The 'underrated hidden gem' East Midlands city named by Express ‘just as good as York, Cambridge, Oxford’
The heritage rich city is flying the flag for the East Midlands on a national level
An East Midlands city has been named an ‘underrated hidden gem’ by the Express.
Leicester features in a top list of most underrated cities by Emily Wright in an article published today (Wednesday, August 20) by Express.
Ms Wright’s reasoning behind Leicester being placed on the prestigious list was down to its rich history and heritage spanning two millennia.
She wrote: ‘The East Midlands generally flies under the radar, but Leicester deserves a spot on your summer city break list for its rich history spanning two millennia alone. Jewry Wall, built in AD 160 as a settlement for the Corieltauvi settlers, is one of the largest remaining Roman masonry structures in Britain.’
This sentiment was echoed by Ross Tarbard from Visit Leicester who said: “We've got a continuous history of 2,000 years and that is evident in the incredible architecture all around.”
A monarch posthumously celebrated to great lengths in Leicester - and rightly so - is King Richard III, whose final resting place lies in Leicester city centre following discovery in August 2012.
The King Richard III Visitor Centre is a great place to start for those wishing to delve deeper into the monarch’s fascinating heritage.
You will no doubt be left astounded by the tale of the king’s journey, from battlefield to car park where his remains were found.
Leicester also excels on the sports field and has several high ranking football, basketball and rugby teams.
There appears to be something for everyone, with space fans also being drawn to the award-winning National Space Centre.
Leicester’s ‘Golden Mile’ known as the Belgrave Road area is also packed with culture, testament to bustling South Asian restaurants, eateries and saree shops.
Ms Wright wrote: ‘Add in links to David Attenborough, a unique Elephant Trail and the birthplace of veganism, and you’ve got a city that’s anything but ordinary.’
There were six cities named by Express as the most underrated.
The list includes Stirling in Scotland, Lancaster in Lancashire, Newcastle in North East England and St Davids in Wales.