Northants, Leics &amp; Rutland


<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHY?</h2>



<p>There&#8217;s so much to see and do in this culturally-charged city from vibrant festivals to top theatre shows. It&#8217;s a melting pot of diversity, creativity and innovation with something going on pretty every month of the year including festivals galore (last year saw BBC Radio Two&#8217;s Party in the Park descend on to the city), a thriving foodie scene and buzzing university centre.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">EAT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1280" height="853" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2023/10/294497802_544595877395574_8998910830335240096_n.jpg" alt="NineB restaurant Leicester velevt banquet and crystal chandeliers" class="wp-image-51735" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2023/10/294497802_544595877395574_8998910830335240096_n.jpg 1280w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2023/10/294497802_544595877395574_8998910830335240096_n-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2023/10/294497802_544595877395574_8998910830335240096_n-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2023/10/294497802_544595877395574_8998910830335240096_n-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">NineB Restaurant </figcaption></figure>



<p>There’s no shortage of places to get into the foodie scene and you&#8217;ll be hard pushed to find a more diverse place to eat. The city&#8217;s Golden Mile is heaving with a fantastic range of curry houses, Indian cafés, dessert shops. The best thing? You can eat a huge feast here for just a few quid. Bonus! Slap bang in the middle of the city is St Martin&#8217;s Square is packed with indie cafés, restaurants and bars including, <a href="https://www.thebottlegardenbar.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Bottle Garden</a> and <a href="https://www.bar33cankstreet.com/">Bar 33 Cank Street </a>for cocktails, <a href="https://kai.kitchen/">Kai</a> for brunch and <a href="https://www.gelatovillage.co.uk/">Gelato Village</a> for creamy gelato, of course! </p>



<p>Leicester is the birthplace of veganism, so be sure to check out <a href="https://www.herbrestaurant.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Herb</a> on Granby Street or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/veggiegoodearth/">The Good Earth</a>. If you&#8217;re staying in town, head over to restaurant/bar, <a href="https://sonrisa.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sonrisa.</a> Go for a lazy lunch here, or an evening meal and tuck into small delectables plates inspired by South America, plus the decor is totally Insta-worthy. <a href="https://www.gigglingsquid.com/restaurant/leicester/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Giggling Squid</a> serves the best Thai restaurant in the city and a firm Muddy fave. </p>



<p><a href="https://www.ninebleicester.com/menus/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NineB Restaurant</a> is part of the&nbsp;Great Central Square regeneration on the former Great Central Railway station site and for street food, try <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LastFridayLCB/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Last Friday</a> at the LCB Depot. held on the last Friday of the month (obvs). For a quick bite, try <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kobenespressobar/">KØben </a>on King Street and for melt-in-your mouth Parisian sweet treats, head to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/chloegourmet/">Chloe Gourmet</a>. Elsewhere, <a href="https://mrsbridgestearooms.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mrs Bridge&#8217;s Tearoom</a> is in the oldest tea room in Leicester built way back in the 1700s. Enjoy homemade cakes, toasties and more while you watch the world go by.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">SHOP<strong>&nbsp;</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-29206"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/leics/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2021/10/pomponette-decor-store.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-29206" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Pomponette</figcaption></figure>



<p>Loseby Lane in the Old Town has a boutique vibe and is dotted with pretty indie shops including interiors store, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Pomponette/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pomponette</a> and <a href="https://www.wingatesgallery.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wingates</a> gallery and you can browse best-sellers at <a href="https://www.foxbooksltd.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fox Books</a>. Highcross is the main shopping centre where you&#8217;ll find largely high street stores including Zara, John Lewis and Jo Malone. Head further afield to Fosse Park where you&#8217;ll find the second largest Next store in the UK (you can spend hours in here) or head to Flannels which is bursting with high end beauty and fashion brands.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-amp-wellbeing">HEALTH &amp; WELLBEING</h2>



<p>We are devotees of <a href="https://bikramyogaleicester.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bikram Yoga</a> on Rutland Street, which has a dedicated following who come from across the midlands to sweat it out, as well as the amazing <a href="https://strongpilates.co.uk/location/leicester/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Strong Pilates</a> on King Richards Road, which combines reformer pilates with hardcore cardio workouts &#8211; definitely one to get your heart rate up. And for unblocking, breaking bad habits and dealing with trauma, <a href="https://www.hypnosisforhealth.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hypnosis for Health</a> is absolutely incredible, offering both group and one to one sessions at the peaceful haven of the <a href="https://yoga-house.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Yoga House</a> in Stoneygate and from her studio in Great Glen. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-community">COMMUNITY</h2>



<p>The community in Leicester is so vibrant and diverse, it&#8217;s impossible to pin it down, but a few things worth mentioning are <a href="https://www.visitleicester.info/whats-on/st-georges-festival-p709811" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">St George&#8217;s Festival</a> takes place in spring and features morris dancing, music, crafts and entertainment and over the summer, the city comes alive with a gamut of fantastic events including the infectious reggae and soca beats from the <a href="https://www.visitleicester.info/whats-on/leicester-caribbean-carnival-p704821" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Caribbean Carnival.</a> There&#8217;s also outdoor cinema and live dance performances during <a href="https://www.indiansummer.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">An Indian Summer</a> and you won&#8217;t want to miss the jolly <a href="https://www.visitleicester.info/whats-on/riverside-festival-p704771" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Riverside Festival </a>every June; this free two-day waterside festival includes fun on and off the water. Also worth mentioning, the city has been hosting the annual Diwali Light Switch-on for 40 years along Belgrave Road. It&#8217;s a spectacle worth seeing with 6,000 sparkling lamps lighting up the entire area and visitors flocking from all over the world to catch a glimpse of the Golden Mile all lit-up and feeling festive.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nearby-attractions">NEARBY ATTRACTIONS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/leics/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2023/05/may-half-term-space-centre-1.jpg" alt="nat space centre" class="wp-image-43353" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">National Space Centre</figcaption></figure>



<p>You can easily cover the city in a weekend and there really are some treasures to discover here from the <a href="https://kriii.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">King Richard III Visitor Centre </a>where you can see exhibits on King Richard III&#8217;s life, death and grave discovery to <a href="https://www.visitleicester.info/see-and-do/leicester-guildhall-p692741" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Guildhall</a> – one of the best preserved timber framed halls in the country, dating back 600 years and the oldest building still in use in the city. Don&#8217;t miss Leicester&#8217;s <a href="https://le.ac.uk/botanic-garden" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Botanical Gardens. </a>Part of the University of Leicester but often overlooked, highlights include The National Orchid Garden, which boasts the world&#8217;s largest orchid display! If you&#8217;re a footie fan, a visit to the King Power Stadium is a must to cheer on Leicester City.</p>



<p>Kids will love <a href="https://www.leicestermuseums.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Leicester Museum and Art Gallery</a> where they can have fun exploring the dinosaur gallery and exhibitions. Further away, the&nbsp;<a href="https://spacecentre.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Space Centre</a>&nbsp;is a museum and educational resource centre covering the fields of space science and astronomy and runs in partnership with the University of Leicester. There’s six interactive galleries, the UK’s largest&nbsp;planetarium, a 3D SIM ride and iconic 42m high Rocket Tower. It really is out of this world! Meanwhile, <a href="http://www.abbeypumpingstation.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Abbey Pumping Station</a> collects and displays the industrial, technological and scientific heritage of Leicester and is right next door to the Space Centre.</p>



<p>As well as the wonderful sights of the city, it&#8217;s totally worth visiting the stunning <a href="https://www.bradgatepark.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bradgate Park. </a>It’s the perfect spot to clear a fuzzy head. Set in 830 acres, the park is steeped in history and is filled with footpaths, small streams, a kids playground, a small café, stone ruins, plus roaming peacocks and wild fallow deer. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-culture">CULTURE</h2>



<p>The Cultural Quarter is your go to. For top tier theatre, <a href="https://www.curveonline.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Leicester Curve</a> has all the big hitters and cutting edge productions, as well as <a href="https://www.phoenix.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Phoenix</a> cinema and arts venue Try the <a href="https://www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academyleicester/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">O2 Academy</a> for big name musical acts and club nights or, if you want to go a bit more edgy, try <a href="http://www.themusicianpub.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Musician </a>pub, where you&#8217;ll find live music six nights a week. We also love <a href="https://www.leicestermuseums.org/museum-art-gallery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Leicester Museum and Art Gallery</a>, where there are always fantastic workshops and talks alongside the exhbitions.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">AVERAGE HOUSE PRICE</h2>



<p>You&#8217;re looking at an average of £264,525 with a semis going for £276,650, detached homes fetching £418,257 and terraced for £215,619.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">HOT<strong> </strong>PROPERTY</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/07/BUSHBY.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-48858" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/07/BUSHBY.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/07/BUSHBY-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/07/BUSHBY-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This 1920s 5-bed family home in the thriving village of Bushby, on the eastern the edge of Leicester. <a href="https://www.jamessellicks.com/properties/19544059/sales#/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">On the market for £900,000</a>. </figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">NURSERIES</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.thecitynursery.co.uk/">The City Nursery</a> in Northampton Square provides all children with carefully considered learning zones, innovative facilities and a spacious roof top garden to explore. As well as this there&#8217;s an indoor physical area and have access to a large climbing frame. Just outside of the city centre <a href="https://blossoms-daynursery.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Blossoms Day Nursery</a>&nbsp;on Stoneygate Road is loved by parents and has been around since 1994. They have a fabulous Adventure Forest playground as well as a separate outdoor play area plus, large, bright, spacious rooms inside.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">SCHOOLS</h2>



<p><a href="https://leics.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/leicester-high-school-girls-review/">Leicester High School for Girls</a>&nbsp;is on London Road just is one of the highest achieving academic school in the county and is also part of the&nbsp;Girls’ School Association. We can recommend independent,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lgs-senior.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Leicester Grammar School,</a>&nbsp;which is a 20 min car journey from the town centre. State-funded college,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wqe.ac.uk/">Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College (known by locals as QE)</a>&nbsp;is a short drive away.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-kept-secret">BEST KEPT SECRET</h2>



<p>Bet you didn&#8217;t know that DNA fingerprinting was discovered at the University of Leicester.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-commute">COMMUTE</h2>



<p>It’s just over 1hr direct into London St Pancras if you hop on a speedy train. An annual season train ticket costs just over £11,000 and a monthly ticket costs £1,070. Driving to London takes around 2 hrs.</p>



<p>Main image credit: Visit Leicester.</p>



<p><em>View the full <a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/best-places-to-live">Top 300 Best Places to Live</a>.</em></p>


Leicester

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