39 things tourists must see on a Sheffield city centre break đź‘€
With a fascinating history and a blossoming future, Sheffield makes an ideal spot for an action-packed city break
This complete guide is aimed at visitors, but also applicable for locals keen to discover what’s new on their doorsteps It breaks down what to do, where to stay and how to refuel in Sheffield city centre.
🖼️ Best places to visit in Sheffield city centre
🛏️ Where to stay in Sheffield city centre
🍸 Eating and drinking in Sheffield city centre
🛍️ Shopping in Sheffield city centre
🚊 How to get around Sheffield city centre
Best places to visit in Sheffield city centre 🖼️
It was an American tourist who first inspired Marcus Newton to launch his popular walking tours of Sheffield city centre. He took two friends who were visiting from the USA to see Sheffield Cathedral in 2013.
“They were very positive about it”, said Marcus. “It made me think about changing direction in my life.”
Since launching Sheffield City Walking Tours, Marcus has welcomed residents, students and tourists from across the world. Visitors include those drawn to visit by Sheffield’s musical legacy, coach tours for businesses nationwide and some people from as far away as Kolkata,India.
Marcus added: “Last year when Def Leppard were playing in the city I was contacted by a die-hard fan club.We did a lot of the band related stuff and I actually met a couple of people from the band in the Mercure hotel. I often take people to see the hidden parts of Sheffield they couldn’t find on their own, like where Joe Cocker lived.
“I once had a visitor from Kolkata who was a Human League fan. He travelled across the world because he’d heard they came from Sheffield. I took him to Sheffield City Hall so he could see where they had played.”
The standard private walking tours take in some of Sheffield’s 900 years of history. They call in top attractions like the Crucible Theatre and new regeneration hotspots such as Leah’s Yard. They can be adapted to cater to what visitors want to see, and when they want to visit.
Marcus added: “The George Fullard statues in the Upper Chapel are always very popular, and there’s a blue plaque on Norfolk Row from the founding of Sheffield United that people just love.
“We’re so used to seeing these things. But for people coming from other parts of the world, they are excited by our football and music links.
“It’s a myriad of small details that come together to create an impression of the city.”
Marcus said visitors often commented on how friendly people in Sheffield were, including the street cleaners and city centre ambassadors.
He added: “That makes a big difference.
“My job is to be an ambassador for the city, with a glass half full approach and to always have something positive to say.”
The pre bookable Sheffield City Walking Tours cost ÂŁ20 per person and last 90 minutes at an easy going pace.
Game lovers visiting Sheffield are in for a good time. The National Videogame Museum is based here, on Angel Street, with both vintage and contemporary games to discover.
There’s also the Lego cafe Builder’s Brew on East Parade, where you can build everything from Disney characters to Luke Skywalker out of bricks.
Make a full day of it with a brand new board game cafe, The Gamers Guide, just a few doors down.
Taking in art in Sheffield city centre is easy.
When you get off the train, there’s the contemporary Site Gallery just two minutes away on Brown Street. Catch ever-changing exhibitions specialising in moving image, performance and new media there.
Graves Gallery on Surrey Street is the art deco home to Sheffield’s visual art collection, with works including those by Grayson Perry.
Just across the road, the Millennium Gallery showcases Sheffield’s metalworking past with one of the finest collections in the world. It’s where the legacy of Victorian artist John Ruskin is celebrated, and the charming shop is one of the best places to pick up a locally made souvenir.
Sheffield was also hailed as one of the best cities in the UK for street art in 2024.
There’s plenty to discover on foot, such as new murals by internationally renowned street artists Phlegm and Peachzz, or vibrant art on shop fronts or hidden underpasses. The excellent Sheffield Street Art website has more information on what can be found.
If you only know one thing about Sheffield, it may well be that it’s big on theatre.
The city has the largest theatre complex outside London, and there are five theatres on or surrounding Tudor Square.
Taking in a dazzling show or classic drama at the world-famous Crucible or Lyceum is an unmissable experience. For more events including comedy, check out the historic Sheffield City Hall at Barkers Pool.
Sheffield’s musical legacy is outstanding. From Pulp to the Arctic Monkeys, the city has produced some of the scene’s biggest names.
Make like Jarvis Cocker and head to one of many music venues for the night.
There’s the famous Leadmill on Leadmill Road for eclectic and touring gigs, West Street Live for live grassroots music and revered Irish pub The Grapes for traditional music six days a week. Fun fact - The Grapes is where the Arctic Monkeys played their first gig!
Any especially dedicated Pulp fans can also visit the legendary spot where Jarvis fell out of a window on Division Street, a moment which allegedly inspired the hit Common People.
No city break is complete without a picture opportunity or three.
Get snap happy in the stunning Winter Garden - Europe’s biggest urban glasshouse - and let the kids discover the animals hidden amongst 2,500 plants.
The award-winning Women of Steel statue at Barker’s Pool is also a good spot for a picture and some reflection. This statue commemorates the incredible women of Sheffield who worked in the city's steel industry during both world wars.
Take a short stroll down to another national attraction, the National Emergency Services Museum on West Bar.
It’s a treasure trove of fascinating vehicles - including fire engines to pose next to - stories and interactive experiences.
Finally, before you head home, make a last stop at Park Hill flats. This Brutalist icon, the largest listed building in Europe, looks out over the city centre skyline and is the ideal place for a final photograph.
Where to stay in Sheffield city centre 🛏️
When it comes to resting your head, there are plenty of options in Sheffield.
The newest hotel in town is the flagship, four-star Radisson Blu Hotel on Pinstone Street. It has Scandi style, 154 rooms and views over the nearby Peace Gardens from its rooftop terrace.
Right in the heart of the action is the independent and boutique Leopold Hotel. This charming former grammar school sits next to restaurants and bars in historic Leopold Square.
Combine your stay with an extra spa experience at the stylish Mercure Sheffield St Paul’s on Norfolk Street. There’s an indoor pool, heat treatment rooms and a champagne bar. Some spa services incur additional costs.
Also new this year is the Miller & Carter Sheffield by Innkeeper’s Collection on Surrey Street. This hotel is as central as they come, located just across the road from Sheffield Town Hall, and has its own steakhouse bistro for pre-theatre dining.
Close to Sheffield Cathedral, the Hampton by Hilton on West Bar offers a free breakfast and convenience for visitors coming by car.
If you need a bit more space to work or relax in, the Three Cranes Serviced Apartments on Queens Street is a strong choice. They offer special birthday and anniversary packages too.Â
Visitors on a budget can choose from a range of accommodation, including the Premier Inn on Angel Street.
Eating and drinking in Sheffield city centre 🍸
Coming to Sheffield? Then be prepared to eat. The city’s diverse food and drink scene is worth the visit alone.
Start your day with an Instagram-worthy breakfast by the brunch experts at New Zealand inspired Tamper, on Arundel Street. The bespoke eggs benedict options are hard to beat.
Quirky Hygge on Fitzalan Square is inspired by Denmark. French toast and smoothies are served there in a cosy yet cool interior.
When lunchtime rolls around, head to the airy new Cambridge Street Collective (Europe’s biggest purpose-built food hall ) to try dishes from around the world. Detroit-style pizza by Michies and authentic cuisine from Palestinian restaurant Baity come highly recommended.
All day dining is also on offer at Forum Sheffield, a Sheffield institution with roomy outdoor seating overlooking Devonshire Green. Burgers and small plates make the menu a guaranteed crowd pleaser.
For dinner, fresh hand-made pasta with the authentic taste of Puglia make Grazie, on Leopold Street, a hit for any Italian food lover. The elegant side-bar shakes a mean cocktail and the antipasti sharing platters always deliver.
If dinner is the starter to a night out, BEJU on Glossop Road might be the place to begin. Expect Asian fusion food, a luxurious interior and bold mixology within a two minute walk of lively West Street.
Visitors are well catered for when it comes to drinks, too. Cool courtyard coffee shop Steam Yard, just off Division Street, is the right destination for a top quality blend. Tea drinkers can browse dozens of loose leaf options at Birdhouse Tea Bar, based on Sidney Street. Sheffield’s status as the real ale capital of the world (yes, really) means great pubs abound.
The Sheffield Tap at Sheffield Railway Station is a splendid place for a pint or two. Award-winning beer shop and tasting room Hop Hideout, now located in the new Leah’s Yard, offers carefully curated drinks to suit all palates.
Discover a hidden gem for cocktails by going underground to Public, a dazzling fever dream of a bar located in a transformed toilet under Sheffield Town Hall. Every drink on the menu has been carefully designed to explore connections to Sheffield through the finest ingredients.
Shopping in Sheffield city centre 🛍️
Sheffield’s proudly independent retail scene has always been impressive.
And with new regeneration projects now coming to fruition, there’s even more shopping to be done.
The brand new Leah’s Yard on Cambridge Street - which celebrates local traders and makers in a revitalised heritage space - is an exciting addition to the heart of the city centre.Â
Browse books, the gallery of artist Pete McKee and everything from spicy sauce by Sheffield Dragon to locally grown flowers from social enterprise Roots and Bloom.
Just next door there’s the Heart of the City, where retailers include Danish homeware brand Søstrene Grene, upmarket clothing shop Yards Store and a brand new tea specialist, Bird & Blend Tea Co.
A short walk away takes you to Division Street, the original home of small independent retailers in Sheffield city centre.
There, browse vintage clothing from the multiple thrift stores and take home a keepsake from the beautiful Within Reason or MoonKo stores.
In the opposite direction is The Moor outdoor shopping district. This is where you can find a mix of bigger retailers - including USC, Skechers and longstanding department store Atkinson’s - as well as the eclectic Moor Market.
Another distinct shopping zone can be found at colourful Orchard Square.
It’s a multi-purpose destination, with craft shops upstairs and names like Waterstones or TK Maxx downstairs.
Finally, there’s Fargate. Currently undergoing major refurbishment, it’s where you’ll find premium brands Lush, Marks & Spencer and Hotel Chocolat.
Watch this space for a new pub by Thornbridge Brewery, The Fargate, coming soon.
How to get around Sheffield city centre 🚊
Sheffield city centre is fairly compact. That said, we are known to have a few hills…
Save your legs by hopping on a Supertram service, which can take you from the railway station to the top of West Street, and on to other parts of the city if you wish.
There’s also a free electric city centre bus, called Sheffield Connect, which operates two routes every few minutes.
If you are a cyclist, you might enjoy taking a Sheffield Cycle Tour to pedal and sightsee simultaneously.
And if you need to drive, you’ll also find tips on parking and Sheffield’s Clean Air Zone in this dedicated guide to getting around.
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🖼️ Best places to visit in Sheffield city centre
🛏️ Where to stay in Sheffield city centre
🍸 Eating and drinking in Sheffield city centre