Destination guides > Europe > England > Heart of England > Leicestershire > Leicester
Leicester
Although Leicester appears to be an uninteresting modern city, it actually has rich history dating back to Roman times when it was a major stop on the Fosse Way.
Practical information
Leicester Tourist Information Centre
7-9 Every Street, Leicester
Tel (0116) 265 0555
Website www.goleicestershire.com
Open Mon 9am-5pm, Wed 9am-5.30pm, Thu 9am-5pm, Fri 9am-5.30pm, Sat 9am-5pm
Coming & going
AIR
Leicester is 30 minutes from East Midlands Airport and 45 minutes from Birmingham International Airport.
The Skylink bus connects Leicester with East Midlands Airport.
BUS & COACH
National Express and local buses terminate at St Margaret's Bus Station, near the corner of Gravel Street and New Road in the city centre.
TRAIN
East Midlands Trains stop in Leicester en route from London to Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield and CrossCountry Trains connect Leicester with Birmingham and other cities in the Midlands. The train station is a 10 to 15-minute walk from the city centre.
Some East Midlands Trains services to London and Sheffield are sold through Megabus with prices starting at £1 (plus a 50p booking fee).
Local Transport
Leicester has a good city bus network with buses operated by Arriva, Centrebus and First. Many buses use the Haymarket and St Margaret's Bus Stations as their central termini.
The FirstDay ticket costs £3.50 and allows one day unlimited travel on First buses. The Arriva Day Saver is a similar ticket, which costs £3-3.40 and gives you one day unlimited travel on Arriva buses.
Hostel accommodation
Richard's Backpackers (Dodgy Dick's Backpackers)
157 Wanlip Lane, Birstall, Leicester LE4 4GL
Tel (0116) 267 3107
Sightseeing, museums & tourist attractions
Abbey Pumping Station
A 19th century sewage pumping station is the site of Leicester's science and technology museum. The museum features England's largest working steam beam engines, which were originally used to pump almost one million litres of sewage every hour. Related exhibits can be found in the Flushed With Pride exhibition, which includes the country's only interactive toilet as well as a display of sewers, water pipes and a talking toilet! Other displays include an historic car collection and a display of old cinema equipment.
Corporation Road, Leicester
Tel (0116) 299 5111
Website www.leicestermuseums.ac.uk
Admission free
Open Jan-Mar Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 1pm-4pm; Apr-Sep Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 1pm-5pm; Oct-Dec Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 1pm-4pm
Guildhall
The Guildhall is one of Leicester's most notable buildings. It was built around 1390 for a guild of prominent businessmen and by the end of the 14th century it was used as Leicester's town hall. Today it is a venue of performing arts and it also houses a museum with exhibits on the city's history.
Guildhall Lane, Leicester
Tel (0116) 253 2569
Website www.leicestermuseums.ac.uk
Admission free
Open Jan-Mar Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 1pm-4pm; Apr-Sep Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 1pm-5pm; Oct-Dec Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 1pm-4pm
Jewry Wall
This 2000-year-old Roman wall was originally part of the city's Roman baths. There is an adjoining museum that chronicles the city's history from the Iron Age to the present day.
St Nicholas Circle, Leicester
Tel (0116) 225 4971
Website www.leicestermuseums.ac.uk
Admission free
Open Jan-Mar Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 1pm-4pm; Apr-Sep Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 1pm-5pm; Oct-Dec Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 1pm-4pm
National Space Centre
This attraction is dedicated to astronomy and space exploration and features five galleries of exhibits that include satellites and rockets as well as hands-on displays.
Exploration Drive, Leicester
Bus 54
Tel 0870 6077223
Website www.spacecentre.co.uk
Admission £12.72
Open school term Tue-Fri 10am-5pm (last entry 3.30pm), Sat-Sun 10am-6pm (last entry 4.30pm); school holidays Mon noon-6pm (last entry 4.30pm), Tue-Sun 10am-6pm (last entry 4.30pm)
New Walk Museum & Art Gallery
This museum is impressive for a small city. It features an excellent Ancient Egypt Gallery with mummies and a natural history section with dinosaur skeletons. Art exhibits include a notable collection of European art with an emphasis on German Expressionist art.
53 New Walk, Leicester
Tel (0116) 225 4900
Website www.leicestermuseums.ac.uk
Admission free
Open Jan-Mar Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 1pm-4pm; Apr-Sep Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 1pm-5pm; Oct-Dec Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 1pm-4pm
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