Holiday rentals in Bradford

The kinetic, thriving, diverse city of Bradford boils with more culture than a probiotic, and has a haul of brilliant museums. People come here to gawk at modern art, catch a touring band, and singe their taste buds on some hot and heavenly curry. Bradford was once an industrial powerhouse whosewool-making and textile manufacturing made it one of the richest cities in Europe in the late 19th century — a legacy detailed at the Bradford Industrial Museum, a former mill. Its fortunes may have changed, but the ornate neo-gothic architecture built by German merchants remains, especially in Little Germany, an attractive commercial area, and the spectacular Wool Exchange, now a mainstream bookshop.

Successive waves of immigration, particularly from Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh, and an evolving cultural scene have kept the city in an energised state of flux. The National Science and Media Museum, exploring film and television, went some way to winning the city its status as UNESCO’s first City of Film, while the Impressions Gallery shows exciting contemporary photography. Salts Mill, north of the city in Saltaire, houses the United Kingdom’s first permanent exhibition of work by the adored Bradfordian artist David Hockney. Equally treasured is the Bronte Parsonage Museum in Haworth, a gem of a village with steep cobbled streets, celebrating the great sister novelists in their family home.

Lively music and comedy scenes, theatre, including at the 100-year-old Alhambra Theatre, and plenty of indoor attractions mean your trip’s bound to coincide with some standout event. Look out for interesting public discussions and lectures at Bradford University, and performances at Kala Sangam, a leading centre for South Asian arts. Bradford was the first European city to host a Mela, a festival of Asian culture, in 1998. What became an annual event has now been incorporated into the Bradford Festival in July or August, with a maelstrom of zany comedy acts, street theatre, dance, and live music in City Park. The Bradford Beer Festival showcases the city’s wonderful ale producers with stalls and tastings in February.

Feasting on curry

Bradford has frequently been named the Curry Capital of Britain, and with more than 100 curry restaurants, it’s imperative to fill your face with biryanis, parathas, spiced lamb chops, masala fish, and other dishes whose recipes have been passed down through generations. Everyone has their favourite curry house, but some of the best are on Great Horton Road, Otley Road, and Leeds Road.

Ilkley Moor

Between Bradford and the Yorkshire Dales, this brawny heather hinterland is glorious for hiking. For an unusual viewpoint, admire the lay of the land while doing laps of the outdoor swimming lido in Ilkley village (open May to September, with an indoor pool year round).

Sunbridge Wells

A maze of subterranean tunnels beneath the city has been transformed into a parade of craft shopping, street food, and quirky bars. Some of Great Britain’s rock ‘n’ roll legends played here in the mid-1960s when the tunnels were used as a venue called the Little Fat Black Pussy Cat Club, and it’s again a smashing spot for a night out.