Bradford
Why we love Bradford
It’s a big year for Bradford as it’s the UK City of Culture 2025, with more than 1,000 events and performances as part of the year-long celebrations. A unique fusion of culture, heritage and nature, this multifaceted city also has bragging rights as the world’s first UNESCO City of Film. With a mass of museums to get stuck into, multicultural communities and the Victorian world of Saltaire on its doorstep, Bradford is a vibrant urban hub.
Keighley and Worth Valley Railway
It’s full steam ahead, with vintage trains, beer fairs and even a chance to drive a locomotive for yourself on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. The heritage railway holds over 150 years of history in its tracks and travels through the stunning area known as ‘Brontë country’. Board the train for a steam-fuelled ride up steep valleys, as seen on TV in shows including Peaky Blinders and All Creatures Great and Small!
Salts Mill
Heading north out of the city will lead you to Shipley, near the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Saltaire – home to Salts Mill. With a mix of new and old, the grand Victorian building now houses contemporary visual arts, shops, an espresso bar and cafe. Look out for the permanent exhibition for Bradford-born and internationally acclaimed artist David Hockney, one of the largest displays of his work.
Cartwright Hall Art Gallery
Find contemporary art collections and galleries in Lister Park, home to a boating lake and adventure playground. Alongside 19th and 20th century art, there’s the Hockney Gallery that showcases the Bradford-born artist’s early work and connections with Yorkshire and the city itself.
Brontë Parsonage Museum
The home of literary greats, the Brontës, visit the Georgian house that’s a time capsule of the 1800s. Explore the rooms where Charlotte, Emily and Anne once lived, filled with their clothes and personal trinkets. New for 2024, see the Brontës’ Web of Childhood exhibition, exploring the young sisters’ lives.
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Get stuck into a jam-packed programme of more than 1,000 events marking Bradford’s new UK City of Culture status.
Be inspired by the National Science and Media Museum, with three floors dedicated to light and sound technology.
Be immersed in the industrial heritage of UNESCO-listed Saltaire, a Victorian model village built for local textile workers.
Dance the night away at St George’s Hall, the Victorian venue attracting some of music’s biggest names.
Fun fact
Fun fact
Move over Cannes, Venice and Los Angeles – Bradford beat stiff competition to become the world’s first UNESCO City of Film in 2009.
Did you know?
Did you know?
- Artist David Hockney was born in Bradford in 1937 and retains strong links with the city – both The Hockney Gallery in Cartwright Hall Art Gallery and 1853 Gallery at Salts Mill house collections showcasing his works.
- With a screen 60 feet (18m) tall, Europe’s first IMAX cinema opened in 1983 and offers an immersive viewing experience at Bradford’s National Science and Media Museum.
- The Darley Street Market is set to open in early 2025 and will feature a mix of shopping and dining, with traders dishing up Greek, Mexican and Caribbean cuisines.
- Bradford had a starring role in crime drama Peaky Blinders, with Peel Park, Undercliffe Cemetery, Salts Mill and the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway all used for filming.
- Little Germany housed German wool merchants who moved to the city in the 1800s, and today, 55 of the district’s 85 buildings are listed.
Things to do in Bradford
Featured things to do
Historic homes
From detective trails to Easter Egg hunts, this 17th-century house and garden lives on. Learn about the history of previous owners and inhabitants and enjoy the gardens, packed with fruit trees and roses.
Step back in time at East Riddlesden Hall
A way with words
With live theatrical performances and family-friendly activities taking place across the whole city, celebrate 10 days of spoken word, poetry, literature and film at the Bradford Literature Festival.
Discover a new favourite read at Bradford Literature Festival
In the spotlight
Get into theatre at Bradford’s Alhambra Theatre. See family-friendly performances, live music, comedy and touring shows at this performing arts centre.
Catch a show at the Alhambra Theatre
Winter at Saltaire
The Victorian model village is especially charming in winter, when its window displays open in the lead-up to Christmas, each with its own mix of traditional, modern and quirky festive scenes.
See Christmas come to life with the Saltaire Living Advent CalendarPlaces to stay in Bradford
City centre
Delve into the hustle and bustle of Bradford with a stay in its centre. There are well-known hotel brands alongside bed and breakfast offerings and grand railway hotels.
Saltaire
Head north out of the city for a stay in Gothic mansions, cottages, farm stays and more in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Haworth and Brontë Country
Escape into nature with moor walks and your choice of quaint cottages, camping, glamping and family-friendly parks.
Explore nearby
Getting to Bradford
Located in northern England, Bradford is a city on the edge of West Yorkshire. It is served by Leeds Bradford Airport, which is 7 miles (11km) from the city and connects the area to parts of Europe. Manchester Airport is 51 miles (82km) from Bradford; around a one hour drive or two hour train ride.
Grand Central Railway operate routes between London and Bradford Interchange, with journey times from two hours and 30 minutes. Train services also run to destinations such as Manchester, Leeds and York. To travel by bus from London, check out National Express.
Getting around Bradford
By bike
For a pedal-powered way to whizz through the city’s sights, you can hire a bike from two locations – Bradford Interchange Train Station or Shipley Train Station.
On foot
Bradford is best explored on foot. There are self-guided walks to follow, from insights into the city’s heritage to art trails.
By bus
Local bus services are mainly run by First Bus with routes that connect the city and surrounding area. Keighley Bus Company offer services to the Keighley area that sits north-west of Bradford.
Want to know more?
Want to know more?
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