Sheffield, Lands End

A very warm welcome to Sheffield.

You were probably expecting a grey and industrial city, but 61% of Sheffield is green space. Known as the 'largest village in England', like Rome - or so the locals will tell you - Sheffield is built on seven hills. Home to two universities, the city is undergoing a very strong revival after a period of economic decline caused by steelworks closures in the 1980s.

Sheffield also has a strong association with football, laying claim to the world's first football club, Sheffield F.C., in 1857. The city now has two professional teams, Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday - the Blades and the Owls, respectively. In 1989, Wednesday's ground, Hillsborough, was the site of tragedy when 96 Liverpool supporters were killed in a crush during a match.

Sheffield is something of an artistic powerhouse, with the largest theatre complex outside London. Musically, it rivals Manchester and Liverpool for talent, spawning The Human League, Heaven 17, ABC, and Pulp, and the city regularly hosts big-name bands at the Sheffield Arena. Community and commercial radio are thriving, and the area also boasts two newspapers, one of which has been in circulation since the end of the 19th century.

Sheffield also provided the backdrop for two moments of the 20th-century zeitgeist - blown to smithereens in the Cold War classic 'Threads', the city appeared to have recovered fully 13 years later when six unemployed men removed their clothes but regained their dignity in 'The Full Monty'.