Leicester is the largest city in the East Midlands region of England, the capital of the traditional county of Leicestershire, with a population of almost 370,000 in the city and 510,000 in the urban area (2021). Leicester is a cosmopolitan city with friendly people from all races, backgrounds and cultures creating a culturally diverse city.
Understand
[edit]
Leicester (pronounced Less-ter) is one of the oldest English towns, having been founded by the Romans as Ratae Corieltauvorum (latterly Livelli-Castrorum ) in 50 CE. Its role as an Anglo-Saxon town is less certain, but the medieval town walls and street plan retain exactly those of the Romans. It was rarely centre stage through the Middle Ages, so it lacked political impetus nationally. While other such towns acquired cathedrals and grand civic functions, Leicester gradually built up a small-scale industrial prosperity based around framework knitting. This used semi-automated, leased machines, operated in people's own homes, to make stockings. Automation and factory building in the 19th century as part of the Industrial Revolution enabled Leicester to grow in population, land area and prosperity, with knitwear and machine manufacturing providing the bedrock of its economy. In the 1920s, its size and significance were reflected in being granted city status.
It is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the United Kingdom. It is also Britain's first environment city. Leicester continued to grow rapidly throughout the 20th century. From the 1960s arrivals from the West Indies and Asians from east Africa and the Indian subcontinent added to that growth and more recently Somalia, west and southern Africa, and Poland have been some of the larger of many different national communities. The two universities also both have very high overseas student intakes.
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Visitor information
[edit]Get in
[edit]By plane
[edit]- Birmingham Airport (BHX IATA) is usually best choice for its global range of flights. Take the train to Birmingham New Street and change for Leicester.
- East Midlands Airport (EMA IATA) is slightly closer but only has flights from west Europe. A bus runs to Leicester.
- From the London airports you usually travel via central London, but from Stansted or Luton take the direct train.
By train
[edit]Trains from London St Pancras run every 30 min and take one hour, continuing to Derby, Chesterfield and Sheffield. A much slower route is from St Pancras every 30 min via Luton Airport, Kettering and Market Harborough, continuing to East Midlands Parkway and Nottingham.
Trains from Birmingham New Street run every 30 min, taking an hour via Nuneaton and Hinckley.
Trains from Stansted Airport run hourly, taking 2 hr 20 min via Cambridge, Ely, Peterborough, Stamford, Oakham and Melton Mowbray.
1 Leicester Station, London Rd LE2 0QB. This is half a mile southeast of city centre. There are ticket offices and machines, toilets and a cafe. There is step-free access to all platforms.
By road
[edit]- M1 passes west of the city, from London towards Sheffield and Leeds.
- M69 starts west of the city and runs to Coventry, with an interchange with M6 for Birmingham.
- See below for Park & Ride, or follow signs for central car parks.
By bus
[edit]National Express NX440 runs hourly from London Victoria, taking 3 hours. Alternate buses continue to Loughborough and Derby. Flixbus competes on this route.
NX183 runs twice a day from Glasgow via Edinburgh, Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Leeds and Nottingham, continuing to Birmingham. From Manchester change at Birmingham.
2 St Margaret's is the bus station, on Gravel St north side of city centre.
Get around
[edit]
Map of Leicester
- Walk: most city sights are within walking distance.
- Local buses are operated mainly by First Leicester: these make multiple stops. Arriva and Centrebus start from the bus station and run further out.
- Most tickets are not interchangeable between companies, but the Flexi Day for all buses in 2026 is £6.20 adult, £4.30 child. Buy on the bus.
- Park & Ride services (M-Sa) are west at Meynells Gorse off A47, north at Birstall on A6, and south at Enderby by the M1.
- Cycling is generally pleasant but mostly on-road. Sustrans Route 6 crosses the city north-south, and Route 63 goes northwest toward Charnwood Forest. The Bike Park is a secure park open daily. It's by Town Hall on Horsefair St.
- Free motorcycle parking is available on Abbey Street and behind the Town Hall.
- A dozen taxi firms ply in city centre.
See
[edit]
- 1 Leicester Cathedral (Cathedral Church of Saint Martin), Peacock Lane LE1 5PZ, ☏ +44 116 261 5389. M-Sa 10:30AM-4:30PM, Su noon-3PM. Medieval church of St Martin, substantially rebuilt in the 1860s and made a cathedral in 1927. King Richard III is buried here, under a simple stone slab. An additional display includes the ceremonial pall which covered the coffin during the reburial period. Adult £5.
- King Richard III Visitor Centre, 4A St Martins LE1 5DB (south side of cathedral), ☏ =44 116 299 4444Phone with wrong formatCountry code missing. M-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su 10AM-5PM. Life and times of King Richard III, including his death in battle in 1485, and the 2012 discovery and confirmation of his remains. The centre includes his original burial site within Greyfriars Priory, now viewed through a glass floor. Adult £12.50, child £6.25.
- Guildhall Museum, Guildhall Lane LE1 5FQ (west side of cathedral), ☏ +44 116 253 2569. Daily 11AM-4:30PM. One of the best preserved timber–framed halls in the country, built around 1390. It was the town hall until 1876 plus carousing place, performance venue and jail. The Medieval Leicester Galleries display items from the city in the Middle Ages.
- 2 St Nicholas Church, 156 St Nicholas Walk LE1 4LB. Sa 2-4PM, Su 6-8PM. Built in the 9th century over a Roman shrine to Janus, it was extensively restored in Victorian times and is still in use.
- Jewry Wall Museum, St Nicholas Circle LE1 4LB (west side of St Nicholas), ☏ +44 116 454 4554. M-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su 10AM-5PM. Stretch of masonry that was part of a Roman temple and bath house. The museum display's the city's early history. Adult £12.50, child £6.25.
- 3 St Mary de Castro Church, Castle View LE2 7BY. M-F noon-2PM, Sa 2-4PM. Anglican church: "de castro" because it was the chapel of the former castle. The earliest parts are from 1107 but it was heavily restored in the 19th century. In 2013 the spire became unsafe and had to be removed.
- Castle walls survive as scraps of masonry in the riverside gardens west of St Mary de Castro.
- 4 Newarke Houses Museum, The Newarke LE2 7BY, ☏ +44 116 225 4980. May-Aug Sa 11AM-4:30. Two houses built in 1511 showing Tudor times, plus the 1950s and regimental history. With attractive garden. Free.
- 5 Leicester Museum and Art Gallery (formerly New Walk Museum), 53 New Walk LE1 7EA, ☏ +44 116 454 4554. Daily 11AM-4:30PM. Trad museum showing the area since prehistory.
- New Walk is a bosky walkway coursing past the museum, from city centre to Victoria Park. It was laid out in 1785 and may follow the line of a Roman road, Via Devana.
- 6 National Space Centre, Exploration Drive LE4 5NS (2 km north of city centre), ☏ +44 116 261 0261. M-F 10AM-4PM, Sa Su 10AM-5PM. Rockets, space technology and the near solar system. Adult £22, child or conc £20.
- Abbey Pumping Station, Corporation Rd LE4 5PX (100 yards north of Space Centre), ☏ +44 116 299 5111. School holiday Mondays. Science and technology museum with four working steam-powered beam engines in their original location. Free.
- 7 National Gas Museum, 195 Aylestone Rd LE2 7QJ, ☏ +44 7557 612340. Tu W 10AM-3PM. Small museum in the gatehouse of the former gas works, with the history of gas usage and the appliances it powered.
- 8 Kirby Muxloe Castle, Oakcroft Ave, Kirby Muxloe LE9 2DH (4 miles west of city), ☏ +44 370 333 1181. Moated fortified manor house built from 1480 by Lord Hastings but never completed. When Edward IV died in 1483, his sons were seized by Richard of Gloucester, and these "Princes in the Tower" were never seen again. Richard proclaimed himself king and set about slaying the previous regime's supporters including Hastings. You can stroll round the moat free but access to the castle is only by group tour.
Do
[edit]- 1 Curve Theatre, Rutland Street LE1 1SB, ☏ +44 116 242 3560. Theatre for touring and local productions.
- Leicester International Music Festival is cancelled for 2026, but lunchtime concerts are staged at Hansom Hall in Belvoir St. This is a temporary home until an extension at the museum and gallery is complete.
- 2 Phoenix Cinema, 4 Midland Street LE1 1TG, ☏ +44 116 242 2800. Independent two-screen cinema.
- Piccadilly Cinema is further east at 40 Green Lane Road.
- Showcase Cinema is a multiplex at 7 Highcross Lane.
- Odeon Cinema is at 90 Aylestone Rd.
- 3 Great Central Railway, The Sidings LE4 3BR (off A563), ☏ +44 1509 632323. Sa Su 10:30AM-4:30PM. South terminus of a standard-gauge heritage railway running for 8 miles to Loughborough.
- River Soar runs south to north through the city. Walking north leads through Abbey Park to Watermead Park and Birstall, where you can get a bus back to town. South leads through Aylestone Country Park to Aylestone, Blaby and open country beyond.
- 4 Abbey Park is a large park open in daylight hours. It's between the river and the canal, reached off Abbey Park Road to the east or St Margaret's Way to the west. It contains the remains of the 12th-century Leicester Abbey and of Cavendish House. It has formal gardens, a sensory garden, a boating lake and model boat lake, a miniature railway, visitor centre, cafe, children's play area with paddling pool, pets corner, tennis courts, sports fields, a bowling green, and a bandstand.
- 5 Bradgate Park is in Newtown Linford 5 miles northwest of the city. It has a visitor's centre, Bradgate House the ruins of the home of Lady Jane Grey (Queen for 9 days in 1553), and Old John a hilltop folly of 1784 in the shape of a beer tankard.
Sport
[edit]- 6 Leicester City FC, Filbert Way LE2 7FL, ☏ +44 344 815 5000. "The Foxes" were relegated in 2025 and now play soccer in the Championship, England's second tier. Their King Power Stadium (capacity 32,000) is a mile south of city centre. The women's team play in Women's Super League, their top tier - usually at King Power, but if there's a fixture clash they play in Pirelli Stadium in Burton upon Trent.
- 7 Leicester Tigers, Welford Rd Stadium LE2 7TR, ☏ +44 116 319 8888. Tigers play Rugby Union (15 a side) in the Prem, the top tier.
- Leicestershire County Cricket Club, Grace Rd LE2 8EB, ☏ +44 116 283 2128. They were promoted in 2025 and now play in Division One of the County Championship. These matches last 3-4 days.
- Leicester Lions, Lutterworth Rd, Blaby LE8 4DY, ☏ +44 116 277 1010. The Lions play rugby union in National League One, the third tier. Their home ground is five miles south of city centre.
- Leicester Riders, Mattioli Arena, 12 Memory Lane LE1 3UL. They play basketball in SLB, the top tier.
- 8 Leicester Rowing Club, Upperton Rd LE2 7AU. Their annual regatta is April / May.
- 9 Leicester Blue Sox, Park View LE3 6SJ. They play baseball in the amateur WMBL. The playing season is April-August.
Events
[edit]- Caribbean Carnival is held in August.
- For the love of Jazz is a free festival in Jubilee Square in August.
Buy
[edit]- Haymarket shopping centre is on Kildare St, east end of High St, trading M-Sa 7:30AM-7PM, Su 10:30AM-5PM.
- Highcross on High St is partly closed by rebuilding in 2026.
- The Lanes off Loseby Lane has small independent shops.
Eat
[edit]- 1 Golden Mile is the strip along Belgrave Rd into Melton Rd, where inexpensive eating places (often Gujerati) alternate with sari shops and jewellers. Going north from Abbey Park roundabout are:
- - Milan di Damao at 32 Belgrave Rd, open Tu-Su 9AM-2PM, 5-10PM.
- - Damao Jetty at 48 Belgrave Rd, open Th-Tu 11AM-9PM.
- - Punjabi Tarka at 52 Belgrave Rd, open daily 11AM-9PM.
- - Quality Street Food at 62 Belgrave Rd, open daily noon-11PM.
- - Egg Junction at 64 Belgrave Rd, open daily noon-11PM.
- - Shiv Sagar at 78 Belgrave Rd, open Tu-Su noon-10PM.
- - Chennai Bites at 84 Belgrave Rd, open M-F noon-9PM, Sa Su 10AM-9PM.
- - Kitchen 26 at 43 Belgrave Rd, open Tu-Su 5-11:30PM.
- - Sanjha Punjab at 47 Belgrave Rd, open W-M 11AM-9PM.
- - 4 Seasons Chaat House at 108 Belgrave Rd, open W-M noon-8PM.
- - Golden Lounge at 59A Belgrave Rd, open Tu-Su 5:30PM-12:30AM.
- - Sayu Foods at 5 Roberts Rd, open Tu-Su 9AM-7PM.
- - Hyderabad Wala at 128 Belgrave Rd, open daily non-10PM.
- - Dakshin at 150 Belgrave Rd, open daily noon-10PM.
- - Street Taste at 152 Belgrave Rd, open daily 11:30AM-11PM.
- - Bobby's at 154 Belgrave Rd, open M & W-F 11AM-9PM, Sa Su 10AM-10PM.
- - Sharmilee at 71 Belgrave Rd, open Tu-Su 9:30AM-9PM.
- - Chai Panni at 87 Belgrave Rd, open Th-Tu 11AM-9:30PM.
- - Messy House is a dessert restaurant at 97 Belgrave Rd, open M Tu Th F 5-10PM, Sa Su 1-10PM.
- - Blue Peter Doon Spice at 3 Law St, open daily noon-midnight.
- - Mirch Masala is within the commercial centre at 160 Belgrave Rd, open daily 11AM-10:30PM.
- - Amaravati at 2 Loughborough Rd, open daily noon-10PM.
- - Real Taste at 24 Melton Rd, open daily 7AM-midnight.
- - Indian Queen at 2 Halkin St, open daily 4-10PM.
- - Naseeb @ Clowes at 29 Portsmouth Rd, open W-Su 5-10PM.
- - Royal Bites at 51B Melton Rd, open W-M 9AM-7PM.
- - Desi Bites at 113 Melton Rd, open Tu-Sa noon-8PM, Su 11AM-9PM.
- - Chilli Flake at 2 Leire St, open M-Sa noon-10PM, Su 2-10PM.
- - Indian Rooster at 155 Melton Rd, open W-Su 3-10PM.
- - Cy Cafe at 175 Melton Rd, open W-M 9AM-7:30PM.
- - O Ribatejo is Portuguese seafood at 203 Melton Rd, open Tu-F 5-9:30PM, Sa Su noon-9:30PM.
- - Mother India at 188 Melton Rd, open Tu-Su 6-11PM.
- - Aangan at 215 Melton Rd, open Th-Tu 5-10PM.
- - Desi n Firangi at 238 Melton Rd, open Th-Tu 10AM-10PM.
- - Taste of Ceylon at 255 Melton Rd, open Tu-Su noon-10PM.
- - Daman Samudra at 257 Melton Rd, open daily 6:30-11:30PM.
- - Shiraz is halal Persian food at 292 Melton Rd, open M-F 2-11PM, Sa Su noon-10PM.
- - Mohanthal at 2 Lanesborough Rd, open Tu-Su 11AM-9PM.
- - The Owl & Pussycat at 298 Melton Rd, open M-F 5-11PM, Sa Su noon-11PM.
- 2 Watson's Bar at 94 Granby St is open Th 5PM-midnight, F Sa noon-1AM.
- Braunstone Gate is a little strip west of the river by Tesco. Places include Efes Mangal, Little Tokyo and Bombay Bites.
- World Peace Cafe, 17 Guildhall Lane LE1 5FQ (by cathedral), ☏ +44 116 262 0317. Tu-Sa 10:30AM-4PM. Vegetarian cafe within Kadampa Meditation Centre.
- Mrs Bridges is a tea-room at 17 Loseby Lane, a block east of the cathedral, open daily 10AM-4PM.
- Giggling Squid is Thai food at 3 St Martin's Square, a block east of the cathedral, open daily noon-10PM.
- Gelato Village is an ice cream cafe opposite Giggling Squid at 3 St Martin's, open W-F 3-9PM, Sa 1-9PM, Su noon-6PM.
- 3 Knight & Garter, 14 Hotel St LE1 5AW, ☏ +44 116 303 3310. M-Sa 11AM-10PM, Su 10AM-6PM. Chic steakhouse.
- The Friary has pub grub opposite Knight & Garter at 12 Hotel St.
- Wakaze, 74 High Street LE1 5YP (block north of cathedral), ☏ +44 7934 021226. W-M noon-10PM. Japanese restaurant on the main street.
- 4 La Fontana (formerly Prana), 10 Horsefair St LE1 5BN, ☏ +44 7379 959424. Daily 9:30AM-1PM. Pleasant trad Italian.
- Bru Coffee is at 20 Granby St, open daily 8AM-10PM.
- Afrikana, 132 Charles St LE1 1QB (100 yards west of Premier Inn), ☏ +44 116 251 7100. Daily noon-10:30PM. Just when you'd despaired of finding a good meal of goat.
- 5 Roma Café Bar, 11 Halford Street LE1 1JA, ☏ +44 116 251 5959. W-Sa 9:30AM-10PM. Pizza, pasta and other Italian food.
- The Good Earth, 19 Free Lane LE1 1JX (50 yards east of Roma), ☏ +44 116 262 6260. Tu-Sa 11AM-3PM. Friendly vegetarian cafe.
- 6 James' Bistro, 5 East Bond St LE1 4SX, ☏ +44 116 251 3323. Tu-Th 10AM-3PM, F Sa 10AM-9PM. Cosy spot by Highcross shopping centre.
- 7 Cosy Club, 68 Highcross St LE1 4NN, ☏ +44 116 408 0008. Su-Th 9AM-11PM, F Sa 9AM-1AM. Quality British fare.
- Madison's is a coffee and ice cream shop at 128 London Rd, open daily 10AM-10PM.
Drink
[edit]Lots and lots and lots of bars, pubs and clubs.
The High Cross is a JD Wetherspoon at 103 High St.
Quarter 25 is a nightclub at 25 Yeoman St.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Holiday Inn, 129 St Nicholas Circle LE1 5LX, ☏ +44 116 482 1900. Smart friendly hotel. No pets. B&B double £100.
- 2 Holiday Inn Express Leicester City, Unit 2 Raw Dykes Rd LE2 7FL, ☏ +44 116 249 4590. Comfy place next to football ground, the area is noisy and crowded when there's a game on. B&B double £110.
- 3 The Grand Hotel, 73 Granby St LE1 6ES, ☏ +44 116 214 9257. Historic hotel, refurbished in 2026. B&B double £120.
- 4 Ramada Encore, 86-90 Charles Street LE1 1GE, ☏ +44 116 366 0150. Decent hotel a 7-min walk from the railway station. B&B double £80.
- Premier Inn Leicester City Centre, St George's Tower LE1 1AA (100 yards north of railway station), ☏ +44 333 003 7695. Functional inexpensive place. B&B double £85.
- Other Premier Inns are west edge of the city, with two near the beltway A583 and one on A47 Hinckley Rd.
- Ibis is 200 yards north of the station on St George's Way LE1 1PL.
- Belmont Hotel, 20 De Montfort St LE1 7GR (200 yards south of station), ☏ +44 116 254 4773. Central and comfy. B&B double £90.
- 5 Travelodge Leicester City Centre, Haymarket Centre LE1 3PH (within Shopping Centre). Large clean rooms. B&B double £85.
- 6 Travelodge Leicester Central, Vaughan Way LE1 4NN, ☏ +44 871 984 6254. Clean and comfy, some street noise. Park at Highcross, hotel gives you a reduction. B&B double £85.
- Travelodge Leicester Central North on St Matthew's Way gets mixed reviews.
Connect
[edit]As of March 2026, Leicester and its approach roads have 5G from all UK carriers.
Go next
[edit]- Loughborough 9 miles north is the other terminus of the heritage railway.
- Rutland Water is a reservoir 20 miles east of Leicester, a popular area for bird-watching, fishing, picnics and water sports such as sailing and jet-skiing.
- Melton Mowbray is where the miniature pork pies come from.
| Routes through Leicester |
| Derby/Nottingham ← Coalville ← | N  S
|
→ Rugby → London |
| Birmingham/Coventry ← Hinckley ← | SW  NE
|
→ merges with 
|
| Loughborough ← | N  SE
|
→ Market Harborough → Kettering |
| merges with ←
|
SW  NE
|
→ Newark-on-Trent → Lincoln |
| Nuneaton ← Hinckley ← | SW  E
|
→ Uppingham → Peterborough |
| merges with until Derby ←
|
NW  SE
|
→ ENDS AT HIGHCROSS |