One Of Europe's Greenest Cities Is An Overlooked Gem With The Perfect Amount Of Urban Charm

Despite its small size, the U.K. is one of the best spots in Europe for outdoor adventurers and nature lovers. It might not boast the vast wildernesses of the Wild Taiga in Finland, the dark, Old World forests of Bavaria, or even the breathtaking peaks of the Alps in Italy and Switzerland, but it is a stunning country full of greenery, charming landscapes, and interesting outdoor experiences. 

Whether it is untamed nature and weird ruins on an island known as "Britain's Area 51" or glittering lakes surrounded by rugged fell mountains in the Lake District, there's no shortage of weird and wonderful nature in the U.K. One of the best destinations for adventurers to base themselves for an outdoor vacation exploring some of the most spectacular landscapes in the country is Sheffield, South Yorkshire, one of the greenest cities in Europe. 

Located just on the edge of the Peak District National Park, Sheffield deserves its nickname "The Outdoor City." It is a fabulous combination of urban charm, lively culture, and wonderful green spaces. Plus, it's just a stone's throw from the moors, limestone valleys, and towering peaks of one of the U.K.'s best national parks. It is about 160 miles from London, reachable by car in around three and a half hours, and by train in two hours. It is also just over an hour's drive from Leeds Bradford International Airport, which serves destinations across Europe as well as Turkey and Morocco.

Sheffield doesn't always get the acclaim that it deserves, overlooked in favor of more famous U.K. cities like London, Edinburgh, Liverpool, and even Manchester, Glasgow, and York. But this South Yorkshire gem is a city that inspires, a vibrant, adventurous, fun-loving little spot that is large enough to offer excitement, culture, and plenty of life, while small enough to remain accessible, friendly, and charming. 

Most people visiting Sheffield come for the Peak District, and it is easy to see why. This glorious national park is over 550 square miles of wild moors, peaceful dales, and sky-splitting rocky peaks, with some of the best hiking and wild camping in the country. The Pennine Way is one of the best and most famous walking trails in England, and the Peaks provide some truly breathtaking bouldering and rock climbing. Wildlife abounds in the national park, from red deer in the autumn and mountain hares in the winter to the rare and protected ring ouzel thrush in the summer. 

It is also a place that comes with a rich and fascinating history. The Peak District is the U.K.'s original national park, and the "spiritual home of free access to nature," thanks to a group of working class pioneers who protested for the right of public access to the land, per the National Parks U.K. website. The area around Sheffield is also famous as Brontë Country, where the famous 19th-century authors lived, wrote, and took inspiration from.

The city of Sheffield itself has loads to offer beyond just access to the Peak District. It is known as the greenest city in the U.K. and one of the greenest in Europe, largely due to its claim of having more trees than people (seriously). While industry rather than nature was at the heart of Sheffield's development for much of its history, it has always been a place shaped by the landscape and the natural environment. Built around seven rolling hills and at the confluence of five separate rivers, there's no getting away from how important the natural world is here.

Travelers can enjoy a wonderful blend of urban excitement and green space with trails and walks around the city that bring together and connect Sheffield's plethora of parks, gardens, and heaths. The Sheffield Round Walk is the most impressive of these, stretching for 15 miles, but others like the 8-mile Blue Loop are well worth exploring too.

Of course, there is more to Sheffield than just the great outdoors. The Steel City was at the heart of Britain's Industrial Revolution, and much of its impressive built heritage remains. Kelham Island, one of the city's oldest manufacturing sites, was voted one of the coolest neighborhoods in the world and is a buzzing, vibrant destination full of bars, restaurants, galleries, and shops. It is also worth checking out the impressive Victorian and 20th-century architecture of the city center, as well as the exquisite Winter Garden and the gorgeous Millennium Gallery.