Leeds

It may have once been grim up north, but Yorkshire’s buzziest, brightest city is a full-on tourist destination these days, never mind a great place to live and work. As regional business, cultural, shopping and nightlife capital, there’s plenty in Leeds to get your teeth into, whether it’s splashing the cash in its famous designer arcades, hitting the city’s excellent selection of hip restaurants and bars, or exploring its impressive museums, galleries, parks and gardens. There’s even a go-ahead city council, which puts a lot of resources into culture and the arts, and their command – ‘live it, love it, walk it’ – for once has some resonance with visitors and locals alike, who enjoy the fully charged atmosphere of the compact city centre. If you come for the day, expect to be exhausted before the culture runs out; come for the weekend and it’s sayonara sleep.