Leicester City: An Ancient Legend Beyond Football and the Birthplace of Modern Tourism

In England, there is a city with a name that can be quite difficult to pronounce: 'Leicester'. For those who have never heard of it before, or who are not familiar with English football, saying the name may take a little practice. It is pronounced 'Lester' a medium-sized city located almost in the heart of England. Leicester has a history spanning more than 2,000 years and is also considered one of the most culturally diverse cities in the United Kingdom.

With origins dating all the way back to the Roman era, Leicester was first established under the name 'Ratae Corieltauvorum'. Even after more than 2,000 years, traces of its Roman past still remain today, including the ancient Roman wall ruins known as the 'Jewry Wall', which has now become one of the city's historic attractions.

When it comes to tourism in Leicester, students in the travel and tourism field may be familiar with this legendary figure: 'Thomas Cook'. He is regarded as one of the pioneers of modern organized tours, the kind we now see in almost every country around the world. And, of course, it all began here in Leicester. We will briefly tell his story before moving on to the final highlight, which is just as fascinating as the city’s long history.

Nearby Attractions You Shouldn’t Miss

• King Richard III Visitor Centre: A learning center dedicated to the history of the discovery of King Richard III’s remains.
• Leicester Cathedral: A historic cathedral that serves as the burial place of King Richard III.
• National Space Centre: The largest space museum in the United Kingdom. It is recommended to take a bus or taxi from the city center.
• The Guildhall: A beautiful medieval building with a long and rich history.



Recommended hotels near Leicester’s attractions

In 1841, Thomas Cook, who was a carpenter and a preacher at the time, somehow came up with the idea of taking more than 570 members of a temperance society from Leicester to Loughborough for a meeting about the campaign against alcohol. What he did was essentially create a travel package, just like the ones we see today. He booked round-trip train tickets and arranged meals for everyone. It may not sound that impressive now, but back then, when no one had really thought of doing this before, it was something completely new. This became one of the earliest starting points of organized tour travel.

Once he realized he could turn this idea into something bigger, Thomas Cook developed it into a full-scale business. One of the major highlights came in 1872, when he organized a round-the-world trip that took a total of 222 days. He was also the person behind the travel voucher system that later became widely used. The final chapter of his story continued under the name Thomas Cook & Son, which was once one of the largest and oldest travel companies in the world. However, in 2019, the company announced its collapse, partly due to the changing nature of modern travel. Still, what Thomas Cook left behind for the travel industry is something few people will ever forget. If you want to visit his statue, Thomas Cook is still standing and waiting to welcome travelers in front of Leicester Railway Station.

The final highlight we mentioned earlier, and one of the most fascinating stories in Leicester that simply cannot be left out, is its football team: 'Leicester City'. Sharing the same name as the city, the club is known around the world by its nickname, the 'Siamese Foxes'. But why 'Siam' when the team is based in England? The reason is simple: the club’s owner is Thai, namely King Power Group, a name many people will recognize as Thailand’s major duty-free operator at the airport.

To be honest, Leicester City was never really seen as a big club in the eyes of football fans around the world. Even some Thai people barely knew the team, despite the club having been founded back in 1884. Its story truly began to gain global attention in 2014, when Leicester City returned to the Premier League after 10 years away. From there, the club started writing a new chapter that the world would remember forever. As an underdog team, Leicester took just over a year to rise all the way to the top and win the highest league title in English football in the 2015/2016 season. From that moment on, the fairytale of the Siamese Foxes was told far and wide.

Although Leicester City has now fallen from its highest peak down to League One, the third tier of English football, due to poor form, financial issues within the club, and possibly management problems as well, you should never forget that this was once the team that defeated the giants and became the greatest club in England. Of course, the people of Leicester who support the club will always have a special feeling toward Thai people in the city because of the club’s ownership. This makes visiting Leicester much easier and more welcoming for Thai travelers, and the King Power Stadium, home of the Siamese Foxes, is another place you should not miss.

The diversity that has developed over more than 2,000 years has made modern-day Leicester a city filled with history, culture, tourism, nature, and the greatness of its football club. Whatever your purpose for visiting this city may be, traveling here to experience the many real stories that have taken place in Leicester is certainly well worth it. For anyone interested in visiting Leicester or looking to book flights to watch football in England, you can book easily with Gother.