Coming out to Leicester for two days, what can I see?

[PhillyFox98]

Hello everyone,

 

im from Philadelphia, USA and coming out to visit friends and see Leicester for the first time. I can’t make a game sadly as I have a prior commitment however I was lucky to see the FA Cup match at Chelsea last year so I’m ok missing one as I’ll be back a lot. 
 

however, what are things I should do, food to try and items to see when out at Leicester? I want to see Richard III and history stuff as well as I’m a huge history buff.

 

any suggestions will be perfect.

[ozleicester]

Foxton Locks 

Is the space centre still there?

[davieG]

Abbey Pumping Station museum

Jewry Wall

Great Central Railway

New Walk Museum

Newarke Museum

National Trust

     Stoneywell House and garden - home of Ernest Gimson a well known architect/furniture Arts & Craft designer

     Calke Abbey

 

 

 Bradgate Park - Home of Lady Jane Grey - 9 day Queen of England

Abbey Park

 

[TiffToff88]

8 hours ago, PhillyFox98 said:

Hello everyone,

 

im from Philadelphia, USA and coming out to visit friends and see Leicester for the first time. I can’t make a game sadly as I have a prior commitment however I was lucky to see the FA Cup match at Chelsea last year so I’m ok missing one as I’ll be back a lot. 
 

however, what are things I should do, food to try and items to see when out at Leicester? I want to see Richard III and history stuff as well as I’m a huge history buff.

 

any suggestions will be perfect.

 

Lucky you!

[Permafrost]

Have a pint and a cob in The Blue Boar on Millstone Lane.

[urban.spaceman]

Prince of Punjab

[Stadt]

Have a walk around to get your bearings generally, the clock tower is our most famous local landmark at the top of High St. Then wander to Town Hall Square then through The Lanes to the Old Town (Council verbiage) around Greyfriars which is where the KR III centre is - the nicest part of the city centre. Wander around castle gardens and St Mary De Castro church to stop and have a pint in The Castle. Heading up through New Walk towards Victoria Park is worth it, a grand Georgian thoroughfare,

 

Museums

The KR III visitor centre is good, the Jewry Wall Museum has just respond after being refurbed - great Roman history in Leicester.

Newarke House Museum is more social history oriented and covers Leicester in the 19th and 20th centuries as well. Quite good for military.

Leicester Museum (New Walk Museum) is more well rounded and the better museum experience but not quite as Leicester-centric.

 

Food

You won't find much in the way of classically British cuisine in the centre (getting out to the county is best for that)  but a curry is customary. Mem Saab or Kayal are what I'd recommend in the city centre. Mrs Bridges is nice for breakfast or lunch.

 

[Blueman1967]

There is the Battle of Bosworth, which is 12 miles away, Phoenix cinema for films, and Curve theatre Leicester , and De Montfort hall for shows,  good pubs in the middle of Leicester  like The Globe, High Cross, and good museums as stated above.

[Raj]

Bradgate Park.

 

Rest of Leicester  is a fecking shithole

[MPH]

Do they still do the paddle boats in Abbey Park?

[davieG]

9 hours ago, MPH said:

Do they still do the paddle boats in Abbey Park?

Last news I saw on that there was no water in the pond due a pipe blockage or something. They don't do them in the winter anyway.

 

Just found the report  -  https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/failed-victorian-pipeline-causing-shocking-10447975?utm_source=mynewsassistant.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=embedded_search_item_desktop

 

 

 

'Failed Victorian pipeline' causing shocking drought conditions at Leicester's Abbey Park
Visitors are advised to keep themselves and their pets away from a lake

News
Tess Rushin Local Democracy Reporter
10:28, 23 Aug 2025

A "failed Victorian pipeline" is the main cause of drought conditions being caused at Leicester's Abbey Park. Alarming images sent to Leicestershire Live this week raised questions over why and how the lake in the park was looking so dry. The area resembles a dust bowl, with barely a touch of water across its expanse.

City resident James Gandhorkia took pictures of the scene on Thursday (August 21), and said he assumed the empty lake was caused by the recent announcement that Leicestershire was officially in drought because of the dry weather. The 36-year-old said: "I've never seen it like this before."

LeicestershireLive asked Leicester City Council, which owns and manages the park, why the lake looked so dehydrated. Stewart Doughty, the council's head of parks and open spaces, said that while the hot weather had "taken its toll", the council had established another reason for its barren look.

 

He said that the now-vintage pipeline installed when Abbey Park was created had contributed to the lake's temporary demise. Mr Doughty said: “As well as the very hot weather taking its toll on water levels, we’ve established that the Victorian pipeline that feeds the lake, which was installed when the park was created, has failed.

“We plan to take advantage of the lake naturally draining by bringing forward some maintenance work to dredge and clean it, and to carry out some engineering works to restore the water levels. This will save us the cost of draining the lake sometime in the future.

“In the meantime, we advise visitors to keep themselves and their pets away from the lake, and have some signage to this effect being installed.”

[tinpot_fox]

On 25/10/2025 at 08:54, davieG said:

Last news I saw on that there was no water in the pond due a pipe blockage or something. They don't do them in the winter anyway.

 

Just found the report  -  https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/failed-victorian-pipeline-causing-shocking-10447975?utm_source=mynewsassistant.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=embedded_search_item_desktop

 

 

 

'Failed Victorian pipeline' causing shocking drought conditions at Leicester's Abbey Park
Visitors are advised to keep themselves and their pets away from a lake

News
Tess Rushin Local Democracy Reporter
10:28, 23 Aug 2025

A "failed Victorian pipeline" is the main cause of drought conditions being caused at Leicester's Abbey Park. Alarming images sent to Leicestershire Live this week raised questions over why and how the lake in the park was looking so dry. The area resembles a dust bowl, with barely a touch of water across its expanse.

City resident James Gandhorkia took pictures of the scene on Thursday (August 21), and said he assumed the empty lake was caused by the recent announcement that Leicestershire was officially in drought because of the dry weather. The 36-year-old said: "I've never seen it like this before."

LeicestershireLive asked Leicester City Council, which owns and manages the park, why the lake looked so dehydrated. Stewart Doughty, the council's head of parks and open spaces, said that while the hot weather had "taken its toll", the council had established another reason for its barren look.

 

He said that the now-vintage pipeline installed when Abbey Park was created had contributed to the lake's temporary demise. Mr Doughty said: “As well as the very hot weather taking its toll on water levels, we’ve established that the Victorian pipeline that feeds the lake, which was installed when the park was created, has failed.

“We plan to take advantage of the lake naturally draining by bringing forward some maintenance work to dredge and clean it, and to carry out some engineering works to restore the water levels. This will save us the cost of draining the lake sometime in the future.

“In the meantime, we advise visitors to keep themselves and their pets away from the lake, and have some signage to this effect being installed.”

Bit of a weirdly worded article “drought conditions”? “Barren look”? Anti labour council bias?

[tinpot_fox]

Apart from all the other recommendations I’d recommend looking at if Leicester Tigers and Leicester Riders are playing if you want a leicester sporting experience while you’re here.

 

 

there’s a nice walk along the canal nearish to the stadium as well 

[em9999]

You could always go and see Leicester lose at home again 

[Bristol fox ....]

Highfields 

[Thefox81]

A defeat probably