Chester is the county town of Cheshire, England. Situated on the River Dee, on the border with Wales, Chester is one of the best-preserved medieval walled cities in the United Kingdom. If you want to immerse yourself in a truly historic town and feel the Roman influences around you then Chester is the place to visit.
Chester is most famous for it's magnificent race course, the popular Chester Zoo and the beautiful Chester Cathedral and with a huge variety of spa's and shopping there is something special for everyone to enjoy.
The city's ancient encircling city walls are the most complete in Britain; at just over two miles it is a great way to get a birds eye view of Chester. As you walk around the walls you'll pass under the second most photographed clock after Big Ben; the decorative Victorian Eastgate Clock. The black and white timber framed rows are a fine example of a medieval shopping centre, and dominate Chester city.
When passing the Norman cathedral which sits in beautiful grounds, let your imagination run to Handel first rehearsing The Messiah in this very Cathedral. With some of the most beautiful monastic cloisters in Europe, the cathedral is a haven of tranquility and a must-see for visitors to the city. Explore the medieval streets, lined with Chester's distinctive black and white buildings and 13th century Rows shopping galleries.
Places to See...
Chester Cathedral:
There has been a church on this site for over 1,000 years. Originally a Saxon Minster, then rebuilt as a Benedictine Abbey, this magnificent building has been the Cathedral of the Diocese of Chester since 1541.
The Cathedral houses one of the most complete medieval monastic complexes in the country. Intricately carved Quire stalls which are almost 800 years old and considered to be the finest in the UK.
Roman Amphitheatre:
The largest stone built amphitheatre in Britain.
Chester Military Museum:
There is so much to see and do, and is sheer fun for all the family. There are interactive elements to this visit and is educational as well as fun. You can experience the trenches and what it would have been like back in the military times. A great choice for the entire family.
Grosvenor Museum:
Fascinating displays that build up a picture of Roman Chester. Go back in time to home life from the 17th century to the 1930's. Explore 'hands-on' the geology and natural history of the area.
Enjoy the beauty of art, and discover the city's important place in silver history.
Shopping:
Chester has over 1,000 shops and resturants so you can shop to your hearts content! Chester city centre provides some excellent shopping hot spots with well known high street names.
Such shopping venues include - The Chester Market; The Mall Grosvenor and Rufus Court.
Eating and Drinking:
In Chester City Centre there is a variety of restaurants; further into the countryside you will find some superb country pubs where the standard of food is famous and everyone of course loves a good English pub lunch.
Quality local produce is available across the county at many farmers markets, butchers, bakers and fishmongers and used in many of the pubs and restaurants.
Getting Here: Chester is located in the heart of the UK about 197m/317km from London.
By Air:
The nearest airports to Chester and Cheshire are Manchester International and Liverpool John Lennon, which are both about 40 minutes by road from Chester.
From Manchester - Airport transfer minibus service ( in groups of 7 ) and general travel / shuttling (private hire) in executive buses for corporate clients or those requiring a dedicated luxury vehicle provided by BusyBus.
By Car:
Main motorway links to Chester and Cheshire are through the M6, M56 and M53.
By Rail:
High speed rail services are available to Crewe, Chester and Warrington from London's Euston and Paddington Stations (2.5 hours), and from Glasgow on the West Coast main line. Rail services also run from Manchester International Airport.
Virgin Trains run frequent, high speed direct services between London Euston and Chester in approximately two hours. There are also many services to Crewe, from both London and the North West, for onward connections to Chester with Arriva Trains Wales.
Photo courtesy of Chester Tourism
