Leeds

If there's one thing I've gained from going to University 'up North' then it's the ability to take day trips to a variety of beautiful cities that I've never been to before. Leeds is just a 40 minute train journey from my base in Sheffield and definitely a city that I'd recommend visiting. Step off the train and you're immediately in the heart of the city, surrounded by endless shops and a variety of restaurants, bars and cafes to choose from. 

The Alchemist: Restaurant and Cocktail Bar

If you're after somewhere upmarket, affordable and not at all pretentious, then you have to stop off at The Alchemist. Located on the upper floor of the Trinity Shopping centre, it offers an extensive range of cocktails from the classics to The Alchemist's own unique creations. We chose to share the Fools Gold soda syphon which I'd highly recommend, followed by the white chocolate and raspberry Martini and the hip-flask cocktails which you could also take away as a keepsake. 

The food was equally as impressive with super quick service and a menu that offered a real mix of cuisines allowing it to cater to all tastes. I've tried plenty of burgers over the years and this one definitely was a good'en! If you do fancy visiting the Alchemist for food as well as drinks then it's essential that you book well in advance to guarantee yourself a table.

Shopping: Trinity and Harvey Nichols

Save up if you're heading for Leeds, as like me, as soon as you step through the door of Harvey Nichols you'll realise that you want at least 95% of the entire store's contents. I barely made it past the Make-up counters on the ground floor (I may have picked up a couple of Charlotte Tilbury items) as we were running out of time but I could've easily spent an entire day in there. The same can be said for the enormous Trinity shopping centre which I'm sure contained every major retailer imaginable. But beware of the crazy Christmas crowds that were in full swing last Saturday.  

Muffin Break: Cafe

The perfect place for a casual coffee and a catch up, Muffin break specialises in (yep you guessed it) muffins that are freshly made on site continuously throughout the day. Whilst waiting in the queue for only a matter of minutes we saw 3 different batches emerge from their oven. Although I'd never heard of it before, Muffin break is a chain that has cafes all across the UK and offers a great alternative from your usual Costa or Starbucks hangout. 

Next up on my northern travels will hopefully be either Liverpool or Manchester!