Why go
- City and unitary authority in England.
- Served by Bitteswell Farm Airstrip.
History
Leicester is a city, unitary authority area, and the county town of Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest city in the East Midlands, with a population of 388,348 in 2024. The greater Leicester urban area had a population of 559,017 in 2021, making it the 11th most populous in England, and the 13th most populous in the United Kingdom. For three years running, the annual Good Growth for Cities Index has ranked Leicester as the best place to live and work in the East Midlands. The latest study, which is based on a range of economic factors, rated Leicester as the best performing city in the East Midlands in 2024 and 20th overall out of 52 other UK cities.
Restaurants & places to go
292 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →
Airports
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 10 airlines, 57 direct destinations
- Ryanair FR (737-800) · 37 routes: Alicante, Almeria, Arrecife, Barcelona, Bergamo, Bergerac, Berlin, Carcassonne, Chania, Connaught, Cork, Dinard, Dublin, Faro, Fuerteventura, Gerona, Gran Canaria, Ibiza, Kerkyra/corfu, Krakow, La Rochelle, Limoges, Malaga, Menorca, Murcia, Palma de Mallorca, Pisa, Reus, Rhodos, Riga, Rome, Rzeszow, Tenerife, Treviso, Valencia, Warsaw, Wroclaw
- Jet2.com LS (737-300, 737-800) · 20 routes: Alicante, Arrecife, Bodrum, Budapest, Dalaman, Dubrovnik, Faro, Funchal, Gran Canaria, Heraklion, Ibiza, Malaga, Menorca, Murcia, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Paris, Prague, Rhodos, Tenerife
- Transavia France TO (737-800) · 13 routes: Alicante, Arrecife, Dalaman, Enfidha, Faro, Gran Canaria, Ibiza, Larnaca, Menorca, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Rhodos, Tenerife
- Monarch Airlines ZB (A321) · 7 routes: Alicante, Arrecife, Faro, Malaga, Malta, Palma de Mallorca, Tenerife
- Flybe BE (Dash 8-400) · 5 routes: Amsterdam, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Jersey
- Thomas Cook Airlines MT (A321) · 5 routes: Arrecife, Dalaman, Enfidha, Fuerteventura, Tenerife
- Thomsonfly BY (737-800) · 5 routes: Arrecife, Enfidha, Palma de Mallorca, Paphos, Tenerife
- Air Sicilia BM (ER3) · 1 route: Brussels
- Aurigny Air Services GR (ATR 72) · 1 route: Guernsey
- Eastern Airways T3 (J41) · 1 route: Aberdeen
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Getting there by ferry
Where things are
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.
Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.
Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Bitteswell Farm Airstrip; 7 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By water: 1 ferry terminal within 12 mi.
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Leicester, United Kingdom. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.
Trains & rail
Coaches & shuttles
Private aviation
On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.