ONE destination in the Midlands known as the ‘City of Kings’ thanks to its links to the Crown.
It’s had connections to royalty throughout history, both fictional and in real-life – plus for visitors, it has some great attractions.
The city of Leicester is the final resting place of King Richard III and the birthplace of the Shakespeare’s mythical King Leir.
Leicester Cathedral is where the remains of King Richard III can be found – after they were excavated from a car park in Leicester in 2012.
Other attractions include the King Richard III Visitors Centre, and the King Power Stadium.
Another popular attraction is Jewry Wall Museum, which immerses visitors in the stories of Roman Leicester – and it reopened after renovations earlier this year.
It’s where you can see Jewry Wall which was once part of a public bathhouse and it’s one of the largest surviving Roman masonry structures in Britain.
Inside the museum are plenty of Roman artefacts from soldiers’ helmet pieces to brooches and rings.
Tickets for adults are £12.50, those for children between 5-15 are £6.25 – families can get group tickets for £32.
The city in the Midlands is known for many things – but one must-see is the National Space Centre.
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The museum is the number one attraction in Leicester followed by Tropical Birdland and the Retro Computer Museum.
The National Space Centre is not just top in Leicester, it’s the UK’s leading visitor attractions dedicated to space science and astronomy.
It has interactive exhibits throughout the year and the UK’s largest planetarium.
Heading into the city, you’ll be able to spot it thanks to Rocket Tower – which is 42 metres high.
It has Blue Streak and Thor Able rockets, as well as the Gagarin Experience, Apollo Lunar Lander and real Moon Rock.
For those who want even more, stay for Space Lates — exclusive evenings of talks, activities, and galleries.
Entry for adults starts from £20.95, tickets for children between 5-16 are £18.95.
For anyone who fancies a night out on the town after day of wandering about the local attractions, Leicester is a great place to do it.
The city in the east midlands was also previously named the country’s nightlife capital thanks to its nightclubs and pubs.
Mosh is a three-storey nightclub house inside a Gaudi-inspired building in the city and an underground club called the Basement.
There’s also the Fanclub, which has been open since 1985, and it’s well-known for its retro-themed club nights.
This much-mocked UK city is set to be huge next year – according to National Geographic…
According to National Geographic, one of ‘best places in the world to travel to in 2026’ is Hull – all thanks to its lively bar scene, award-winning aquarium, and completion of a huge project costing millions.
Hull, is a port city in East Yorkshire that sits on the north bank of the river Humber.
National Geographic has named it as one of the best places in the entire world to visit next year, but it’s not always been so up and coming. For example in Hull took top spot in the book Crap Towns: The 50 Worst Places to Live in the UK back in 2003.
However, it’s set to become more popular in 2026, and National Geographic mentioned that one of the reasons why is Hull’s investment into conserving its rich maritime history.
Hull was a very important trade route during the 13th and 14th centuries. Thanks to this, you can see Dutch-influenced architecture buildings that line the streets of the quaint Old Town.
Since 2020, the Maritime Museum has been undergoing a huge revamp worth £11million, but it will finally reopen to the public next year. This has been part of a wider £27.5 million project to promote Hull’s maritime history which has gone into restoring the museum and ships.
Another reason is the city’s new leisure spots that have transformed warehouses and the old waterside Fruit Market to become bars, restaurants, and art galleries.
The publication added: “There’s also a spectacular performance amphitheater, called Stage@TheDok, overlooking River Hull where it meets the Humber Estuary.
“And a former shipyard has for over 20 years been the base for The Deep, one of the United Kingdom’s most highly respected aquariums and marine conservation centers.”
Hear from one writer who lives in one of the UK’s coolest cities – five lesser-known neighbourhoods tourists forget about and are much more fun.
Plus, one writer opens up on his home city which is Lonely Planet’s coolest UK destination for 2026 – here’s why it trumps London and Manchester.