This document provides a summary of the author's weekend trip to Leeds, England. It discusses taking a 1 hour flight from Ireland West Airport to Leeds Bradford Airport for convenience. It recommends staying at the modern and comfortable City Inn hotel near shopping and attractions. The summary describes Leeds' abundant shopping options in historic arcades and high-end stores, as well as dining recommendations like Italian restaurant Casa Mia and award-winning Indian restaurant Bird. It also mentions cultural attractions like the Marks in Time exhibition at Leeds University and various art museums.

1. 82 November 4 2010
LIFE STYLE
THURSDAY FRIDAY
SATURDAY SUNDAY
11°
MONDAY
13
TUESDAY
12°
WEDNESDAY
11°
WEATHER
HIGH TIDE IN GALWAY
Thursday November 4 02.59 15.16
Friday November 5 03.44 16.03
Saturday November 6 04.26 16.46
Sunday November 7 05.09 17.31
Monday November 8 05.51 18.16
Tuesday November 9 06.34 19.03
Wednesday November 10 07.19 19.50
Thursday November 11 08.07 20.42
PHASES OF THE MOON
Saturday November 6 — new moon.
10°
11°
BREAK-AWAY
TRAVEL WITH UNA SINNOTT
11°
Galway
Tuam
Gort
For daily weather updates log onto www.advertiser.ie
BY MARTINA NEE
With the perfect blend of
culture, historic cobbled
streets, friendly
hospitality, great
gastronomic experiences,
and of course high-end
shopping, the city of Leeds
in Yorkshire is a real gem
and certainly one that
should be considered for
your next weekend break
away.
When planning a short
city break it is important
to be able to get there and
back without any hassle or
precious time wasted, so
flying out of Ireland West
Airport Knock, Co Mayo, is
the obvious choice, with
Ryanair flights getting you
to Leeds Bradford
International Airport in
just over an hour. It does
not get more convenient
than that.
I stayed at the City Inn
which is situated in the
revitalised Granary Wharf
area. Clean, contemporary,
and courteous, are words
which instantly spring to
mind as soon as you walk
into the hotel’s lobby. The
staff here are extremely
friendly and helpful and
the rooms are quite
spacious with a very
modern feeling while still
being relaxing. There is no
problem with comfort here
as the beds are wonderful,
the walls sound-proofed,
and the power showers are
fantastic. The stay gets
even better with the
scrumptious and varied
breakfasts that are served.
You would nearly not want
to leave but there is far too
much to discover in the
city.
One of the main features
of Leeds is the amazing
shopping. There are of
course plenty of the high-
street stores you will
recognise in an area
known as Briggate but a
closer look will reveal a
huge number of treasure
troves located in beautiful
Victorian style arcades
where you can get lost in
shopping heaven for
hours. However I tried not
to take too long as the
Victoria Quarter was
calling my name. If you
want to splash some cash
on threads then here is the
place to do it where stores
such as Harvey Nichols,
All Saints, Vivienne
Westwood, Mulberry,
Jigsaw, Diesel, Firetrap,
and Molton Brown can be
found. The structure of
this shopping centre,
known as the
‘Knightsbridge of the
north’, is extremely
impressive where a
number of buildings, more
than 100 years ago, have
been cleverly connected by
an expansive glass roof.
When the feet eventually
do get tired there are
plenty of little cafes to
have a coffee and do some
people watching.
Alternatively, just minutes
down the road you will
find the Cosmopolitan
where you can delight in a
wonderful two course
lunch which will not break
the bank.
Of course if you fancy an
evening meal then Casa
Mia Millennium at
Millennium Square comes
highly recommended. This
is a lovely Italian
restaurant where I had the
best bruschetta and
carbonara pasta - I’m
really picky about these.
The pizzas and other pasta
dishes ordered by my
fellow diners looked
delicious too. You will
undoubtedly find the finest
Indian food at the award
winning Bird by Vineet
restaurant located in the
Alea Casino at Clarence
Dock. Now I know you are
thinking, ‘casino?’ but
seriously this is a
glamorous hang out where
you can have a flutter, eat a
delicious tikka masala (the
best I have ever had), and
drink a cocktail or two.
But there is more to this
city than just shopping and
dining. A trip down to
Leeds University will bring
you to the Marks in Time
Exhibition. Surprisingly I
found this exhibition,
about the role Marks &
Spencer has played in
peoples’ lives for 125 years,
to be very interesting and
it really makes you realise
how the store has affected
the fabric of modern living
from the clothes we wear
to the food we eat. Craving
a bit of culture and history,
well, there is loads to keep
you occupied. If time is
short and money is tight
then a great way to see the
city’s heritage is the Leeds
Owl Trail. This guides you
on a hunt for the Leeds
Owl which features on
many buildings and
locations of historic
interest. Many hours of
discovery can be spent at
the Leeds Art Gallery
which features an
introduction of the last two
centuries of British
modern and contemporary
art, and it is free to enter.
Also adhering with the
Leeds ethos of keeping art
free is the Henry Moore
Institute which is the UK’s
only library devoted to the
study of sculpture. Other
must sees include the
Yorkshire Sculpture Park,
a fine blend of art and lush
greenery, and Harewood
House, an 18th century
countryhouse set in a
glorious landscape.
Finally after all that it is
important to take a wee
breather and unwind with
a good auld pint or glass of
wine. There are plenty of
great pubs and nightlife
venues to choose from in
Leeds.
If you fancy a trip to
Leeds then more
information can be found
by logging onto
www.leedsliveitloveit.com,
www.marketingleeds.com,
o r
www.leedslovesshopping.c
om. City Inn
accommodation can be
found on www.cityinn.com
and for direct, convenient,
and low-priced flights go to
www.irelandwestairport.c
om
A city that Leeds the way in weekend breaks
City Inn.
Alea Casino at Clarence Dock.
Leeds Art Gallery.
www.advertiser.ie