There are some fascinating cities scattered across England, featuring majestic cathedrals and thriving high streets, with Bath, Oxford and York among the most popular to visit. Yet there’s one UK city that a travel expert has hailed as one of the most underrated, and it has some remarkable links to Hollywood movies and major TV shows.
Ben Aitken, 39, an award-winning travel writer, dedicates much of his time to exploring the UK’s hidden gems that are often overlooked by tourists, uncovering their underappreciated charm. One city in West Yorkshire that caught his attention and is one of his favourite places to visit is Bradford.
“I’ve got a soft spot for Bradford, and the countryside surrounding the city is beautiful,” Ben said exclusively to the Express. “It was a boom town in the 1800s, and it’s cut from this lovely honey-coloured stone.”
Bradford is brimming with independent shops, thriving restaurants, museums, historical sites and some “great institutions”, as Ben shared. “In the middle of town, there is the National Science and Media Museum, which is wonderful, along with the recently reopened Bradford Live, which was an old Odeon cinema.
“It was dormant for around 30 years, but it’s a new venue that they hope will rival The Piece Hall in Halifax. Just across from that, you’ve got St George’s Hall, which is called the ‘People’s Palace’, which was a Victorian structure for concerts, and I saw some gigs there.”
Something unassuming about the city of Bradford is that it’s actually the world’s first UNESCO City of Film, which it obtained in 2009. This is due to its rich film heritage and catalogue of film productions that have taken place in the city.
Some of its most famous film credits include The King’s Speech, Downton Abbey, Narnia, God’s Own Country and Official Secrets, to name a few. Major TV shows have also been set against the backdrop of Bradford, including Peaky Blinders, The Crown, Victoria, The Couple Next Door, Happy Valley and Bodies.
Adding to its impressive portfolio, the Bradford Pennine Gateway National Nature Reserve was named one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the world’ by Condé Nast Traveller this year. The magazine said: “These are landscapes of unhurried drama: undulating moors, wind-polished gritstone tors and views that collapse into long, moody distances broken only by the slow, stately flap of a marsh harrier.”
Another famous tie to the city is that the celebrated painter David Hockney hailed from Bradford, with the Salts Mill on the outskirts of the city displaying his vibrant and fascinating artwork. One visitor noted their experience at Salts Mill on TripAdvisor, “This is a World Heritage Site and justifiably so. The building is extraordinary, it’s vast!
“You could spend days here, there’s so much to see, and it’s free entry. Great to see the work of David Hockney, which was wonderful, he’s Britain’s Picasso, so innovative and experimental, even my partner loved his work.”
Elsewhere, there’s the opportunity to watch rugby league matches, marvel at the artwork at Cartwright Hall, and immerse yourself in history at the Bradford Industrial Museum. Additionally, visitors can explore the historical area of Little Germany in Bradford, wander around Lister Park, admire Bradford Cathedral or take a trip to the nearby Saltaire Village.
Just last year, Bradford held the City of Culture, which Ben believes will have a “big impact”. He explained: “People are going to start to understand that this is a place that’s going places, it ought to and deserves to.
“Everybody just heads to Leeds, which is decent enough, but it doesn’t deserve to completely overshadow Bradford in the way that it does.” With a catalogue of attractions, landscapes and eateries to explore, Ben said it’s “easy to fill a weekend in the city”.
Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
