Top Things To Do In Sheffield

Ah, Sheffield. Home of The Blades, Owls, and Sean Bean. But like every city, Sheffield has more to offer than people may initially think. What sort of things you may ask?

Well, today I am going to tell you about some of the best things to do in the Steel City, to give both newcomers and old hats alike an idea of how you can make your time in Sheffield that much more fun. Well enough larking around, let’s begin.

Arts and Cinema

Sheffield has many wonderful places to visit for those who love the arts. If you are interested in performing arts then you will need to visit the Crucible, Studio or Lyceum. All of which offer different types of theatre experiences ranging from small and intimate to grand and traditional.

If you would prefer to peruse the art galleries for a day then you can go to the Graves Gallery for a great collection of visual art or the Millennium Gallery for a look at craft and design pieces.

There is also a wide variety of cinemas to visit that can cater for all your film needs. Whether you want the big blockbuster experiences (I would recommend visiting The Light, Cineworld iMax, Odeon & Vue) or would prefer to watch smaller independent and foreign language films (Check out the Showroom and the Curzon).

And there are some great art events to attend throughout the year, for example, there is Sheffield Doc/Fest, one of the world’s highest-profile documentary film festivals which takes place every June. The Celluloid Screams Horror Festival, which takes place in October is a gold mine for horror film lovers. Or if you like your music why not check out the Tramlines Festival at the end of July? Which always features a diverse and interesting line up. Any artist will be satisfied by what Sheffield has to offer.

Sports

As mentioned at the beginning, Sheffield is widely known for its football teams, Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday. If you’re a football fan and you’re visiting Sheffield you owe it to yourselves to visit their grounds (Hillsborough & Bramall Lane) and maybe even see a game if you can.

But if you prefer other sports then Sheffield has something for everyone. Whether it’s Bowling at the Hollywood Bowl, watching the Sheffield Steelers play Ice Hockey at the FlyDSA Arena or training to skate yourself at iceSheffield. For those who would rather watch a bit of Rugby then why not head over to the Olympic Legacy Park, home of the Sheffield Eagles (and the Sheffield United Women’s Football Club) and watch a match?

And Sheffield even hosts its own colour runs throughout the year for those of you who just want to run and get messy.

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Shopping

Of course if you would like to buy something to remember Sheffield or you just like to go shopping then you have so many places you can go. The city centre itself has a nice mixture of independent and big-name stores. Then there is the Moor Market, an indoor marketplace with around 90 independent business stalls. Where you can buy anything, from fresh food to vintage clothing and everything in between. And don’t forget about the Meadowhall shopping center, which has all the big brands in entertainment, fashion, electronics and more all under one roof.

Food and Drink

For all you food lovers out there, Sheffield also has a wide variety of fantastic cuisine for you to try. There’s 39 Desserts for those who just want something sweet, a number of great restaurants and niche cafés, like Treehouse, a café with great food that allows you to play board games while you eat; be sure to come and see the wide variety of food stalls in the city center during the Sheffield Food Festival and Christmas market. But my personal recommendation would be to go to Church – Temple of Fun. Not only does Church have retro games available to play on the premises, but it also hosts Make No Bones, a kitchen that provides a wide array of vegan dishes, as well as having a 100% vegan bar. This venue will please everyone (none vegans included).

Or if you’re just looking to have a drink with friends then head on down to the Devonshire Cat or The Botanist to sample a wide range of reasonably priced cocktails, wine, bottled and off the pump ales and much more. Or maybe go to The Sheffield Tap for a nice beer while you wait for your train. And that’s only the tip of the iceberg as far as great dining and drinking goes.

History and Culture

Finally, the city has a number of historical and modern culturally significant sites for you to dive into. If you want to experience more of the history of Sheffield then come and see sites like Sheffield Cathedral, The Weston Park Museum to get an idea about the history of Sheffield, and Kelham Island Museum for a peek into the history behind the city’s steel industry.

However, should you would prefer to just experience a bit of modern culture then definitely visit the National Videogame Museum for an insight into the rise of gaming culture. If you want to do something with the kids then head to the Tropical Butterfly House to see some exotic creatures. And if you just want to sit down after an exhausting day looking around, come take a load off in the Winter Garden and relax in the calm company of nature.

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Thus ends my list of some of the great things available to do in Sheffield. Be sure to let us know what you think of our list in the comments. And if you have any recommendations for things to do in Sheffield then be sure to let us know.