Whether you’ve lived here your whole life or are new to the city – university life in Leicester is an incredible experience. You’ll see the city in a whole new light with campus so close to the city centre so you’re never too far away from the buzz of city life.

One of the best things about the city is that it’s welcoming, so you’ll quickly feel part of the community in all its glory. There are plenty of things to get involved in, from campus festivals to city celebrations.

With all of DMU’s student accommodation walking distance to the city centre you can really make the most of your time here. Whether you decide to watch the latest film at the cinema on the weekend, grab a drink with your mates after a lecture or treat yourself to a shopping day. And there’s loads of great places to eat just around the corner too – so it really does feel like the world is on your doorstep.

But don’t take our word for it. In this guide we, along with our fellow students, share things to do when you come to Leicester just in case you decide to spend a little longer here – say three years. You’ll soon find yourself at home.

We can’t wait for you to join us.

WELCOME TO LEICESTERThere are stories about this place from fairytale wins to digging up a dead king, but the ones you probably want to hear are the ones we – the students – tell you. We know what it’s like to live and study here.

My name is Kaiqi, and I am an international

student from China. I have been studying

Accounting and Business Management BA

(Hons) at DMU for two years now. I love

Leicester; its homely and friendly so I feel

safe here.

I’m Sophie and I study Architecture BA (Hons) at DMU. I decided to attend university in Leicester as the city reminds me of London, my hometown. Such as the city centre and the diversity of culture in terms of people. Due to these reasons, I

often refer to Leicester as a ‘mini London’. Before attending university here, I was aware that Leicester has a large student population, especially from London, so I

thought it would be easy for me to settle in.

Hi! I’m Baguiasri and I am currently studying Clinical Pharmacy MSc at DMU. I have lived in Leicester all my life and I am excited to tell you more about my hotspots! My favourite things about Leicester is how multi-cultural it is, which means we have great options for foodies and also a friendly atmosphere.

My name is Jaleel and I am a second year

Graphic Design (Illustration) BA (Hons)

student. I chose to study in Leicester

because it was close enough to my

hometown in Northampton, but far enough

that it was a new experience. I love the

range of shops and events in and around

Leicester and it’s great that everything is so

close to campus.

DID YOU KNOW?

‘Ey Up Mi Duck’ = Hi! How

are you?

LEICESTER’S BEST: CHEAP EATSWhen finding somewhere to eat, we really are spoilt for choice from Chinese, Turkish, Italian and Indian to name a few. And with Leicester voted as the third most affordable UK city for students* we have some of the most affordable places to eat nearby DMU campus – see below.

*Natwest Student Living Index 2018

Doughnotts have the most amazing flavours

- including many limited edition ones! Quite

often where I will pop when I deserve a treat.

Emma, Animation BA (Hons)

I love the nourish bowls from Grounded

Kitchen – Korean food at its best! There are

so many options for toppings and I always

feel wholesome after eating here!

Vincent, Law LLB (Hons)

Riverside Café is my favourite food spot on campus because I am vegan and they have

so much choice in a beautiful setting.Juliet, Textile Design BA (Hons)

I love the Indian street food at Chaiiwala and

the masala tea really packs a punch!

Gurdeep, Computer Science BSc (Hons)

This is the best gelato in the city –

I would even argue outside of Italy. But be

aware, if good weather, there are bound to

be long queues... but it’s worth the wait!

Jaleel, Graphic Design (Illustration)

BA Hons

Eating in Leicester can be quite cheap if you

use student discounts (Unidays, Students

Beans) and there are many reasonably

priced pubs too such as Wetherspoons.

Sophie, Architecture BA (Hons)

Nando’s is my obvious favourite, but for great vegan food I choose Café Mbriki or Prana Café every time.Baguiasri, Clinical Pharmacy MSc

My favourite dessert parlour in Leicester is

Heavenly Desserts. I like to celebrate my assessment deadlines with a treat here

especially as it is open till late!

Jemisha, Fine Art BA (Hons)

I like trying different food at the local

restaurants, especially on Narborough

Road, where there is so much choice.

But when I am missing home, I like to

eat Chinese food - there are lots of

good restaurants in the centre.

Kaiqi, Accounting and Business

Management BA (Hons)

DID YOU KNOW?A nationally contested subject, but bread rolls are referred to as ‘cobs’ in Leicester.

LEICESTER’S BEST: PLACES TO HANGLeicester is great to experience city living on a smaller scale as a student and it really does have a strong community vibe - especially as it is so diverse so there always seems to something to celebrate. Our personal favourites include the Diwali celebrations on the well-known ‘Golden Mile’ and also watching Leicester City Football Club winning the Premier League and the celebrations that followed from this.

It’s great to watch the sunset from the

Vijay Patel Building’s terrace.

Kwaku, Product Design BA (Hons)

The Clock Tower is a great meeting place

as it is in the middle of the city centre.

I like watching the street performances

and during Christmas, the lights and

tree look beautiful.

Kaiqi, Accounting and Business

Management BA (Hons)I like to visit Leicester Cathedral on a warm

day - it’s a beautiful space to watch the

world go by.

Jaleel, Graphic Design (Illustration)

BA Hons

I love wandering around St Martin’s Square as you can guarantee you will find something new. It’s a nice place in the city

centre to relax and enjoy. Jamie-Lee, Law LLB (Hons)

I enjoy walking through the park on my way

home and it is super close to campus.

Jemisha, Fine Art BA (Hons)

33 Cank Street is one of my favourite

bars in the city, it has really nice cocktails

and is perfect for post-assignment drinks!

David, Human Resource Management BA (Hons)

I love that Leicester has so many options for places to grab a coffee and chill with some friends…Saints of Mokha, St Martins Coffee, 6 Degrees, Bru…the list is endless! Baguiasri, Clinical Pharmacy MSc

DID YOU KNOW?King Richard III was buried here in 1485 but over the years his burial place was lost, until 2012 when his remains were found beneath a car park in Leicester! He has since been reburied in Leicester Cathedral which is open for visitors.

LEICESTER’S BEST: THINGS TO DOLeicester is such a vibrant city so there is always lots to do and we’ve included some of our favourite activities here. The DMU campus is very close to the Leicester City Football Club stadium, King Power, and Welford Road, where the Leicester Tigers Rugby team play. Some of us have even had the opportunity to watch games due to DMU’s unique links with the clubs. Similarly DMU has partnerships with Curve theatre and Phoenix cinema so there are often discounted tickets available to see productions.

Also, Leicester is located within the Midlands and has great transport links - we’re just over an hour away from London on the train and even closer to large cities such as Birmingham and Nottingham, it’s a perfect base for exploring or visiting friends.

Curve theatre is one of my favourite places in Leicester - I love watching all the different shows. Recently I watched the West End production of Miss Saigon and it was amazing!Jack, Drama and Creative Writing BA (Hons)

A typical evening for me would include

meeting my friends for a coffee in the city

centre then heading to Phoenix cinema to

see a film (with a few snacks of course!)

Kaiqi, Accounting and Business

Management BA (Hons)

Moving to Leicester has given me the opportunity to volunteer during my spare time through the DMU Square Mile programme – I’ve also met lots of great people this way.

Kyle, International Business BA (Hons)

Cocoa Amore have the best hot chocolates - I love the D-I-Y element. This place also does chocolate truffle making workshop which I definitely want to sign up for.Emma, Animation BA (Hons)

For getting outdoors, I recommend

heading to Bradgate Park where nature really

is at its best. Summer days spent here with

an ice cream are always amazing!

Baguiasri, Clinical Pharmacy MSc

There are so many cafes and tea rooms in Leicester and the surrounding villages, it’s nice to enjoy an afternoon tea once in a while :)

Juliet, Textile Design BA (Hons)

Leicester has the largest Diwali celebrations

outside of India - I loved discovering

another culture and trying some of the

spicy food.

Millie, Textile Design BA (Hons)

I like heading to the QEII Leisure Centre for a friendly game of Badminton with

my friends. It’s so close to campus and my halls of residence. Gurdeep, Computer Science BSc (Hons)

DID YOU KNOW?

Thomas Cook created his first package

trip in 1841 – it was a train journey

from Leicester to Loughborough on

the Great Central Railway.

LEICESTER’S BEST: SHOPPING SPOTSThe city centre is home to plenty of classic high-street brands as well as local favourites, so you won’t struggle to find what you are looking for here. With shopping centres such as Highcross and Haymarket, the Lanes and the open market, there is plenty to choose from and all a few minutes from campus!

There are lots of small independent retailers on The Lanes - I love spending time here, scouting out the charity shops for vintage finds. Emma, Animation BA (Hons)

The open market is a great place to get

reasonably priced fruit and veg - it really

helps to stretch my budget further.

Jaleel , Graphic Design (Illustration)

BA Hons

There’s so many specialist shops within the city centre from Caribbean to Chinese but in particular I love Zero Waste, where you can

buy everything from cous cous to cornflakes with no wasteful packaging. Baguiasri, Clinical Pharmacy MSc

The student discount events at

Highcross are amazing - a lot of the

shops offer discounts and last time

there was even a DJ!

Kaiqi, Accounting and Business

Management BA (Hons)

Narborough Road is considered the most

diverse road in the UK so I always head

here when feeling adventurous with my

food choices! There is nothing that you can’t find on this street. Gurdeep, Computer Science BSc (Hons)

Coming from a small town, I love the huge range of shops found in the High Cross shopping centre.Laura, Performing Arts BA (Hons) Leicester city centre also has a variety of

food shops – I head to this Korean store

when I fancy experimenting in the kitchen.

Kyle, International Business BA (Hons)

DID YOU KNOW?

Leicester is considered to be the

birthplace of modern English as

created by both Anglo-Saxons

and the Vikings.

+44 7960 086989 W: dmu.ac.uk

dmu.ac.uk/snapchat

dmu.ac.uk/instagram

dmu.ac.uk/youtube

dmu.ac.uk/twitter

dmu.ac.uk/facebook

For more information about Leicester, please visit

dmu.ac.uk/ichosedmu