The multicultural city of Leicester

Spring has finally arrived and in my opinion, it is the perfect time to start travelling around the UK since the weather will be less rainy (hopefully) and if you get lucky, you may find some sunshine whilst exploring some English cities. Oxford and Cambridge are probably the most ‘English’ cities everyone thinks of, and also the most well-known. And indeed, these two cities are considered ‘English’ as everyone is quiet and polite and tea is an important point of commerce (check out this article to find more about the city of Oxford)

However, England is also a region characterized by its multicultural cities, like London or Birmingham, where lots of people from other parts of Europe decide to live or spend some time to get a better salary whilst working, or simply to study at its amazing universities (like I did). In this story, I am going to tell you about an East Midlands city called Leicester which offers you a big amount of great renovated bars, a new city centre with a ton of parks, green areas, an important cathedral and interesting museums. Leicester is located in the East Midlands of England, and is the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and close to the eastern end of the National Forest. Leicester is the home to Leicester City football club Leicester Tigers rugby club.

The Indian side of Leicester

A large part of Leicester's population is Indian, and that is why the city is famous for its Indian restaurants and shops. People can find plenty of places to buy authentic food, spices, clothing and other goods along the Golden Mile. The Golden Mile is a name given to a stretch of the Belgrave Road in Leicester and it’s just a ten-minute walk from the centre, at the heart of the city’s Asian community. Golden Mile is the closest that Britain comes to an Indian bazaar and the area is also famous for its seasonal lights which combine to celebrate winter festivals including Diwali and Christmas.

Leicester Cathedral

Leicester Cathedral is a stunning building right near the centre of town. Richard III is buried there - when “the King under the car park” was discovered in 2012, Leicester had the most positive press it had had in years. Visiting his burial place won’t take long, but if you’re interested, the visitor centre is nearby and offers a lot of interesting educational resources about Richard III and the search for him.

Relaxing walks outside the town

While Leicester is completely landlocked, there is a wide range of green spaces and waterways. The Grand Union Canal runs from London to Birmingham, cutting straight through Leicester and offering a beautiful and relaxing walkway minutes from the busy city. It can get pretty hectic in Leicester centre, and just walking along the canal will make you feel like you’re somewhere else. Come and explore the different aspects of Leicester and enjoy this East Midlands city, full of beauty.