/concessions: £9, under 5s/carers: free. (updated Feb 2019)
• 🌍 Shepherd Wheel Workshop, off Hangingwater Road, S11 2YE (Within Whiteley Woods, accessible to pedestrians from Hangingwater Road. Parking and bus (83, 83a): Rustings Road), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Sa, Su, bank holiday M 10AM–4PM (summer) / 11AM–3PM (winter). A grade-II listed small cutlery workshop powered only by the rushing waters of Porter Brook. A water-powered cottage cutlery industry flourished in the area between the 1500s and 1930s. See the waterwheel and other machinery in action. Museum partially accessible to disabled visitors. Free. (updated Jan 2017)
• 🌍 SIA Gallery (Sheffield Institute of Arts), 153 Arundel Street, S1 2NU (National Rail and Supertram: Sheffield Station, 500 yards (460 m)), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Daily 10AM–5PM. Open until 8PM on W. Showcases art from Sheffield Hallam University and the wider community, as well as visiting artists, with a focus on graphic design and contemporary fine art. Always challenging, often thought-provoking and moving. A visit to the gallery is complemented by exploring the 🌍 SIA itself, which is in the beautifully repurposed central post office building 10 minutes' walk north on Fitzalan Square. It has a café and its own small exhibition space. Free. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Turner Museum of Glass, Mappin Street, S1 3JD (Within the Sir Robert Hadfield Building, part of the University of Sheffield. The Entrance is on Portobello Street. Supertram: West Street), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–F 10AM–4PM. Founded in 1943 by Prof. W.E.S. Turner, this is a significant collection of 19th and 20th century glass. It has pieces by all the major European and American glassmakers. There is even a glass wedding dress, worn by Turner's wife! Wheelchair access is limited. Free. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Weston Park Museum, Western Bank, S10 2TP (Within Weston Park itself. Bus: 51 and 52. Supertram: University, 700 yards (640 m)), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–F 10AM–4PM, Sa & Bank Holidays 10AM–5PM, Su 11AM–4PM. A pleasant and modern museum, particularly suitable for children, situated in a fittingly grand old building. Galleries on Sheffield's natural and social history as well as the Arctic, art and treasures. The temporary gallery often hosts touring exhibitions from the Victoria and Albert Museum. It is showing an exhibition of Roger Taylor's photos of Sheffield's ghostly abandoned industries until 24 Jube and Changing Lives: 200 years of people and protest in Sheffield until 1 July 2018. Free. (updated Jan 2018)

Parks and gardens

Botanical Gardens

Nonconformist chapel in Sheffield's "city of the dead"

The bandstand in Weston Park

• 🌍 Botanical Gardens, Clarkehouse Road, S10 2LN (Bus: 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 88 to Ecclesall Road, and get off by or just before the small Berkeley Centre shopping precinct. You'll find the gardens' entrance on Thompson Road), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Daily 8AM–dusk. Glass pavilion open daily 11AM–3:30PM. The restored Victorian gardens are a tranquil green oasis to which to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. Highlights include the formal borders, the rose garden and the Mediterranean zone, as well as some rather grand glass houses designed by Joseph Paxton. Look out for the semi-hidden bear pit, which was indeed home to a bear in the 19th century, until (according to local legend at least) a young boy fell in and was mauled to death. A rather full events programme includes regular horticultural talks, plants sales, and a summer series of outdoor theatre and concerts. Gardens free; some events are priced. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Devonshire Green (Dev Green), Devonshire Street, S3 7SW (Supertram: West Street). The only significant green space in the City Centre is the heart of the vibrant Devonshire Quarter. Both are named after the Dukes of Devonshire, whose seat is at Chatsworth in the Peak District. It has an area of landscaped grass (thronged with young people in good weather) and semi-mature trees, a skatepark, and an outdoor arena used for festivals and events including Tramlines. Architecture buffs will appreciate the Gaudíesque curved walls and serpentine benches. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Endcliffe Park, Hunters Bar Roundabout, Ecclesall Road, S11 8TF (Bus: 6, 10, 10a, 65, 81, 82, 83, 83a, 88, 181, 215, 271, 272 to Hunters Bar). A great city park with lots of amenities and a good amount of space; there's woodland, playing fields, a children's playground, café and even a small river, the Porter Brook, running through. Also to be seen is a large statue of Queen Victoria, sculpted in 1887 to mark the monarch's golden jubilee, and a memorial stone for the United States Air Force B-17 Flying Fortress which crashed in the park on 22 February 1944 with the loss of all ten crew. Around the stone is planted a grove of American oaks in remembrance. The Porter Brook can be followed out of the park, through more attractive woodland and past the Shepherd's Wheel to the edge of the Peak District in less than hour's walking. Free. (updated Jan 2018)
• 🌍 General Cemetery, Cemetery Avenue, S11 8NT (Bus: 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 88 to Ecclesall Road. Get off by or just before the small Berkeley Centre shopping precinct. Walk down the appropriately named Cemetery Avenue.), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Open all day. An historically important Victorian cemetery, which is the final "home" for 87,000 people, including influential Sheffielders such as steel manufacturer Mark Firth and Chartist Samuel Holberry. The 19th century class system is evident in the range of memorials, with great mausoleums, modest stones and unmarked paupers' graves (some with 40 or more burials in one plot) jostling for space. When you pass through the imposing arched gateway from Cemetery Avenue, you very much know you're entering a necropolis. The neo-gothic Anglican chapel and contrastingly neo-classical nonconformist chapel are hauntingly derelict. All in all, this is a beautiful and fascinating spot, where visitors can enjoy some atmospheric wildness near the centre of town. Free. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Graves Park and Animal Farm, Hemsworth Road, S8 8LJ (Bus: 24, 25, 43, 44, 75, X17 to Meadowhead / 18, 20 to Hemsworth Road. Parking off Cobnar Road and Bunting Nook.), ☎ [phone]. Park open daily dawn until dusk. Farm open daily 9AM-3:30PM. This 92 hectare park, the largest in Sheffield, has a variety of amenities, from sports fields, to playgrounds, woodland and a café. The main draw to visitors is the rare breeds farm, in the north east corner of the park close to Hemsworth Rd. Donkeys, pigs, deer and alpacas are the stars, but there are plenty of smaller animals to keep your kids happy for hours. Park and farm free. (updated Aug 2018)
• 🌍 Sheffield Manor Lodge, 389 Manor Lane, S2 1UL (Bus: 7, 8, 8a, 50, 50a, 50b, 53, 71, 71a, 73, 74, 74a, 120, 294 to City Road. Alight at the stop next to St Aidan's church, double back past the traffic lights and turn right onto Manor Lane. Manor Lodge is ½ mile (700 m) walk from here.)), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Park open daily dawn–dusk. Manor Farm: M–Sa 9:30AM–4PM; Tudor ruins and discovery centre: F 10:30AM–2:30PM, and during school holidays Tu–F 10:30AM–2:30PM. Weekend opening: Mar–Nov, third weekend of the month (Sa and Su; verify dates on website) 11AM–4PM, with guided tours and visits to the Turret house throughout the day; Manor Cottages: Mar–Nov third Su of the month (same dates as above) 11AM–4PM. The ruins of a Tudor manor house, which was the home of the 6th Earl of Shrewsbury. During the 1570s and 1580s, the house served as Mary Queen of Scots' luxurious prison. The 1940s Manor Cottages offer an immersive and interactive wartime experience. Meet a variety of farmyard animals at Manor Oaks farm. Costumed historical characters associated with the area, the giant sandpit and lavender labyrinth should all appeal to kids, while extensive wildflower meadows and on-site café complete the visit. Manor Oaks Farm: free; Tudor ruins, Turret house and discovery centre: adult visit £3, guided tour £2, children free; Manor Cottages: adults £1, children free. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 St George's Churchyard, St George's Terrace, S1 4DP (Supertram: West Street). An atmospheric deconsecrated churchyard complete with heavily-weathered gravestones and mature trees around the 1826 neo-gothic former church, now University of Sheffield lecture theatre and student accommodation. In spring and summer, a pair of peregrine falcons can usually be seen nesting and raising chicks high on the church tower. While you're there, you might as well look at some of the university buildings around it, most notably the grade-II listed 🌍 Sir Frederick Mappin Building is an imposing example of Edwardian architecture, while the striking metallic 🌍 Diamond is either a modern masterpiece or a hideous carbuncle, depending on whom you ask. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Weston Park, Western Bank, S10 2TP (Surrounded by University of Sheffield buildings. Bus: 51, 52, 95. Supertram: University, 500 yards (460 m)), ☎ [phone]. Open all day. This grand 5 hectare park, a mixture of mature landscaped trees and flower beds, includes a working bandstand, war memorial to the York and Lancaster Regiment's dead, tennis courts and water features. The park plays host to many events during summer. All free. (updated Nov 2017)

• If you exit through the gates at the tennis court end of the park, then you can access 🌍 Crookes Valley Park, a 5 hectare area of landscaping with a playground and bowling greens around a reservoir. Across the road is the much larger 🌍 Ponderosa, which is a very pleasant mix of sloping parkland, meadow and woodland, and attracts much urban wildlife including kestrels, foxes and butterflies.

Street art and graffiti

One of Kid Acne's previous works, since removed. Prints can still be purchased.

Like many industrial cities, Sheffield has its fair share of graffiti. However, unlike many other cities, there is much less of the "mindless vandalism" type and much more of the "probably counts as art" type. In fact, there are a lot of quality pieces of street art, murals and poetry by both established and unknown artists. The most prolific and well-known of these are Kid Acne, whose signature style is large and colourful written messages, using local slang and Yorkshire dialect, Mila K, who creates black and white psychedelic images often featuring the same cyborg woman in places that are hard to find or access, and Phlegm, whose trippy showpiece murals blend horror, cyberpunk and fantasy themes. All three have gone on to exhibit in galleries, and have worked around the UK and abroad. A piece by Banksy is yet to make an appearance.

By its very nature, a lot of street art is transitory, as weathering, building works, vandalism and deliberate removals all put pay to individual works. However, the scene in Sheffield is established enough that there are always new pieces to replace the old, in new and previously-unloved corners. And there are literally hundreds of works to discover across the city, if you have a decent pair of shoes or boots, and the patience and willing to tramp off the beaten path. Good areas to explore are the 🌍 Devonshire Quarter (around Division Street and Devonshire Green), the 🌍 Cultural Industries Quarter (south-west of the railway station, among Hallam University buildings) and the area between 🌍 Kelham Island and 🌍 Saint Vincent's.

Listed below are a selection of notable works and murals that are likely to be around for the foreseeable future, due to the fame of the artist or the fact that they were commissioned by the property owners. You can purchase paper prints of some of these in local shops, notably the Millennium Gallery gift shop, and the pop-up store in the Winter Garden.

• 🌍 3-7 Sidney Street (by EMA), S1 4RG (Across traffic island from the Rutland Arms). Colourful urban camouflage. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 416-418 Sharrow Vale Road ('Fat as a butcher's dog' by Colorati / 'Holy Cow' by Skisms), S11 8ZP (In an alley between Thickitt's butchers and the Greedy Greek deli.). Two locally-iconic animals. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Betty's Fish and Chips (artist unknown), Fitzwilliam Street, S1 4JL. An older couple enjoying an outdoor fish supper. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Biomembrane (by Florence Blanchard), 66 Leavygreave Road, S3 7QY. Colourful interpretation of a cell membrane, as seen under a microscope. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Charles Darwin (by Rocket01), 46 Sidney Street, S1 4RG. Mural of the father of modern biology. (updated Nov 2017)

Harry Brearley

• 🌍 David Attenborough (by Rocket 01), Charles Street, S1 2NE. Mural likeness of the much-loved presenter and television naturalist. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 David Bowie (by Trik9), 101 Division Street, S1 4GE. A touching, if unintentionally comical, (non-)likeness of Ziggy Stardust himself. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Hagglers Corner (by Jo Peel), 586 Queens Rd, S2 4DU (Near to the junction with London Road). Funky representation of the local area, the houses, shops and mosque. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Harry Brearley (by Sarah Yates), Howard Street, S1 2LW (on the Howard pub). Mural representation of the inventor of stainless steel. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 I love you will u marry me (by "Jason"), Park Hill, S2 5QX (On a footbridge in the Park Hill complex). Addressed to an unrequited love. Originally spray painted, now lit up in neon at night. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 In Praise of Air (by Simon Armitage), Western Bank, S10 2TN (on wall of Alfred Denny Building). 20 metre-high poetry. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Rare & Racy (by Phlegm), 164 Devonshire Street, S3 7SG. The Reader decorates the front of Rare & Racy book shop. There is more Phlegm behind the shop on Westhill Lane. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Rutland Arms (by Phlegm), 86 Brown Street, S1 2BS. Two different pieces decorate this pub. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Shakespeare's Pub (by Florence Blanchard), 146-148 Gibraltar Street, S3 8UA. Vibrant colours on the side of the pub. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Snuff Mill Lane (by Phlegm), 429 Ecclesall Rd, S11 8PG (Next to KFC). Another unspeakably weird scene from the imagination of Phlegm. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Spaceman (by Mila K), 208 West Street, S1 4EU. Only visible when the e-cig shop is closed and the shutter down. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 That's the spirit (by Kid Acne), 200 Headford Street, S3 7WQ (Milton Street car park). A cheering message in bubble text. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 The Riverside (by Phlegm), 1 Mowbray Street, S3 8EN (See it from the opposite bank of the River Don.). A steampunk ship hunts the kraken. (updated Nov 2017)

The Snog

• 🌍 The Snog (by Pete McKee), 69 Broad Lane, S1 4BS (On the wall of Fagans pub). An elderly couple embracing passionately. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 The Steelworker (by Paul Waplington), 11 Castle Street, S3 8LT. 1980s brick mosaic of a typical working Sheffielder. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Westfield Terrace ('Fog' by Tellas / mural by Phlegm), S1 4GH. Fog is grey, white and indistinct, just like the weather phenomenon. The Phlegm mural just up the street is an impressive representation of a city. On the other side of the street is the imposing façade of the former Mount Zion hospital chapel. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 What If? (by Andrew Motion), Surrey Lane, S1 2LX (See it from Howard Street). Gigantic poem that greets newcomers walking up from the station. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Within These Walls (by Jarvis Cocker), The Forge, Boston Street, S2 4QG (Just off London Road). Poem in metal letters adorning student digs. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 You'll thank me one day (by Kid Acne), Brown Street, S1 2BS (Next to the Site Gallery). (updated Nov 2017)

Do

Navigate to: Attractions, Theatreland, Other theatres and cinemas, Spectator sports, Sports activities, Climbing, Golf, Walking

Annual events

While the events calendar hits its peak in October, there are many others worth attending at all times of the year. Events are listed January to December, so events taking place in the latter half of the current year are listed near the bottom. The full list of events is available from Welcome to Sheffield.

World Snooker Championship trophy in front of the Crucible

• World Snooker Championship (21 April - 7 May 2018). The most prestigious event in international snooker has been held at the Crucible Theatre since 1977. There is also a giant screen in Tudor Square where you can watch games for free in the spring sunshine. BBC Sport use the Winter Garden as a rather public presenting studio, and Sheffielders are usually kind enough not to heckle. (updated Nov 2017)
• Sheffield Food Festival (26 - 28 May 2018). Held for three days over the spring bank holiday, the last weekend in May. Spread across Fargate, the Peace Gardens, Millennium Square and the Winter Garden. A culinary festival showcasing Sheffield's best offerings of food and drink with fresh hot food stalls, pop up bars, cookery master classes, chef demos and of course plenty of local produce sold. On Fargate, there is al fresco dining and drinking with a soundtrack of live music and DJ sets. (updated Nov 2017)
• Yorkshire Cosplay Con (2-3 June 2018). Held at the 🌍 Sheffield Arena (Supertram: Arena) is this family-friendly costume convention, with star meets, stage events and loads of activities and games. Go as your favourite character from anime, sci-fi, fantasy, comic books or video games, or just turn up in your civvies and admire the hard work of everyone else! (updated Jan 2018)
• Sheffield Doc/Fest (International Documentary Festival; 7-12 June 2018). Held at the Showroom Workstation (behind the cinema) and other venues across the city. One of the biggest and best documentary film festivals in the world, with talks from high-profile speakers, special events, live music, parties and of course many film screenings, culminating in an awards ceremony. (updated Nov 2017)
• Theatre in the Gardens (Dates in June, July and August). A summer season of open-air theatre in the atmospheric Sheffield Botanical Gardens. Bring a picnic, deckchairs and (depending on the weather) a cardy and waterproof! The 2018 season features a series of six productions: Pride and Prejudice (21 - 22 June), Much Ado About Nothing (26 - 27 July), The Railway Children (28 - 29 July), The Midnight Gang (4 - 5 Aug), As You Like It (16 Aug) and The Importance of Being Earnest (25 Aug). Book tickets through website. (updated Jun 2018)

Tramlines isn't just about the music...

• Tramlines Festival (20-23 July 2018). Sheffield's annual summer music festival. The 2018 tenth anniversary special will be held in 🌍 Hillsborough Park (Supertram: Leppings Lane), in a change from previous years where venues in the city centre were used. Tramlines attracts well over 100 artists and groups, and is well-known for its cheap (and often free) concerts. The party atmosphere spills out into the streets as locals and visitors aim to enjoy themselves to the max. Don't miss the nightly after-parties held at club venues in town. (updated Jan 2018)
• Festival of the Mind (20-30 September 2018). Held in and around the 🌍 University of Sheffield (Supertram: University). A biannual celebration of ideas, incorporating the arts, philosophy, science and technology. There are talks, demonstrations, performances and exhibitions. The Ideas Bazaar brings together academics, students and artists for an interdisciplinary exchange of knowledge, concepts and creativity. (updated Jan 2018)
• Last Laugh Comedy Festival. Held throughout October at the City Hall, Lyceum Theatre and other venues around town. Dozens of the UK's biggest stand-up names and fresh talent come together for a month of shows in the Steel City. Come and "grin up north". (updated Nov 2017)
• Off The Shelf (Festival of Words; 6-27 October 2018). Held for three weeks in October at venues across the city. Sheffield's annual literary festival is jointly run by the city's two universities, and brings together over 200 author events, book readings, poetry recitals, debates and workshops. (updated Aug 2018)
• Steel City Beer & Cider Festival (10-13 October 2018). Held at Kelham Island Museum. Sheffield's official CAMRA-supported drinking festival has been going for over 40 years. Sample a great many local and international beers, ciders and perries, while enjoying live music and tasty street food from local producers. (updated Aug 2018)

If you can't wizz around on a carousel at Christmas, when can you?

• Sheffield Design Week. Held for one week in October. A "citywide celebration of design in all its forms", including graphic design, architecture, technology, manufacturing, fashion and film. Features exhibitions, workshops, talks, guided walks, installations and product launches. (updated Nov 2017)
• After Dark (5 November 2018). Held on bonfire night at 🌍 Don Valley Bowl (Supertram: Arena). Remember, remember, the fifth of November... Sheffield's annual Guy Fawkes celebrations with fireworks to music, a giant bonfire and funfair with plenty of festive food stalls. Bonfire lit: 7:30PM, fireworks: 9PM (updated Jan 2018)
• Christmas Market (14 November - 24 December 2018). Held at Fargate and the Peace Gardens from mid-November until Christmas Eve. 50 traditional wooden cabins offering many gifts and treats including hand-made craft and seasonal food and drink. Come after dark and see the lights, have a go on the traditional rides, and bring your kids to meet the actual Father Christmas. (updated Jan 2018)

Attractions

• 🌍 A&G Passenger Boats, Victoria Quays, Wharf Street, S2 5SY (Supertram: Fitzalan Square, 700 yards (640 m). Walk across the pedestrian and tram bridge to Park Square, and follow the signs to Victoria Quays.), ☎ [phone]. Jul–Aug; during school holidays at other times of the year. Take a heritage cruise down the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal on board the LB Hardfleet. The less expensive trips go as far as Don Valley Stadium, while the more expensive ones run out to Tinsley Locks on the outskirts of Rotherham. Turn-up-and-go is possible, though booking is recommended. Santa specials run on select dates in December. Adults £8.95–£10.95. Children £6.95–£8.95. Over 60s £7.95–£9.95. Family (2 adults & 2 children) £25-£31. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 Heeley City Farm, Richards Road, S2 3DT (Bus: 18, 19, 56, 252 to Richards Road), ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Daily 9AM–5PM. Inner city farm and environmental visitor centre with a range of rare breed farm animals, poultry, little critters, gardens and vegetable plots. Go to meet and feed the animals, stay for a bite at the café. The farm is run by volunteers from the community and aims to promote understanding of food production and conserve endangered breeds. Free. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 Spa 1877, 65 Victoria Street, S3 7QD (Supertram: West Street), ☎ [phone]. Unisex M, Tu, Th 10AM–8:30PM, Su 9AM–6:30PM. Women only F 10AM–8:30PM, Sa 9AM–6:30PM. Restored Turkish baths (hamam) that were the first of their kind in Britain when first opened in 1877. The baths offer a wide range of treatments and spa days to suit almost any budget. Spa days: £20–£195, prices for individual treatments vary. All prices include complimentary drinks. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 Steel City Ghost Tours (Most tours meet on the steps of the Town Hall, Pinstone Street, S1 2HH. Supertram: Cathedral), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M, W, Th 7:30PM. Join "Mr P. Dreadful" for a two-hour walking tour of Sheffield's haunted buildings and sites of ghostly goings on. A monthly crime and murder tour and a range of other tours and talks are available throughout the year. Some tours are family-friendly, others much less so. Very silly and surprisingly scary. Tours: adults: £5; students, pensioners (with ID): £4; Children under 13: £2.50. No booking required, just pay the man when you arrive. Other prices may vary. (updated Dec 2017)
• Peak District: With Britain's first national park on their doorstep, it's no surprise that Sheffielders spend so much of their leisure time just beyond the city limits. A haven for hiking, mountain biking, climbing, off-roading, paragliding and watersports, the locals treat the Peak District like one big playground; you should do too! See the climbing and walking section below for a flavour of ideas, and the Go Next section for more detailed lists of activities and itineraries.

Theatreland

Crucible Theatre

Lyceum Theatre

The Showroom on a foggy day.

Second only to London's West End as the UK's greatest concentration of theatres and cinemas, Sheffield's Theatreland is based on and around the pedestrianised Tudor Square, in the east of the City Centre. The theatre scene is vibrant and extremely varied, with a number of production companies based in the city, including the acclaimed Sheffield Theatres. Plays and musicals destined for London often make their provincial debut in Sheffield, in 'try outs' designed to gauge audience response and iron out any production kinks. Theatreland's four cinemas each offer a unique viewing experience and very different programmes.

• 🌍 Crucible Theatre, Tudor Square, S1 1DA (Supertram: Castle Square), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. An eclectic programme, with everything from musicals and panto, to contemporary plays and Shakespeare. As well as being Sheffield's largest and best-known theatre, the Crucible is also home to the widely televised annual World Snooker Championships. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Library Theatre, Tudor Square, S1 1XZ (Inside the Central Library. Supertram: Castle Square), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Shows productions by local amateur dramatics groups. Not accessible to wheelchair users. 
• 🌍 Lyceum Theatre, Tudor Square, S1 1DA (Supertram: Castle Square), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. This beautiful Grade-II* listed theatre dates from 1897, and was designed by famous Victorian theatre architect W.G.R. Sprague. The Lyceum offers Sheffield's best selection of productions alongside the Crucible, specialising in touring West End and Opera North productions, as well as locally-produced plays. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Montgomery Theatre, Surrey Street, S1 2LG (Supertram: Cathedral), ☎ [phone]. Methodist-run theatre which shows productions aimed at families and younger audiences. Not everything has a religious angle, but some shows obviously do. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Sheffield City Hall, Barkers Pool, S1 2JA (Supertram: City Hall), ☎ [phone]. A large and grand old concert hall mixing neoclassical and art-deco styles, which hosts theatre, music, opera, dance and comedy gigs. Arrive early to take in the building, including its portico, semi-circular rear and two stone lions and impressive decorated ceilings in the foyer and corridors. Not to be confused with the Town Hall, which is the seat of Sheffield City Council. (updated Jan 2017)
• 🌍 Studio Theatre, Tudor Square, S1 1DA (Within the Crucible. Supertram: Castle Square), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Intimate auditorium for smaller-scale and experimental productions. (updated Oct 2018)
• 🌍 Theatre Deli, 202 Eyre Street, S1 4QZ (Bus: Moor Market (most bus routes stop here); National Rail and Supertram: Sheffield Station (½ mile / 800 m)), ☎ [phone]. Email through online contact form. This edgy venue is a hybrid of many uses: theatre, arts centre, tea room and community centre. Sheffield's home of leftfield drama productions and music gigs by night, host to tea parties, experimental art sessions and social events by day. (updated Oct 2017)
• 🌍 Curzon Cinema, 16 George Street, S1 2PF (Supertram: Castle Square. The narrow George Street runs between the High Street and Norfolk Street), ☎ [phone]. Open every day noon to midnight. A three-screen "boutique cinema" in a tastefully-restored Grade II-listed former bank, with several lounge areas and a popular rooftop bar. 
• 🌍 Odeon Cinema, Arundel Gate, S1 1DL (Supertram: Castle Square), ☎ [phone]. Slightly shabby multiplex showing all the latest cinema releases. You could certainly do better than go here, but it's cheap. (updated Oct 2018)
• 🌍 Showroom Cinema, 15 Paternoster Row, S1 2BX (National Rail and Supertram: Sheffield Station), ☎ [phone]. Sheffield's largest indie cinema, showing a range of independent and foreign films, as well new and classic blockbusters. The art-deco building itself is a former car factory, built in the 1930s. Pleasant onsite bar and café serving meals and alcoholic and soft drinks. (updated Jan 2017)
• 🌍 The Light Cinema, The Moor, S1 4PF (Many buses stop on Pinstone Street and Eyre Street. Supertram: City Hall, 600 yards (550 m)), ☎ [phone]. The Light "cinema experience" shows big blockbusters, cinema classics, arts events and the fun concept of a "mystery screening", while you recline on comfortable and spacious armchairs. The café-bar has good views over The Moor and local area, and there are several restaurants next door. (updated Jan 2018)

Other theatres and cinemas

The Drama Studio

• 🌍 Drama Studio, Shearwood Road, S10 2TD (Fronts onto Glossop Road. Bus: 6, 10, 51, 120. Supertram: University, 500 yards (460 m)), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Box office: M–F 9:30AM–5PM. An atmospheric 200-seat theatre owned by the University of Sheffield in a converted Victorian church. Regular productions by both students and local drama groups, including a couple of foreign-language (mainly French and Spanish) productions throughout the year. (updated Jan 2017)
• 🌍 Lantern Theatre, Kenwood Park Road, S7 1NF (Bus route 22 stops at the end of Kenwood Park Road.), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Sheffield's oldest and smallest theatre, in a quiet Victorian residential neighbourhood. (updated Jan 2017)
• 🌍 Merlin Theatre, 2 Meadow Bank Road, S11 9AH (Bus: 3 or 3a to Union Road in Nether Edge centre, then follow brown signs.), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Small community theatre which specialises in autism- and disability-friendly productions. It is housed in an evocatively grey stone building, and benefits from some beautiful gardens to sit in before and after performances. (updated Aug 2018)
• 🌍 Abbeydale Picture House, 387 Abbeydale Road, S7 1FS (Bus: 20, 25, 53, 74, 76, 87, 97, 98 to Abbeydale Road), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. It is (autumn 2017) only open on an irregular basis, as restoration work is ongoing. The full events programme can be viewed here. A beautiful domed 1920s cinema, which fell into disrepair in the 1970s. Since early 2017, it has been the focus of a community restoration venture, which is ongoing, and has since begun a programme of events, including screenings of classic films and regular community antiques markets. This real Sheffield gem is far from looking its best due to decades of neglect, but its long-term future is brighter than it has been since 1975! (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Cineworld IMAX Cinema, Broughton Lane, S9 2EP (in the Valley Centertainment leisure park; Supertram: Valley Centertainment), ☎ [phone]. Multiplex cinema with 20 large screens - one of the busiest cinemas in the country and the largest Cineworld branch. Also includes an IMAX screen, showing films on a massive screen in 3D, and a 4DX screen, showing 3D films complete with motion and tactile effects.  
• 🌍 Vue Cinema, Meadowhall, S9 1EP (In the Oasis Food Court of the Meadowhall Centre. National Rail and Supertram: Meadowhall Interchange), ☎ [phone]. Medium-sized multiplex; a good way to end a day's shopping in Meadowhall, otherwise is out of the way. (updated Oct 2017)

Clubs and live music venues are listed in the Drink section below.

Sport

Bramall Lane, home of Sheffield United

Hillsborough, home of Sheffield Wednesday

Sheffield Arena, waiting for a Steelers game

Owlerton Stadium

As a spectator

Sheffield is England's National City of Sport and is home to a number of top sporting teams:

• 🌍 Sheffield United Football Club (The Blades), Bramall Lane, S2 4SU (Supertram: Granville Road, ½ mile (800 m)), ☎ + 44 114 253 7200, e-mail: [e-mail]. "The Blades" play in the Championship, the second tier of English football. The stadium, capacity of 32,700, is one mile south of the main railway station. Adult £20 - £30 advance, £22 - £32 match day; concession rates available. (updated Aug 2018)
• 🌍 Sheffield Wednesday Football Club (The Owls), Hillsborough Stadium, S6 1SW (Supertram: Leppings Lane), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. The Owls play in the Championship, the second tier of English football. The stadium normally has a capacity of 40,000, but is temporarily reduced to 35,000. It's 3 miles north of city centre along A61. In 1989 this stadium was the scene of the Hillsborough Disaster, which claimed the lives of 96 Liverpool FC fans, note the memorial outside the Parkside Road entrance. Match tickets: adults £20 - £42, concs £15 - £32. (updated Aug 2018)
• 🌍 Sheffield Football Club, home matches played at The Home of Football, Coach and Horses Stadium, Sheffield Road, S18 2GD (Small car park onsite. National Rail: Dronfield, ⅔ mile (1 km). Bus: 43 to Coach and Horses), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. A minor team playing in the Northern Premier League Division One South. Yes, we really are recommending you attend a non-league game of a team whose last major win was in 1904. So what makes Sheffield F.C. special and internationally-important? Only that it is the oldest association football club in the world, having been founded in 1857! FIFA marked the club's 150th anniversary in 2007, when SFC played special matches against Ajax and Inter Milan, which Pelé attended, at Bramall Lane. First team: £8 for adults, £4 for concessions. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Sheffield Eagles Rugby Football Club (rugby league), home matches played at the Olympic Legacy Park, Attercliffe Common, S9 3TL (Supertram: Arena, ½ mile (800 m). Bus: X1, X3), ☎ [phone], [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. The team plays in the Championship, which is the second tier in English rugby league. The 2017 season marked their return to a permanent home venue for the first time in several years. £18 for adults, £14 for concessions, £5 for under 16s. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Sheffield Giants American Football Club, home games played at Sheffield Hallam University Sports Park, Bawtry Road, S9 1UA (2 min from M1 J34 by road. Bus: 32, 72, 81 from the nearby Meadowhall Interchange, where trains and trams from the city centre arrive.), e-mail: [e-mail]. The Giants play in the top division of the UK's fledgling American football league, and receive backing and players from the two universities' NFL teams. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Sheffield Hallam Hockey Club (field hockey), home games played at Abbeydale Sports Club, Abbeydale Road South, S17 3LJ (National Rail: Dore & Totley), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. One of the top hockey clubs in the UK, playing both men and women's teams at all levels both indoors and outdoors. The men's first team play in the English Hockey League (national/top tier), while the ladies' first team play in the Northern Hockey League (regional/second tier). (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Sheffield Sharks (basketball), homes games played at the English Institute of Sport, Coleridge Road, S9 5DA (Supertram: Arena), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Mens' team that plays in the British Basketball League (national/top tier). They are the second most successful UK basketball team of all time. Adults: £14, concessions: £11, family (2 adults + 2 children): £10 p.p. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Sheffield Steel Rollergirls (women's rollerblading), home games at Ponds Forge (see below) and Concord Sports Centre, Shiregreen Lane, S5 6AE (Bus to Concord: 3, 3a, 35, 75, 76). Email through online contact form. Women's amateur flat-track roller derby team that welcomes spectators and visiting skaters.  
• 🌍 Sheffield Steelers (ice hockey), home games played at the Sheffield Arena, Broughton Lane, S9 2DF, and occasionally just around the corner at iceSheffield, Coleridge Road, S9 5DA (Supertram: Arena), ☎ [phone] (Arena box office), [phone] (iceSheffield). An ice hockey team that play in the Elite Ice Hockey League, which is the top tier for the sport in the UK. There is a strong family ethos within the club, and the match atmosphere is rather Americanised, in great contrast to what you would find at local football. £6-17.  
• 🌍 Sheffield Tigers (speedway motorbike racing), home meetings take place at Owlerton Stadium, Penistone Road, S6 2DE (Supertram: Hillsborough Park, ½ mile (800 m). Bus: 7, 8, 8a, 86, H1 to Owlerton Stadium.), ☎ [phone], [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Meetings normally take place on Thursday evenings. The team competes in the Speedway Great Britain Championship, which is the second tier of the sport in the United Kingdom. Adults: £15; over 65s: £12 with ID; teens aged 12-17: £5; children aged 5-12: £1; under 3s: free.  
• 🌍 The Inhuman League (men's rollerblading), home games at Ponds Forge (see below) and Concord Sports Centre, Shiregreen Lane, S5 6AE (Bus to Concord: 3, 3a, 35, 75, 76), e-mail: [e-mail]. Men's amateur flat-track roller derby team that play in the UK premier division. They were also crowned the best-dressed zombie sport team in 2013! (updated Feb 2018)
• 🌍 Greyhound racing, Owlerton Stadium, Penistone Road, S6 2DE (Supertram: Hillsborough Park, ½ mile (800 m). Bus: 7, 8, 8a, 86, H1 to Owlerton Stadium.), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Race nights every Tu, F, Sa. Sometimes on other nights. Enjoy a night of racing and, inevitably, gambling. Greyhound welfare is a priority for the venue. Facilities include a restaurant, plus fast food and bar options. General admission: £6. Obviously you could spend a small fortune on bets. (updated Nov 2017)

Participate

English Institute of Sport exterior

The 2007 European speed skating championships at iceSheffield

While there are many local sports centres in Sheffield, the following facilities are the cream of the crop, used by elite sportspeople and thousands of visitors alike:

• 🌍 English Institute of Sport, Coleridge Road, S9 5DA (Supertram: Arena), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–F: 7AM–10PM; Sa, Su: 9AM–5PM. The UK's largest multisport training centre that has a huge number of facilities for all ages and abilities, from the general public up to olympians and paralympians. Hosts regional, national and international championships at all times of the year. (updated Oct 2018)
• 🌍 iceSheffield, Coleridge Road, S9 5DA (Supertram: Arena), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Open daily 6AM–1AM; open until 1:30AM on W. A big indoor ice sports centre. Two olympic-sized ice pads for ice sports and recreational skating, at all times of the day and night. Also on-site is the Altitude High Ropes Adventure, an adventure course across 34 obstacles, including rope bridges, scramble nets, balance beams, swinging logs, and a 30-ft leap of faith. Visitors are supervised by instructors at all times. Ice skating from £6.10 for an adult or child over 3 years. Concessions and full prices here. High ropes from £11.50 for an adult / £9.50 for a child. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, Sheaf Street, S1 2BP (Supertram: Fitzalan Square. Centre advises you use the postcode S1 1AA in sat navs.), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–F: 6:30AM–10:30PM; Sa, Su: 8AM–8PM. A huge gymnasium and swimming centre with Olympic-sized pool, diving pool and fun pool with waves, flumes and lazy river. Regular age, disability and autism-friendly sessions available. Lane / leisure swimming: £7.55 for adults, £4.05 for children. Gym: £9.70, adults only.  

If you're staying in town for a while, and think you'll use the above facilities and other local centres more than once, consider buying a lifeCARD. It costs £3 for one year, and gives a £3 discount on regular prices every time you use it at one of seven sports venues, so offers brilliant savings even if you only use it a few times. There are also special offers and discounts on cultural events taking place in the city. You don't have to be a resident of Sheffield or even a citizen of the European Union, but you do have to provide your name and address when you make the purchase, either online or at one of the venues.

Climbing

Climber at Stanage Edge

Ring ouzels During spring and summer (typically between mid-April and mid-July), access to some climbing sites is restricted. This is due to the presence of ring ouzels, which are a protected species of bird, part of the thrush family. They typically nest in crevices and amongst heather on upland areas. The presence of climbers with lots of equipment and heavy boots is disruptive and potentially harmful to the ouzels' breeding prospects. There are clear up-to-date information signs erected by the British Mountaineering Council in places where nests have been sighted. The local climbing community has largely backed access restrictions, and some have even become involved in conservation efforts. It would be greatly appreciated if you followed the locals' example.

Climbing is a massively popular weekend pastime among Sheffielders.

With the crags, edges and tors of the Peak District National Park in close proximity, it should come as no surprise that climbing is big in Sheffield. If you're an experienced climber, or are with someone who is, you really should try one of the literally hundreds of natural climbing spots in the Peak.

Highlights (some of which are in the national park, but all of which are within Sheffield's city boundaries) are listed below. They are chosen for their variety and quality of the climbing they offer, as well as their ease of access by car, taxi and public transport from the city centre.

• 🌍 Burbage Edge (Access on foot from the 🌍 Fox House Inn, on the A625. Bus: 65, 215, 271, 272. Limited parking available.). A mixture of natural edge and the results of past quarrying have left dozens of potential climbing routes. Best visited early evening. In the same area are a number of sizable boulders which can be used for practice by less experienced climbers. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Millstone Edge (Access from the delightfully-named 🌍 Surprise View car park, on the A6187. Bus: 271 / 272.). An imposing former gritstone quarry with sheer walls blasted smooth by dynamite from days gone by. Definitely one of Sheffield's more challenging sites. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Rivelin Rocks (Rivelin Edge) (Access by muddy footpath from A57 Manchester Road opposite the dam on Rivelin reservoir.🌍 Parking is at the far end of the dam from the road; you can drive across. Bus: 273, 274, 275 to 🌍 Onksley Lane stop, 500 yards (460 m).). Another gritstone edge favoured for the Needle, a 20-metre (66 ft) free-standing pinnacle that stands in front of the main edge. The best time to visit is on fine autumn and winter days, when the rocks get plenty of sunshine. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Stanage Edge (Access is easiest by road, as you can park close by at one of several popular car parks on 🌍 Ringinglow Road and 🌍 The Dale. Public transport: train from Sheffield Midland to 🌍 Hathersage station, from where it is just over 2 miles' (3.2 km) pleasant uphill walk along roads and footpaths to Stanage.). Spectacular views and innumerable climb sites along several miles of edge; the longest recorded traverse in Britain, at 5,000 metres (16,000 ft), took place here in 1992. One of the UK's most well-known climbing locations. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Wharncliffe Crags (Access is by foot from a 🌍 car park just off Station Road in Deepcar, 7 miles (11 km) north-west of Sheffield. Bus: 57 from the city centre (less regular), or SL1 / SL1a (more regular) from Middlewood Supertram station, at the northern end of the Yellow line. All routes take you into 🌍 Deepcar village, roughly ½ mile's (800 m) walk along roads.). In the early days of British climbing, this was one of the most popular spots. Nowadays, it is overshadowed by the more famous sites in the Peak District, and is therefore often quiet. Climbs are tough and steep. (updated Nov 2017)

It's fair to say the Pennine weather can be pretty appalling fairly often, so there are several excellent indoor climbing centres in Sheffield itself. All offer membership rates and one time 'turn up and go' sessions, as long as you can demonstrate that you are a competent and safe climber. Some also offer lessons and courses:

• 🌍 Awesome Walls, Garter Street, S4 7QX (Bus: 36 to Petre Street / Garter Street. Parking on-site.), ☎ [phone]. M–F 10AM–10PM, Sa–Su 10AM–8PM. Over 300 climbing routes, two bouldering areas, and a space-themed kids' zone. Adults £8, concessions £7, bouldering only £6.50. Other prices vary, see website. (updated Oct 2017)
• 🌍 The Climbing Works, Unit B, Centenary Works, Little London Road, S8 0UJ (Bus: 75, 76 to Woodseats Road / Athol Road), ☎ [phone]. M–F noon–10PM, Sa–Su 10AM–8PM. One of the world's largest bouldering centres, there is something for all ages and skillsets. The ambient music is great too. Experienced climbers can turn up and climb. Peak (weekday evenings and all weekend): adults £7.50, concessions £6.50. Off peak (weekdays before 4PM): adults £6.50, concessions £5.50. Compulsory registration fee: £3. Beginner climbers should book an induction session. Adults: £20. Junior (14-17 years): £15. See website for other rates, including for under 14s and membership. (updated Oct 2017)
• 🌍 The Foundry Climbing Centre, 45 Mowbray Street, S3 8EN (Supertram: Shalesmoor (½ mile). Cross road junction to Cornish St, turn R onto Green La, turn L onto Ball St, turn R onto Mowbray St.), ☎ [phone]. M–F 10AM–10PM; Sa, Su 10AM–6PM (until 8PM Oct–Apr). One of the UK's oldest indoor climbing centres, still highly regarded by climbers. Variety of routes, different 'rock' surfaces, and a kids' circuit. Without instructor (experienced climbers only): adults £7.50, concessions £6.50, under 16s £4.50, under 7s £4. Beginner climbers must take an instructed session, for which prices vary. As a guideline, the adults' intro to climbing costs £16 for 2 hrs, and the sessions for children cost £12 for 2 hrs. (updated Oct 2017)
• 🌍 Sport Sheffield Bouldering (known as "The Matrix" on some UK climbing and bouldering websites), Goodwin Sports Centre, Northumberland Road, S10 2TY (Bus: 51, 52, 52a to Whitham Road / Northumberland Road. Double back towards City Centre, then turn sharp L onto Northumberland Rd.), ☎ [phone]. Open to the general public M–F 5PM–10PM; open to concessions, NUS card holders, and University of Sheffield students, staff and alumni only M–F 9AM–5PM, Sa–Su 11AM–5PM. Part of the University of Sheffield's sport facilities, this is a large wall for bouldering. The layout is 'reset' regularly, so repeat customers won't get bored. Standard price (after 5PM): £4.50, concessions £3.50. (updated Oct 2017)

When the weather is fine for climbing practice, but you don't feel like going far, no fear! Sheffield has got your back, with more than a dozen public boulders scattered around the city. These artificial rocks closely mimic the real thing out in the Peak, are generally in public parks and are all free to use. Many are suitable for beginners and children. Local climbing enthusiasts have created a handy Google map, showing the locations of each boulder and details about their size and condition.

Golf

	Adults	Children
9 holes	M–F: £12.50 Sa–Su: £13	Daily: £7
18 holes	M–F: £17 Sa–Su: £22.50	M–F: £9.50 Sa–Su: £10.75

There are three municipal golf courses in Sheffield which, unlike private courses, are open to everyone at reasonably affordable prices. They follow the same fees system (see table). If you have a lifeCard, you can get a £3 discount on all quoted prices.

• 🌍 Beauchief Golf Club, Abbey Lane, S8 0DB (Free parking. Bus: 97 / 98 to Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet. National Rail: Dore & Totley, ½ mile (800 m)), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Daily 9:30AM–10:30PM. A varied 5258 yard, par 67 course, with sloping fairways and a stream to contend with. In the grounds of Beauchief Abbey (11th century) with views of the Peak District. Clubhouse equipped with bar on-site. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Birley Wood Golf Club, Birley Lane, S12 3BP (Free parking. Supertram: Birley Lane), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Daily 7AM–3:30PM. Large course on the plateau of a hill; there are views over the city. Accessible to beginners and children, while still being quite challenging. Golf buggies available to hire. There is a pub just off-site. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Tinsley Park Golf Club, High Hazels Mead, S9 4PE (Free parking. Bus: 6, 6a, 18, 52, 52a. National Rail: Darnall, ½ mile (800 m)), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–F 7AM–5PM; Sa, Su 6:30AM–7PM. 18-hole, par 70 parkland course measuring 5,746 yards over lots of hills and slopes. Fairways and greens to challenge all ages and abilities. On-site clubhouse with bar and catering. (updated Nov 2017)

Walks

Sturdy shoes are recommended on all walks, especially the more rural routes. Since Sheffield is extremely hilly, most walks have lots of ups and downs to them. Hiking boots would be ideal. Sheffield City Council has a portal for the complete list of the many interesting walks throughout the city's urban, suburban, industrial and rural landscapes, but here are six of the best:

Mainly urban

The Lady's Bridge, which you'll visit on both the Five Weirs and Sheffield Town walks.

• 🌍 Five Weirs Walk (Start at the Lady's Bridge, which is directly downhill from the Castlegate bus stops and Castle Square tram station). 5 miles (8 km), can be extended or shortened. A walk between the city centre and Meadowhall along the River Don through many interesting neighbourhoods, including industrial wasteland, the still-living steelworks, Sheffield's Sikh temple, and the unexpected treats of nature reserves and ancient cemeteries. Kingfishers and otters can be seen, even in the heart of the city. Although you can catch the tram or train back into town from Meadowhall, more active travellers may wish to continue along the river into Tinsley and Rotherham, or else complete the "Blue Loop" by making the return journey on foot along the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal. (updated Jan 2016)
• 🌍 Norfolk Heritage Trail (Starts at Manor Lodge and ends in front of the Anglican Cathedral.). 3 miles (4.8 km). A signed route linking a range of historical buildings and open spaces with connections to the Dukes of Norfolk. You will walk through City Road Cemetery, enjoy the expanses of Norfolk Park, see brilliant views of the city from the Cholera Monument and descend past Park Hill over the three-way tram junction and railway tracks, following the Supertram to the cathedral. (updated Jan 2016)
• 🌍 Sheffield Town Walk (Starts and ends at the Anglican Cathedral). 2 miles (3.2 km). Very easy circular walk around the historic city centre, taking in well-known landmarks and lesser-travelled spots. From the cathedral, make for the Old Town Hall and grim dereliction of the Castlegate Quarter. Console yourself with the pretty barges and former grain stores of the canal basin. You'll then pass the modern law courts, offices and apartments lining the river Don until you reach Kelham Island, a trendy postindustrial residential neighbourhood with many great pubs. The route finishes with a tour of the Cathedral Quarter, through Paradise Square, via barrister firms and an old synagogue as you return to the cathedral. (updated Jan 2016)

Mainly rural

The Rivelin Valley in May; yes this is still Sheffield!

The use of a GPS or Ordnance Survey map is recommended for the following walks, which are more difficult to navigate than those on city streets. Venturing into the countryside really does require you to know where you are, as weather conditions can be unpredictable, and there's no guarantee other people will be around should you get into trouble.

• 🌍 Grenoside to Whitley walk, Main Street, Grenoside, S35 8NY (Off the A61. Park near the Old Red Lion pub. Buses 35, 85 and M92 stop on Main Street, 200 yards (180 m) from the pub.). Native woodland, dells and pretty villages make this an easy 4 miles (6.4 km) circular walk around the countryside north of Sheffield. Even better, it starts and finishes at a pub. Tidy! 
• 🌍 Rivelin Valley Nature Trail (Starts a short distance from Malin Bridge tram station.). 4 miles (6.4 km), shorter circular walks at either end possible. Where the city meets the Peak District. Walk alongside the rushing waters of the river Rivelin, passing numerous old water mills, mill ponds and other scenic spots. This popular conservation area is home to a great deal of wildlife. Several well-maintained footpaths and bridleways make this an excellent choice for families, with very easy walking routes. The energetic may muster themselves to climb the very steep path all the way to 🌍 Lodge Moor bus terminus on Redmires Road - the regular number 51 will take you back into town. (updated Jan 2016)
• 🌍 Wyming Brook Nature Reserve and Stanage Edge, Redmires Road, S10 4QX (Car park on site. Bus: 51 to Lodge Moor, 1 mile (1.6 km)). This gorge is now a protected nature reserve. A rocky footpath leads you from the car park down along the bottom of the gorge, crossing the stream several times, to a reservoir. There are many possible walks of varying lengths you could try, but one suggestion is to walk the 2½ miles (4 km) to Stanage Edge. From Wyming Brook car park, head west along Redmires Road, around the reservoirs and up the medium incline until the Peak District opens up in all its majesty in front of you. The Edge itself is flat and easy to walk, with superb panoramic views all around. Many will turn back at this point, but you could equally walk along Stanage as far as you want, or descend the steep 2½ miles (4 km) down to the handsome Derbyshire village of Hathersage. Cream teas or a pint in the pub await you there, and you can return to Sheffield by train. The entire spectacular Lodge Moor to Hathersage station route is 6⅓ miles (10 km) over varied and undulating terrain. (updated Jan 2016)

Learn

There are two major universities in Sheffield, both of which attract large numbers of international students from all over the world:

• 🌍 University of Sheffield ("Uni of"), Western Bank, S10 2TN (Supertram: University), ☎ [phone]. An older "red brick" university founded in 1828, which became a university in 1905. It belongs to the prestigious Russell Group of top British universities, and is one of the top 100 universities in the world. With around 28,000 students, it has strengths in the sciences, engineering, medicine, information management, architecture, business and languages. It spans the western part of the city centre and most of the neighbourhood of Broomhill. Its student's union has been named as the best in the country for ten consecutive years since 2009, and the University's student experience, which focuses on atmosphere, community and social life has been consistently voted into the top three every year since 2013 (Times Higher Education). (updated Sep 2018)
• 🌍 Sheffield Hallam University ("Hallam"), Howard Street, S1 1WB (National Rail and Supertram: Sheffield Station), ☎ [phone]. An ex-polytechnic founded in 1843 and made a university in 1992, which focuses on engineering, nursing, midwifery, art, management and computing courses. It has two large campuses, one in the Cultural Industries Quarter of the city centre, and the other near Ecclesall Road. It is also one of the largest universities in the country, with over 30,000 students. (updated Sep 2018)

Additionally, the Sheffield College offers a huge selection of pre-university and vocational courses, and is one of the largest further education establishments in the country.

Buy

Navigate to: Meadowhall, Crystal Peaks, Antiques Quarter, London Road, Other neighbourhoods

Sheffield has two main shopping destinations. The city centre is varied and walkable. It has a good range of high street and independent stores. The out-of-town Meadowhall shopping centre is Yorkshire's largest and has a huge range of shops. Beyond these two destinations, Sheffield's other shopping experiences range from suburban high streets to local shopping centres and themed quarters.

City centre

The central area packs in a lot of national chains and independent shops. Visitors will however find there are fewer big name brands than might be expected, due to Meadowhall's proximity and size. Much of the city centre is pedestrianised, and this makes an easy and pleasant environment to walk around. The main axis of central shopping destinations runs in a gently curving line from the Moor in the south-west, via Fargate and surrounds to Castlegate in the north-east. In the west of the city centre, the Devonshire Quarter is a hub of independent boutiques.

The Moor

The Moor is a broad pedestrianised street dating from the 1950s, that is undergoing regeneration in the mid-2010s, and will become part of a larger central retail quarter in the early 2020s. It is now a cool mix of mid-century functionalism and modernity, and is the home of several landmark stores, a cinema, chain restaurants and cafés, and the city's central market. While much of the street is now finished and looking great, building work is ongoing in the immediate surroundings.

Although it is a bit of a distance from the nearest tram stops, most city bus routes serve the area on Charter Row, Cumberland Street, Eyre Street and Furnival Gate. Alternatively, there is a large multistorey car park on Eyre Street.

• 🌍 Atkinson's, 78-82 The Moor, S1 3LT, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–F: 9AM–5:30PM, Sa: 9AM–6PM, Su: 10:30AM–4:30PM. Sheffield's very own independent and idiosyncratic family department store has been on the Moor since 1872, although the original building was destroyed in the Blitz of 1940. It sells home items including furniture and kitchen gear, as well as fashion, cosmetics and fragrances. Atkinson's is also home to its own restaurant, an Italian coffee shop and a tea room. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Melody Couture, 64 The Moor, S1 4PA, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–Sa 9AM–5:30PM. Independent women's fashion and clothing store. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Record Junkee, 7 Earl Street, S1 3FP, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–Sa 9AM–5:30PM, Su 11AM–5PM. Large and varied selection of new and second-hand vinyl records. At the same address, Music Junkee sells a vast array of new and second-hand musical instruments, and audio, lighting, mixing and software equipment for DJs. The stock is faultless, but be prepared for dodgy customer service. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 The Moor Market, 77 The Moor, S1 4PF, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–Sa 8AM–5:30PM. Sheffield's snazzy indoor market hall opened in 2013, moving from its historic location in Castlegate. The market has more than 90 stalls, and has become a foodie mecca, mixing traditional local food and drink producers with specialist artisans, delis and other stalls selling international items. Alongside this, there are haberdashery, clothing, furnishing and jewellery sellers. (updated Nov 2017)

Other significant shops include three national department stores (Debenhams, Primark and TJ Hughes), plus an Ann Summers sex shop, Blacks outdoor gear, Burton / Dorothy Perkins clothing, Deichmann footwear, Forbidden Planet comic book store (just off the Moor on Matilda Street), and a Sainsbury's supermarket.

Pinstone Street, Furnival Gate, Barkers Pool

Pinstone Street

Directly north of The Moor is a rather hideous collection of bus-choked streets with semi-abandoned shops and offices that for now appear to have been left behind by all the regeneration. Of the shops that remain, there is little to write home about. Boring but useful services such as building societies and opticians rub shoulders with charity shops. The only thing which really should tempt you here is the trio of great takeaways: Béres pork sandwich shop, Fanoush falafel and salads, and Street Food Chef burrito bar, each of which have become Sheffield institutions. See individual listings in the Eat section of this page.

• 🌍 Naked Ape, 96 Pinstone Street, S1 2HQ, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M, Tu, F, Sa: 10AM–5PM. Outdoor equipment store. Good for Vibram Fivefingers shoes, outdoor clothing and backpacks. (updated Nov 2017)

As you approach the Town Hall, the buildings get older and smarter, and the shops get better. There are three jewellers, plus a JD Sports, Toni&Guy salon and a Budgens supermarket.

• 🌍 La Biblioteka, 70 Pinstone Street, S1 2HP, e-mail: [e-mail]. Tu–Th: 11AM–6PM; F–Sa: 11AM–7PM. Independent shop that stocks books and periodicals relating to travel, architecture, fashion, food, art and literature. Also hosts literary events. (updated Nov 2017)

If you do a sort of left U-turn just before the Town Hall, you'll find Barkers Pool. Dominated by its war memorial, this square has the City Hall theatre on one side and a large John Lewis department store on the other, as well as smaller shops, including a Google Digital Garage, Patisserie Valerie and unique home furnishings store Stone the Crows! Barkers Pool connects to the Devonshire Quarter to the west.

Surrey Street

Corner of Norfolk Street and Surrey Street

This pleasant cobbled street of quirky independent shops runs along the north side of the Town Hall towards Tudor Square. Here, you can see chic brown stone buildings, the Sheffield "TARDIS" and Montgomery Theatre. Surrey Street also has the city's tourist information centre and an entrance to the Winter Garden / Millennium Gallery. The nearest Supertram station is Cathedral.

• 🌍 F.G. Thomas, 25 Surrey Street, S1 2LG, ☎ [phone]. A rarity in this day and age - a shop dedicated to specialist pens of all kinds. Naturally, they also stock ink, fancy writing paper and blank diaries. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 James Hadley Fine Diamonds, 29-31 Surrey Street, S1 2LG, ☎ [phone]. M–Sa 9AM–5PM. Family-run jewellers, specialists in diamonds, though they also work with other precious stones, silver and watches. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Lockwoods Florists, 35 Surrey Street, S1 2LG, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–Sa 8:30AM–5:15PM, delivers Su by special arrangement. A long-established florist and bouquet delivery service. All flowers are fresh, and sold on day of delivery. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Sheffield Makers, 90 Surrey Street, S1 2LH (within the Winter Garden), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–Sa 10AM–5:30PM; Su & bank holiday M 11AM–4PM. A fabulous little aladdin's cave of arts and craft, all made in Sheffield. Together with Sheffield Scene (see below), this is one of the best places in town to buy unique and interesting souvenirs and presents. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Sheffield Scene, 49 Surrey Street, S1 2LG, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–Sa 9AM–5PM. A great place to purchase local products such as metalwork including cutlery and silver, works by local artists, Henderson's relish and other souvenirs and knick knacks. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Wicker Herbal Stores, 117 Norfolk Street, S1 2JE, ☎ [phone]. M–Sa 9AM–5PM. An attractive herbal medicine and health food shop, with the vibe and appearance of an old-fashioned apothecary. (updated Nov 2017)

Fargate

Flower market on Fargate

Fargate is Sheffield's pedestrianised main shopping street, which runs from the Town Hall at the top to the Anglican cathedral and High Street at the bottom, where trams and buses stop. There are several buildings of architectural note here, including the Grade-II listed Carmel House. There are often specialist markets on Fargate, with past themes as diverse as arts and craft, gardening, continental, and middle eastern bazaar. This street is also the hub of Sheffield Food Festival (in May) and the popular Christmas Market (mid-November to December), when log cabins run its length and lights glitter between the buildings.

Many chain retailers can be found on Fargate, including fashion stores Foot Locker, H&M, New Look, Next and Topshop / Topman, jewellers H. Samuel and Pandora, cosmeticians KIKO and Lush, chocolatiers Hotel Chocolat and Thorntons, department store Marks & Spencer, and newsagent and bookseller WHSmith.

Just off Fargate, Chapel Walk is a narrow pedestrian alley leading to Norfolk Street, that has a number of specialist stores and cosy cafés. Scaffolding is (March 2018) making the street look unsightly and out of use, but Chapel Walk is still very much open for business. Of note are Claire's accessories, a Dr. Martens shop, and a couple of gift shops.

Orchard Square

Orchard Square is a precinct between Fargate and Church Street. It is home to a number of fashion outlets on the main square and specialist shops in the Craft Workshop upstairs. Among Sheffielders, especially those who grew up in the city, it is best known for its mechanical clock, which chimes at every quarter of an hour and opens to reveal the moving figures of cutlers from the olden days. To adult visitors, this will seem a bit naff, but little (and big!) kids love it.

Orchard Square is very easily accessible from City Hall Supertram station, and lots of bus routes stop on Leopold Street just outside.

• 🌍 Bear Tree Records, Unit 5, Craft Workshop, Orchard Square, S1 2FB, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. W 10AM–5:30PM; Th F 10AM–6PM; Sa 10AM–5PM; Su 12:30PM–3:30PM. An offshoot of the Blackest Rainbow record label, this is an independent record shop, specialising in vinyl. They stock new releases, reissues and a small number of second-hand records that are checked for quality. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 M.S. Tailor, Unit 12, Craft Workshop, Orchard Square, S1 2FB, ☎ [phone]. M–Sa 10AM–5PM. A reliable and professional tailoring service, also does repairs and alterations. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Michael Spencer, Unit 6, Craft Workshop, Orchard Square, S1 2FB, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–F 9AM–5PM; Sa 9AM–3PM. Long-running jewellers that manufactures its own products with all kinds of precious stones, as well as selling and repairing others. They also repair watches. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Q Tattoo, Unit 9, Craft Workshop, Orchard Square, S1 2FB, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Tu–Sa noon–6PM. Tattoo parlour that offers all styles, including freestyle. Also does touch-ups. Walk-up service and bookings. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Wargames Emporium, Unit 8, Craft Workshop, Orchard Square, S1 2FB, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–F 9:30AM–5:30PM; Sa 9:30AM–5PM; Su 11AM–4PM. Most wargames and modelling products you can think of, including paints, scenery, dice and miniatures. Also stocks an eclectic range of board games, card games (e.g. Magic: The Gathering) and accessories relating to RPGs (e.g. Dungeons and Dragons). (updated Nov 2017)

Chain stores include discount department store TK Maxx, clothing retailers Evans, Fat Face and River Island, shoe shops Clarks and Schuh, cosmetics specialists The Body Shop and The Perfume Shop, and a Waterstones book shop.

Castlegate Quarter

The river Don from Blonk Bridge in Castlegate

The High Street is the broad avenue where buses and trams run downhill from the cathedral towards Ponds Forge and Park Hill. Despite a fabulous mix of architectural styles and three Supertram stations (Cathedral, Castle Square and Fitzalan Square), it is mainly a mix of fast food restaurants and inexpensive retail giants such as Bonmarché, Boots, HMV, Poundland and Sports Direct. There are also some independent shops, but little to recommend among them. Beyond Castle Square, the retail more or less dries up, even while the architecture remains impressive.

In the rest of the Castlegate Quarter, north of the High Street up to the river Don, the situation looks grimmer. From the middle ages until 2013, this was the location of Sheffield's central market hall; this has now moved to the flourishing Moor as part of a general westward shift of activity in the city centre. This means that what was the Castle Market building has been demolished, leaving a whacking great hole surrounded by 'temporary' hoarding. The surrounding streets seem to be on a similar downward spiral, with most of the buildings looking sad and neglected.

However, to pass by Castlegate based on how it looks would be to miss out on a wide selection of bargain stores and an extremely diverse cheap restaurant scene all within spitting distance of lots of hotels. Castlegate is actually perfect for travellers on a budget. Besides, redevelopment plans to create a new landscaped riverside park, and the district's exceedingly long history as Sheffield's commercial centre may well combine to force a change in fortunes in the near future. Useful shops include Argos, B&M Bargains, Wilko, another Poundland less than 400 metres from the one mentioned above, the weirdly-named cheap toiletries store Savers, and a Co-op food supermarket.

• 🌍 King Street Market, King Street, S1 2AW, ☎ [phone], [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Daily 8:30AM–4:30PM. Monday sees an antiques and bric-a-brac market, while Wednesday is second-hand clothes day. The rest of the week is a more general street market. Free. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Thrifty Store, Castle House, Angel Street, S3 8LN. M–Sa 11AM–6PM, Su noon–5PM. Very large thrift shop for vintage and retro clothing, both second-hand and new. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Sheffield Space Centre, 33 Wicker, S3 8HS (The Wicker is across the river from Castlegate.), ☎ [phone]. M–F 10AM–5PM, Sa 9AM–5PM. Geek central. A home of comic books, anime, manga, sci-fi and fantasy books, figurines and other collectables. Also stocks a range of tabletop role-playing games. (updated Nov 2017)

Devonshire Quarter

Devonshire Street shops

Based around Devonshire Green is one of Sheffield's indie areas. Its strategic location between the two universities means that a huge number of students and graduates live in the neighbourhood. Devonshire Street runs along Dev Green and has a mix of restaurants and gift boutiques, while Division Street has trendy stores and relaxed watering holes. Parallel to these are the frantic bars and clubs of Glossop Road and West Street. Devonshire is a good place to come for a pamper, as there are a number of hairdressers, salons, Turkish barbers and even a Victorian hamam. There are also a growing number of Chinese businesses, reflecting that community's increasing importance to Sheffield's population and economy. The area is served by the Supertram at West Street.

• 🌍 Balance, 156 Devonshire Street, S3 7SG, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–Th 11AM–6PM; F 11AM–6PM, 8PM–10PM; Sa noon–6PM, 8PM–10PM; Su noon–5PM. A disconcerting mix of clothes, posters and bongs, which sums up Devonshire surprisingly well. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Cakes R Us, 142 Devonshire Street, S3 7SF, ☎ [phone]. M–Sa 9:30AM–7PM. A garish Union Jack façade welcomes you to a brilliant Chinese dessert and cake shop. You can order for collection or delivery, or try to squeeze into one of very few tables. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 Collard Manson, 123-125 Devonshire Street, S3 7SB, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–F 11AM–6PM, Sa 10AM–6PM, Su 12:30PM–4:30PM. Designer of bags and wallets that also stocks clothing, shoes, leather goods and jewellery. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 Cow, 156-160 West Street, S1 4ES, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–Sa 10AM–6PM, Su 11AM–5PM. Designer and vintage clothes at reasonable prices. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 David Village Lighting, 180 West Street, S1 4ET, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–F 9:30AM–5PM, Sa 10AM–4PM. Designer and high-end lighting shop. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 Eton Clothing, 65 Division Street, S1 4GE, ☎ [phone]. M–Sa 10AM–6PM, Su 11AM–5PM. Designer clothing store which stocks a range of well-known brands. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 Freshmans Boutique, 6-8 Carver Street, S1 4FS, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–Sa 10AM–6PM, Su 11AM–4PM. Great range of vintage and retro clothes, including 1980s American and Japanese casuals, and older garbs from the 1960s and earlier. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 Green + Benz, 71 Division Street, S1 4GE, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–Sa 10AM–5:30PM, Su 11AM–4PM. Chic and independent jeweller. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 Mint, 101 Division Street, S1 4GE, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–Sa 10AM–6PM, Su 11AM–5PM. Colourful clothing, accessories and incense shop. (updated Dec 2017)

The façade of Mount Zion Chapel is an interesting sight on Westfield Terrace.

• 🌍 Mooch Vintage, 76 Division Street, S1 4GF, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–Sa 10AM–6PM, Su 11AM–5PM. Popular vintage clothing shop to mooch around in. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 MoonKo, 81 Division Street, S1 4GE, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–Sa 11AM–6PM, Su 11AM–5PM. Interesting blend of gifts; plants, prints, cards, clothes and an assortment of other appealing items. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 Oriental Food, 198 West Street, S1 4EU. Daily 11AM–9PM. Good selection of Chinese food products; a bit on the expensive side. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 Party On, 97 Division St, S1 4GE, ☎ [phone]. M–Sa 10AM–6PM. Party and costume shop with another branch in Broomhill. 24 hour returns policy. Upstairs is Rocky Horrors, which is a well-known gothic and punk clothing store. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 Plantology Floral Creations, 70 Division Street, S1 4GF, ☎ [phone]. M–Sa 9AM–5:30 PM. Friendly little florist that sells bouquets themed after Sheffield parks, plus a cool cactus and houseplant selection. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 Sa-kis, 32-34 Division Street, S1 4GF, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–Th 10AM–6PM; F Sa 9:30AM–6PM; Su 11:30AM–5PM. Men's clothing and trainers in a slightly strange layout. Roll with it, it's Division Street. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 Simmonite, 11 Division Street, S1 4FT, ☎ [phone]. Daily 7AM–7PM. A butcher and fishmonger that is very popular with local students due to its impressive range of meat, seafood, deli items, prepared hot and cold snacks and bottled beers, at affordable prices. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 Sinclairs of Sheffield, 266 Glossop Road, S10 2HS, ☎ [phone]. M–Sa 10AM–5PM. Long-established family-run luxury clothing, fashion accessories and leather goods shop. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 Syd and Mallory's Emporium, 158 Devonshire Street, S3 7SG, ☎ [phone]. M–Sa 11AM–6PM. Handmade and hand-printed grunge / psychedelic clothing label with its own shop. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 The Forum, 127-129 Devonshire Street, S3 7SB, ☎ [phone]. M–Sa 10:30AM–6PM, Su 11AM–5PM. A small indoor collection of stylish boutiques, including vintage clothing stores, a skateboard shop, and tattoo and piercings parlours. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 Wa Ding Oriental Supermarket and Canteen, The Plaza, Fitzwilliam Street, S1 4JB (within the West One development of flats and restaurants), ☎ [phone]. M–Sa 10AM–8PM, Su 11AM–7PM. Futuristically décored Chinese supermarket selling a wide range of fresh and dry goods from East Asia. It also has a canteen serving cheap and authentic food. (updated Nov 2017)
• 🌍 Within Reason, 144-146 Devonshire Street, S3 7SF, ☎ [phone]. M–Sa 10AM–5:30PM, Su noon–5PM. Super-friendly gift shop. The kind of place you always come away from with that one item you're sure you "need in your life", but probably don't. (updated Dec 2017)

Aside from a few fast food and coffee outlets, there are almost no chain stores in Devonshire, other than a largish Tesco Metro supermarket on West Street, and a small Sainsbury's Local on Division Street.

Shopping centres

Palm trees and natural light keep the "hell" to a minimum in Meadowhall

• 🌍 Meadowhall, S9 1EP (By road: M1 junction 34. National Rail, bus and Supertram: Meadowhall Interchange. Alternative Supertram: Tinsley / Meadowhall South. The rail service from Sheffield Midland is quicker and more frequent than the tram or bus routes, but isn't cheaper if you have the CityBus or CityWide passes.), ☎ [phone]. Shops: M–F 9AM–10PM, Sa 9AM–8PM, Su 11AM–5PM, food court: M–Sa 9AM–11PM, Su 10AM–9PM. Opening hours vary around Christmas. One of the largest indoor shopping centres in the country, with 280 high-end and chain stores receiving over 30 million visitors every year. Given its size and pre-eminent status in the region, the centre is always busy and often crowded, and it gets positively manic before Christmas. Indeed, many Sheffielders refer to it as "Meadowhell". It is certainly a less pleasant environment than the city centre, but has a more complete retail experience. Anchor stores are Debenhams, House of Fraser, Marks & Spencer, Primark and USC. Meadowhall has the only Sheffield presence of several brands including Apple, Disney Store, French Connection, Hollister, Lacoste, Superdry and Victoria's Secret. A zone called The Lanes is dedicated to independent and unique shops. The Oasis Dining Quarter is a very large food court offering a range of cuisines with mainly chain restaurants and fast food outlets. Also inside is a ten-screen cinema (see above) plus indoor and outdoor play areas for young children.  
• 🌍 Crystal Peaks, S20 7PJ (In the south eastern suburb of Beighton. Bus and Supertram: Crystal Peaks.), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–W 9AM–5:30PM; Th F 9AM–8PM; Sa 9AM–5:30PM; Su 10AM–4PM. A smaller shopping centre than Meadowhall with around 100 shops, and more of a locals' place. Despite the cool name, there is not really anything here that you couldn't find elsewhere in Sheffield, and if you aren't in the area, it's probably not worth the surprisingly long ride on the tram or bus. That said, visitors to the south-east of the city will certainly find it useful.  

Antiques Quarter

With well over 60 participating businesses, Sheffield Antiques Quarter is the place for antiques, salvage, arts and crafts, rare books and records, specialist services, and retro and vintage clothing. The quarter covers the neighbourhoods of Heeley, Nether Edge and Sharrow, and access is easiest by bus routes 20, 25, 53, 74, 76, 87, 97 and 98, which all stop on Abbeydale Road. It would be impossible to list even a selection of the businesses of the quarter here, and would be unnecessarily duplicative since the official website does a brilliant job of listing each business already, splitting them by useful categories.

There is a programme of regular events throughout the year, including the Pedlar's Corner car boot sale and flea market, which takes place at Abbeydale Picture House every first Sunday of the month between 10AM and 3PM. If you're feeling peckish or thirsty, there are a great many quality cafés and bars which all follow the retro theme in one way or another. As you explore the area, look out for a number of street art pieces.

• 🌍 Sheffield Auction Gallery, Windsor Road, S8 8UB, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. View upcoming auction dates here. Established in 1840, this is the oldest auctioneer in the region. Antiques and collectable auctions are every fortnight, while general auctions take place once a month, and there are other specialist auctions every week. (updated Dec 2017)

London Road

Although London Road overlaps to some extent with the Antiques Quarter, in many ways it should be considered as its own distinct shopping area. It runs south from St Mary's Gate on the Inner Ring Road for almost a mile, and is served by bus routes 10, 20, 25, 33, 43, 53, 294 and X17. There was an aborted attempt by the council to turn the road into a Chinatown, but this was poorly received by residents as it does not properly reflect the area's demographics. This is easily the most multicultural part of Sheffield, where British Turks, Iranians, Italians, Portuguese, Kurds, Poles, Somalis, Chinese, Pakistanis, Arabs and Kosovars all rub shoulders. It is above all known for its restaurants, some of which are listed under Eat, but this is also a great place to buy foods and products from all over the world. In the area is Sheffield's Central Mosque which welcomes visitors by appointment, but has a rather long waiting list.

• 🌍 Chinese Fireworks Company Limited, 2 London Road, S2 4LN, ☎ [phone] (in season), [phone] (out of season), e-mail: [e-mail]. In season, it is open daily 10AM–4PM, other times by appointment. Massive selection of fireworks, sparklers and display packs. "Firework season" in the UK is from just before Bonfire Night (5 November) to just after Chinese New Year (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 Continental Cash and Carry, 339-341 London Road, S2 4NG, ☎ [phone]. Halal meat, poultry and fish, plus fruit and vegetables. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 Ozmen International, 178-184 London Road, S2 4LT, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Open 24/7. Turkish-owned international supermarket. Great for world foods in general, but turcophiles will be in heaven. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 Pear Thai Supermarket, 315-317 London Road, S2 4NG, ☎ [phone]. Tu–F 10AM–7PM, Sa 10AM–6PM, Su 11AM–5PM. A specialist in Thai and pan-Asian produce. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 P.E.S. Deli Direct Polski Sklep, 300 London Road, S2 4NA, ☎ [phone]. M–Sa 10AM–7PM, Su noon–4PM. Polish delicatessen. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 Sheffield Transport Models, 206 London Road, S2 4LW, ☎ [phone]. Tu W F 10AM–5PM; Sa 10AM–2PM; Su 11AM–1PM. Specialists in diecast, airfix and other modelling products. (updated Dec 2017)

The local 🌍 Sainsbury's also merits a look, if only for its really unusual orientalist architecture. Called "the pagoda" locally, it was a cinema in the 1920s, later became a ballroom, and is now perhaps the coolest supermarket building in England. Disappointingly, the inside is just an ordinary Sainsbury's with boring old aisles and checkouts.

Broomhill

Once described by Poet Laureate John Betjeman as "the prettiest suburb in England", Broomhill is a fairly self-contained area: a pleasant mix of student stomping ground and well-heeled residential neighbourhood. Only a mile from the city centre, it has an interesting range of shops from inexpensive to trendy along a high street which mixes both charming and humdrum buildings together. Music lovers should make time for the impressive second-hand vinyl / CD collection at Record Collector on Fulwood Road. Sci-Fi enthusiasts would be advised to head to Galaxy 4 on Glossop Road, which has a particularly fine selection of Doctor Who merchandise. Served by bus routes 51, 52 and 120.

Other neighbourhoods

• Ecclesall Road's independent fashion shops, bars, cafés and restaurants run from the inner ring road for over a mile out to the bohemian Hunters Bar. Served by bus routes 65, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 88, 215 and 272.
• Hillsborough has a large shopping area comparable in size and scope to that of many town centres around England. The high street has all the old-fashioned essentials including a butcher, a baker and a, erm, hardware store. The Hillsborough Barracks outdoor shopping centre contains a variety of local and chain stores and a Morrisons hypermarket. Supertram: Hillsborough Interchange.
• Although international food shops can be found all over Sheffield, areas of particular note include Attercliffe and Darnall for South Asian, Burngreave for African and West Indian and Sharrow for Arabic, Chinese, Eastern European and Turkish.

Eat

A bottle of Hendo's. See! It's nothing like Lea and Perrins...

Would you care for a jelly baby?

Local specialities

This is a working class industrial city, so its native foodstuffs reflect this in their simplicity and, often, their factory origin.

The unquestioned star of the culinary show in Sheffield is Henderson's Relish, produced in the Steel City since 1885. Known variously as Hendo's, the black stuff, relly or just Yorkshire sauce, this is a very dark brown spicy liquid condiment which can be added to any number of dishes as a flavour enhancer: fish and chips, casserole, anything with melted cheese, and even cocktails. Despite being practically unknown elsewhere, in South Yorkshire you will see Hendo's in all good chippies, in most of the city's gift shops, and in supermarkets. The relish is a beloved icon of Sheffield, and features on postcards, artwork and T-shirts alongside the city's physical landmarks. A word of warning: under no circumstances should you compare Henderson's relish to the more famous Worcestershire sauce; a London MP was foolish enough to state the former was an imitator of the latter, and the backlash was so severe that he was forced to visit the Henderson's factory and offer a grovelling apology to incensed Sheffielders, who will defend their sauce to the death, if necessary.

You'll also want to put Hendo's on Sheffield fishcakes, which are different to the "mashed-up fish baked in breadcrumbs" that the rest of the country knows as fishcakes. Local fishcakes are whole fillets of cod or haddock, wrapped in potatoes (tatters) and deep fried in batter. Look for them in chippies (sometimes called frieries in Sheffield) and fishmongers.

Another local favourite is the pork sandwich: hot roast pork, stuffing, crackling and apple sauce crammed into a thickly buttered breadcake, i.e. a bread roll. While not native to Sheffield, this snack has been so heartily adopted by Sheffielders that there are shops where all you can buy is pork sandwiches!

You're in God's own county, so expect to see Yorkshire puddings and plenty of savoury pies on the menu. For the latter, any pub which serves food or one of two local bakery chains - Cooplands and Staniforths, which seem to have shops everywhere - are the places to be. For something a bit different, Russian Pies deliver Sheffield-baked piroshki and other Slavic treats to anywhere in the country.

Finally, Sheffield has a great tradition of producing snacks and confectionery. Internationally-known brands Bassetts and Thorntons originate here, and the former still make their liquorice allsorts and jelly babies in their original factory in Hillsborough. Less well-known are Yorkshire Crisps, made in several varieties including Henderson's Relish flavour - more conventional flavours are available. Another imaginative brand name is the Sheffield Honey Company, which really does produce excellent artisan honey, both natural and paired with locally-available natural flavourings such as heather and blossom. Each jar tells you the exact location of the hives your honey was made - there are colonies throughout the city - so you can feasibly go and thank the bees if so inclined. No list of sweet treats would be complete without ice cream, and the award-winning Our Cow Molly stands apart from the herd of ice cream makers as something rather special. The creamery, which you can visit, is next door to the fields in which their cows roam, and the resulting ice cream is intensely flavoursome and fresh. Sheffield's proximity to the Peak District means that almond-and-jam-based Bakewell tarts and puddings are readily available, although you are still encouraged to visit the multitude of competing shops all claiming to be the original in Bakewell itself.

Eating out

There are many good, cheap places to eat in and around the city. If you would rather stay in and still want to have a taste of what Sheffield has to offer, you can always opt for food from one of the takeaways in Sheffield . Usually prices range from £7 to £20 for a meal for two.

Budget

• Appetito, 249 Glossop Road, S10 2TP 3GZ, ☎ [phone]. M-F 8AM-6PM, Sa 10AM-6PM. Kitchen closes about 2:30PM. Authentic Italian café at prices well within the budgets of local students. Great breakfast and lunch menus, daily specials board, quality coffee, home-baked breads and pastries. 
• Aslan's, 187 West Street, S1 4EW (Supertram: West Street), ☎ [phone]. Infamous Halal kebab shop that serves piles of salty meat and the greasiest pizzas in town. See if you can find yourself (or get yourself) on the walls packed with photographs of customers. 
• Béres (The Pork Sandwich Shop), various locations, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. The city's very own chain of "pork sandwich shops" was founded by Sandor Béres from Budapest and his local wife Eileen in 1956. The shops make and sell the famous Sheffield pork sandwich as described above, along with a selection of tasty pies. Proper northern food! 
• Balti King, 216 Fulwood Road, Broomhill S10 3BB (Bus: 51, 52), ☎ [phone]. M–Th 5PM–3AM, F Sa 5PM–4AM, Su 5PM–2AM. Long standing Indian restaurant and take-away. Popular with students, huge menu of good dishes. Has the advantage of being open very late so is perfect for a post-clubbing curry. 
• Broomhill Friery, 197 Whitham Road, Broomhill, S10 2SP (Bus: 51, 52). M–F 12PM–3:15AM, Sa 4:30PM–3:15AM, Su 4:30PM–12AM. Popular chip shop with an unofficial affiliation with Sheffield actor Sean Bean. Choose from the Ned Stark Chicken Burger, the Boromir Beefburger and the (Sean) Beanburger! 
• Coopland's Bakery, Various locations, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. Cheap as chips local bakery chain, offering a more characterful and authentically Yorkshire experience than national rival Greggs. 
• The Interval, Western Bank, S10 2TN (Within the University of Sheffield's Student Union. Supertram: University). M–F 9:30AM–11PM, Sa 11AM–11PM, Su 12PM–11PM. A café-bar with a much more relaxed atmosphere than the main student bar (Bar One) downstairs, the Interval is open to the public all day and serves a good value menu of snacks and meals. Also popular for the meat and vegetarian hangover breakfasts and Sunday lunches at the weekend. 
• Spoilt For Choice, 432 Ecclesall Road, S11 8PX, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–F 7:45AM–4:30PM; Sa 8:30AM–4:30PM; Su 09:30AM–04:30PM. Freshly prepared breakfast menu, sandwiches, soups, stews, salads, cakes, and barista-made coffee. (updated Aug 2015)
• Street Food Chef, Two city centre locations at 98 Pinstone Street ("Burrito Bar" - take away) and 90 Arundel Street ("Mexican Canteen" - eat in and take away). A Mexican-themed restaurant and bar offering burritos and tacos, using locally-sourced meat and fresh ingredients. (updated Aug 2015)
• Taco Bell, 485 Ecclesall Road, S11 8PP / 116-118 Devonshire Street, S3 7SF. Two of the very few Taco Bells in the UK. They may be headed for market dominance, but if they do get there it started here! 
• Woody's Sandwich Bar, 657 Ecclesall Road. One of the city's best Sandwich shacks, with queues out the door at weekends. Handmade sandwiches, like the legendary 'Full Monty' breakfast sandwich to hot baguettes with fillings. Also dishes out some yummy freshly baked cookies. 
• Zanzibar, 257 Fulwood Road, ☎ [phone]. Superb African restaurant. Complicated menu and specials (especially for students on different nights of the week) but excellent food and African drums to try out. 

Mid-range

• Baan Thai on Ecclesall Road is an excellent Thai restaurant.
• BB's, Division Street. A long standing favourite of families and students in Sheffield's city centre. A small family run business that does decent Italian food and is reasonably priced. Bring your own beer and wine.
• Café Rouge, two branches on Norfolk Street (near the Peace Gardens) and Ecclesall Road. Reliable and classy chain of French bistro-restaurants.
• Cubana, 34 Trippet Ln. Absolute diamond just off the bottom of west street. Live Cuban music most nights, large range of tapas, amazing atmosphere. Small and sexy. Great restaurant for a first date. 
• Crucible Corner in Tudor Square. Traditional and modern British dishes.
• East One, in the West One plaza. Japanese canteen-style restaurant with huge stir fries and soups. Shame about the badly design and echo-ey space it occupies.
• Efes, Glossop Road. Authentic Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine. The fact that it gets frequented by some of Sheffield's Turkish residents shows the food is the 'real deal'.
• Las Iguanas West One, Fitzwilliam Street. Great party atmosphere and lovely Latin American food. Good place for a night out in Sheffield.
• Silversmiths Arundel Street, next to Hallam University. A good quality restaurant specialising in British produce. Famous for its Tuesday Pie Nights, and having been on Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. Also serves pre-theatre menus well suited to its position near to the Crucible and Lyceum theatres.
• Sushi Express an excellent value and tasty sushi restaurant offering an extensive range of sushi, sashimi, Bento boxes and soups. All made fresh to order.

Splurge

• The Old Vicarage, Ridgeway Village. Sheffield's only Michelin-starred restaurant; probably the best food in Sheffield. Expect to pay around £55 per head excluding wine.
• La Gondola, Carver Street. Highly recommended for Italian cuisine.
• Wasabisabi, London Road. Very popular Japanese restaurant; highly recommended.
• Nonna's, Ecclesall Road. Robust and authentic Italian dishes in busy surroundings. Speciality home-made pastas.
• Milestone, Ball Street, Kelham Island. A high quality, and award winning, restaurant situated within the former industrial Kelham Island area, within proximity to Shalesmoor Tram Stop. Sister restaurant on Campo Lane behind the Cathedral.
• La Vaca, Broomhill. Excellent South American-style steaks.
• Browns, St Paul's Parade. High quality food and a lively atmosphere. 

Sunday Lunch

• Fat Cat (on Kelham Island). Excellent Sunday meals and wide choice of real ale. 
• Poacher's Arms (in the Hope Valley). Has an excellent Sunday Carvery. 

Dessert

• 🌍 Our Cow Molly ice cream parlour, Cliffe House Farm, Hill Top Road, Dungworth, S6 6GW (Off the B6076 road, in the countryside 6 miles (9.7 km) north-west of the city centre.), ☎ [phone]. W, F-Su 11AM-5:30PM. A dairy farm where you can meet the cows who produce the milk that goes into nearly 30 flavours of ice cream, many of which can only be sampled in their parlour. (updated Jul 2018)

Drink

The city is known for its wide variety of traditional pubs, most of which serve local ales. The nightlife is lively: there are almost 30 nightclubs, numerous bars and restaurants to suit all budgets, six theatres and three city-centre cinemas.

Pubs

Sheffield is well known for its large number of pubs (Public Houses). From dark and Victorian to sleek and modern; and from traditional real-ale haven to noisy standing-room-only bar, you can easily find a pub in Sheffield to suit your taste in beer, music and company. However, most city-centre pubs are more oriented towards fast drinking students and clubbers; on West Street in particular (linking the university with the city centre) you will find many pubs and bars which during the week become busy with students and younger customers. Finding quieter pubs in which to sample something other than the usual chain-pub lager requires delving a little deeper beneath the surface.

For the unimaginative, you'll find the usual Wetherspoons and All Bar One chain pubs, throughout the city centre serving cheap lager, hand-pulled ales and reasonably priced food in a smoke (and atmosphere) free environment.

Hybrid bar-pubs manage to maintain something of a pub atmosphere, and sell real ale at reasonable prices, while still pulling in the crowds. They are used as much by people who want a good range of beer at good prices, as by "yoofs" after a good night out. They are probably doing a good job of persuading at least some lager drinkers to switch to traditional ales.

• The Old House, 113-117 Devonshire Street. Great indy bar with the towns biggest range of imported bottled beers and a decent range of local ales. Along with very reasonably priced food, amazing cocktails, good music and a nice crowd this is a must visit in Sheffield. 
• The Washington on Fitzwilliam St near Devonshire Green. Great music pub, used to be owned by Nick Banks from the band "Pulp". Relaxed atmosphere, varied DJ nights. Open till 1AM every night except Sunday till midnight. Large beer garden and smoking area at the back of the pub.
• The Frog & Parrot on Division Street is a popular pub with a long history, in days gone by offering what it claimed as the strongest ale legally served in a British pub. These days it offers food and locally-brewed real ales and often features live music.
• The Devonshire Cat on Wellington Street, just south of Devonshire Green, offers a large range of beers and ciders, including dozens of imported European beers. Also has 2 guest ciders on tap at all times. The city centre sister pub to the remoter Fat Cat on Kelham Island.
• The Bessemer (previously The Fountain) on Leopold Street is a modern, quite upmarket pub with a strong focus on its traditional English menu.
• Sheffield Tap occupies the refurbished Edwardian dining rooms at Sheffield Train station and offers a vast selection of beers from cask, tap and bottle that could rival any other Sheffield venue. Surroundings are thankfully lacking in the usually ubiquitous flat screen television. The only background music are the trains arriving and departing the station. The entrance is equally unpretentious so may be hard to find - it's at the north end of the station near the pedestrian crossing to the bus station, with another entrance straight onto platform 1.
• Porter Cottage Sharrowvale Road. Indie jukebox, normal ales but amazing atmosphere. Landlady Mandy will know your life history by the time you leave. Get in early to get a decent table.

Sheffield's real gems are the handful of surviving traditional pubs and free houses, which generally have more room to sit down, quieter (or no) music, and real hand pumped ales.

• The Brown Bear on Norfolk Street (close to the Sheffield Theatres and Winter Garden) offers what must be the cheapest beer in the city and an incredible mix of both theatre goers and local people.
• The Red Deer on Pitt Street (just off Mappin Street), is another civilised dive with good range of beers, warming fireplaces, a small garden and friendly cats.
• The Old Queen's Head on Pond Hill occupies the oldest domestic building in the city, dating from 1475 (according to some records).
• Fagans on Broad Lane is a cosy chintz-free Irish pub with regular live music.
• The Grapes (Flynns) on Trippet Lane may offer impromptu Irish or Folk music in the back room.
• The Bath Hotel on Victoria Street (just off West Street) is tiny, free of piped music and friendly.
• The Sportsman on Denby Street is popular with local customers and will probably have some rock music on the jukebox.

There are more warm and welcoming traditional pubs in Sheffield's suburbs. North-west of the city centre, in Crookes and Walkley (popular with students as places to live) are:

• The Hallamshire House on Commonside is reputedly the only pub in Sheffield still housing a full-sized snooker table.
• The Walkley Cottage on Bole Hill Road is friendly with good range of beer and good food.
• Noah's Ark on Crookes has a good atmosphere and mix of students and locals.
• The Freedom House has two halves: a lively "pool table-and-lager" side, and a quieter "grandmother's living room" side.
• The Nottingham House or "The Notty" as it is better known has been extensively refurbished. Catering for locals, visitors and students

, it really is a pub worth a visit. Home-made pies are a speciality and real ales are aplenty. Occasional live music on Thursday nights with acts from near and far. Pool table is very good value at 50p.

• The Cobden View Situated on Cobden View Rd near Crookes, this small and charming independent pub serves great local ales until approx. 1AM most nights, and is always bursting with atmosphere and friendly locals.

Real ale fans from great distances come to "do" the real ale trail of Sheffield's Upper Don Valley, a route stretching from near the city centre almost to Hillsborough. The trail calls at:

• The Kelham Island Tavern has won best Pub in Britain from Camra
• The Fat Cat, hidden away on Alma Street, also a great stop for Sunday lunch.
• The Wellington (used to be known as Cask and Cutler) on Henry Street.
• The Gardeners Rest on Neepsend Lane.
• Hillsborough Hotel A welcoming pub with a brewery underneath and hotel rooms above.
• The New Barrack Tavern, A pub owned by Castle Rock and full of Character.
• The Harlequin, The latest addition to The Ale Trail, more open plan and possibly less off putting to people who aren't used to real ale pubs than the others might seem.

The trail roughly parallels the tram route from the city centre to Hillsborough, so getting there and back is easy. All these pubs have a huge range of British draught real ales (some brewed by the pub) and most have a selection of bottle-conditioned beers from continental Europe (especially Belgium).

• The Broadfield on Abbeydale Road in Nether Edge. A total refurb in December 2011 has finally seen this pub reach its full potential. The pub is now a decent size and serves a huge range of local (and further afield) cask ales, home-made pies and sausages, and stocks a whisky from every distillery in Scotland. Forget the City centre and head out to the suburbs!
• The Sheaf View on Gleadless Road is a real ale hotspot. Famous for serving the south side of Sheffield with the local breweries and other guest ales with knowledgeable bar staff. Has a reputation for friendly Sheffield folk to relax there after hiking and climbing in The Peak. So called because of possible view of the Sheaf River although now obstructed by newer buildings.

Bars

Visiting Sheffield, you might be led to believe that students go out every day of the week. With some 55 000 university students this is hardly surprising. These are some of the more popular pubs.

• The Common Room Devonshire Street. Large pool/sports bar. 12 American pool tables. Cheap drinks weekdays between 5 and 8 and a good cocktail menu.
• Forum Devonshire Street. Unique trendy café/bar (and shops) open late every night. Amazing outdoor patio on the Devonshire Green.
• Bungalows & Bears (formerly the Central fire station) Division Street. Retro-chic bar with fantastic atmosphere, amazing music and great veggie food menu. 2nd hand "retro" clothing market on a Sunday. Free board games (e.g., Tequila Jenga). Frequented by the Arctic Monkeys, trendies and students alike.
• The Green Room Division Street. Compact bar, great range of bottled beers, great live indie music on a Wednesday.
• The Wick at Both Ends West Street. Relaxed bar with comfy seating, and a fantastic drinks selection including cocktails served in watering cans. Popular with those avoiding the student pub crawls.
• Revolution West:one. Standard entry in the popular vodka bar chain. Popular with "orange" good-looking people but don't let that put you off, good range of drinks and affordable food menu by day. Decent DJ sets and adjoining pool room.
• Yates Division Street. Poor-performer (even for a chain bar). Avoid.
• Crystal Carver Street. Expensive bar, amazing décor. Anti-student (except Wednesdays)
• Ask Barkers pool. Student-friendly during week, tacky by weekend.
• The Cutler Carver Street. Local choice, no students.
• Corner house Carver Street. (Aka City Bar) good seating, standard drinks.
• Bar One Glossop Road, near the University tram stop. The main bar of the University of Sheffield Student Union, which is understandably always full of students, and which is also one of the most profitable union bars anywhere in the country. In the evenings you will need a Sheffield student card (or a friend who has one to sign you in) to gain admission. Cheapest drinks on a Sunday. Large, cheap, pool room. Also serves inexpensive, wholesome food (not everything comes with chips!)
• Interval Glossop Road, near the University tram stop. The second bar of the University of Sheffield Student Union, offering a more cosmopolitan atmosphere with local real ales, wine and food.
• The Hubs Inside Sheffield Hallam Union (the former National Centre for Popular Music) so easy to find. It looks like a big, silver, flying spaceship, close to the train station. Not as big or impressive on the inside as it is on the outside, a relatively small union bar.
• Cavendish West Street (locally referred to as 'The Chavendish'). A scream/yellowcard bar (you get discounted drinks if you buy or have a friend with a yellowcard, which costs £1 to NUS card holders). Serves decent food; a cheap student pub/bar with pool tables.
• The York Broomhill. Totally re-invented in September 2010, now an amazing pub serving great food and a decent range of local real ales.
• Fox and Duck Broomhill. An off-campus pub owned by the University of Sheffield Student Union but frequented by a more mixed crowd.
• The Harley on Glossop Road by the University tram stop. Open Late til 4AM on event nights. Plays host to cutting edge live music and varied club nights.
• Reflex West Street (near City Hall tram stop). More a free and cheesy club with 70s and 80s music than a bar.
• Walkabout West Street, near City Hall tram stop. Australia themed bar. Very popular, fairly cheap, but can get a bit claustrophobic. Better as calling point on a pub crawl than a place for staying in.
• Revolución de Cuba, Mappin St. Relaxed cocktail bar which also serves hispanic food from its 'cantina'. Wednesday night is swing night, with a live band and dancing. 
• Gay bars There are a small number of gay bars, clubs and gay-nights, whose locations and names change on a regular basis. Consult Gay Sheffield for the latest listings and LGBT events across the city, as well as plenty of advice on staying safe and healthy (it is, after all, an NHS website!).

Clubs & live venues

Unlike Sheffield's dense strip of student bars along West Street, the city's night clubs are more spread out around the city centre, especially in the former industrial buildings. The most well known are:

• Sheffield O2 Academy Arundel Gate. It's in the very centre of the City, and offers live music from popular artists and occasional club nights.
• The Leadmill Leadmill Road, close to Sheffield station and Sheffield Hallam University. A Sheffield institution made famous by its live music line-up. Live gigs most nights of the week which are immediately followed by club nights. Concert-goers get free entry to the club night after their show. Indie night on a Saturday, with relatively cheap drinks for a nightclub.
• Plug (formerly .Zero). Smart club, open late (6AM on Fridays and Saturdays) and popular on a Thursday night (when huge queues are to be expected). Nights span anything from raves to live music.
• Corporation Milton Street. A dirty rock club with dirty cheap vodka, just the way the locals like it. There's 'Skool Disco' every Wednesday night (free admission in school uniform) and metal/goth on Saturdays. Fridays is skate and metal downstairs and something of a mix of dance, indie and classics upstairs. Mondays are popular with the student crowd, playing music everyone seems to know.
• Tank Arundel Gate, at the Odeon cinema site. A popular 'underground' house music venue, and one of the more recent additions to the Sheffield club scene. Open on Fridays and Saturdays until 5AM, with a student night held on Mondays.
• The Viper Rooms Carver Street. Four-room nightclub with the feel of a cocktail bar. Dress code applies at weekends, but is relaxed during the week to cater for the student crowd.
• Code Eyre Street. New club mostly hosting student nights and touring DJs.
• Area Barkers Pool. A five room modern nightclub of various themes catering for all music tastes. It is open on Saturday nights.
• West Street Live West Street. Live venue (leans towards unsigned artists) that doubles as a bar-club, with expansive dancefloor and a late licence. Known to locals and students alike for its cheap drinks offers, and the flyers covering the walls of the venue advertising said offers.
• The Night Kitchen Somewhat more difficult of a find for the visitor due to its location outside of the city centre, this trendy club occupying an old cutlery factory was named as one of the ten best in the country by The Guardian in 2015.
• Paris Carver Street. Small hip-hop and RnB oriented nightclub.
• Sheffield Hallam University Student's Union Paternoster Row, this unusually shaped steel building is a bar downstairs and a club upstairs with four rooms playing different music genres.
• Foundry and Fusion Western Bank (University of Sheffield Students' Union). A fiercely active union night club that packs in students from Tue-Sat. The Tuesday Club is a surprisingly pricey hip-hop and drum & bass night that pulls in many big names. Roar on Wednesday night is big on cheap alcopops and inebriated sports teams. Friday is Space in the Octagon, a "chart" night, while visiting club nights and Climax, South Yorkshire's biggest gay club rotate monthly in the Fusion/Foundry. Saturdays is Pop Tarts, hosting 2 rooms (one is 1960s, 70s and "rock and roll", the other 1980s, 90s and 2000s).
• Niche The Wicker. Equally famous for birthing the bassline genre and infamous for the goings on within its doors in its original carnation, this notorious club has reopened in its new location on The Wicker to some fanfare. Operates strict door policy, perhaps to avoid the problems that blighted the previous venue - over 21's for women and over 25's for men only.
• Sheffield City Hall. The impressive 1930s City Hall was refurbished and is home to many concerts, performances and travelling shows and is in the elegant Barkers Pool in the city centre which is home to Sheffield's cenotaph. Nearest Supertram: City Hall (perhaps unsurprisingly).

Sleep

City Centre

• Best Western Cutlers Hotel, George Street, Heart of the City, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Free WiFi. From £43. 
• Copthorne Hotel, Bramall Ln (at the Sheffield United F.C. stadium), ☎ [phone]. Free car parking. Wi-Fi available. From £30 (breakfast £15). 
• Hilton Hotel, Victoria Quays, Furnival Rd, ☎ [phone]. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. From £65. 
• Holiday Inn Express, Blonk St, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. From £59. 
• Holiday Inn Victoria Hall, Victoria Station Rd, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Hall tour at request. From £79. 
• 🌍 Homely Serviced Apartments (Homely Serviced Apartments Sheffield), 7 St. Pauls Square (Near the Winter Gardens), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 11:30AM. Homely Serviced Apartments provide short-term and long-term self-catered accommodation for leisure and business travellers . £60-200. (updated May 2016)
• Ibis Hotel, Shude Hill, S1 2AR, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. From £49. 
• Jurys Inn Hotel, 119 Eyre St (Off the Moor roundabout), ☎ [phone]. Costa Coffee bar. From £61. 
• Leopold Hotel, Leopold Square / Leopold St, ☎ [phone]. £70 - £150. 
• Mercure St. Pauls Hotel, 119 Norfolk St (Between the Winter Gardens and Peace Gardens), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Valet parking. WiFi available. From £64. 
• Novotel, 50 Arundel Gate (Behind the Winter Gardens), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. WiFi available. Prices vary from £75-119. 
• Premier Inn St. Mary's Gate, Young St, ☎ [phone]. From £29. 
• The Sheffield Metropolitan Hotel (Sheffield Met), Blonk Street (From junction 33 M1 follow Parkway to Park Square roundabout, hotel is off to the right), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. From £50. (updated Mar 2015)

Further out

• Corner House, Westbourne Rd, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Available for periods of between 1 week to 6 months. Wi-Fi, fully equipped shared kitchen, tv, towels, shampoo, breakfast included. £150 per week, £160 for two persons. 
• Etap Hotel Sheffield Arena, 298 Attercliffe Common. WiFi available. From £35 (breakfast £2.95). 
• 🌍 Kenwood Hall, Kenwood Road, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. A former country hall now situated in the pretty Edwardian suburb of Nether Edge. 
• Premier Inn Meadowhall, Sheffield Road, Meadowhall, ☎ [phone]. From £39. 

Stay safe

As with the rest of the UK, in any emergency call 999 or 112 and ask for Ambulance, Fire or Police when connected.

All central areas or main shopping suburbs are perfectly safe during the day. After hours, some peripheral parts of the city centre may seem a little quiet and lonely, but any well-lit street with plenty of people about will is as safe as any city centre in the UK if the usual precautions are taken. Some outer neighbourhoods are best avoided, but as a traveller, you will almost certainly never visit them anyway.

Stay healthy

In a medical emergency, dial 999 or 112.

Hospitals and clinics

Although there are many hospitals in clinics in Sheffield, the following four are most likely to be of use to the sickly traveller:

• Northern General Hospital, Herries Rd, S5 7AU, ☎ [phone]. The largest hospital in Sheffield, which hosts the city's Accident & Emergency department for adults (updated Sep 2015)
• Sheffield Central Sexual Health Clinic, 1 Mulberry Street, S1 2PJ, ☎ [phone]. M Tu W F 8:30AM–noon, 1:30PM–3PM; Th 10:30AM–noon, 1:30PM–3PM. Sheffield's main sexual health centre, with sexual health testing and treatment and contraceptive services, as well as irritating French-style opening hours. (updated Sep 2015)
• Sheffield Children's Hospital, Western Bank, S10 2TH, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Provides a range of general and specialist services for children and babies, including an Accident and Emergency department (updated Sep 2015)
• Sheffield City Walk-In Centre / GP Health Centre, Rockingham House, 75 Broad Lane, S1 3PB, ☎ [phone]. Open every day 8AM–10PM. Provides treatment without appointment for minor illnesses and injuries, assessment by an experienced NHS nurse. Also offers advice on how to stay healthy, and information on out-of-hours GP and dental services, local pharmacy services and other local health services. (updated Sep 2015)

Connect

Tourist information

• Sheffield Tourist Information Centre, Surrey St, S1 (next to the Winter Gardens), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M–F 9:30AM–5PM, Sa 9:30AM–4PM. 

Useful websites

• Our Favourite Places: a great guide to Sheffield's culture, cuisine and events, written by Sheffielders who love their city.
• Sheffield City Council: the city's local authority and government
• Travel South Yorkshire: all public transport information for Sheffield and South Yorkshire

Cope

There are no public toilets in Sheffield city centre. Instead, the city council have erected signs pointing to businesses which allow you to use their facilities without spending any money; these include the three large Debenhams, John Lewis and Marks & Spencer department stores, The Graduate and Banker's Draft pubs, the Moor Market, and every branch of Subway. Free loos can also be found in the Central Library, Millennium Gallery and Weston Park Museum.

Go next

• Leeds the other big Yorkshire city, only an hour away by train/coach/car, handy for the Yorkshire Dales.
• Manchester, often known as England's 'second city' (as is Birmingham), is by far the largest city in northern England and forms a metropolis of 2.6 million people. It is a vibrant shopping and cultural hub. Around 1½ hours journey by car and an hour by train, both journeys passing through the scenic views of the Peak District.
• Hull, a 700-year-old major port city and regional capital of East Yorkshire and the Humber. Many free museums in the cobbled old town, and the most successful millennium project in the country with the spectacular aquarium, The Deep.

Peak District

The Peak District is a beautiful national park of moors, stone-walled green hills and sheep-filled fields crossed by paths for ramblers, hillside tracks and country lanes for cyclists. There is a network of tiny hamlets, small villages, country churches, and market towns. All the settlements have their own charm and history, and nearly all have at least one pub for lunch and beer, or a tea shop for afternoon tea and cakes.

Sheffield is the perfect city base to explore the Peak District, not only because it is the closest city to the northern half of "The Peak" (some of the national park lies within the city boundary) but also because bus and train links from Sheffield into the Peak are excellent for such rural services. Popular services run back to Sheffield until 11PM, making it feasible for Sheffielders and visitors to put a day's hard work or shopping behind them for a long summer's evening "walking in the Peak". The popularity of the Peak as a destination for Sheffielders at leisure is underlined by the fact that many routes provide a better service at weekends, particularly on Sunday, than during the week - making a full day in the fresh air very easy to arrange.

Easy trips into The Peak

• The Fox House pub is well-served with daytime and evening buses from Sheffield (many routes meet here), and it is only a very short drive out of town. It is situated just where the view of the Peak District opens up as you come over the hill from Sheffield, so you can walk along the high bits without having to climb up there! It is a great place to have a drink before going walking/running/climbing in some great terrain, and to return to for a meal and a drink while waiting for your bus back.
• Hathersage and Grindleford are very close to Sheffield on the "Hope Valley" train line. Hathersage is a good place to start for a walk along Stanage Edge, a dramatic ridge with superb views over two counties and Sheffield itself. One evening, get a return ticket to Hathersage for about £3.50, and walk from Grindleford Station to Hathersage Church (Little John's grave!) along the riverside path. Durationː 1 to 2 hours, plus time in the country pubs at both ends. If you get an early enough train you can eat at the Grindleford Station Café, which is famous for huge mugs of tea, filling food, and bossy notices everywhere).
• Edale is a pretty village at the head of a beautiful valley, overlooked by the famous Kinder Scout and Mam Tor. There is one pub in the centre of the village at the start of the Pennine Way, and another by the railway station where you can drink until closing time (11PM) to catch the train back to Sheffield - Hope Valley line, 40 minutes from Sheffield.
• Castleton is on the other side of Mam Tor from Edale and so is a short, but steep walk from the latter village with beautiful views along the way. It is home to the Blue John mine as well as four major caves/caverns which tourists can visit. Each has a very different feel, from the natural splendour of Peak Cavern to the disconcerting underground river trip and well-rehearsed guide's patter of Speedwell. Castleton has an excellent bus service, and though not directly on the Hope Valley line, train tickets are accepted on the bus between Castleton and Hope Station.
• Eyam (pronounced "Eem") village comes with a fascinating history and a sad but brave story: it chose to quarantine itself when plague struck in the 17th century. Whole families died, but the plague did not spread beyond its parish bounds. The stone where food was deposited, in exchange for money left in vinegar-filled holes can still be seen. There is a museum detailing this and the rest of the village's history, and Eyam Hall is an interesting house to visit.
• Bakewell is gentle and pretty. It is good for riverside strolls, country shopping, and spending all day in tea shops trying out the rival versions of "Real", "Genuine", "Proper", "Original", etc. etc. Bakewell tarts and puddings. Chatsworth House and Haddon Hall are nearby for "how-the-rich-lived"-buffs and history-buffs respectively.
• "Sheffield's Lake District" is a rather fanciful name which has never really stuck for the Bradfield Valley just north of the city centre. True, the moors, green hills, villages, and country pubs really are very beautiful, and make for lovely walks, rides, and drives but it has to be admitted that there is a distinct lack of mountains (unlike Cumbria) and that the "lakes" are really reservoirs. The area really is a "secret"; it can be a surprise to first-time visitors even from the south of Sheffield, especially when they realise that this area is not only officially part of Sheffield, but that it is also in the Peak District. It is very well served (right until pub closing time) by a circular bus route from Hillsborough Interchange which has connections to the tram from the city centre: ask for Upper Bradfield, Lower Bradfield, or Dungworth.
• Matlock (shops), Matlock Bath (riverside walks, an inland "seaside prom", and a cable car), and Cromford (Arkwright's Mill, one of the very the first factories in the world!) are closer to Chesterfield, but are easily reached by car from Sheffield.

Other country areas

• The South Pennines will look familiar to anyone who has seen "Last of the Summer Wine". Holmfirth is 40 minutes drive or bus on Sundays, for anyone who wants to see Compo's café, which is actually an excellent sit down chippy, or Nora Batty's step, or just the stone buildings of Holmfirth set in a beautiful green valley surrounded by rolling hills.
• The Dukeries of north Nottinghamshire is an area of country parks and stately homes.

Routes through Sheffield

Leeds ← Barnsley ←	N  S	→ Chesterfield → Nottingham
Kingston-upon-Hull ← Doncaster ←	NE  SW	→ merges with