Leicester is a city in the county town of Leicestershire and lies on the River Soar, very close to the eastern end of the National Forest. The city’s importance is magnified because it is at the intersection of the Midland Main Line and Birmingham to London Stansted Cross Country Line. It is one of the oldest cities in England and its history dates back by at least 2000 years.
The city of Leicester is said to have the largest economy in the East Midlands and has long been associated with textiles, clothing, and shoes. In fact, central Leicester has many department stores of repute.
Leicester’s many attractions draw people from all over the world and although public transport is available, visitors prefer the self-drive car rental in Leicester.
Hiring a car in Leicester is a great way to see the sights and sounds of the city on your own terms in a relaxed manner. TravelCar’s car rental, UK, appears to be the popular choice of many visitors.
Pricing & availability
So why is TravelCar’s car rental such a hit in the car rental space? Though there are many car rental providers that offer the same services, TravelCar has cut a unique niche for itself. It offers visitors varied and more options as far as choices of cars, its pick-up and drop-off points are located at convenient points in the city and it offers rentals for different time periods to suit the needs of long-term and short-term visitors. Most importantly, its car rental rates are extremely reasonable and that only adds a little more spice to the rental provider’s status. Visitors have the TravelCar assurance and the TravelCar guarantee that their trip will start off on the right note
Ease of Service
Providing good service is TravelCar’s forte and it works hard to ensure that every single visitor that hires a car is provided with that. Right from the booking process to the actual hiring of a rental car, the rental provider makes sure the process is easy and seamless. It also allows visitors to modify or cancel a booking without incurring a penalty or a fee. TravelCar allows you to compare car rental rates across different providers using its search engines. It helps you get the best price, the car most suited for your need and also the best car rental in Leicester. Also, TravelCar’s rent a car Leicester for under 25 sets the right note for young drivers, who are often turned away by many rental providers. TravelCar ensures that every single visitor is accommodated to their satisfaction. Given all that, it’s no wonder that TravelCar strikes the right note always.
Great customer service
What augurs good customer service? A great customer team that cares for its customers and is bent on giving them the best deal possible. That’s what TravelCar stands for and that’s what staff and its customer team focus on. Customer satisfaction is the be all and end all for this rental provider and it ensures that no visitor goes away irritated or dissatisfied. Answering customer queries, catering to their request, ensuring that they get the right vehicle and one that suits all their needs is an integral part of the TravelCar psyche. In short, TravelCar makes the experience of self-drive car rental in Leicester, a breeze.
While hiring a car is a great way to see the city sights, getting the right type of car and that too at your price is a little difficult. However, with TravelCar around, even the impossible becomes possible! It has a wide array of vehicles that range from the efficient, fast and the economical Mini and Compact Car to the larger, roomier and more spacious Intermediate or Full-Size Car. And that’s not all-- if you want to drive around in style then Luxury Car Hire in Leicester or the Special Car is just perfect.
The City of Leicester dates back to Roman times and history is evident in many of the buildings of national interest. However, the mixture of the old with the new makes Leicester special.
Perhaps what Leicester is noted for is the King Richard III Visitor Center, which happens to be adjacent to the burial place of the King. The remains of the King were found in a car park where the King was buried, next to a school. Once this discovery was made and it drew worldwide attention, the Victorian school building was converted to a visitor center. The visitor center attempts to document the story of the life of King Richard III. Its interactive exhibitions and state-of-the-art equipment draw crowds to the visitor center.
Leicester Cathedral
This well-known medieval monument built in Gothic style has a 220 feet tall spire, which was added by Raphael Brandon, the famous architect. It is very close to the Leicester Railway Station and is located right in the middle of the city’s city center.
It is considered to be an important landmark in the British royal history and it has a richly decorated interior that houses artifacts connected with King Richard III. The cathedral, built about 900 years ago, stands where a Roman Temple formerly stood. Detailed carvings of the Vaughan Porch, statues above the doorway all add to the wonder of the cathedral’s facade. Stained glass windows, the elegant chapels, open-air public art installation, sculptures pertaining to the period from Battle of Bosworth to the excavation of the king’s relics, make for interesting viewing. Interestingly, the cathedral marks the starting point for the King Richard III trails. The cathedral gardens with its beautiful flower beds, seating areas, and the water feature are a testimony to this beautiful and peaceful cathedral.
National Space Center in Leicester
Want an educational stint that is loads of fun? Head to the space center and immerse yourself in its numerous galleries, experience the planetarium and get a glimpse of the rocket tower. This center was opened in the year 2001 and if you want to learn about the solar system and the history of the universe, then this is the place. If you’re interested in the universe, pay a visit to the Space Now area and keep track of all the real-life space missions that are happening. If you're hungry and tired, drop in at the Boosters cafe that’s complete with giant rocket boosters. The rocket tower that stands 42 m into the air and the partly transparent “pillow” design is visible as you approach the center. Home to two rockets- Blue Streak and Thor Able, the National Space Center also affords a Yuri Gagarin experience, displays real moon rock and also the Apollo Lunar Lander. Experience the solar system and galaxies that lie beyond it and immerse yourself in a 360 degrees cinema experience. The place is spectacular and unique and plays host to many meetings, private functions, parties, and team events.
Leicester Market
Stated to be the largest outdoor covered market in Europe, the market gained importance with the passage of time and soon became a center for trade in the area. More than 800 years old, the market sells a wide range of items- from fruit and vegetables to clothes, flowers, pet care products, toys, jewelry, and books. It has almost anything that you may require and is open six days a week. It is located in the city of Leicester, England to the south of the clock tower.
Leicester is centrally located and that makes it an ideal base for day trips
Burghley and Stamford House
Burghley, built between the years 1555 and 1587, it is believed to be one of the grandest houses of the Elizabethan Age. Immersed in layers of history, you will find it comes alive at every turn and corner. Primarily designed and built by William Cecil, there are 35 rooms on the first and ground floors. In addition to halls, corridors and service areas, there are more than 80 rooms.
Stamford House is close by and the yellow stone buildings glow in the light. The streets are full of church spires, little alleys and an amazing number of heritage buildings. The South Gardens with their creature-styled topiary bushes are very fascinating.
There is a direct train that operates between Leicester and Stamford every hour. Cross Country runs hourly services from Leicester to Burghley House. Journey time is about 45 minutes and the distance between the two is 29 miles.
Bus services operated by Centrebus operate between Haymarket Bus Station and Burghley House and also arrive at Stamford Bus Station. Journey time is a little more than 2 hours
Tropical Birdland
Who wouldn’t like this one? Located on the border of Desford village in Leicestershire, this Birdland is more of a sanctuary for exotic birds and also parrots. There are more than 250 birds belonging to various species such as hornbills, toucans, parrots, owls and more. It’s a great sight to watch these birds flying high in the sky as they traverse the extent of the 6.5 acres of Birdland. The incredible colors that you will see in the Parrot Path, a beautiful woodland that you can walk through and the pretty sights that you come across on the birdy path are enough to mesmerize you. Be wary of these winged birds- some of them are very adept at stealing jewelry.
Market Bosworth
Very close to the Bosworth Field, this small town lies in the middle of Leicestershire. Apart from being famous for its fish and chip shop, there are many old pubs and good tea shops that gather quite a crowd. A small market square right in the middle of the town, a country park to the east and the Bosworth Trust to the west keep the townfolk entertained. Regular markets are held at the market square and you can see Georgian houses and thatched cottages in the surrounding streets. The Bosworth Hall and the Grammar school just opposite the marketplace are the town’s pride. The Market Bosworth Light Railway shunts through the countryside between two stations- Shackerstone Station to Shenton Station.
Leicester and Market Bosworth are about 11 miles distant from each other and the road distance is a little more- 13.2 miles.
Direct bus services operate between Western Park stations and arrive at Market Bosworth. Services are regular and frequent. Journey time is under an hour. The bus services are operated by Arriva Midlands.
Melton Mowbray
This is a town that has a ‘culinary distinction’. It is often referred to as the "Rural Capital of Food" and is famous for its pork pie and Stilton cheese. The Pie Shop, the Pub, and the Cheese Shop are places of great interest and are cited as historic landmarks. You can actually find more than 160 different types of cheese- Stilton and Red Leicester are the fast selling ones.
Direct trains take you from Leicester to Melton Mowbray- trains run every hour and journey time is 15 minutes. Trains are operated by Cross Country.
Direct buses also ply between the two places, daily every quarter of an hour. Journey time is under an hour. Buses are operated by Arriva Midlands and Centrebus and depart from Orchard Street station.
Of course, hiring a car is a very good way to get around the city.
| Motorways | 70 mph |
| Dual carriageways (roads divided by grassy areas or barriers) | 70 mph |
| Single carriageways (undivided roads) | 60 mph |
| Built up urban roads | 30 mph |
| Built up area near schools | 20 mph |
| Road with sharp bends | 50 mph |