The largest city in the East Midlands and the most multinational in Great Britain, it is located on the banks of the River Soar. Leicester is the city of the last of the Plantagenet dynasty of King Richard III (1452-1485), whose death in the Battle of Bosworth in the vicinity of Leicester marks not only the end of the War of the Red and White Roses, but also the end of the Middle Ages in England. Richard III was the last English king to die on the battlefield. Richard III's remains, thought lost for five centuries, were found in the summer of 2012 in the city center and reburied in Leicester Cathedral in 2015. Opposite the cathedral, a thematic museum of Richard III was opened.
The City Visitor Center (Visit Leicester) is located at 51 Gallowtree Gate, Leicester LE1 5AD.
WEATHER
The climate is moderate, mild. The weather in Leicester is usually wet in the winter months, especially in December and January, and sunny in the summer. The average temperature in July is 22 ° C.
HOW TO GET
The nearest East Midlands airport is located in Leicestershire, between the cities of Leicester, Derby and Nottingham. Skylink buses to the airport depart from St Margaret's Bus Station every 20 minutes. The fare will be 10 GBP, travel time 1 hour.
National Express operates a regular bus service between Leicester and Nottingham (journey time 1 hour) and Coventry (45 minutes). Buses depart from St Margaret's on Gravel St, north of the city centre.
From London St Pancras station (journey time 1 hour 30 minutes) and from Birmingham (1 hour) trains arrive every half hour. The rail network connects Leicester with Nottingham, Derby and Cambridge. And as entertainment, you can go on a short trip on this steam train, which departs from Leicester North station and follows to the town of Loughborough. Along the route of this eight-mile double-track railway in 1841, Thomas Cook launched his original tour.
TRANSPORT
It is better to explore the central part of the city on foot. National carriers First Leicester and Arriva provide public transport services in and around the city. Stagecoach operates services in Hinckley and Coventry.
ENTERTAINMENT AND SIGHTS
Leicester Castle, probably built in 1070, is located in the central part of the city. In its modern form, the castle complex includes the castle itself, its surrounding courtyard and garden, the church of St Mary de Castro (the oldest building of which dates from the 12th century) and the Great Hall of 1150
Many of the oldest architectural monuments have been preserved in Leicester - these are medieval bridges of the 15th-17th centuries. - Packhorse Bridge in Aylstone in the suburbs of Leicester, Belgrave Bridge in Belgrave and King William's Bridge in Anstey. Beaumont Leys earthen fortification, which includes the ruins of a Templar monastery, two embankments, a dam and a pond. Leicester Guildhall (now a museum), the oldest building of which dates back to 1390, is open to visitors from February to November. The ruins of St. Mary's Leicester Abbey, founded in 1143 by Robert de Beaumont as an Augustinian community, are located in Abbey Park.
Of historical interest are the walls, which are believed to have survived from ancient Roman public baths and are one of the objects of the Jewry Wall Museum. The possible age of the walls is 2000 years. The museum is located at St Nicholas Circle and is open to visitors daily from 9am to 4.30pm from February to October.
And how many interesting museums there are in Leicester! What is the National Space Center worth, with six exhibition halls on the topics of space flight, astronomy and cosmology, with a 3-D cinema and planetarium, gift shops and restaurants. But the National Gas Museum has the largest collection related to gas and gas artifacts. The Abbey Pumping Station Museum, opened in 1891, acquaints visitors with the history of the development of science and technology over a period of more than 200 years. And the rooms of the Belgrave Hall museum, built at the beginning of the 18th century and a model of the Victorian era, will allow you to look at the lifestyle of representatives of the upper middle class. Among the religious monuments, Leicester Cathedral and the Shree Jalaram Prarthana Mandal Hindu temple are of interest.
Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Center & Country Park is worth a visit at the site of the battle of the War of the Red and White Roses on Bosworth Field. Among the museums of Leicestershire, we should also note the second largest after the London Fashion Gallery in Snibston Discovery Park (Snibston Discovery Park, Coalville). The exposition is divided into seven thematic areas and includes 150 mannequins that demonstrate the history of fashion from the 18th century to the present.
Leicester is the birthplace of the famous artist Marie Ann Sloane (1867-1961). An exhibition dedicated to her was held in 2016 at the central Leicester New Walk Museum (New Walk Museum & Art Gallery).
HOLIDAYS AND EVENTS
Leicester captivates with its cultural and ethnic diversity, as it has a large Asian community and religious holidays such as Holi, Diwali and Uraza Bayram. Leicester St. George's Festival is celebrated annually in Leicester. The Let's Dance International Dance Festival is held here. The celebration of the religious Hindu holiday "Diwali" (or "festival of lights"), considered the largest outside of India, marks the victory of good over evil. And every August, Leicester hosts the Leicester Caribbean Carnival.
SHOPPING
"Highcross" is the largest shopping center in Leicester, which presents famous brands of clothing, shoes, home goods, chain stores, cafes, restaurants. Private shops and local businesses are located in The Lanes. Leicester enjoys a reputation as a popular destination for vintage shopping due to its wide range of charity shops as well as specialist vintage clothing stores. The city is famous for its market (Leicester Market), which has repeatedly taken the first place in the rating of preferences of the British as the best market in the country, in addition, it is the largest indoor and outdoor market in Europe. The market is open from Monday to Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The market also has a Food Hall offering local meat and fish products. Beaumont Leys Market is open Wednesday to Saturday 8am to 5pm.
KITCHEN
Leicester is a great place to try authentic Indian cuisine! The oldest Indian restaurant in the city, Taj Mahal, is located on Highfields Street. Another couple of Indian restaurants - Laguna and The Rise of the Raj - are located on Narborough Road and Evington Road. Indian vegetarian restaurants Sharmilee, Sayonara and Phulnath are also popular. And you can try national British cuisine at the Opera House restaurant at 10 Guildhall Lane Town Centre.
