Leicester: Two thousand years of layered history, from Roman forum to Richard III

Leicester's claim on history is longer and more layered than most English cities can boast. Founded as the Roman town of Ratae Corieltauvorum, it was a Viking stronghold, a medieval centre of commerce, the burial place of Simon de Montfort, and — most dramatically — the site of the car park beneath which the remains of King Richard III lay undiscovered for more than five hundred years.

The discovery and reinterment of Richard III in 2012–2015 brought Leicester international attention, but the city has always rewarded the curious visitor: its medieval cathedral, Roman Jewry Wall, Victorian market, and the tightly packed streets of its Golden Mile — one of Britain's most vibrant South Asian cultural districts — make it a city of genuine and varied interest.

Heritage & History

Leicester's Roman heritage is displayed at the Jewry Wall, one of the largest standing sections of Roman civilian masonry in Britain, beside which the Leicester City Museum preserves extensive mosaic floors and bath-house remains. The medieval city produced Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, whose summoning of representatives to Parliament in 1265 is considered a landmark in the development of British democracy. The discovery of Richard III's remains beneath the Greyfriars church site in 2012 was one of the most remarkable archaeological finds of recent decades; the King was reinterred with great ceremony in Leicester Cathedral in 2015, and a dedicated museum now tells the full story.

What to See & Do

• King Richard III Visitor Centre — An exceptional museum built over the original Greyfriars burial site, telling the story of Richard's life, death at Bosworth in 1485, and the remarkable archaeological discovery that brought him back to light.
• Leicester Cathedral — The medieval Cathedral Church of Saint Martin, resting place of Richard III since 2015, whose reinterment transformed a modest city cathedral into a place of international pilgrimage.
• Jewry Wall and Leicester Museum — Roman masonry of impressive scale standing beside a museum preserving mosaics, sculptures, and artefacts from Roman Ratae, with important medieval and natural history collections alongside.
• Leicester Market — One of the largest outdoor covered markets in Europe, operating on the same site since the medieval period and still a vibrant and authentic part of the city's daily life.
• The Golden Mile, Belgrave Road — The heart of Leicester's South Asian community, lined with jewellery shops, sari emporiums, and restaurants serving some of the finest Indian and East African cooking in Britain.

Food & Drink

Leicester has a justified reputation as one of the best cities in England for South Asian cuisine, with Belgrave Road and the surrounding streets offering an extraordinary range of Indian, Gujarati, and East African cooking. The city centre has seen significant investment in its restaurant and café quarter in recent years, and the market area provides excellent street food and provisions. The surrounding Leicestershire countryside supplies good local produce to the more traditional kitchens.

Parks & Outdoors

The River Soar runs through Leicester, and the towpath of the Grand Union Canal offers accessible flat walking and cycling from the city centre northward through the market town belt of Leicestershire. Watermead Country Park, north of the city, provides extensive lakeside open space and nature reserves. The rolling Charnwood Forest upland to the northwest offers the most dramatic walking country in the county, with ancient granite outcrops and sweeping views.

Events & Culture

Leicester's cultural life is shaped by its exceptional diversity: the Diwali celebrations held annually on Belgrave Road are among the largest outside India, and the city's Caribbean, Somali, and other communities contribute to a festival calendar of considerable richness. The Curve theatre is one of the most striking contemporary theatre buildings in England, the De Montfort Hall presents major concerts, and the New Walk Museum has collections of national significance including a particularly strong German Expressionist art holding.

Practical Tips

The King Richard III Visitor Centre is one of the finest small museums in England and should be booked in advance, as timed entry slots fill quickly at busy periods. The Golden Mile on Belgrave Road is at its most atmospheric on weekday evenings and at festival times; the vegetarian restaurants in particular offer outstanding value and quality. New Walk — the pedestrianised Georgian promenade connecting the city centre to the museum — is a pleasant way to move between the two.

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