In Attractions, Discover the County, Eat & Drink, Festivals & Music, Food & Drink, Heritage, See & Do

What might you do with one extra day? Most of us complain that there is never enough time to do the things we enjoy. Hold that thought though since 2020 is a leap year and that means it’s the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the extra day. Better still it falls on a Saturday! Brace yourselves for a whistle stop tour of all the sights, sounds and hidden gems in the city of Leicester.

Ever thought about starting your day with a bracing walk. Well now is as good time as any! Take in the stunning landscapes and explore the delightful walking routes. The monster of them all is the aptly named Leicestershire Round – a 100-mile trek starting and finishing at Newtown Linford, linking field paths, lanes and bridleways to some of the county’s best-known sites such as Bosworth Battlefield, Foxton Locks and Burrough Hill Iron Age fort. If that sounds like a huge mountain to climb then how about a more gentle and mellow country walk around Bradgate Park. Interwoven with tracks across some of the county’s most geologically ancient countryside, with starting points at Old John Tower, Newtown Linford Village and Cropston Reservoir.

For those of you living in and around the city itself, there are plenty of walks drawing in history, heritage and scenery. The canal towpath on the River Soar connects Leicester city centre to Abbey Park and Watermead Country Park in the north, and down to Aylestone Meadows and Glen Parva in the south.

All that walking will inevitably work up an appetite, so max up your day to the fullest with a blissful brunch. Right in the heart of Leicester’s St. Martin’s Square you’ll come across Kai, offering an all-day brunch. Choose from organic coffee, free-range eggs and perfect pancakes.  If you’re feeling a tad more adventurous how about a breakfast cocktail – a Mimosa or Tia Maria Latte. Why not!

Cosy Club brunch is available until 5pm everyday so how about the full works including grilled smoked back bacon, Cumberland sausage, grilled tomato, potato rosti, baked beans, fried or poached egg with sourdough toast. If you’re counting the calories then there are plenty of alternatives including a healthy Avocado Brunch with lime, chilli, coriander and tomato topped with a poached egg on toasted Ciabatta. Now that’s a brunch that packs a punch!

Step back in time with a visit to Mrs Bridges Tea Rooms - an 18th century setting in the picturesque and delightful Lanes. Enjoy a much slower pace against the backdrop of the independent shopping heart of Leicester.

Well that’s enough food…until a bit later anyway. Time to pick up the pace and burn those calories with exciting activities ranging from climbing, bowling, trampolining and indoor golf.

Visit Social Climbing, the only indoor bouldering centre in the heart of Leicester where you’ll come face to face with 700 m² of climbing surface. Don’t worry if you’re a beginner though as there are courses designed for people of varying abilities. If you’re looking for something a little less energetic then how about a visit to East Street Lanes, Leicester’s newest bowling place boasting 8 lanes of bowling in a beautiful boutique bowling alley.  It’s also home to an amazing amusement arcade with pool, basketball, air hockey, bike and car motor racing simulators, giant screen space invaders, grab-a-prize game, coin pushers and more!

Just down the road you’ll find Boost Trampoline Park if you’re looking to have fun and get fit. 42 interconnected trampolines including a tumble lane, basketball hoop, battle beam, foam pit, inflatable Wipe-Out Zone, interactive Climbing Wall with foam pit, cardio wall with trampolines, and trapeze with foam pit.

It's a jungle out there!

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Round of golf anyone? Venture down to Leicester’s Treetop Adventure golf for an epic adventure. Choose from two indoor, 18-hole mini golf courses where you can Tackle the Tropical Trail or Ancient Explorer then brave the bonus 19th hole to win a free round of golf.

Wowsers… that certainly sounds like an action-packed day, so let’s slow it down a little and give you a few ideas of how you can enjoy the evening of your extra day. Enjoy the melting point of cultures that permeate Leicester’s arts and culture scene so how about a show at one of Leicester’s many fantastic venues?

Leicester’s Cultural Quarter is at the heart of the city’s cultural life and at the core of it lies the Curve, boasting a spectacular state-of the art theatre in the centre of the vibrant Cultural Quarter. It’s welcomed plenty of large-scale shows, including the Tony Award-winning musical masterpiece West Side Story, Gloria Estefan’s On Your Feet and many more. Some have even began life on the Curve stage. Across the city you’ll find the magical Haymarket Theatre, dazzling De Montfort Hall and the Leicester’s oldest surviving theatre The Y

How could we not mention food again? Following a jam-packed day in the city, it would be almost sinful if you didn’t top it off with fabulous food from one of Leicester’s many top-class restaurants.  The food offering in the city reflects the diverse and exciting cultures that inhabit the city. The newest additions include Mowgli, Tandem, Tamatanga and Giggling Squid.  So many to choose from we couldn’t mention them all, but if you do want to know what else the city has to offer check out our restaurants page.

So there you have it…a whistle stop tour of all the things to see and do with an extra day in Leicester. If you’d like to find out more about what hidden treasures there are to discover, take a look round the rest of Visit Leicester or subscribe to our newsletter.

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