Stand on Peacock Lane and you can see two eras of Leicester at once: the medieval stone of Leicester Cathedral on one side, the modern glass of the King Richard III Visitor Centre on the other. The city wears its history openly, from Roman masonry to a timber-framed hall that has stood since around 1390.
This guide suits anyone with an interest in history, museums, sport or a quiet riverside walk. It covers the main sights in and around the city centre, a handful of worthwhile trips further out, and how to string the best of them into a single day.
Top things to do in Leicester
1. Leicester Cathedral
This medieval church of St Martin was substantially rebuilt in the 1860s and became a cathedral in 1927. King Richard III is buried here under a simple stone slab, and an additional display includes the ceremonial pall which covered the coffin during the reburial period.
It sits on Peacock Lane, with the King Richard III Visitor Centre on the south side and the Guildhall Museum on the west side, so the three work well as one visit. Adult admission is £5.
2. King Richard III Visitor Centre
The centre covers the life and times of King Richard III, including his death in battle in 1485 and the 2012 discovery and genetic identification of his remains. It includes his original burial site within Greyfriars Priory, now viewed through a glass floor.
It is at 4A St Martins, on the south side of the cathedral. Adult admission is £12.50 and child £6.25.
3. Guildhall Museum
One of the best preserved timber-framed halls in the country, built around 1390. It served as the town hall until 1876 and was also a carousing place, performance venue and jail. The Medieval Leicester Galleries display items from the city in the Middle Ages.
It stands on Guildhall Lane on the west side of the cathedral, and is open daily from 11AM to 4:30PM.
4. Jewry Wall Museum
The museum displays the city's early history, and outside you can see a stretch of masonry that was part of a Roman temple and bath house. The remains of the baths of Roman Leicester can be seen at the Jewry Wall, with recovered artifacts displayed at the adjacent museum.
It is on St Nicholas Circle, on the west side of St Nicholas Church. Adult admission is £12.50 and child £6.25.
5. St Nicholas Church
Built in the 9th century over a Roman shrine to Janus, this church was extensively restored in Victorian times and is still in use. It stands at 156 St Nicholas Walk.
Opening hours are limited to Saturday 2-4PM and Sunday 6-8PM, so plan it around the Jewry Wall Museum next door rather than making a special trip.
6. Newarke Houses Museum
Two houses built in 1511 show Tudor times, plus the 1950s and regimental history, with an attractive garden. It is on The Newarke and admission is free.
Opening is seasonal, May to August on Saturdays from 11AM to 4:30PM, so check before you go.
7. Leicester Museum and Art Gallery
A traditional museum showing the area since prehistory, at 53 New Walk. It is open daily from 11AM to 4:30PM.
Combine it with the walkway itself: New Walk is a bosky walkway coursing past the museum, from the city centre to Victoria Park. It was laid out in 1785 and may follow the line of a Roman road, Via Devana.
8. St Mary de Castro Church
An Anglican church whose name means "de castro" because it was the chapel of the former castle. The earliest parts are from 1107, though it was heavily restored in the 19th century, and in 2013 the spire became unsafe and had to be removed.
It is on Castle View, open Monday to Friday noon-2PM and Saturday 2-4PM. Castle walls survive as scraps of masonry in the riverside gardens west of the church.
9. National Space Centre
Rockets, space technology and the near solar system, about 2 km north of the city centre on Exploration Drive. Adult admission is £22 and child or concession £20.
Abbey Pumping Station is 100 yards north, a science and technology museum with four working steam-powered beam engines in their original location, and it is free. It opens on school holiday Mondays, so the two pair neatly on those days.
10. Abbey Park
A large park open in daylight hours, between the river and the canal, reached off Abbey Park Road to the east or St Margaret's Way to the west. It contains the remains of the 12th-century Leicester Abbey and of Cavendish House, along with formal gardens, a sensory garden, a boating lake and model boat lake, a miniature railway, visitor centre, cafe, children's play area with paddling pool, pets corner, tennis courts, sports fields, a bowling green and a bandstand.
The River Soar runs south to north through the city; walking north from here leads through Abbey Park to Watermead Park and Birstall, where you can get a bus back to town.
11. Great Central Railway
The south terminus of a standard-gauge heritage railway running for 8 miles to Loughborough, off the A563 at The Sidings. It runs on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30AM to 4:30PM.
It is a good half-day out rather than a city-centre stop, so give it its own slot in your plans.
12. Bradgate House and Bradgate Park
The ruin of a mansion completed in 1520, believed to be the birthplace of Lady Jane Grey, who was queen for nine days before being overthrown and beheaded aged 17. The house was abandoned in the 18th century. Bradgate Park surrounds the house, and "Old John" is a hilltop folly of 1784 in the shape of a beer tankard.
The house is at Newtown Linford and opens Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from 11AM to 4PM.
13. Bosworth Battlefield
A museum on Ambion Hill, long thought to be the site of the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, though the site is now believed to lie a couple of miles further south beneath modern farmland. There is a re-enactment close to the anniversary on 22 August.
It is at Ambion Lane, Sutton Cheney, open daily from 10AM to 4PM. Adult admission is £10 and child £7.
14. Kirby Muxloe Castle
A moated fortified manor house built from 1480 by Lord Hastings but never completed. When Edward IV died in 1483, Richard of Gloucester seized his sons, and these "Princes in the Tower" were never seen again; Richard proclaimed himself king and set about slaying the previous monarch's supporters including Hastings.
It is at Oakcroft Avenue, Kirby Muxloe, 4 miles west of the city. You can stroll round the moat free, but access to the castle is only by group tour.
15. Curve Theatre
A theatre for touring and local productions on Rutland Street. It is a straightforward evening option if you want something programmed rather than historic.
If you are in the city in August, look out for the Caribbean Carnival and For the love of Jazz, a free festival in Jubilee Square.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Leicester Cathedral on Peacock Lane, then cross to the King Richard III Visitor Centre on the south side and the Guildhall Museum on the west side. All three sit within a few steps of each other, so you can cover the city's medieval and Tudor story before lunch.
Afternoon: Walk west to St Nicholas Church and the Jewry Wall Museum on St Nicholas Circle for the Roman layer, then continue to St Mary de Castro Church on Castle View and the scraps of castle wall in the riverside gardens. If time allows, finish at Leicester Museum and Art Gallery on New Walk and walk the New Walk itself towards Victoria Park.
Evening: Take in a show at Curve Theatre on Rutland Street, or if you are visiting in August, head for Jubilee Square for the free For the love of Jazz festival.
Frequently asked questions
Where is King Richard III buried?
He is buried in Leicester Cathedral under a simple stone slab. He was reburied in the cathedral in 2015 after being discovered nearby in the foundations of the lost Greyfriars chapel, more than 500 years after his death.
How do I get to Leicester?
The city is at the intersection of two railway lines, the Midland Main Line and the Birmingham to London Stansted Airport line. It is also at the confluence of the M1/M69 motorways and the A6/A46 trunk routes.
What can I see of Roman Leicester?
The remains of the baths of Roman Leicester can be seen at the Jewry Wall, with recovered artifacts displayed at the adjacent museum. St Nicholas Church was built in the 9th century over a Roman shrine to Janus.
When is the best time to see a re-enactment of the Battle of Bosworth?
There is a re-enactment close to the anniversary on 22 August at Bosworth Battlefield.
Pick your dates, check the opening times that matter to you, and start building your Leicester itinerary around the cathedral quarter.