City once known for its bad reputation now ranked a top destination to visit in 2025

If you’re planning your next trip, don’t overlook this exciting UK city that’s become a lively and creative place to explore.

Some places get an unfair reputation, and this UK city, once thought of as rough, has now been named one of TimeOut’s top spots to visit this year. Even better, it’s just a train ride away.

Thanks to its culture, history, and celebrations, this city is now seen as one of Britain’s best hidden gems. In fact, it’s been picked as the UK’s City of Culture for 2025. Surprised?

You shouldn’t be. This northern city has beautiful buildings from the 1800s, a buzzing arts scene, and some of the tastiest Asian food around.

Image of Bradford — Image credit: **Photo** © **Row17** (**cc-by-sa/2.0**)

TimeOut wrote: “Bradford has slowly made its way up the list of the UK’s best cities, but 2025 is when it really stands out. Just three hours from London by train, it’s a great weekend trip full of grand old buildings, lively shows, and amazing Middle Eastern and South Asian food.”

They also pointed out that, as the City of Culture, Bradford has loads going on to keep visitors busy. You can even watch a Bollywood musical at a drive-in cinema!

Or you might want to see a modern music or art performance, including some held in the fancy Alhambra theatre. Feeling creative? Join a special art project by famous Bradford-born artist David Hockney.

If you love food, you’re in luck. Bradford is perfect for fans of bold, spicy dishes and halal meals. The city is full of family-run places serving amazing sit-down dinners.

One of the most popular spots is MyLahore Bradford Flagship, which is known for its fantastic Pakistani food and tasty cocktails. Their menu includes dishes like Tikka chicken and juicy Seekh kebabs.

Although the city has had a bad name in the past for crime, many locals say it’s not as bad as people think. On a Quora forum, someone asked: “Is Bradford really as bad as it’s made out to be?”

One person replied: “I’ve lived all over the UK and seen the same – or worse – issues in other towns, but they don’t get the same negative attention that Bradford does.”

If you’d like to learn more about Bradford’s past, you can visit one of its many museums – like the well-loved Bradford Industrial Museum.

Remember - LeaveNoTrace!

As with anywhere outdoors, kindly keep these areas pristine and wild by taking all trash with you. The amount of complaints we have seen since the pandemic is crazy. It's really not that hard to take your rubbish with you!

Litter tends to spread, so if you see any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the hidden gem, it will help keep the area tidy.

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