In the latest instalment of Metro Travel Hot Takes, Lifestyle Editor Kristina Beanland pleads the case for her much-maligned hometown.
Some cities provoke a strong reaction. Everyone thinks York is beautiful. Most people know Liverpool is a great night out. And, love it or hate it, there’s always something to say about London.
But my hometown? Not so much. When I tell people that I grew up near Leicester, I’m often met with a blank expression.
Slap bang in the middle of the country, it’s a place you drive through, rather than a destination. You’ve most likely only ever been as an away fan to watch the football.
Reddit users are equally ‘meh’ about it. ‘It’s not changing the world,’ wrote one commenter. ‘The centre is a bit tired, but it’s not a sh*thole.’
Another added: ‘It’s got a decent amount of everything while not being anything special.’
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To add insult to injury, in a 2025 study by Which? on the UK’s best large city for a short break, Leicester ranked in the bottom three.
But having spent my formative years here, I couldn’t disagree more.
There’s delicious food, stunning scenery and rich, cultural history: the city has produced Great British greats including Walkers crisps, Blu Tack, David Attenborough and the humble pork pie.
Lest-ah, I’m here to tell you, has it all. Here’s why you should visit.
The carpark King
Into history? Leicester is one of the UK’s oldest cities, and, perhaps most famously, the Battle of Bosworth — the last battle in the War of the Roses— took place in the county.
Visitors should take a trip to the King Richard III Visitor Centre to learn the story of how the famous King of England, who was slain in 1485, was found underneath a city centre carpark in September 2012.
Now, after a state funeral, where locals lined the streets of towns and villages as the procession drove through, King Richard’s body lies in the Leicester Cathedral — making Leicester one of the few places in the UK where a British monarch is laid to rest.
And, if you want even more War of the Roses info, head over to Market Bosworth, a picturesque town with a market square, lined with cute tea rooms and independent shops.
Afternoon tea at Softley’s is delicious, try the Turkish fayre at Istanbul BBQ Kitchen, or have slap up pub meal at The Black Horse.
The nearby Battlefield is thought to be where Henry Tudor and King Richard fought for the crown – recent research found the battle actually happened about a mile away, but the place is still worth a visit to learn more about the battle – and for the stunning countryside views.
Back in the city, The Guildhall Museum is the oldest building still in use in Leicester, with the earliest part dating back to 1390. It acted as the town hall, and was famously the centre of celebrations after Elizabeth I’s navy defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588.
For more recent history, there’s also the National Space Centre, the only museum in the world that houses upright space rockets indoors, and anyone who went to school in Leicester will be familiar with New Walk museum (New Walk, the street that leads to the museum, is an original Georgian Promenade, and has only ever been for pedestrians). Its Egyptian and Dinosaur galleries are always popular with little ones, making it a family friendly day out.
And finally, there are Roman ruins in Leicester too. The newly reopened Jewry Wall Museum has the tallest surviving section of Roman masonry in Britain, which dates back to AD 160. You can see the artefacts, as well as learn what life might have been like in Roman Leicester.
The best bars in Leicester
- Audrey Bar is an instagrammable bar that serves up bottomless brunch, great cocktails – on the weekends it comes with the soundtrack of RnB, garage and hip hop bops.
- For great music and cocktails – with a dance floor space – head to Fat Cat.
- 33CankStreet bills themselves as Leicester’s first and best table service cocktail bar. Book a table here for creative drinks you don’t get anywhere else.
- Lane 7 has 12 bowling venues around the UK, and the Leicester spot is definitely worth a visit. There’s bowling, karaoke, darts, pool, crazy golf and, of course, booze.
- For fancy wines, Veeno has a huge range, plus you can get wine flights. They start at £10 per person for three.
A thriving arts and food scene
If museums aren’t your thing, Leicester has a vibrant arts scene — famous musical exports include Kasabian and Mahalia.
The Shed, in the cultural quarter, is the place to go to discover new talent, with live music and DJs every weekend.
If film and theatre takes your fancy, the Curve plays host to touring West End shows — and you can even catch performances here before they make it to London. The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾ premiered here (based on the book written by Leicester legend, Sue Townsend), before going to the capital.
For independent cinema the Phoenix Theatre shows everything from major Hollywood releases to tiny independent films. There’s also a cafe and rooftop bar, The Nest, making it perfect for a date or special night out.
And if sport is more your idea of theatre, the city has a number of teams for you to support — Leicester City Football Club and the Leicester Tigers rugby team both have huge followings.
You can also watch the Leicester Riders play basketball, or head to Grace Road to watch some cricket.
And when it comes to food, Leicester is famous for its Indian restaurants. The city is proud of its diversity, and it’s often said Leicester has the largest Diwali celebrations outside of India.
Along the Golden Mile, you can find authentic food, spices and clothing. Popular restaurants include Bobby’s, which serves up vegetarian Indian food, and Paddy’s Marten Inn.
Beautiful scenery
Leicester has its fair share of green spaces and waterways too, with the Grand Union Canal running from London to Birmingham and, subsequently, straight through the city centre.
There’s also the University of Leicester’s beautiful Botanic Gardens, where you can see and learn about a wide range of plants.
Abbey Park, Fosse Meadows and Beacon Hill also offer up a quiet spot for an afternoon stroll.
But the county’s pièce de résistance has to be Bradgate Park – another spot for the historians as it’s where Lady Jane Grey – who was Queen for just nine days – lived. But it’s also stunning, be sure to keep an eye out for the deer.
How to get to Leicester
The best way to get to Leicester is by train. It’s just over an hour away from London, and trains go direct from St Pancras International.
Alternatively, you can get a train to Nuneaton from London Euston, which tend to be cheaper, and slightly quicker. You can either grab a cab into Leicester, or get another train. Altogether, this route takes between 1 hour 35 minutes and 2 hours 19 minutes.
Book wisely, and you can get a return train to Nuneaton for around £40 – the service to Leicester can be more expensive though, with a return fare costing around £70.
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