Amble Through the Museums and Markets of Leeds

Once you're in Leeds city centre, head for the CitiPark Leeds Dock and find a spot. This is the closest car park to the Royal Armouries Museum, and operates on a pay-and-display basis.

The Royal Armouries is home to the UK’s national collection of arms and armour and is free to visit. However, you will need to book your entry time ahead on Eventbrite. It'd be quite the feat to view every object housed here during a two-hour visit – there are over 4,500 displayed across five galleries – but that should give you enough time to discover how arms and armour have shaped the UK's history, art and culture over the centuries. There are even live (and safe!) combat demonstrations so you can see how older armour and weapons were used. Keep your eyes peeled for highlights such as Henry VIII’s foot armour which he wore for a combat tournament in 1520, the distinctive ‘Horned Helmet’ mask presented to the same king in 1514, elephant tusk swords from the late 16th century, and – perhaps something you wouldn't have expected to see – the iconic ‘pulse rifle’ from the classic 1986 Aliens film, directed by Ridley Scott.

Head back to the car park around midday to give yourselves plenty of time to explore central Leeds this afternoon.

Park here for easy access to Kirkgate Market, where you'll spend the next couple of hours.

Breakfast will seem like a long time ago by now – and since you're in Yorkshire, it would be remiss not to embrace the most iconic of local cuisines: the Yorkshire pudding. And in this case, a hybrid "wrap" version – all the ingredients of a traditional roast dinner stuffed inside a flattened and equally tasty Yorkshire pudding. Pure genius. And possibly the highlight of the entire trip.
Note, the Yorkshire Wrap Company is closed on Sundays.

One of – if not – the largest indoor markets in Europe, Kirkgate has been a shopping magnet right at the heart of the city since 1857. The interior retains a traditional feel after all those years – a proper old-school English market where there seems no end to the amount of fresh food, fresh flowers, bespoke clothes and jewellery, handy hardware and haberdashery.
In fact, some of the businesses trading here span generations and – as any local market should – Kirkgate offers a wide range of stalls that accurately represent the cultural diversity of the city. Shop for Indian spices, Turkish delight, Moroccan ceramics, or fresh fruit and veg sourced from local farms.
Kirkgate Market is also the birthplace of British retail giant Marks & Spencer.
Note, Kirkgate Market is closed on Sundays.

Continue the shopping spree in County Arcade. You'll be more familiar with the designer stores here, but the shopping experience is no less authentic. This historica arcade is full of character, housing traders under an ornate and curved Victorian glass ceiling, and within stone walls adorned with intricate motifs. Even if you're keeping your purse strings tied, it's worth ambling through to take in the architecture and atmosphere.

Close by is Leeds City Museum, which houses six interactive galleries that and a changing programme of family-friendly exhibitions. The Life on Earth Gallery lets you get close to wonderful displays of animals – from fearsome tigers to prehistoric beasts and rainbow-feathered birds. You can also learn the incredible history of Leeds in the Leeds Story Gallery, which documents archaeological finds and the lives of people living in the city today.
Note, the museum is closed on Mondays.

Your legs will be tired by now but you'll need to carry you back to the car park, five minutes away.

Park here for a 25% discount on the overnight parking charge if you're staying at the Dakota Hotel.

Dakota Leeds is the perfect example of how luxury needn't come at an exorbitant cost. You'll pay slightly more than the average room rate in the city, but you certainly won't be disappointed with what you get. All rooms and suites are designed with warm but stylish tones; there's plenty of space around the plush beds, and there's even unlimited Sky Sports and Sky Movies if you'd rather have a night in. Not to mention, the hotel is in an unbeatable location and the staff are always on hand to help with a smile.

Earlier you might have stopped to admire the spices in Kirkgate Market, and come away with a mild craving. Well, Indian restaurants are engrained into the cultural fabric of Leeds and Tharavadu, on Mill Hill, is one of the best in the business. The award-winning curryhouse specialises in Kerala cuisine – think chilli paneers, kohzi dosas, konju manga curry (king prawns), meen kootan (fish curry to order), and sides of lemon rice. Walk in and the aromas wafting from the kitchen will fill your nose and set your mouth watering faster than the Ganges.
The restaurant has an authentic feel that steers well clear of tacky. Book ahead on the website here. Note, Tharavadu is closed on Sundays.

Unless you've got kids in tow – or you're exhausted and ready for that epic bed – keep the night alive with a fancy drink or two at The Alchemist Trinity, a trendy cocktail bar overlooking the city from the second floor of Leeds’ Trinity shopping centre. The clue is in the name, really, but the bartenders go one step further in their creative approach to cocktail-making here. Try the Cherry Poppins – made with raspberry Gin, amaretto, cherry, strawberry syrup, citrus and crowned with a bulbous 'cherry fog bubble'. Or take on the Dead Red Zombie – a white rum, Grand Marnier, lime, pineapple and cranberry concoction served in a smoke cloud. Or stick with one of the classics.
The bar has a heated outdoor terrace so you can take in the spires and towers without getting too chilly. Book ahead on the website here.

It's late, and you've got another early start ahead of you. Stroll back to the hotel and slip between those crisp Egyptian-cotton sheets. You've earned it.