Leicestershire has some fabulous festive places to visit including the amazing Regency Belvoir Castle.

When it comes to Christmas at Belvoir Castle, expect to find some of the finest Regency Architecture glammed up with the all classy festive decor. Each room in the castle is decorated with a different theme adding that special touch. It has the perfect settings for that festive family photo. Kev and I went to the preview of the Regency Castle and it was truly exquisite. For fans of The Crown, one of the scenes was shot here. The castle is still in use by the Duchess of Rutland & her family. It is also the second most important one after Windsor Castle.

Enlightened Light Trail

If you fancy a festive walk, book yourself onto the enchanting light trail too. A magical walk around 1.3km that has interactive stepping stones, a talking tree, plenty of lights and illuminated displays onto the castle. It is magical. Just remember to wrap up warm and wear your wellies. It was pretty muddy and slippery when we went. Stewards are to hand to help with any queries.

It is a one-way system down the trail and it takes about 45 minutes to walk around. The trail starts at 4 pm and you have to book your slot online. Due to the staggered time slots, the trail is not too busy which is nice and allows you to look at the lights without rushing. We had a 7pm slot but were able to go on at 6pm.

At the end of the trail, there were a few food stands. The rain was starting to get heavier so we chose to get home rather than get some food in the open.

Don’t forget to book Santa Grotto too – there is one at the Engine Yard Shopping Village and one at the castle. I took my nephews to the one at the Engine Yard and they loved it.

The beauty of Belvoir Castle is there are independent shops located at the Engine Yard so you can do all your shopping there. The shops normally shut at 5 pm.
There is a deli, jewellery store, interior shop and a lot more. You can also get the finest hot chocolate from Cocoa Amore to keep you warm (Cocoa Amore no longer is at the Village). Normally there was be some delicious wood-fired pizza to have but when we went they were not serving any. The only food they had for those who had not made a reservation at the Fuel Tank was hot dogs. I would advise booking a table to avoid disappointment. Let’s not forget the chic Ballon Bar for that cocktail or two.

You can buy tickets to the Castle, Light Trail and/or Santas Grotto on their website and book your slots accordingly. Remember to book the car parking ticket too. This is located at the castle where the trail starts.

One thing is for sure, Christmas at Belvoir Castle definitely gets you in the festive spirit.

Here are more suggestions for Christmas.

Neha
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Disclaimer [AD]: This was an invite/gift. All views, opinions and photos are my own unless otherwise stated.