Cheap flights to Sheffield from £179

City overview

Like many English cities, Sheffield owes its modern day position as a major urban area to its industrial past, having pioneered advances in the production of crucible steel in the 18th century and stainless steel in the early 20th century. Although manufacturing in Sheffield has ceased to be the major industry it once was, the strength of its historical connection to metalwork is the reason the Sheffield United Football Club are still known by their nickname “the blades” and the city’s ice hockey team are named the Sheffield Steelers.

Surprisingly for a city with such a strong industrial heritage, Sheffield has a reputation for being England’s greenest city. Visitors to Sheffield will discover a tree filled town with public parks and gardens, woodlands and plenty of national park land. With more than a third of Sheffield overlapping the stunning Peak District National Park, the city is an excellent destination for hikers and nature lovers.

Getting around Sheffield

Sheffield is a pedestrian-friendly city making it easy to get around on foot. Many sites are within walking distance, too.

However, the city is also served by a tram network called Supertram, which offers routes covering 18 miles (29 km) of the city including universities, the Cathedral, sports arenas and many other popular entertainment venues.

Local Airport

Flights to Sheffield are now served by Doncaster Sheffield Airport (Robin Hood Airport) (SZD).

What is good to know if travelling to Sheffield?

• If you find yourself taking a flight to Sheffield during the cold weather, why not plan a trip to Millennium Galleries which is Sheffield’s premier destination for art. Housed in a stunning and relatively new building (opened in 2001 as part of the Heart of the City project), the gallery is dedicated to visual arts, craft and design. It hosts touring exhibitions from other galleries, and features the Metalwork Gallery showcasing the city’s metalwork industries and the Ruskin Gallery showcasing the collection of John Ruskin’s Guild of St George.    
• The Peace Gardens is a charming public square in front of Sheffield Town Hall. It has received many awards, and its central Goodwin Fountain, dedicated to local figures Sir Stuart and Lady Goodwin, was once named Fountain of the Year. The gardens’ fountains and cascades represent molten metal – symbolically important to this steelworkers’ city – as well as Sheffield’s rivers. 
• Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet, situated in the south of Sheffield, is a former steel-working site on the River Sheaf – the Abbeydale Works – that has been preserved as an industrial museum. The site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and houses relics of Sheffield’s industrial past. Visitors can find waterwheels, a grinding hull, tilt hammers and the only remaining intact crucible steel furnace in the world. 
• Sheffield Botanical Gardens, located off Clarkehouse Road, were designed to promote both healthy recreation and self-education. Opened in 1836, the gardens contain 19 acres of plants from around the globe spread over fifteen separate garden areas. The gardens recently underwent extensive restoration, completed in 2005, with the aim of recapturing its late 19th century appearance and condition.