UNESCO City of Film
A once proud centre of the textile industry, Bradford is now known for a completely different local speciality. In 2009, Bradford was named as the first UNESCO City of Film for its rich filmmaking heritage. If you're in to the visual arts, especially photography, then the National Media Museum is an absolute must-visit.
The museum has seven floors of galleries with great permanent exhibitions focusing on photography, television, animation, video gaming and the internet. The museum's three cinemas and the IMAX screen will ensure you can spend all day in this wonderful institution, especially if one of the two film festivals hosted annually here are in town.
City Park
Bradford's regenerated city centre is also home to the stunning space known as City Park. This is a lovely place to sit down and admire your surroundings, which include a mesmerising high-tech water feature that is the largest man-made structure of its kind in the UK.
The city's proud celluloid scene again comes to the fore in the Impressions Gallery, one of the country's most cutting-edge photographic galleries. If you're after more artistic delight, Cartwright Hall, on the outskirts of the city, is home to an excellent collection of 19th and 20th-century British art, including some wonderful L.S. Lowry paintings.
Spice City
Bradford is home to one of the largest South Asian communities in the UK, and is the first city ever to have been voted ‘Curry Capital of Britain' three years in a row. Before you leave, you have to see why the city has won this well-deserved accolade so many times.
There are fabulous curry houses all over Bradford so to pick the best is a difficult task. You'll love the traditional atmosphere of Karachi, one of the city's original curry cafés that has more than stood the test of time. For a more formal meal, Prashad, which featured as a finalist on Channel 4's Ramsay's Best Restaurant, is guaranteed to leave you suitably sated. The staff are lovely and the aloo gobi is out of this world.
Saltaire
As if there wasn't enough for you to be getting on with, Bradford is right next to the Saltaire World Heritage Site. Not only is Saltaire an achingly beautiful Victorian village but there is also plenty of stuff to do here. There is more world-class art on display at the Salts Mill, including one of the world's largest collections of the works of David Hockney.
Another unmissable treat is provided by the Shipley Glen tramway. The tram was built in 1895 and offers a lovely route through luscious woodland and up a steep hill to Shipley Glen and even more unbelievable views.
Leeds and the Pennines
A Bradford hotel is also a fantastic base from which to visit the city of Leeds, which is less than twenty minutes away by train. You ramblers will be aware of the lovely walks on offer in the Pennines, the gorgeous hills that surround the city. However, you might not have time to lace up those walking boots, as there is just so much to do in this mesmerising city.
