The UK city with Roman ruins and one of the best Christmas markets
With its Roman ruins, half-timbered Tudor-style shops and repurposed art deco cinema, the county town of Chester, just north of the England-Wales border, offers an unapologetic mishmash of culture and commerce.
Go for a wander, immerse yourself in a museum – don’t miss the Grosvenor, which tells the history of the city – then launch yourself into your Christmas shopping.
Below is our guide on everything to see, do and eat as well as where to stay...
What to see and do in Chester
Follow in the footsteps of a centurion and stride or stroll around the two-mile circumference of the city’s Roman walls. Chester – the name come comes from the Latin castrum meaning fort – is the only city in Britain that has the full circuit of its ancient defences. Imagine the roars and cheers of times gone by when you visit the remains of Britain’s largest Roman amphitheatre.
For more history, drop into the cathedral, founded in 1092 as a Benedictine Abbey and rebuilt around 1250. Stop by after 21 November to see not one, not two, but 80 Christmas trees inside, decorated with thousands of lights. Even the main shopping street has a rich past: the two-tiered galleries, known as the Rows, were built in the Middle Ages and added to in Tudor and Victorian times.
Where to shop
Be inspired to fill festive stockings at Chester’s Christmas market (15 November to 22 December) in the square near the town hall, where 70 stalls offer handmade crafts and accessories. Quirky independent shops on the Rows sell everything from clothing to crystals. For gifts for the well-read, head for Amblongus Books, specialising in titles about the arts, cookery and nature.
Where to eat
They take Sunday brunch seriously at Twenty Eight, with a menu that features fried eggs with smoked bacon and Cheshire cheese on crumpets and lemon custard tart. As it gets dark, make your way to Corvino, a super-stylish bar heartily recommended by The Good Food Guide. Select one of 130 types of wine from their cellar to sip alongside guinea fowl or crown prince squash.
Where to stay
Base yourself in the city centre at The Boathouse with its 21 nautical-themed rooms (from £115/night). For maximum character, book into Oddfellows, with its whimsical fabrics and quirky designs. One room has a circular bed (from £100). Relax out of town at Rookery Hall Hotel & Spa in Nantwich, 20 miles east, with its classic interiors and beautifully presented meals (from £207/night).
How to get there
Fast trains from London Euston to Chester by Avanti West Coast take just over two hours.
You Might Also Like
