Leicester City Guide

Leicester is a city of layers — Roman ruins sit beneath medieval streets, a 600-year-old cathedral houses the tomb of Richard III, and one of the UK's most vibrant multicultural communities fills the city with colour, flavour, and celebration. The Diwali festival here is the largest outside India, transforming the Golden Mile on Belgrave Road into a spectacular river of light.

Speaking of the Golden Mile — Belgrave Road is Leicester's greatest cultural treasure. This mile-long stretch of Indian restaurants, sweet shops, sari stores, and jewellers is a sensory experience unlike anything else in England. The food is outstanding and remarkably affordable, from crispy dosas and chaat to elaborate Gujarati thalis and fragrant biryanis.

The cultural scene is growing fast. Curve Theatre is one of the most striking theatre buildings in the country, producing its own shows alongside touring productions. The Leicester Comedy Festival is the longest-running in the UK, and the annual Caribbean Carnival brings colour and music to the city every summer. Phoenix Cinema and Art Centre is a brilliant independent venue for film and exhibitions.

Leicester is compact, affordable, and genuinely welcoming. The transformation of the waterside area along the Grand Union Canal has created pleasant walking routes through the city, and the New Walk — a tree-lined pedestrian boulevard connecting the city centre to Victoria Park — is one of the loveliest urban walks in the East Midlands.