City or town
Things to see in Leicester (United Kingdom): 63 places and when to go
Leicester is a city in United Kingdom with around 458,000 inhabitants, and this site lists 63 places in and around it, mainly Nature (20), Wildlife (19), Temples (16). The best known are Leicester Cathedral, Martinsthorpe and Kirby Muxloe Castle. The best time to come is April to September; also possible: February to March, October and December. In June there are 16 h 35 of daylight, and in December, 7 h 25. Here is what there is, when to go, how to get there and what else is nearby.
In a nutshell
- Where
- United Kingdom · 52.63, -1.1332
- Population
- About 458,000
- Places
- 63 places on this site, in the town and around it.
- What people come for
- Nature (20) · Wildlife (19) · Temples (16) · History (15) · Museums and art (9) · Food and drink (4)
- Best time
- April to September.
- Also possible
- February to March, October and December.
- Nearest airport
- MAN Manchester, Greater Manchester, 111 km as the crow flies
What to see in Leicester
The places in and around Leicester, best known first, each with its own page: what it is, when to go and what is next to it. Distances are from the centre, as the crow flies.
- Leicester CathedralCathedral584 m
- MartinsthorpeHistory28 km
- Kirby Muxloe CastleUnfinished 15th century fortified manor house in Kirby Muxloe, Leicestershire, England, UK6.4 km
- National Space CentreSpace (and aerospace) museum in Belgrave, Leicester2.6 km
- Leicester AbbeyGrade I listed building in Leicester, Leicestershire, England, UK2.1 km
- Leicester Museum & Art GalleryMuseum in Leicester, England, United Kingdom375 m
- Umar MosqueMosque in Leicester, England2.2 km
- All Saints Church, LeicesterGrade I listed church in Leicester, United Kingdom1.0 km
- Arch of RemembranceWar memorial in Leicester, Leicestershire, England, UK1.1 km
- Greyfriars, LeicesterFranciscan friary and original burial place of Richard III of England495 m
- Leicester MarketBuilding in Leicester, City of Leicester, England, UK478 m
- Sauvey CastleCastle in Withcote, Harborough, Leicestershire, England, UK20 km
- St Margaret's Church, LeicesterGrade I listed church in Leicester, United Kingdom1.2 km
- Church of St Mary de Castro, LeicesterGrade I listed church in Leicester, United Kingdom542 m
- Abbey Pumping StationLocal Authority Museum in the East Midlands, United Kingdom2.8 km
- Beacon Hill, LeicestershireHill in Leicestershire, England, UK13 km
- Haymarket Memorial Clock TowerClock tower in City of Leicester, Leicestershire, England, UK694 m
- Grace Dieu PrioryRuined priory, Leicestershire, UK21 km
- Newarke Houses MuseumPublic museum in Leicester, England, United Kingdom440 m
- All Saints Church, LoughboroughGrade I listed church in Loughborough, Charnwood, Leicestershire, England,UK17 km
- Baitul Ikram Mosque, LeicesterMosque in Leicester, UK2.0 km
- Belgrave HallQueen Anne-style Grade II* listed building in Belgrave, Leicester, England, UK3.3 km
- Foxton Inclined PlaneCanal inclined plane located on the Leicester line of the Grand Union Canal18 km
- Holy Cross Priory, LeicesterChurch and priory in Leicester, England, UK205 m
And the other 39, by what you come to do:
- Temples: ISKCON Temple, Leicester, Leicester Secular Hall, St Peter & St Paul's Church, Syston, Shree Jalaram Prarthana Mandal, St Bartholomew's Church, Quorn, St James the Greater, Leicester, Withcote Chapel, Great Glen Methodist Church
- History: Magazine Gateway, Humber stone, King William's Bridge
- Museums and art: Rutland County Museum, Charnwood Museum, Jewry Wall Museum, Loughborough Carillon
- Diving: Stoney Cove
- Nature: Kirby Frith Nature Reserve, Knighton Spinney, Lucas Marsh, Narborough Bog, Aylestone Meadows, Ball's Meadow, Brooke Hill Wood, Charley Woods Nature Reserve, Charnwood Lodge National Nature Reserve, Gorse Field, Harris Grove, Launde Big Wood, Launde Park Wood, Prior's Coppice, Syston Lake Nature Spot, The Osiers Nature Area, The Seek, Tilton Railway Cutting, Wymeswold Meadow Nature Reserve
- Food and drink: Charnwood Brewery, Rothley Wine, Veeno
- Hiking: Leicestershire Round
When to go to Leicester
The best time to visit Leicester is April to September; also possible: February to March, October and December. This comes from its own places: a month counts as the town's best time when it is the best time for half of what there is to see.
- JanBetter not7:55
- FebPossible9:36
- MarPossible11:30
- AprBest time13:40
- MayBest time15:32
- JunBest time16:35
- JulBest time16:09
- AugBest time14:30
- SepBest time12:23
- OctPossible10:18
- NovBetter not8:24
- DecPossible7:25
Best timePossibleBetter notHours of daylight
In June there are 16 h 35 of daylight, and in December, 7 h 25. In June, 63 of the 63 places are at their best.
When to go to United Kingdom in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in its country guide.
Getting to Leicester
The nearest main airport is Manchester Airport (MAN, Manchester, Greater Manchester), 111 km as the crow flies. How to get around United Kingdom (train, car, bus) is in its country guide, and what to sort out before you leave is in its checklist.
Where it is (opens in a new tab)Directions (opens in a new tab)
Other towns nearby
- Melton Mowbray14 places25 km
- Atherstone28 places27 km
- Coventry89 places34 km
- Corby25 places36 km
- Nottingham93 places38 km
- Derby66 places38 km
And all of United Kingdom, in its country guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to see in Leicester?
The best known: Leicester Cathedral, Martinsthorpe, Kirby Muxloe Castle, National Space Centre, Leicester Abbey. In all, 63 places in the town and around it, all on your trip map from day one.
When is the best time to visit Leicester?
April to September; also possible: February to March, October and December. In June there are 16 h 35 of daylight, and in December, 7 h 25.
How do you get to Leicester?
The nearest main airport is Manchester Airport (MAN), 111 km away. From there, directions opens the route on the map.
How do I add it to my trip?
Create a trip with Leicester as the destination and these 63 places are on your map, each with its category. The ones you like go into a day's plan with one tap, and Kokai reminds you when you pass nearby.
Keep reading
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- Where to travelPick what you fancy (mountains, beaches, museums…) and the months you have free, and Kokai tells you which countries to go to and what to see there.
Data from OpenStreetMap, licensed under the ODbL, from Wikidata, CC0, cities from Natural Earth and airports from OurAirports. Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in credits.