Out & About in Leicester

Leicester is a vibrant city situated in the centre of England with excellent transport links to its surrounding areas. It is a very accessible city from all parts of the UK and there is a lot to see and do. For those interested in local history, there are many notable buildings in and around the city. From St Martin's Cathedral with its gothic splendour to Leicester Castle's fine ruins, or the remains of the Roman Baths which lie beside the famous Jewry Wall there is much to enjoy.

Leicester College is one of the biggest colleges in the UK and provides education to adults as well as young people. A huge selection of courses are on offer and the college has an excellent reputation locally and nationally.

Shopping

The usual high street names are to be found in the town centre, many of them in the regenerated Highcross Quarter. There are also many specialist individually owned shops. Leicester Market is the biggest covered market in the whole of Europe and is well worth a visit. The market houses over 300 stalls and is situated right in the heart of the city centre. The Romans first brought traders to the city and in fact this same site has been used for over 700 years.

Eating

One of the biggest attractions of Leicester is the cuisine. There is such a wide range of cultures in the city that it is not surprising that it has become a magnet for food buffs. There are many restaurants serving authentic Caribbean cuisine as well as authentic Indian food. Other nationalities compete for custom but if none of these are to your taste you can still find traditional British fish and chips.

Arts and Entertainment

As you would expect from such a modern city, there is much to offer in the way of leisure and entertainment. For example, Leicester plays host to England's largest Caribbean Carnival outside London's Notting Hill. Leicester is also known as having leading edge theatre, arts and comedy.

Sporting enthusiasts will be thrilled to experience the atmosphere at the Walkers Stadium which is home to Leicester City Football Club. The city also proudly boasts a rugby union team called the Leicester Tigers and in recent years the Leicestershire County Cricket Club has been one of the top cricket teams in the country. In fact, Leicester has placed a bid to be one of the host cities in England for the World Cup in the year 2018.

Leicester can quite rightly boast of its award from the Royal Institute of British Architects for its performing arts centre, Curve. The city employed a world-class architect to design the venue which also acted as a catalyst for the regeneration of the city. This RIBA award was indeed a great honour of which Leicester can be duly proud. The performance space of the cutting-edge theatre has transformed conventional ideas of theatrical productions as it exposes to passers-by elements of theatre-making not before witnessed. Curve has two auditoria - one with 750 fixed seats, and the second 350 seats providing a smaller, yet versatile space. When the steel walls separating the foyer from the stage are lifted, the stage is visible from the street.

Hotels and Travel

East Midlands Airport is the nearest airport to Leicester and is close to the M1 Motorway. The airport has planes flying to over 90 destinations - even as far as South America. In the UK, flights can be taken to Aberdeen, Glasgow, Inverness, Dublin and Guernsey.

The principal railway station is Leicester London Road which is located near the centre of the city with many hotels of varying sizes within either a short ride by taxi or walking distance. The Belmont has been owned by the same family since 1934 and is situated 300 metres walk from the railway station. From Leicester, train connections are available cross country towards Peterborough or Birmingham. Trains which run between Nottingham and London usually stop at Leicester. There are also connections to smaller country towns such as Melton Mowbray, Hinckley, Wigston and Oakham.

Every budget is catered for when it comes to accommodation. Leicester offers a huge choice of excellent accommodation whatever your budget or taste. Whether you are seeking a country house hotel, a family run Bed & Breakfast establishment, or a modern hotel with leisure facilities, there is a huge choice. If you prefer self-catering, in the surrounding Leicestershire countryside you will find cosy cottages, converted barns and camping and caravan sites.