Sheffield has the advantage of offering a little bit of everything. A stellar live music scene, two rival football clubs, the buzz of university life and superb places to eat can all be found here.
Add these urban treats to the mix, along with the picture-postcard Peak District nearby, and you’ve got a top-notch destination.
From grit to gardens
Sheffield hasn’t just relied on the nearby Peak District to provide a place for residents and visitors to relax, with the city itself hosting several fantastic parks. Two in particular stand out – the Winter Gardens and the Botanical Gardens.
The former is housed in a stunning modern building, with its huge glass roof – it’s Europe’s largest urban glasshouse – and holds over 2,500 plant species. It’s an oasis of greenery right in the city’s heart and doubles up as a striking venue for live events. It sits wonderfully with the Victorian grandeur of the town hall and the outdoor Peace Gardens with their water cascades and poignant memorials.
There are another 5,000 plant species at the Botanical Gardens on Clarkehouse Road, which has been open since 1836. There’s even more spectacular glasswork here too, as well as 18 different themed gardens and even a former bear pit.
Steel appeal
The city is famed for its steel, and this heritage can be found across Sheffield in various museums and attractions. The Millennium Gallery, for example, combines both art and industry, with a huge array of local steel products.
There’s also the collection of inspiring artworks by noted Victorian artist John Ruskin, archaeological finds and ambitious exhibitions – from Da Vinci’s drawings to Lego models.
If this has given you a taste for art, you’ll find more at the compact Graves Gallery. This place punches above its weight with modern pieces from the likes of Damien Hirst on display next to classics from luminaries such as Cezanne, Turner and Lowry.
Head next to Kelham Island, a manmade island which hosts a remarkable and singular museum focusing on the industrial history of the city. There’s a vast steam engine which runs twice a day, workshops that give a flavour of the past and various exhibits around the wonders of steel.
Peak practice
While the city is undeniably green – some claim it boasts the most trees per head in all of Europe – you can explore some of Britain’s finest countryside by venturing out in your hire car from Sheffield and visiting the Peak District. This was the first national park in the country, and boasts nearly 1,500 square kilometres of moors, woods, reservoirs and lakes.
Driving through, you’ll find rocky escarpments giving way to serene bodies of water, while grand houses of the present and past pepper the landscape. At Peveril Castle, time has diminished the structure, but the place still evokes stories of a glorious past – it was built by the son of William the Conqueror and was a royal hunting lodge favoured by several kings.
By contrast, Chatsworth House is a perfectly preserved stately home where Dukes and Duchesses have sat pretty for hundreds of years. Tour the rooms and you’ll find lavish decorations and an admirable art collection, all the while discovering much about the imprisonment of Mary Queen of Scots here. The grounds outside are handsome, while there’s also a farm shop and an adventure playground for children.
Whether you’re in search of steel city attractions or venturing out into the great outdoors, plan your perfect trip with car hire in Sheffield.
