There is much more to Leicester and Leicestershire than the big-name attractions. Visit Leicester has launched a new Hidden Gems campaign celebrating some of the places locals love but visitors can easily miss. If you are planning a day out or weekend in the area, here are five places and experiences to add to your list.
1. Explore Leicester’s street art
One of the easiest ways to see a different side of Leicester is simply to walk around the city and look up.
Leicester has an impressive collection of street art, offering visitors a more colourful way to explore different parts of the city. It works particularly well as something to combine with shopping, lunch or a visit to one of Leicester’s better-known attractions.
For anyone who enjoys photography, public art or simply wandering around a city without a rigid itinerary, this is an easy addition to a Leicester day out.
2. Step back into gaming history at the Retro Computer Museum
For something completely different, Leicester’s Retro Computer Museum celebrates the computers and games that helped shape modern technology.
It is the sort of attraction that can appeal across generations: adults may recognise machines and games from their childhood, while younger visitors can discover just how different computing once looked.
It is a good alternative to the usual museum visit and an especially interesting option for families interested in technology and gaming.
3. Catch a film at Phoenix
Phoenix is Leicester’s independent cinema and arts venue, with four cinema screens alongside its wider cultural programme.
Rather than simply heading to a large multiplex, a visit here can become part of a wider day exploring Leicester’s independent side.
Combine a film with the shops and restaurants around the city centre and you have a particularly easy afternoon or evening out.
4. Spend an afternoon at Foxton Locks
Head beyond the city and you will find one of Leicestershire’s most distinctive countryside attractions.
Foxton Locks is highlighted by Visit Leicester as one of the county’s underappreciated days out. The famous flight of canal locks makes it an interesting place for a walk, particularly if you want to mix local history with time outdoors.
It is a strong option for families, walkers or anyone looking for a more relaxed day away from Leicester city centre.
5. Discover the Triumph Factory Visitor Experience
Motorcycle fans should put the Triumph Factory Visitor Experience on their list.
The exhibition celebrates the internationally recognised Triumph brand and, perhaps best of all for visitors looking for an inexpensive day out, the exhibition is free to enter.
It is another example of the variety behind Visit Leicester’s Hidden Gems campaign: Leicester and Leicestershire have plenty of attractions that you might not immediately find on a standard tourist itinerary.
Find more Leicester hidden gems
Other places highlighted by the campaign include Melton Carnegie Museum, the 1620s House and the independent shops of Leicester’s Lanes.
Visit Leicester is also encouraging local people to suggest their own favourite hidden gems, so the list should continue to grow.
Explore the full Hidden Gems campaign here:
https://visitleicester.info/hidden-gems-in-leicester-leicestershire/
Whether you are visiting Leicester for the National Space Centre, King Richard III, Twycross Zoo or simply planning a weekend in Leicestershire, it is worth leaving a little room in the itinerary for somewhere you have never heard of before.
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