--- title: "Top 10 Things To Do in Chester, United Kingdom | Wimup" description: "The 10 best things to do in Chester: the full circuit of the city walls, the Rows, the cathedral, the Roman amphitheatre, the Grosvenor Museum, Chester Zoo and a race day on the Roodee." url: https://wimup.com/city/chester type: City guide updated: 2026-10-21 publisher: Wimup (https://wimup.com) --- # Top 10 Things To Do in Chester Chester, United Kingdom · Europe · By Wimup Editorial, 10 min read Chester is a compact walled city on the River Dee, two miles round and almost all of it walkable in a day. The Romans built the fortress of Deva here, the medieval city built the Rows on top of it, and the Victorians restored both in black and white. ## Quick answer Walk the full circuit of the city walls first, then drop down into the Rows, the two-tier galleries of shops along Eastgate, Watergate, Northgate and Bridge Street. Give the cathedral and the Grosvenor Museum a morning, see the Roman amphitheatre and the Groves on the river, and keep a second day for Chester Zoo or a train out to North Wales. ## Quick facts - **Best months:** May · Jun · Sep - **Ideal length:** 2 days - **Budget per day:** $110–190 - **Language:** English - **Getting around:** Walking, trains & buses - **Tourism board:** [Official site](https://www.visitchester.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ## The 10 best things to do in Chester ### 1. Walk the city walls Landmark · City walls circuit, Chester CH1 The most complete Roman and medieval town walls in Britain, about two miles round and free to walk at any hour. Start at the Eastgate Clock, go clockwise past the cathedral and the racecourse, and allow an hour without stops. - **Time:** 1 hr - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Early morning - **Tip:** Steps at most gates ### 2. Shop the Rows Landmark · Eastgate Street, Watergate Street, Northgate Street and Bridge Street, Chester Two levels of shops along the four main streets, with a covered gallery running at first-floor height. Most of the black-and-white fronts are Victorian, but the undercrofts beneath them are medieval; Watergate Row is the quietest stretch. - **Time:** 1–2 hrs - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Weekday morning - **Tip:** Use the upper gallery in rain ### 3. Visit Chester Cathedral Landmark · St Werburgh Street, Chester CH1 2DY A red sandstone abbey church that became a cathedral under Henry VIII, with carved medieval choir stalls and a cloister garden. Entry is free for most of the year, with a small charge in summer and at Christmas. - **Time:** 1 hr - **Cost:** Free most of the year - **Best at:** Opening time - **Tip:** Services can close areas Links: [Website](https://chestercathedral.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 4. See the Roman Amphitheatre Landmark · Little St John Street, Chester CH1 1RE The largest Roman amphitheatre yet uncovered in Britain, though only about two-fifths of it is exposed. It is free and open-air; pair it with the Roman Gardens next door, where columns from the fortress are laid out by the wall. - **Time:** 30 min - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Daytime - **Tip:** Combine with the Roman Gardens Links: [Website](https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/chester-roman-amphitheatre/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 5. Explore the Grosvenor Museum Museum · 27 Grosvenor Street, Chester CH1 2DD Chester's own museum, free, with a gallery of Roman tombstones from the city walls and a furnished Georgian house behind it. Open Tuesday to Sunday and closed on Mondays, except bank holidays. - **Time:** 1–2 hrs - **Cost:** Free, donations welcome - **Best at:** Weekday - **Tip:** Short hours on Sundays Links: [Website](https://www.visitchester.com/things-to-do/grosvenor-museum-p21061?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 6. Spend a day at Chester Zoo Nature · Caughall Road, Upton-by-Chester CH2 1LH A conservation zoo north of the city large enough to fill a day, from the Islands habitats to the elephants and jaguars. Book online: it is cheaper than the gate, and midweek dates outside school holidays cost least. - **Time:** Full day - **Cost:** Ticketed - **Best at:** Opening time - **Tip:** Book online, cheaper midweek Links: [Website](https://www.chesterzoo.org/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 7. Walk the Groves by the Dee Nature · The Groves, Chester CH1 1SD The riverside promenade below the walls, with a bandstand and the Queens Park suspension bridge. Short river cruises leave from here in the warmer months; the walk on to the Old Dee Bridge gives the classic view back to the city. - **Time:** 1 hr - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Summer evening - **Tip:** Cruises run spring to autumn ### 8. Go racing on the Roodee Landmark · Chester Racecourse, New Crane Street, Chester CH1 2LY England's oldest racecourse still in use, a tight track on the river meadow beneath the walls. The May Festival is the big meeting; on race days you can watch for free from the walls, though roads around it close. - **Time:** Half day - **Cost:** Ticketed - **Best at:** May Festival - **Tip:** Free view from the walls Links: [Website](https://www.chester-races.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 9. Catch a show at Storyhouse Culture · Hunter Street, Chester CH1 2AR Theatre, cinema, library and restaurant in the 1936 Odeon, reopened in 2017. In summer it runs the open-air theatre season in Grosvenor Park; the library and café are free to sit in during the day. - **Time:** Evening - **Cost:** Free to enter - **Best at:** Evening - **Tip:** Summer shows in Grosvenor Park Links: [Website](https://www.storyhouse.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 10. Eat at Chester Market Food · Exchange Square, Northgate, Chester CH1 2AY The new market off Northgate Street opened in 2022, with around 40 stalls, a central bar and a covered garden. Come for lunch or an early dinner; it is closed on Mondays except bank holidays. - **Time:** 1 hr - **Cost:** Free entry - **Best at:** Lunch - **Tip:** Closed Mondays Links: [Website](https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/residents/leisure-parks-and-events/markets/chester-market?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ## Roman Chester What survives of the fortress of the Twentieth Legion, and where to see it. 1. **Roman Amphitheatre** (Free · Southeast corner): Britain's largest, two-fifths excavated and free to wander. [Website](https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/chester-roman-amphitheatre/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 2. **Roman Gardens** (Free · Off Pepper Street): Columns and a hypocaust laid out under the walls. 3. **Roman stones at the Grosvenor** (Free · Grosvenor Street): Tombstones of legionaries recovered from the city walls. 4. **Northgate walls** (Free · North walls): The stretch where the Roman fabric of the wall shows best. 5. **Dewa Roman Experience** (Ticketed · Pierpoint Lane): Hands-on Roman fort for children, with armour to try on. ## Best restaurants in Chester (2026) Steak on Watergate Street, bistro cooking in Hoole, and the market for lunch. 1. **Upstairs at the Grill** (Steakhouse · £££ · Watergate Street): Dry-aged steak in a first-floor room off Watergate Street. 2. **Sticky Walnut** (Modern bistro · ££ · Hoole): Gary Usher's original bistro, a short walk out in Hoole. 3. **Joseph Benjamin** (Modern British · ££ · Northgate Street): A small modern restaurant run by two brothers since 2006. 4. **The Chef's Table** (Modern British · ££ · Music Hall Passage): Modern British plates in a narrow room off the Rows. 5. **Arkle** (Fine dining · £££ · Eastgate Street): The Chester Grosvenor hotel’s fine-dining room on Eastgate. 6. **Chester Market stalls** (Food hall · £ · Northgate): Forty-odd traders under one roof for a cheap lunch. ## Best pubs and bars in Chester Timber-framed inns on Lower Bridge Street and warehouse bars on the canal. 1. **Brewery Tap** (Real ale · Lower Bridge Street): A Jacobean hall up fifteen steps, pouring Spitting Feathers ales. 2. **Bear & Billet** (Historic pub · Lower Bridge Street): A Grade I timber-framed inn from the 17th century. 3. **Ye Olde Boot Inn** (Historic pub · Eastgate Row): A Samuel Smith pub entered from Eastgate Row itself. 4. **Old Harkers Arms** (Pub · Canal, Russell Street): A Brunning & Price bar in a Victorian canal warehouse. 5. **Telford's Warehouse** (Bar · music · Tower Wharf): Canal warehouse bar with live music most weekends. 6. **Pied Bull** (Brewpub · Northgate Street): An old coaching inn on Northgate that brews its own beer. ## Chester with kids A day at the zoo, a morning as a legionary, and space to run by the river. 1. **Chester Zoo** (Ticketed · Upton): A full day of animals; book online and go midweek. [Website](https://www.chesterzoo.org/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 2. **Dewa Roman Experience** (Ticketed · Pierpoint Lane): Armour, mosaics and brass rubbings in a mock fort. 3. **Grosvenor Park** (Free · East of the walls): A Victorian park with a playground and the summer theatre. 4. **River cruises on the Dee** (Paid · The Groves): Short sightseeing cruises leave from the Groves in season. ## Shopping in Chester Independents on the Rows, chains under cover, and the outlet up the M53. 1. **The Rows** (Independents · City centre): Two storeys of shops along the four main streets. 2. **Grosvenor Shopping Centre** (High street · Eastgate): Around 70 stores under one roof behind Eastgate. 3. **Chester Market** (Market · Northgate): Food stalls plus a few crafts and gift traders. 4. **Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet** (Outlet · Ellesmere Port): The UK’s largest outlet centre, 145 stores off the M53. [Website](https://www.mcarthurglen.com/en/outlets/uk/designer-outlet-cheshire-oaks/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ## Chester neighborhoods Inside the walls for the sights, just outside them for value and pubs. 1. **Inside the walls** (Central · City centre): The Rows, the cathedral and the best of the sights on foot. 2. **Hoole** (Local · Northeast): Victorian terraces by the station, with cafés and Sticky Walnut. 3. **Handbridge** (Residential · South bank): Across the Old Dee Bridge, quiet, with river views back. 4. **Canal Quarter** (Nightlife · Northwest): Warehouse bars and towpaths around Tower Wharf. 5. **Lower Bridge Street** (Historic · South): Timber-framed inns running down to the river. ## Day trips from Chester North Wales castles, a canal aqueduct, and Liverpool by train. 1. **Liverpool** (Train · Merseyside): The waterfront and museums, about 45 minutes by train. 2. **Conwy** (Train · North Wales): Edward I's castle and walled town, part of a World Heritage Site. [Website](https://cadw.gov.wales/visit/places-to-visit/conwy-castle?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 3. **Llangollen** (Car or tour · North Wales): The Dee valley town and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct nearby. 4. **Beeston Castle** (Car · Cheshire): A ruined castle on a sandstone crag over the Cheshire Plain. [Website](https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/beeston-castle-and-woodland-park/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 5. **Port Sunlight** (Train · Wirral): Lever's model village and its gallery, about 25 minutes by train. 6. **Erddig** (Car · Wrexham): A National Trust country house and gardens near Wrexham. [Website](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wales/erddig?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 7. **Ness Botanic Gardens** (Car · Wirral): The university gardens on the Wirral, with views to Wales. ## Festivals & annual events in Chester (2026) - **Cheshire and North Wales Food & Drink Festival** (Easter): Producers and cooking demonstrations on the racecourse over Easter weekend. - **Boodles May Festival** (6–8 May 2026): Three days of racing on the Roodee, with Ladies Day on the Thursday. - **Chester Literature Festival** (12 May–14 June 2026): Talks and readings at Storyhouse across five weeks. - **Midsummer Watch Parade** (20–21 June 2026): A street parade first recorded in 1498, from Town Hall Square at 2pm. - **Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre** (27 June–6 September 2026): Storyhouse's summer season of plays in the park, under the trees. - **Chester Marathon** (11 October 2026): Starts and finishes at the racecourse; one of the largest marathons in the UK. - **Chester Christmas Market** (18 November–22 December 2026): Wooden chalets around the Town Hall and cathedral, free to enter. - **Winter Watch Parade** (December): The evening winter version of the parade, held on Thursdays in early December. ## Must-try dishes in Chester, United Kingdom - **Cheshire cheese**: Crumbly, mild and among the oldest named British cheeses. - **Chester pudding**: An old local lemon tart, also made as a steamed sponge. - **Cheshire soup**: A thick vegetable soup with plenty of Cheshire cheese stirred in. - **Sunday roast**: Beef or lamb with Yorkshire pudding, best in the old inns. - **Welsh lamb**: From over the border, on most menus in the city. - **Cheshire ice cream**: Dairy-farm ice cream from the county’s herds, sold all summer. - **Afternoon tea**: Served in the hotels and tearooms along the Rows. - **Spitting Feathers ale**: Brewed at Waverton outside the city, poured at the Brewery Tap. ## Chester transport & airports - **Chester station** (Rail): A 15-minute walk from the Eastgate. Avanti runs direct to London Euston in about two hours; Transport for Wales serves North Wales and Manchester. [Website](https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - **Merseyrail to Liverpool** (Rail): Electric trains to Liverpool city centre through the Wirral in about 45 minutes, calling at Port Sunlight on the way. [Website](https://www.merseyrail.org/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - **Manchester Airport** (MAN): The nearest long-haul airport, about 35 minutes by car on the M56. Transport for Wales runs direct trains in around an hour and a half. [Website](https://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - **Liverpool John Lennon Airport** (LPL): Short-haul European flights from Speke in south Liverpool, about 45 minutes by car. By rail, change at Liverpool South Parkway for the airport bus. [Website](https://www.liverpoolairport.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ## Chester at a glance - **Country:** United Kingdom (England) - **Region:** Cheshire, on the Welsh border - **Population:** 92,760 in the built-up area (2021 census) - **Founded:** As the Roman fortress of Deva, in the AD 70s - **City status:** 1541 - **River:** Dee - **Language:** English - **Currency:** Pound sterling (GBP) - **Time zone:** GMT · UTC+0, BST UTC+1 in summer - **Calling code:** +44 - **Airports:** Manchester (MAN) and Liverpool (LPL) - **Emergency:** 999 or 112 ## Interesting facts - Chester has the most complete circuit of Roman and medieval town walls in Britain. - The Eastgate Clock on the walls marks Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. - The Roodee is the oldest racecourse still in use in England. - The Midsummer Watch Parade dates from 1498, among the oldest in the country. - Storyhouse puts the city library on the shelves of a 1936 Odeon cinema. ## Chester travel FAQ ### How many days do you need in Chester? Two. One for the walls, the Rows, the cathedral, the Grosvenor Museum and the amphitheatre, all within the walls. The second for Chester Zoo, a race day, or a train to Liverpool or North Wales. ### Can you walk the whole of the Chester city walls? Yes. The circuit is about two miles and free, and takes about an hour at an easy pace. There are steps at several gates, so it is not fully step-free; the stretch past the cathedral is the most rewarding. ### What are the Chester Rows? Covered galleries at first-floor height above the street-level shops on Eastgate, Watergate, Northgate and Bridge Street. They are unique to Chester. Most of the fronts are Victorian rebuilds, while the undercrofts below are medieval. ### How do you get to Chester from London? By train from London Euston with Avanti West Coast, about two hours direct. Chester station is a 15-minute walk from the Eastgate, and local buses link it to the centre. ### Is Chester a good base for North Wales? Yes. Trains run west along the North Wales coast towards Conwy, and Llangollen and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct are within an hour by car. Liverpool is about 45 minutes away by train. ## Nearby guides - [Dublin](https://wimup.com/city/dublin.md): Ireland · 10 picks - [London](https://wimup.com/city/london.md): United Kingdom · 10 picks - [Exeter](https://wimup.com/city/exeter.md): United Kingdom · 10 picks - [All of Europe →](https://wimup.com/europe): 134 cities Part of the [United Kingdom guide](https://wimup.com/country/united-kingdom.md) · [Europe](https://wimup.com/europe.md) ## Sources - [Chester tourism board](https://www.visitchester.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Visit Chester Cathedral (official site)](https://chestercathedral.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [See the Roman Amphitheatre (official site)](https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/chester-roman-amphitheatre/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Explore the Grosvenor Museum (official site)](https://www.visitchester.com/things-to-do/grosvenor-museum-p21061?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Spend a day at Chester Zoo (official site)](https://www.chesterzoo.org/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Go racing on the Roodee (official site)](https://www.chester-races.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Catch a show at Storyhouse (official site)](https://www.storyhouse.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Eat at Chester Market (official site)](https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/residents/leisure-parks-and-events/markets/chester-market?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet (official site)](https://www.mcarthurglen.com/en/outlets/uk/designer-outlet-cheshire-oaks/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Conwy (official site)](https://cadw.gov.wales/visit/places-to-visit/conwy-castle?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Beeston Castle (official site)](https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/beeston-castle-and-woodland-park/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Erddig (official site)](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wales/erddig?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Chester station (official site)](https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Merseyrail to Liverpool (official site)](https://www.merseyrail.org/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Manchester Airport (official site)](https://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Liverpool John Lennon Airport (official site)](https://www.liverpoolairport.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - Rankings are Wimup editorial picks. Prices, durations and budgets are editorial estimates, not live quotes; check the official site before you go.