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Leicester

Photo by: Visit Leicester

An outdoor view of Leicester's historic Guild Hall

Why we love Leicester

Explore Leicester’s rich history through museums and architecture, before journeying to the present day with Europe’s tallest street art. Tour Leicester City’s King Power Stadium or head to the Golden Mile to absorb rich cultural diversity. Take your pick from cycle routes, climbing walls, kayaking and everything in between. With big events throughout the year, including Diwali, Leicester Pride and Download Festival, the heart of England is calling. 

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Uncover the hidden history of the ‘king under the car park’ at the King Richard III Visitor Centre.  

Have a ball on a tour of the King Power Stadium, home of Leicester City Football Club.

Be dazzled by the Golden Mile, which sparkles with jewellers, sari shops and scrumptious world cuisine.  

Soar through the skies at Britain’s largest domed planetarium, the star of the National Space Centre.  

Fun fact

Fun fact

The largest Diwali celebrations outside of India light up Leicester’s Golden Mile every autumn. Expect spectacular fireworks, illuminations and live entertainment.

Photo by: Beth Walsh Photography

Golden Mile.JPG

Did you know?

Did you know?

  • Sports tours are available of both the King Power Stadium, home to 2016 Premier League-winning football team Leicester City, and Welford Road, where Leicester Tigers compete in rugby union.
  • Towering over Leicester at 82m (269ft) high, Europe’s tallest piece of street art adorning a building called St George’s Tower honours the city’s sporting, cultural and scientific achievements. 
  • Spacesuits worn by astronauts Tim Peake and Buzz Aldrin – and Matt Damon in The Martian – can be seen in the National Space Museum.  
  • In the Leicestershire countryside, Belvoir Castle is a star of the big and small screen, having doubled as Windsor Castle in Netflix drama The Crown and as the Pope’s summer residence in The Da Vinci Code
  • The University of Leicester’s Attenborough Arboretum features a wealth of native species and was opened by world-renowned broadcaster Sir David Attenborough in 1997, in honour of his father Frederick.

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Spacesuits on display at the National Space Centre in Leicester

Things to do in Leicester

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Experience the journey from Bosworth Battlefield to King Richard III's final resting place, discovered under a Leicester car park 527 years later.

See King Richard III's final resting place

Photo by: Matt Short Photography

Location: Leicester, England

The King Richard III statue in Leicester
King Richard III Visitor Centre

Head to the multi-award-winning National Space Centre for an out-of-this-world experience, including rockets, satellites, and the UK's largest domed planetarium.

Blast off at the National Space Centre

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

Spacesuits on display at the National Space Centre in Leicester
National Space Centre

Look out for actors dashing to their dressing room at this award-winning circular theatre with no traditional "backstage".

Watch a show at the Curve

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

An outside view of Leicester's Curve Theatre
The Curve Theatre

Grab your picnic blanket and enjoy this green space in this medieval city.

Relax in the Leicester Castle Gardens

Photo by: Beth Walsh photography

Location: Leicester, England

People browsing food stalls in Leicester's Castle Gardens
Leicester Castle Gardens

Feel what it's like to step out onto the pitch at this internationally recognised football club stadium.

Take a tour of Leicester City Football Club

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

A nighttime outdoor view of the King Power Stadium, home to Leicester City Football Club
Leicester City FC stadium tour

Home to one of England's most successful rugby teams, get behind the scenes of the Leicester Tigers stadium on a fully guided tour.

Get behind the scenes at Leicester Tigers

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

An outdoor view of Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium, home to Leicester Tigers Rugby Club
Leicester Tigers Stadium Tour

Standing proud for more than 630 years, this timber-framed building is a time capsule transporting visitors back to medieval Leicester.

Take a guided tour of Leicester Guildhall

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

An outdoor view of Leicester's historic Guild Hall
Leicester Guildhall

Did you know that Leicester is home to the tallest piece of street art in Europe? Visit the bi-annual ‘Bring the Paint’ festival, attracting artists from all over the world.

Snap a picture with Leicester’s street art

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

Street art on a wall in Leicester
Leicester street art

Explore this tranquil haven near the bustling city centre, with a miniature railway, Pets Corner, oodles of green space and the remains of the 12th-century Leicester Abbey.

Relax in Abbey Park

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

People walking across a bridge in Abbey Park, Leicester
Abbey Park

Take a tour of one of the few cathedrals outside of Westminster with a tomb of a former monarch.

Explore Leicester Cathedral

Photo by: Beth Walsh

Location: Leicester, England

An outdoor view of Leicester Cathedral
Leicester Cathedral

In the historic New Walk area of Leicester, this free museum and gallery opens up a world of curiosities from dinosaurs to Picasso ceramics.

Visit Leicester Museum & Art Gallery

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

A set of dinosaur fossils on display at Leicester Museum
Leicester Museum & Art Gallery

Get your hands on local produce at this outdoor market that's been running for 800 years! With ongoing refurbishments, visit the temporary market at Green Dragon Square.

Pick local fruit and veg at Leicester Market

Photo by: Matt Short Photography

Location: Leicester, England

An archway leading to Leicester Market
Leicester Market

Home to the largest Diwali celebrations outside of Asia, Leicester’s multicultural society shines brightly along this street.

Take a walk down the Golden Mile

Photo by: Beth Walsh Photography

Location: Leicester, England

Golden Mile.JPG
The Golden Mile

With activities for all the family, get ready to make a splash and climb high at this outdoor activity centre.

Get active at Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

An overhead view of a person kayaking down a river in Leicestershire
Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre

One of the biggest and longest-running comedy festivals in the UK, boost your endorphins through the power of laughter.

Laugh along at the Leicester Comedy Festival

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

An audience member laughing during a show at Leicester's Comedy Festival
Leicester Comedy Festival

From the arboretum to the herb garden, glass houses, rock gardens and more, take a guided tour to get the most from a visit to these botanic gardens in Leicester.

Explore Leicester’s Botanic Gardens and Arboretum

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

A couple sitting by a water fountain in Leicester's Botanic Gardens
Botanic Garden and Attenborough Arboretum

Step inside this inflatable spaceship-looking bubble, leave stress and tension outside, and take your yoga to a hot new level.

Stretch it out at Hotpod Yoga

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

A hot pod yoga pod in Leicester, designed for hot yoga sessions
Hotpod Yoga Leicester

Head south of Leicester city centre for one of Britain's largest out-of-town shopping parks, complete with a food hall.

Shop till you drop at Fosse Park

Photo by: Visit Leicester/Will Johnston

Location: Leicester, England

The inside of Fosse Park Shopping Centre, Leicester
Fosse Park

For city centre retail therapy, head to Highcross and shop till you drop with designer and high-street brands.

Retail therapy at Highcross

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

An upper level view of Highcross shopping centre in Leicester
Highcross Leicester

Hire a narrowboat and enjoy a leisurely day out on the water as you navigate through Foxton's 10 locks.

Spend a day on the water at Foxton Locks

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

A barge sailing through Foxton Locks in Leicestershire
Foxton Locks

Explore the almost unchanged views from this 18th-century Georgian mansion, and head to the stable block for modern arts and crafts.

Visit the Staunton Harold Estate

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicestershire, England

An entrance way to the Staunton Harold Estate in Leicestershire
Staunton Harold Estate

A visit to this conservation centre and zoo is ideal for all the family, with over 500 animals and the only location in the UK to home all four species of great apes.

Monkey around at Twycross Zoo

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicestershire, England

A monkey playing with a net in Twycross Zoo
Twycross Zoo

The turrets, battlement walls and gardens at this castle will be a familiar sight to fans of the television show The Crown and The Da Vinci Code movie.

Walk within historic walls at Belvoir Castle

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicestershire, England

A long distance outdoor shot of Belvoir Castle
Belvoir Castle

Find out what life was like in Victorian Britain with a hands-on experience at this industrial museum.

Plan a visit to Abbey Pumping Station

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicestershire, England

A man demonstrating machinery at Abbey Pumping Station in Leicester
Abbey Pumping Station

Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Metallica and Kiss are just some of the big names in the world of rock to have graced the stage.

Rock on at Download Festival

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicestershire, England

A large crowd watching a performance at Download Festival's main stage
Download Festival

Experience the journey from Bosworth Battlefield to King Richard III's final resting place, discovered under a Leicester car park 527 years later.

See King Richard III's final resting place

Photo by: Matt Short Photography

Location: Leicester, England

The King Richard III statue in Leicester
King Richard III Visitor Centre

Head to the multi-award-winning National Space Centre for an out-of-this-world experience, including rockets, satellites, and the UK's largest domed planetarium.

Blast off at the National Space Centre

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

Spacesuits on display at the National Space Centre in Leicester
National Space Centre

Look out for actors dashing to their dressing room at this award-winning circular theatre with no traditional "backstage".

Watch a show at the Curve

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

An outside view of Leicester's Curve Theatre
The Curve Theatre

Grab your picnic blanket and enjoy this green space in this medieval city.

Relax in the Leicester Castle Gardens

Photo by: Beth Walsh photography

Location: Leicester, England

People browsing food stalls in Leicester's Castle Gardens
Leicester Castle Gardens

Feel what it's like to step out onto the pitch at this internationally recognised football club stadium.

Take a tour of Leicester City Football Club

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

A nighttime outdoor view of the King Power Stadium, home to Leicester City Football Club
Leicester City FC stadium tour

Home to one of England's most successful rugby teams, get behind the scenes of the Leicester Tigers stadium on a fully guided tour.

Get behind the scenes at Leicester Tigers

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

An outdoor view of Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium, home to Leicester Tigers Rugby Club
Leicester Tigers Stadium Tour

Standing proud for more than 630 years, this timber-framed building is a time capsule transporting visitors back to medieval Leicester.

Take a guided tour of Leicester Guildhall

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

An outdoor view of Leicester's historic Guild Hall
Leicester Guildhall

Did you know that Leicester is home to the tallest piece of street art in Europe? Visit the bi-annual ‘Bring the Paint’ festival, attracting artists from all over the world.

Snap a picture with Leicester’s street art

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

Street art on a wall in Leicester
Leicester street art

Explore this tranquil haven near the bustling city centre, with a miniature railway, Pets Corner, oodles of green space and the remains of the 12th-century Leicester Abbey.

Relax in Abbey Park

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

People walking across a bridge in Abbey Park, Leicester
Abbey Park

Take a tour of one of the few cathedrals outside of Westminster with a tomb of a former monarch.

Explore Leicester Cathedral

Photo by: Beth Walsh

Location: Leicester, England

An outdoor view of Leicester Cathedral
Leicester Cathedral

In the historic New Walk area of Leicester, this free museum and gallery opens up a world of curiosities from dinosaurs to Picasso ceramics.

Visit Leicester Museum & Art Gallery

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

A set of dinosaur fossils on display at Leicester Museum
Leicester Museum & Art Gallery

Get your hands on local produce at this outdoor market that's been running for 800 years! With ongoing refurbishments, visit the temporary market at Green Dragon Square.

Pick local fruit and veg at Leicester Market

Photo by: Matt Short Photography

Location: Leicester, England

An archway leading to Leicester Market
Leicester Market

Home to the largest Diwali celebrations outside of Asia, Leicester’s multicultural society shines brightly along this street.

Take a walk down the Golden Mile

Photo by: Beth Walsh Photography

Location: Leicester, England

Golden Mile.JPG
The Golden Mile

With activities for all the family, get ready to make a splash and climb high at this outdoor activity centre.

Get active at Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

An overhead view of a person kayaking down a river in Leicestershire
Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre

One of the biggest and longest-running comedy festivals in the UK, boost your endorphins through the power of laughter.

Laugh along at the Leicester Comedy Festival

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

An audience member laughing during a show at Leicester's Comedy Festival
Leicester Comedy Festival

From the arboretum to the herb garden, glass houses, rock gardens and more, take a guided tour to get the most from a visit to these botanic gardens in Leicester.

Explore Leicester’s Botanic Gardens and Arboretum

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

A couple sitting by a water fountain in Leicester's Botanic Gardens
Botanic Garden and Attenborough Arboretum

Step inside this inflatable spaceship-looking bubble, leave stress and tension outside, and take your yoga to a hot new level.

Stretch it out at Hotpod Yoga

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

A hot pod yoga pod in Leicester, designed for hot yoga sessions
Hotpod Yoga Leicester

Head south of Leicester city centre for one of Britain's largest out-of-town shopping parks, complete with a food hall.

Shop till you drop at Fosse Park

Photo by: Visit Leicester/Will Johnston

Location: Leicester, England

The inside of Fosse Park Shopping Centre, Leicester
Fosse Park

For city centre retail therapy, head to Highcross and shop till you drop with designer and high-street brands.

Retail therapy at Highcross

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

An upper level view of Highcross shopping centre in Leicester
Highcross Leicester

Hire a narrowboat and enjoy a leisurely day out on the water as you navigate through Foxton's 10 locks.

Spend a day on the water at Foxton Locks

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicester, England

A barge sailing through Foxton Locks in Leicestershire
Foxton Locks

Explore the almost unchanged views from this 18th-century Georgian mansion, and head to the stable block for modern arts and crafts.

Visit the Staunton Harold Estate

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicestershire, England

An entrance way to the Staunton Harold Estate in Leicestershire
Staunton Harold Estate

A visit to this conservation centre and zoo is ideal for all the family, with over 500 animals and the only location in the UK to home all four species of great apes.

Monkey around at Twycross Zoo

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicestershire, England

A monkey playing with a net in Twycross Zoo
Twycross Zoo

The turrets, battlement walls and gardens at this castle will be a familiar sight to fans of the television show The Crown and The Da Vinci Code movie.

Walk within historic walls at Belvoir Castle

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicestershire, England

A long distance outdoor shot of Belvoir Castle
Belvoir Castle

Find out what life was like in Victorian Britain with a hands-on experience at this industrial museum.

Plan a visit to Abbey Pumping Station

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicestershire, England

A man demonstrating machinery at Abbey Pumping Station in Leicester
Abbey Pumping Station

Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Metallica and Kiss are just some of the big names in the world of rock to have graced the stage.

Rock on at Download Festival

Photo by: Visit Leicester

Location: Leicestershire, England

A large crowd watching a performance at Download Festival's main stage
Download Festival

Places to stay in Leicester

From big hotel brands to bed and breakfasts, serviced apartments and everything in between, Leicester and its surrounding towns, villages and countryside has you covered.

Leicester city centre

Leicester city centre has a plethora of boutique hotels, each with its own luxury interior. International hotel chains and serviced apartments help cater to all budgets.

Country houses and spa breaks

Nestled within the Leicestershire countryside is a wide selection of country house hotels, offering luxury set within historic surroundings. Some also offer relaxing spa breaks.

Camping and caravan holidays

Offering a variety of amenities and activities, book a stay at one of Leicestershire’s many campsites, set deep within natural surroundings.

Explore nearby

Steeped in the legends that surround Robin Hood, Nottingham is home to literary greats and a thriving independent arts scene.

Photo by: projecthoop

A performer in front of Nottingham Castle

An industrial hub with a vibrant, creative heart and a whole host of quirky adventures.

Photo by: West Midlands Growth Company

Historical building, with a clock tower, beside a fountain

A vibrant music scene, quirky creative quarter and chock-loads of medieval history – there’s so much to see in Coventry.

Photo by: West Midlands Growth Company

Robot sculpture outside a building with geometric décor

For hikers, cyclists, horse riders and thrill seekers, the Peak District offers adventures galore.

Photo by: VisitBritain/Jon Attenborough

Location: The Peak District, England

Woman skipping on rocks at edge of hill. Landscape view

Sitting on the edge of the Peak District National Park, Sheffield is made for outdoor lovers and creatives. Find the best things to do in our guide.

Photo by: Salt St for The Outdoor City

People riding bikes on the inner city mountain bike trails at Parkwood Springs, Sheffield

A gateway to the Peak District, Derby is drenched in industrial heritage – yet nature is never far away.

Photo by: Visit Derby

A group of people riding in a riverboat

Explore diverse, underrated cities and an epic national park on this five day itinerary of England's East Midlands.

Photo by: VisitBritain/Jon Attenborough

Woman eating bakewell tart in front of bakery

Getting to Leicester

Birmingham Airport is around 40 miles (64km) south west of Leicester and receives international flights from around the world. The free ‘Air-Rail Link’ connects the airport with Birmingham city centre. Direct train services to Leicester run from Birmingham New Street station. 

East Midlands Airport is also 20 miles (32km) north of Leicester and has connections to more than 90 destinations. The East Midlands Railway (EMR) provides regular services into the city centre. 

Leicester is just over 100 miles (160km) north of London. A direct EMR train from London St Pancras International to Leicester takes around one hour 10 minutes. National Express, megabus and Flixbus offer coach options, taking anywhere from one hour 50 minutes to around three hours. 

Getting around

By bus

Bus companies arriva, First Bus, Centrebus and others link the city with nearby towns and villages. See the Leicester Buses journey planner to help book your trip. 

By bike

Cycle maps can help you to explore the city and surrounding towns and villages by bike, as well as cycling clubs and guided rides.

By foot

Discover Leicester’s main city centre attractions by exploring on foot. Guided walks and walking maps are available to help.

Want to know more?

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Sign up for our newsletters to receive inspirational content, practical resources and information about Britain’s new products and events. 

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