Leicester

Leicester sits at a crossroads of Roman, medieval, and modern British history, and catching a Leicester bus with FlixBus drops you right into a city where there are genuinely so many things to do that a single trip rarely feels like enough. From royal burial sites to South Asian street food, the city rewards curiosity at every turn.

Museums

National Space Centre is one of the most distinctive attractions in the East Midlands, announcing itself from a distance with its unmistakable Rocket Tower — a translucent structure housing two real rockets. Inside, six galleries take you from the origins of the universe to the practicalities of life in orbit. The planetarium shows are a particular highlight, combining high-resolution projections with narration that makes astrophysics feel genuinely accessible rather than overwhelming. A solid half-day out for visitors of any age.

King Richard III Visitor Centre tells one of the most remarkable archaeological stories of recent decades. In 2012, Richard III's remains were discovered beneath a Leicester car park, more than 500 years after his death at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. The centre, built on that very site, walks you through the dig, the forensic analysis, and the king's controversial legacy with real care and detail. The reconstructed facial model of Richard, based on his skull, is quietly arresting.

New Walk Museum & Art Gallery sits along one of England's longest pedestrianised streets and houses an unexpectedly broad collection, from ancient Egyptian mummies to German Expressionist paintings. The natural history galleries are a favourite with families, but the fine art rooms deserve just as much time. Entry is free, making it one of the most accessible cultural stops on any bus to Leicester itinerary.

Historic districts

The Golden Mile (Belgrave Road) is Leicester's hub of South Asian culture, stretching north from the city centre through the Belgrave neighbourhood. The street is lined with jewellery shops, sari boutiques, and restaurants serving Gujarati, Punjabi, and East African Indian food. During Diwali, it hosts one of the largest celebrations outside India, with illuminations that draw visitors from across the country. Even on an ordinary afternoon, the food alone — chaat, dosas, mithai — makes it worth the trip.

Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre sits about twelve miles southwest of the city but is well worth the journey. This is where, in August 1485, Richard III fell to Henry Tudor's forces, ending the Wars of the Roses and changing the course of English history. The heritage centre lays out the battle's context clearly, and the surrounding country park lets you walk the approximate ground where it was fought. The connection back to the King Richard III Visitor Centre in the city gives the two sites a satisfying narrative thread.

Historic sites

Leicester Cathedral is a compact, well-maintained medieval church in the city centre, and since 2015 it has held the tomb of Richard III, a striking modern addition to a building with roots going back to the 12th century. The tomb itself is a simple, polished slab of Swaledale fossil limestone, deliberately understated. The cathedral is free to enter and easy to combine with a walk through the surrounding historic quarter.

Jewry Wall & Roman Baths preserves one of the largest surviving sections of Roman masonry in Britain, a 2nd-century wall standing around nine metres high and part of what was once the city's public baths. The adjacent Jewry Wall Museum displays mosaics and artefacts excavated from Roman Leicester. Standing next to the wall, with the medieval St Nicholas Church visible just behind it, gives you a vivid sense of how many layers of history Leicester contains.

Leicester Castle & Castle Gardens occupies a site that has been significant since Norman times, though much of what you see today dates from later centuries. The Great Hall, one of the oldest surviving great halls in England, is still in use as a court building. The gardens along the River Soar offer a calm green space right in the city centre, and the motte — the original Norman earthwork — is still clearly visible, giving the whole site a pleasingly tangible sense of age.

Theatre

Curve Theatre is Leicester's main producing theatre, a striking contemporary building in the Cultural Quarter that opened in 2008. Its open-plan design means you can often see backstage activity from the foyer, which gives the whole building an unusually alive quality even between performances. The programme mixes large-scale musicals, new writing, and community productions, and the building itself, designed by Rafael Viñoly, is worth a look regardless of what's on.

Parks

Abbey Park follows the River Soar north of the city centre and incorporates the ruins of Leicester Abbey, where Cardinal Wolsey died in 1530. The park has formal gardens, a boating lake, and plenty of open space, making it a natural place to decompress between sightseeing. It's particularly pleasant in spring when the flower beds around the ruins are in full colour.

Roman walls, royal history, food on Belgrave Road — Leicester has more depth than most people expect. Grab your seat on a FlixBus and come and find out for yourself.

Looking for bus tickets from or to Leicester?

Look no further, we’ve got all the details you need to plan your bus trip from or to Leicester! There are 2 bus stops in Leicester.You can catch the FlixBus at Leicester (Fosse Park), Leicester St Margarets bus station. Departing from or traveling to Leicester can cost as little as 4,48 €. You have various options to organize your bus trip as Leicester is connected to 28 destinations with FlixBus. When you travel with FlixBus you're guaranteed a comfortable seat and complimentary access to our Wi-Fi throughout your journey. Stay connected and entertained while we take you to your destination!