Chester Tourist Information and Tourism

(Chester, Cheshire, England, UK)



The charming and extremely historic city of Chester is quintessentially English in its appearance, with its beautiful half-timbered buildings, busy markets and cobblestone streets. Graced with an assortment of Victorian and Tudor houses and buildings, and partially encircled by an ancient sandstone wall dating from Roman times, this is definitely a characterful city.

Although Chester was once a thriving and important commercial hub, both its size and stature were somewhat overtaken by a number of surrounding cities, such as Liverpool to the north-west, Warrington to the north and Manchester to the north-east. However, Chester's charm and tourism appeal is really down to the fact that much of its appearance has managed to remain virtually the same over the decades and centuries.

Much of the interest for tourists lies within the Roman walls, with the High Cross marking the actual city centre, from which a crossroads radiates outwards towards each of the four remaining gates. Visitors will find that the Chester Tourist Information Centre resides within the Town Hall on Northgate Street, where it is close to the city's cathedral and remains open seven days a week, all through the year.





Chester Tourist Information and Tourism: Top Sights

Visitors to the Chester Tourist Information Centre should note that this is a good place to obtain discounted tickets for the city's zoo and the nearby Blue Planet Aquarium at Ellesmere Port. You can also purchase tickets for the open-top guided bus tours of the city, book Cheshire accommodation and arrange National Express coach travel, as well as choosing between various carefully sourced Cheshire souvenirs and local produce. Opened in the year 1931, Chester Zoo is certainly a firm favourite of families on holiday in the city, and with over 11,000 animals, it is easy to see why it enjoys such healthy visitor numbers today - well over one million each year. Amongst Chester's other most noteworthy tourist attractions are its cathedral, castle remains and racecourse. More information about Chester Tourist Attractions.

Chester's City Walls are perhaps the most obvious historic landmark standing in the city and these were originally built by the Romans to help protect the city from possible attack. Tourists often enjoy walking along part or all of the 2-mile / 3-km length of the walls, taking in the views of the cityscape along the way. Further sights to look out for include the half-timbered galleried shops named the Chester Rows, the Eastgate Clock and the High Cross, which is where the town crier is often to be spotted making his announcements during the summer months. The influence of the Romans is very much apparent when you pay a visit to the enormous Roman Amphitheatre on Vicars Lane, while the Old Dee Bridge is also of local historical significance. More information about Chester Landmarks and Monuments.

There is no denying that Chester is a city of both history and culture, and these aspects are combined within its principal museum attractions. The Dewa Roman Experience is packed with information about the days of the Romans, with archeological relics from the Saxon era and even the actual remains of a real Roman fortress standing onsite. At the Grosvenor Museum, displays range from antiques and paintings, to Viking artefacts and old costumes. The Cheshire Military Museum features a section dedicated to Roman tales and enjoys an appropriate setting within the castle itself. For those wishing to purchase a painting as a souvenir of a Chester holiday, the Watergate Street Gallery is a good place to look, with further galleries being found along roads such as Commonhall Street, Lower Bridge Street and Northgate Street, and at the Grosvenor Shopping Centre on Pepper Street. More information about Chester Museums and Chester Art Galleries.

If you are staying in Chester for more than a day or two, then it makes a great deal of sense to plan yourself some day trips outside of the city, particularly if you have brought your car. There are all kinds of enticing tourist attractions within driving distance of the city, both in Cheshire and across the nearby English border, in northern Wales. The market towns of Knutsford and Nantwich come with plenty of tourism appeal and charm, as do the picture-postcard villages of Lymm, Malpas and Tarporley. Shoppers will no doubt enjoy an excursion to Wilmslow, which is approximately a 45-minute drive from Chester, with the monthly Treacle Market in 'neighbouring' Macclesfield also being of interest and boasting around 150 different stalls selling all kinds of local produce. Known for its former wealth of silk mills, Macclesfield is around an hour away from Chester and is traditionally nicknamed 'Treacletown', following a historic incident when a horse and cart spilt its load of treacle onto the cobblestones of Hibel Road. More information about Chester Attractions Nearby.

More Chester Information / Fast Facts and Orientation











RC Banner

© TravelSmart Ltd: World Guides - Copyright and Privacy Policy 2000-2020

World Guides Policy

Chester, England - Information and Tourism - Last updated 7/9/2019 - gprofile - Google+

Copyscape