Sybillwu
New Member
Hi fellow travelers!
I’ve been planning a trip to the UK Midlands recently, and I noticed that Leicester often gets overlooked by tourists. For many, the city is famous solely for the Leicester City FC Premier League miracle in 2016, or just being known as a university town.
However, after doing some deep diving (and a bit of scouting), I realized this place is actually a seriously underrated gem. I wanted to share my findings here to get a discussion going, and also ask for some local advice!
History stranger than "Game of Thrones"
The most mind-blowing thing to me is the story of King Richard III. Who would have thought that the remains of an English King would be discovered underneath a council car park?!
I highly recommend the King Richard III Visitor Centre. Even though it’s a ticketed attraction, the curation is fantastic—it blends the modern archaeological detective story with ancient royal history perfectly. Visiting the Cathedral across the street afterwards to see his actual tomb felt quite surreal.
The "Curry Capital" of the UK
I’d heard rumors about the food scene, but heading to Belgrave Road (The Golden Mile) proved them right. The Indian food here feels more authentic than a lot of places in London, and it’s much more affordable.
Question for the foodies here: Does anyone have a specific restaurant recommendation on the Golden Mile? I tried a random spot, which was decent, but I feel like I haven't found the absolute "best" one yet.
National Space Centre
You can't miss that iconic semi-transparent rocket tower. Seeing the upright rockets inside is pretty impressive. If you are traveling with kids, or if you are just a space geek like me, this place seems worth the detour.
️ King Power Stadium
Even as a casual football watcher, walking around the perimeter of the stadium was cool. That blue stadium holds so many incredible memories from their 5000-1 title win.
I feel like Leicester’s biggest selling points are its value for money and location (just over an hour from London St Pancras). It seems like a great, affordable base for a weekend trip. So I’d love to get some advice from anyone who knows the area:
I’ve been planning a trip to the UK Midlands recently, and I noticed that Leicester often gets overlooked by tourists. For many, the city is famous solely for the Leicester City FC Premier League miracle in 2016, or just being known as a university town.
However, after doing some deep diving (and a bit of scouting), I realized this place is actually a seriously underrated gem. I wanted to share my findings here to get a discussion going, and also ask for some local advice!
History stranger than "Game of Thrones"
The most mind-blowing thing to me is the story of King Richard III. Who would have thought that the remains of an English King would be discovered underneath a council car park?!
I highly recommend the King Richard III Visitor Centre. Even though it’s a ticketed attraction, the curation is fantastic—it blends the modern archaeological detective story with ancient royal history perfectly. Visiting the Cathedral across the street afterwards to see his actual tomb felt quite surreal.
The "Curry Capital" of the UK
I’d heard rumors about the food scene, but heading to Belgrave Road (The Golden Mile) proved them right. The Indian food here feels more authentic than a lot of places in London, and it’s much more affordable.
Question for the foodies here: Does anyone have a specific restaurant recommendation on the Golden Mile? I tried a random spot, which was decent, but I feel like I haven't found the absolute "best" one yet.
National Space Centre
You can't miss that iconic semi-transparent rocket tower. Seeing the upright rockets inside is pretty impressive. If you are traveling with kids, or if you are just a space geek like me, this place seems worth the detour.
️ King Power StadiumEven as a casual football watcher, walking around the perimeter of the stadium was cool. That blue stadium holds so many incredible memories from their 5000-1 title win.
I feel like Leicester’s biggest selling points are its value for money and location (just over an hour from London St Pancras). It seems like a great, affordable base for a weekend trip. So I’d love to get some advice from anyone who knows the area:
- Hidden Gems: Apart from the big sights above, are there any vintage markets or independent coffee shops in the city center that only locals go to?
- Day Trips: If I use Leicester as a base, would you recommend a day trip to Nottingham or Birmingham? Which one is more fun for a solo traveler?