The race details
- Stage 1 (Friday 30 July): Leeds to Manchester
- Stage 2 (Saturday 31 July): Manchester to Sheffield
- Stage 3 (Sunday 1 August): London – team time trial
Where to stay
The Queens Hotel, Leeds
Centrally located overlooking Leeds’ City Square, The Queens Hotel remains crammed with Art Deco features following an extensive £16m refurbishment in 2021. For added convenience, the hotel even has a private entrance to Leeds Train Station. Behind its white Portland stone facade, 232 bedrooms range from cosy doubles to a presidential suite with its own private terrace. Guests can enjoy Indian flavours at the Cinnamon Kitchen, led by chef Vivek Singh, and tuck into a High Chai, a different take on afternoon tea.
The Bells, Leeds
The Bells is a collection of luxury serviced apartments in a restored Victorian building opposite Leeds Minster, which inspired its name. Each of the nine suites is also named after a famous bell: the biggest is Big Ben, a penthouse apartment with two super king-size bedrooms and its own rooftop terrace complete with hot tub. Expect quirky decor and original features galore, plus mod-cons like rainfall showers and Sonos music systems.
King Street Townhouse, Manchester
A bank turned boutique hotel, King Street Townhouse boasts Manchester’s first rooftop infinity pool. The Grade II-listed property, built in the Italian Renaissance style, has 40 bedrooms and suites, many of which feature free-standing baths. The Tavern is its all-day dining venue, with seasonal menus showcasing modern British dishes. Manchester Town Hall is a couple of minutes’ walk away, as are the shops of the Arndale Centre.
The Rex, Manchester
Manchester’s imposing Hotel Gotham was reborn as The Rex in April 2026. Built in 1928 at 100 King Street to house the Midland Bank, The Rex’s design marries Art Deco with modern luxury. Key to the rebrand is Reserve at The Rex, with three rooftop terraces. The sixth-floor restaurant, Reign, is the place for afternoon teas, small plates and a five-course tasting menu for an elevated dinner. Guests can choose from 55 characterful bedrooms and five suites.
Brocco on the Park, Sheffield
Sheffield’s only five-star restaurant with rooms, Brocco on the Park combines Nordic-inspired British cooking with a stylish Edwardian setting. The owners revived this boutique hotel from dereliction in 2014 and it is now listed in the Michelin Guide for its culinary offering. With decor inspired by nature and birds, each of the eight bedrooms comes with Bramley organic skincare products and daily homemade treats. Brocco is situated on the corner of Sharrow Vale Road, a haven for independent shopping and dining.
Where to eat
Ox Club, Leeds
Fire and smoke bring buckets of flavour to the dishes at Ox Club, housed in a former textile mill in central Leeds. Marking its 10th anniversary in 2026, the restaurant champions local and regional produce, whether that’s Yorkshire lamb or Hartlepool seafood. Expect hearty steaks, lamb chops and fish cooked over the grill, with vegetarians well catered for too. Sunday roast options include an imaginative pear and caramelised onion porchetta with trotter and fennel gravy.
Chef Jono at V&V, Leeds
Masterchef UK finalist Jono Hawthorne serves modern British dishes with creative flair at Chef Jono at V&V at 68 New Briggate in Leeds city centre. The Signature Tasting Menu, served Wednesday to Saturday, features a mushroom tiramisu and cheeseburger tartare, while the Sunday Lunch Tasting Menu offers refined takes on the classics: think Bloody Mary shrimp, roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, and a rhubarb and custard cream.
Mana, Manchester
One-Michelin-starred Mana promises high-end dining in Manchester’s trendy Ancoats district under chef Simon Martin, who trained at Copenhagen’s world-renowned Restaurant Noma. There are three tiers of menus where British produce – especially seafood – is the star of the show. Highlights of the 12-course Complete Menu include lobster with sourdough cappelletti and smoked roses, as well as scallop chawanmushi (a savoury egg custard) with pressed bramble wood.
Lennox, Manchester
From the chef behind Six By Nico comes Lennox, opened in March 2026. The new concept from Nico Simeone moves away from six-course tasting menus to indulgent small and large plates, the latter including confit duck leg and pork tomahawk. Also available is a selection of handmade pasta dishes such as gnocchi with chicken wings and parmesan. The minimalist space has 56 covers, including 18 bar seats, with an emphasis on exceptional flavours.
JÖRO, Sheffield
Playful Euro-Asian cooking saw JÖRO awarded one Michelin star in 2026. Owners Luke and Stacey Sherwood French have turned a derelict 19th-century paper mill into a restaurant with rooms in the Oughtibridge Valley, roughly six miles (10km) north-west of Sheffield. There are tasting menus for refined lunches and dinners, with dishes including teriyaki celeriac with ancho chilli and three-cornered leeks. For more casual dining, the bar and terrace offer all-day fare.
Things to do
Leeds’ arts scene
Visitors are never far from an art gallery or cultural spaces in Leeds. The Henry Moore Institute, named for the prolific English artist, ranks among Europe’s largest sculpture galleries, while Leeds Art Gallery next door showcases works by Antony Gormley, William Hogarth and Paula Rego. Enjoy an Opera North performance, with 2026 highlights including La Bohème, Peter Grimes and The Marriage of Figaro, or hear upcoming artists at trendy concert venue Belgrave Music Hall. Visitors can also catch an arthouse film at Hyde Park Picture House, the world’s only remaining gas-lit cinema.
Manchester Music Tours
Experience Manchester’s varied music scene on a toe-tapping bus or walking tour with Manchester Music Tours. The venture was created by former Inspiral Carpets drummer Craig Gill and continued by his family following his passing. Choose from a dedicated tour to learn more about a favourite band – The Smiths, Joy Division, Oasis or the Stone Roses – or join the Manchester Music Tour Special to discover the venues, album cover stars and other landmarks that have been written into music history. Tours depart from Vinyl Revival in the Northern Quarter and last approximately four hours.
Manchester Wine Tours
Manchester Wine Tours are run by drinks experts Kelly Bishop and Jack Tovey, taking visitors on a wine-fuelled journey of discovery around the city. Discover Manchester’s best tipples one glass at a time, with at least six different wines included in the tour plus a tasty snack at each venue (which vary each tour). The four-hour tours run from Friday to Sunday, plus the last Tuesday in the month.
John Rylands Library, Manchester
Founded by philanthropist Enriqueta Rylands in memory of her late husband, the John Rylands Library is a vision of neo-gothic splendour. It opened to the public in 1900 and today houses some of Manchester’s most precious books, such as one of the surviving copies of the Gutenberg Bible and Shakespeare’s First Folio. Visitors can admire the historic Reading Room, with its vaulted ceiling and stained-glass windows. There’s a varied exhibitions and events calendar too, featuring printing press demonstrations and guided tours with library staff.
Sheffield Botanic Gardens
Free to visit, Sheffield Botanic Gardens span 19 acres and encompass 18 different gardens based on different geographical or botanical themes. Peek inside the Grade II-listed Glass Pavilions, and don’t miss the bear pit, one of the best surviving examples of its kind in Britain. It is now home to a bear sculpture paying tribute to the animals which were housed here during the 19th century for the entertainment of visitors. For more outdoors adventures, the Peak District is on the city’s doorstep. Visitors can hire a bike to discover the Monsal Trail, go paddleboarding at Tittesworth Water Sports or embrace rock climbing with Dolomite Training.
