Top Ten Fun Things To Do In Bradford

 

1. Visit The Bradford Industrial Museum

As Bradford used to be an industrial city, the Bradford Industrial Museum is a great place to visit. Bradford was an important Industrial hub back in the Industrial Age, the city was renowned for its textile industry especially for its production of wool. The manufacturing of wool became so popular in Bradford that the city became known as the ‘city of wool’ and many more nicknames related to wool were given to Bradford. The museum is significant as it tells the visitors the local history of the industrial revolution of Bradford. It has the original machinery used in the industrial era of Bradford on display as well as an original textile factory. There are also some galleries to showcase the history of transportation and textile production to demonstrate how the manufacturing processes used to work back in the day.

 

2. Learn About The Media Culture And its History At The National Media Museum

This place is perfect for all lovers of culture and media. The National Media Museum has many galleries that include highlights of television, photography, radio, films, animation and video games. It is the first ever IMAX theatre in the UK and has a big screen that enhances your cinematic endeavours. Spend a day here to learn more about the film industry culture and about Britain’s rich history. The museum is home to a very big collection of media related items, it houses more than 3,500,000 items.
3. Bronte Parsonage Museum For All Literature Lovers

The Bronte Parsonage Museum is run and managed by the Bronte Society. This museum was opened in honour of the very famous literature personas, the Bronte sisters, Charlotte Bronte, Emily Bronte and Anne Bronte. The fact that where this museum is located used to be the very places they used to live in makes it much more enticing for literature lovers to come and explore their former home and museum. The Bronte sisters have written world renowned literary excerpts such as The Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre.

The museum has Charlotte Bronte’s original writing desk, her diaries and letters, many avid readers come here to learn about the literature and the Bronte sisters.

 

4. Breath In The Fresh Air Of The Lister Park

Lister Park is one of the most popular spots as well as the biggest public park in Bradford. The scenery is like a breath of fresh air which makes it the perfect picnic spot. It has a lot of activities such as a boating lake, a playground, tennis and basketball courts as well as a Mughal Water Garden which has a blend of Islamic and Indian architecture. Explore the garden and enjoy the picturesque scenery. You should totally check out this beautiful and calming park and have a picnic here on a sunny day!

 

5. Catch A Play Or Two At Bradford Alhambra

Originally built in the 1913’s the Bradford Alhambra theatre is still one of the largest theatres of Bradford. The theatre used to host many large touring shows and as well as dramas, musicals and even dances. Now the theatre is a listed building and it is the ideal spot as it has a luxury restaurant and cafe and an iconic structure.

 

6. Splash Around In The Summer At Bradford City Park

The City Park is a public park which can be located at the heart of the city and it is near the iconic Bradford city hall as well. The city park has a mirror pool which has the tallest fountain in Britain and attracts many people. There are some other fountains that the locals use to play in to beat the summer heat and enjoy the summer. It has a gorgeous garden as well as a huge space which is used to hold events such as exhibitions, and markets.

 

7. Salts Mill - A Flashback Of Bradford's History

As the city of Bradford used to be an industrial centre there are still some buildings and landmarks which can be traced back to its rich industrial era history. The Salts Mill is one of these traces of the industrial era of Bradford. It is the largest existing industrial building in the world. It was built in 1854 and has the largest structure. It used to be a textile mill but it is now a part of an art gallery and a complex. Visit this Mill to learn more about the history of Bradford and its evolution of trade in England. You can also shop here for a lot of things such as art supplies and musical equipment. It is a public space filled with art and culture.

 

8. Explore The Moors Of Ilkley

Ilkley holds a lot of historical significance as it is believed to be one of the oldest surrounding areas of Bradford as well as the earliest settlements. It dates back to the 1800 BC and you can find ancient stones here as well. There’s a manor house as well which will let you learn about the Roman history and these documents are authentic as they showcase the existence of a nearby Roman fort as well. It is believed that Ilkley was a spa twin as it has fresh air and good local food. Charles Darwin also stayed here in 1859 to improve his health. If you are a literature lover then you should also attend the Ilkley literature festival, it is Britain’s oldest literature festival and will let you relive the West Yorkshire history and enlighten you about how Bradford influenced the English cultures and the setting of the moor-istic scenery only makes it better and more worthwhile.

 

9. Spend A Day At East Riddlesden Hall

The East Riddlesden Hall is an old manor that used to belong to a cloth merchant. It is a 17th century manor house and is located in a very serene and picturesque environment. The interior of the hall has been preserved for a better historical experience and some scenes from the 17th century have also been recreated such as needlework, authentic and original furniture and ornate ceiling designs. The structure is still protected so the visitors can admire the architect whilst they explore the beautiful and peaceful gardens surrounding the hall. Even the gardens have been showcased in a way to preserve history as they have colourful flowers and the herb gardens which were used in medicine in the 17th century or so.

 

10. Try The Curry Of The Curry Capital Of Britain

Bradford has been named the ‘Curry Capital’ of Britain. This city is the main hub of authentic Asian cuisine and has over 200 Asian restaurants. There are numerous curry houses all over the city of Bradford. You can go to the old end Asian restaurant Bradford has, Sweet Centre and try their curry for an authentic experience, or you can go to the most famous Asian restaurant/ cafe in Bradford, Karachi in Bradford’s west end and try their delicious Asian food as well.

 

Top 10 Interesting Facts About Bradford

Bradford is one of the biggest cities in England and has a rich history. Thus, this city is bound to have a few interesting facts as well. It also has many tourist attractions.

 

1. Bradford Is The Official ‘Curry Capital’ Of England

For six years in a row, the city has won the title of the ‘Curry Capital’. Bradford has many restaurants that serve curry and these authentic restaurants are visited by many tourists and locals. So if you are ever in Bradford you have got to try their fine curry!

 

2. The Bronte’s Lived On The Outskirts Of Bradford

The Bronte family lived on the outskirts of Bradford. They had a house in the Thornton property and they lived in this house from 1815 to 1820. This place was actually the birthplace of the Bronte’s who are considered to be impeccable writers of their times, their fabulous writing style and novels are renowned throughout the world. The world renowned novel ‘The Wuthering Heights’ was also written by Emily Bronte and is taught to literature students all around the world. The Bronte sisters and their brother Branwell were born and raised here and later on moved to Haworth.

 

3. There is a Bronte Parsonage Museum in Bradford

Even if you’re not an avid reader, there’s a high chance that you have heard of the name ‘Bronte’. The Bronte sisters, Emily, Charlotte and Anne wrote their famous works in this house. The Bronte Parsonage Museum is their old home which is maintained by the Bronte Society in their honour in Haworth which is a small village in Bradford. The sisters and their brother spend most of their time here.

 

4. Bradford Has The Biggest Water Fountain In The Country

To regenerate Bradford’s Centre, it was decided that the Bradford City Park would be built in 2003. In this park, there’s a mirror pool which contains the biggest water found in England and the UK. This park has more than 100 fountains in it as well as the highest fountain in the country at 30 meters which is 100 feet. Many events such as markets, festivals and carnivals are hosted here.

 

5. It May Sound Perplexing But The Population Of Bradford Is Increasing Massively

The city of Bradford has many more young people in its population as compared to other cities and according to the statistics it can be observed that the city is going through a massive population growth making it the biggest population growth in the country after London. When the consensus was taken between 2001 to 2011, the population growth was 11% and at that time the population was 470,800 and now it is predicted that the city would showcase an increase in its population again. It also has the largest portion of the population of kids under 5 years old and as well under 19 years old.

 

6. The Famous Alhambra Palace Theatre Is In Bradford

The Alhambra Theatre was named after the Alhambra Palace in Spain. This palace was the residence of the Emir of the Emirates or Granada. The main house of the theatre houses 1,456 seats and is a large scale theatre of all types of genre. It was built in 1915 and at the time it was built, it cost £20,000.

 

7. Bradford Was Formerly Known As The Wool City

Bradford used to be a major industrial town and the 19th century was when Bradford became a prominent industrial city. It was what people would refer to as a boom town when it became an international Centre for quality textile manufacture and a manufacturer of wool. It was the main city for the industrial revolution and quickly became the wool capital of the world. Many merchants did their business here and started trading in Bradford. The population grew as well and that’s why it used to be called the ‘king of wool’.

 

8. Bradford Was Awarded ‘The City Of Film’

Bradford has been associated with the film industry for ages. The city holds many film festivals and other high profile events. The relationship of Bradford and the filmmaking industry goes back to the very start of cinema and in 2009 the city was named the world’s first ‘UNESCO City Of Film’ as it best in Cannes, Venice, and LA.

 

9. The Largest Existing Former Industrial Building In The World Is In The City Of Bradford

The city of Bradford used to be a major industrial city back in its time so it is inevitable that it still holds some monuments and memories of the industrial era. Designed by Lockwood and Mawson for Sir Titus Salt In 1854, the Salt Mills was the world's biggest industrial building as it had the largest structure in the world. It worked throughout the industrial era till 1986 and was bought by Jonathan Silver who decided to turn it into a cultural and business hub for the people. Now it is a public centre and has a shopping mall, art gallery and restaurants. The gallery has many paintings from the famous local artist David Hockney.

 

10. The Youngest City In The UK And The Youngest Entrepreneurs

It is quite well known that Bradford is the youngest city in the UK but it also has a booming population of youngsters. This means that this city has many young workers and thus they hold workshops and events for these young entrepreneurs and link them with the many businesses that are in the city as Bradford is a very diverse hub and home to major companies and their headquarters. With a population of younger people with almost a quarter of its population which is under 16 years old, Bradford seeks to revitalize the city and promote the creative minds of these young entrepreneurs making it the best city to live in as a young adult.