Leicester
Leicester is a city, unitary authority area, and the county town of Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England.
It is the largest city in the East Midlands, with a population of 383,116 in 2025. The greater Leicester urban area had a population of 559,017 in 2021, making it the 11th most populous in England, and the 13th most populous in the United Kingdom. For three years running, the annual Good Growth for Cities Index has ranked Leicester as the best place to live and work in the East Midlands. The latest study, which is based on a range of economic factors, rated Leicester as the best performing city in the East Midlands in 2024 and 20th overall out of 52 other UK cities.
Getting to Leicester
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.
- 01Leicester Station
This is half a mile southeast of city centre.
- 02St Margaret's is
Worth seeing
- 01Leicester Cathedral
- 02St Nicholas Church
Built in the 9th century over a Roman shrine to Janus, it was extensively restored in Victorian times and is still in use.
- 03St Mary de Castro Church
Anglican church: "de castro" because it was the chapel of the former castle.
- 04Newarke Houses Museum
Two houses built in 1511 showing Tudor times, plus the 1950s and regimental history.
- 05Leicester Museum and Art Gallery
- 06National Space Centre
Exploration Drive LE4 5NS (2 km north of city centre),.
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see file page), Wikimedia Commons.