Itinerary idea: history, art and food in Sheffield

Located in South Yorkshire, on the edge of the Peak District, Sheffield is recognised for its industrial heritage, vibrant music scene, universities, and proximity to nature. The city can be easily reached, taking around three hours to arrive by coach from London, and is well-connected via train. 

Here is what groups can pack into a visit.

Morning

10:00 – 12:00pm: Kelham Island Museum

Kelham Island is one of Sheffield’s oldest industrial districts dating back 900 years and has a rich and interesting history. Start your day by delving into Sheffield’s industrial past at Kelham Island Museum, covering life during the Industrial Revolution, to progress through the Victorian era, the wartime Women of Steel and all the way through to modern industry in the city today. Guided tours and heritage talks are available. 

Look out for some of the lesser-known objects at the museum and hear about the most famous Sheffield employee, how a new file led to a major strike and why HMS Sheffield was known to be the shiniest ship. 

12:00pm – 1pm: Coffee break/lunch at Joni

Stay in Kelham for coffee and/or lunch and head to Joni at Kelham located at Kelham Island Museum for a range of options 

Alternatively, book a history and brunch tour through Sheffield Food Tours. The three-hour experience includes a walking tour and a sit-down brunch. Peter, your guide, will take you on a journey back to Norman times with tales of Sheffield Castle and the Duke of Norfolk’s time in the city. You will also hear about the important part Sheffield’s five rivers played in the city’s rise to an industrial giant, visit the site of a workhouse and hear more about the devastating effects of The Sheffield Great Flood.

Afternoon

1:30pm: Leah’s Yard – independent shopping

Located in the city centre, the Grade II* listed Leah’s Yard has been re-imagined as a vibrant hub bringing together Sheffield’s independent retailers, food and beverage, and small businesses. 

The ground floor incorporates a vibrant and diverse collection of retail and food and drink businesses, such as Hop Hideout beer emporium, La Biblioteka book shop, Roots and Blooms florist, Gravel Pit houseplants and Mesters’ Market farm shop.

You’ll also find Sheffield artist, Pete McKee’s gallery space on the Cambridge Street side of the development.

3pm: Winter Gardens

Take a leisurely five minute stroll through to Sheffield’s Winter Garden. It’s said to be one of the largest temperate glasshouses to be built in the UK during the last hundred years and the largest urban glasshouse anywhere in Europe.

The building itself is 70 metres long and 22 metres high (large enough to house 5000 domestic greenhouses) and home to more than 2,500 plants from all around the world. There is direct access from the Millennium Gallery, Millennium Square and Tudor Square, where you’ll find the renowned Crucible Theatre.

4pm: Millennium Gallery

From the Winter Garden’s, enter Sheffield’s Millenium Gallery. The gallery’s changing exhibition programme showcases the best in national and international art and design alongside the region’s remarkable creative talents. You’ll find remarkable art and artefacts brought to the city by the artist and writer, John Ruskin.

Sheffield’s Metalwork Collection is one of the finest in the world. You’ll see over 800 examples of the cutlery, flatware and tableware that have made the city famous, as well as beautiful objects collected from every continent.

The gallery is also home to the Guild of St George’s unique Ruskin Collection. Spanning art, illustrated manuscripts and minerals, the collection was established in the 1800s to inspire the people of Sheffield.

Evening

6pm: Dinner at Ego Mediterranean Restaurant and Bar

Enjoy freshly cooked Mediterranean food, cocktails and local cask ale at Ego Mediterranean Restaurant & Bar, just a stone’s throw away from The Crucible and The Lyceum theatres.

Extend your visit…

Located in the city centre, overlooking the Town Hall and Peace Gardens, Radisson Blu Hotel is a stylish addition to Sheffield. It has 154 contemporary rooms, a rooftop speakeasy-style Indian restaurant and bar, flexible meeting and event spaces with an outdoor terrace and a fully equipped fitness centre.

Why not spend the next day taking a 40-minute journey via coach out of Sheffield to the neighbouring village of Wentworth, Rotherham for a spot of afternoon tea at Wentworth Woodhouse? Built in the 18th century, it is said to be the largest private house in the UK, with more than 300 rooms.

Guided tours are available exploring the lives of the family who lived there, the events that shaped the house’s fortunes, and the stories woven into its grand interiors. After exploring the magnificent house and grounds, relax with an afternoon tea experience in the Long Gallery before heading home.