Located approximately 160 miles northwest of London, the metropolitan city of Sheffield is a beautiful town with a rich history of industry. With over 60% of the city made up of green space, Sheffield is also one of the greenest cities in England, mixing countryside charm with an urban buzz. For visitors, Sheffield provides a wealth of historical museums, delicious restaurants, and a variety of shopping areas. With so much to offer, planning a short trip to this vibrant city is best done ahead of time! Here is an itinerary for a fantastic day in this remarkable city, exploring the history and unique districts it has to offer.
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What is the best time to visit Sheffield?
While the city offers beautiful features and a great experience year round, Sheffield is best experienced between the months of June and September. Visiting in the summer months will give you the best chance of exploring the city on a warm, dry day, and you can avail of the summer activities and markets throughout the town.
A Few Facts about Sheffield
One unique feature of Sheffield is that there is a National Park located near the city, called Peak District National Park. The park was the first area in the United Kingdom to gain National Park status in 1951. Sheffield also has an incredible history of being inhabited for millennia, with habitation tracked all the way back to 9,000 BC. For sports fans, Sheffield is historic in that it hosts the world’s oldest football club, which was founded in 1857 as the Sheffield FC and is now a part of the Northern Premier League.
One Day in Sheffield Itinerary
Start with a tasty breakfast
9:00 am – With only one day to see what the city has to offer, get an early start into the heart of town and get breakfast at one of the many cafes in city centre. Lynne’s Pantry on Surrey Street is a great choice.
Go on a walking tour
10:30 am – If you’re visiting Tuesday through Saturday, there’s a city walking tour every morning at 10:30 am that will guide you through the heart of Sheffield. Tours cost only £5 and no pre-booking is required. Meet at the Winter Garden Surrey Street entrance, close to the café.
Visit Kelham Island Museum
12:30 am – After your tour, head to the Kelham Island Museum, which is open Sunday to Thursday. Here you will be transported to the Industrial Revolution through interactive galleries and exhibitions. The Museum covers the growth of steelmaking in the United Kingdom, particularly Sheffield, through the Victorian era and both the World Wars.
Get some delicious lunch
1:30 pm – After your visit to Kelham Island Museum, you’ll probably be quite hungry! Luckily, there are a great number of eateries around the area to choose from. Craft & Dough is an artisan pizzeria with a wide variety of options, or if you would prefer a taste of a local pint, the Fat Cat is a great eatery with beer on tap from the Kelham Island Brewery.
Just walk around for a bit
2:30 pm – Walk the streets of Sheffield. Wander back to the city centre and enjoy the variety of shops along the way. If you haven’t had your fix of museums yet, stop by the Millennium Galleries on Surrey Street.
Shop till you drop
4:00 pm – The Sheffield Antiques Quarter is a great area to find more unique shopping, with independent store fronts and antique centres where you can pick up your own little piece of history. Here you can find jewelry, vintage clothes, and antique trinkets that will always remind you of your one day in Sheffield.
Relax with a nice dinner
6:30 pm – After a full day of exploring, you may be ready for dinner and a drink. If you are looking for a truly memorable meal, possibly to mark an occasion, the Old Vicarage or Fischer’s Baslow Hall are both renowned Michelin-starred restaurants. For something a bit more casual, but just as delicious, try El Toro Tapas Bar in the district of Broomhill for a sampling of Spanish tapas and a glass of tempranillo, or Juke and Loe for a modern British experience.
Choose from a variety of clubs
8:30 pm – If you are looking to end your day in Sheffield with a night out, try Carver Street for small bars and eclectic clubs, or the West Street Strip for the biggest independent bars and clubs that the city has to offer. If you are tired from the long day of exploring, there are plenty of lovely places to stay:
Where to stay in Sheffield, England
There are plenty of hotels, B&B’s, and campsites that you can call home for the night in Sheffield.
Hotels
The Leopold Hotel
2 Leopold Street, Leopold Square, Sheffield, S1 2GZ
The Leopold Hotel is located in the heart of the city centre, and is a boutique hotel that blends old and new in a chic and stylish fashion. It used to be a boys’ grammar school, but is now an award-winningly accessible building, with 90 distinct, unique en-suite bedrooms that also contain schoolboy memorabilia from the building’s past, donated by past pupils. They also have an excellent Lone Female Guest Programme.
Cubley Hall
Cubley Hall, Mortimer Road, Penistone, Penistone, S36 9DF
If you are looking for a historic stay, the Cubley Hall Inn is a hotel that started centuries ago as a moorland farm. These days though, it often hosts nearby wedding receptions and other events, with free Wi-Fi, parking and some outdoor seating too. One TripAdvisor reviewer raves about their pizza.
B & B
The Finkle Green Bed and Breakfast
Finkle Street Lane, Wortley, Wortley, S35 7DH
For a countryside experience, try the Finkle Green Bed and Breakfast, with panoramic views of the Pennines and a quick 20 minute drive into Sheffield City centre. Though you may prefer to cycle – this B&B offers a bicycle rental service for exploring the nearby rugged hills. The rooms available are particularly suited to couples.
Day trips from Sheffield
If you have more than a day in the area, there are dozens of locations you can take a day trip from Sheffield to explore. The Peak District is a great location to visit, and can be easily accessed from the train. Within this district, you can visit historic stone villages such as Castleton, Edale, Hathersage, and Bamford. If you only have time to visit one of these villages, Bamford is especially nice for a day trip. After walking through the historic village, visitors can continue on to the Ladybower reservoir, which showcases the quaint English countryside.
Another great town for a day trip from Sheffield is Penistone, a small market town that has a great farmers market on certain days. Penistone is the highest market town in the country, and is full of hidden treasures. Visitors to Penistone can visit the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, which is one of Europe’s finest open-air galleries, featuring a program of exhibitions and events on its 500 acres of parkland. There is also a multitude of museums, historic houses, gardens, and heritage sites in the village.
Extra tips for visiting Sheffield
VAT is the local tax, which is included in the cost of goods at 17.5%. If you are visiting from another country, look for stores and shopping centres with a tax-free mark, as they will allow VAT to be returned when you leave the United Kingdom.
When visiting local pubs and bars, don’t expect a waiter or server to come take your order at the table. Customers in Sheffield make orders and pay at the bar.
Make sure to bring the correct charge converters! As Sheffield is in the United Kingdom, it uses the 220 V three-pin sockets, not European sockets, as many tourists mistakenly think.
Sheffield is quite easy to travel to, with the closest airports being Manchester, Leeds Bradford, and East Midlands. Manchester Airport is the best option for visiting Sheffield, as it is easily accessible by train transfer. You can also get to Sheffield by taxi, but public transport tends to be the quickest and cheapest option for travel in the United Kingdom.
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Beatrix Potter
Beatrix Potter is a travel blogger and professional writer at Education Assignment Help and OXEssays Review writing services. She enjoys traveling the world, particularly the United Kingdom and Western Europe, and creating guides along the way for fellow travelers. Beatrix also tutors on the Cheap Term Paper website.
I loved reading your blog, it is fantastic and amazingly written, please keep on writing blogs like this I look forward to it.
Really informative blog, has been really helpful.
Absolutely spot on with the itinerary – Sheffield truly is a gem of a city with its perfect mix of urban and green spaces. Starting the day at Lynne’s Pantry is a great shout – their breakfast options are hearty and satisfying, the perfect fuel for a day of exploring. The walking tour is a brilliant way to soak in the city’s rich history and charm, and at £5, it’s an absolute bargain! And of course, visiting in the summer months is ideal. The city takes on a whole new vibrancy, with events and markets creating a wonderfully lively atmosphere. For those interested in football, a visit to Sheffield FC, the world’s oldest football club, is a must. Can’t wait to see what the rest of the day in the itinerary holds. Sheffield never disappoints!