Leicestershire combines historic market towns, urban cultural hubs, and scenic countryside with notable heritage sites, renowned food, and accessible outdoor activities, making it an engaging destination in the East Midlands.
Stoneywell is a National Trust historic house in Leicestershire, renowned for its Arts and Crafts architecture and original period furniture. The property includes gardens and adjoining ancient woodland, offering visitors both indoor and outdoor experiences rooted in early 20th-century craftsmanship and design.
Kedleston Hall is an 18th-century English country house in Derbyshire, featuring Palladian architecture and Neoclassical interiors. Visitors can explore its grand state rooms and extensive landscaped gardens with architectural follies. The historic seat of the Curzon family, it is now managed by the National Trust as a cultural and heritage attraction.
7–11 Oct (another 2 days)
A self-guided outdoor trail through Kedleston Hall’s park and garden, with seven points exploring the spiritual significance of nature in Tibetan culture. Visitors can follow the points in any order and reflect on the natural surroundings.
Victoria Centre is a major indoor shopping centre in Nottingham with over 120 stores, dining options, and historic significance on the site of the former Victoria railway station. It features retail shopping, eateries, and a notable kinetic water-powered clock sculpture.
Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire is a specialist primate zoo home to over 500 animals and 125 species, including all four great apes. It features extensive outdoor exhibits, conservation programs, a children's Gruffalo Discovery Land, and on-site dining.
The Jewry Wall in Leicester is a significant 2nd-century Roman masonry ruin forming part of a public baths complex, complemented by the Jewry Wall Museum displaying Roman and Iron Age artefacts, offering visitors a mix of outdoor ruins and indoor museum experiences.
Fosse Shopping Park is a major out-of-town retail park in Blaby district, Leicester, offering a wide range of stores including Marks & Spencer and various food outlets, with easy access via motorway junctions and public transport.
Derbion is a large indoor shopping centre in Derby featuring nearly 200 shops, anchor tenants like Marks & Spencer, a cinema, eateries, and entertainment venues such as adventure golf and bowling. It offers extensive parking and is easily accessible from Derby bus and railway stations.
7–11 Oct (another 2 days)
An exhibition at Kedleston Hall presents Tibetan artefacts and previously untold stories, alongside a film by British-Tibetan artist Nyima Murry. Visitors can also get a behind-the-scenes insight into the conservation work and decisions involved in creating the exhibition.
Haymarket Shopping Centre is a large indoor shopping mall in Leicester city centre with 65 stores, a theatre, and adjoining bus station and hotel, offering a comprehensive retail and leisure experience under one roof.
Ashby de la Zouch Castle is a 15th-century ruined castle in Leicestershire, England, known for its well-preserved Tudor gardens, historical significance in the English Civil War, and association with Sir Walter Scott's novel Ivanhoe. It is managed by English Heritage as a tourist attraction with notable architectural features and gardens.
Ashby-de-la-Zouch is a historic market town in Leicestershire known for its medieval castle ruins, spa town heritage, and connection to literary works like Ivanhoe. It offers cultural festivals, historic architecture, and a walkable town centre with various recreational opportunities.
Highcross Leicester is a major shopping centre in Leicester featuring over 140 shops, a multiplex cinema, and numerous restaurants. It offers extensive retail and dining opportunities within a modern developing complex in the city centre, making it a key destination for shopping and entertainment.