Chester Tourism And Travel Guide

Chester’s captivating appeal and unique impressions make it one of the most popular attractions in Britain for a memorable short break. Like a storybook, each chapter in Chester’s history reflects deep in its character, from marching to war by the Roman warriors to Norman conquerors invading Anglo Saxons to Viking marauders creating havoc, your experience of Chester will not be confined just to its military background but will give you even more to explore with its city walls, years’ old Cathedral with the finest carvings, largest Roman Amphitheatre, an assortment of ancient artifacts and a vibrant teashop urbanity where observing life and outdoor dining are all one and the same.

Tourism in Chester is incomplete without the Chester Zoo, one of the most frequented spots outside of London that house nearly 500 different species of 21,000 animal, spanning magnificent gardens. There are several festivals and events to make up for a busy calendar of happenings in the town that you’d indulge in. Here’s a travel guide to help you find your way around Chester.

By Air:

From India, Chester’s nearly 13½ hours by air and there are regular flights operated by Air India, British Airways, KLM, Etihad, Air France or Lufthansa, plying on the route. One of the best ways to reach Chester from India is to board a flight to Birmingham International Airport which takes about 8.5 hours from Indira Gandhi International Airport and on arrival at Chester, board a train to Crew and then progress further to Chester, having you there in 1 hour 50 minutes.

By Train:

From Birmingham New Street Station to Chester by train take an hour and 50 minutes, with a train leaving for Crewe every 20 minutes. From Crewe, the train journey is 19 minutes roughly. With Arriva Trains Wales and Virgin West Coast Trains plying on the route, the total train fare is anywhere between INR 2,300-6,500.

By Road:

Traveling by bus from the Birmingham Coach Station to Chester is yet another alternative. National Express operates two buses on the route at an estimated fare of 1,200-1,800 INR. The bus journey is 1 hour and 50 minutes. You’d also enjoy driving to Chester yourself, as the distance by road is just 129 km and will you have there in 1.3 hours or so.

Getting Around:

Chester’s more or less closed for vehicle traffic between the hours of 10.30 in the morning till about 4.30 in the evening. Hence the best way to explore the city of Chester is to walk it since most of the popular attractions are near the city walls. And to travel to the Chester Zoo or Aquarium, there are plenty of buses to hop on!

Chester’s got oceanic weather with warm summers as compared to hot summers and cool to cold winters. This makes it a destination you can visit for most parts of the year. The average high temperature in Chester’s usually 14°C and the minimum temperature is 6°C. With the temperatures seldom varying here, the best time to visit Chester would be June-August.

Spring (March-May):

Springtime in Chester experiences a mild climate with some lovely sunny days with a blend of wet & cool weather. The average daytime temperature from March through May is 17°C-10°C and this period is usually a good time to visit for travelers who prefer mild to warm weather as an alternative to peak summers.

Summer (June-August):

In summers, most days witness a mild to warm condition with a possible row of rare hot days. With the days being their longest in summer, you may also see humid or overcast days. The period between June through August has an average temperature of 21°C which makes for a pleasant summer temperature, also making it opportune for visitors to explore Chester’s scenic countryside.

Fall (September-November):

The fall seasons is a good time to visit Chester as it provides a mix of mild temperatures and longer days beginning early September. With varied shades of autumn hues, the weather in Chester also varies between a mix of pleasantly mild days to cooler/colder days from September through November. The average daytime temperature during this period oscillates between 10°C-18°C.

Winter (December-February):

Winters in Chester experiences shorter and cooler days with crisper weather and perfect for winter enthusiasts. With a possibility of snowfall, the period from December through February is ideal to enjoy a number of Christmas Markets and Cultural Fairs.

Nature & Wildlife:

There are a variety of nature parks, gardens, wildlife, rivers, playground, hiking & equestrian trails in Chester that you’d enjoy visiting and strolling through. The Chester Zoo has different species of fish, snakes, animals and enough space for kids to enjoy and run about in, while the Chester Cathedral Falconry & Nature Gardens allow you to watch fascinating birds of prey gliding through the wind with grace! The Grosvenor Park in Chester has a Miniature Railway, yet another interesting attraction to visit and have fun with your family, With its mini train rides in the beautiful and scenic atmosphere of Chester, just a few steps from the city center, the rides run on diesel and a rare steam train on a quarter mile track, crossing a long wooden overpass, round a pond of large white goose, ducks and moorhens, with sights of naughty little squirrels passing through the trees and then reaching a smalls station with an abundance of souvenirs of Thomas The Tank.

Along the popular rows of Chester, there’s a small shop with a bundle of secrets! Sally’s Secret Garden is a lovely spot to relish a cup of premium coffee and has an alternate gift shop as well, located in a light and lively timber edged building with a delightful assortment of food and drinks. Alexandra Park is a lovely place to visit with ample lush greens and benches to enjoy a perfect day out, with something for everyone, including tennis courts, bowling green club and a play area for kids. Some other nature-friendly tourist attractions to explore and indulge in include the Sandstone Trail, the Meadows, Caldy Nature Park, Cheshire Trekking, Sandy Lane & Aqua Park and Edgar’s Field.

Fun & Games:

From playing virtual reality games to engaging in active sports, to visiting the different gaming & entertainment centers or simply laughing your guts with its comedy shows, there’s never a dearth of fun and games in Chester. Escapism Chester is the city’s premium live escape room with a variety of puzzles to solve with the aid of hunt clues and crack codes in less than 60 minutes and winning your way through to the hall of fame! The JF Polo Academy in Chester has a number of polo experience days, lessons and ponies on sale for all age groups & abilities. With highly qualified instructors & professional players, you’d look forward to some interesting and exciting polo lessons, irrespective of whether you know anything about polo or not.

FootGolf bridges the gap between Golf and Football and the FootGolf Chester makes for a stadium, sports venue and arena in one with a technical putt style foot golf course and a 9-hole pitch and conducts varied events, tournaments, football courses and educational programs. You can explore Zorb football and foot darts when visiting here.

Sight-Seeing:

From fascinating walking tours of Roman Chester with a genuine Roman Soldier to cruising on the River Dee, sightseeing Chester aboard the Hop-on Hop-off tour or taking day trips in and around Chester, there’s so much to see and visit in Chester, that you will lose all track of time. The city of Chester is rich with its classic assortment of Churches and Cathedrals, Museums, Shopping Places and Historic Monuments, making every spot a special place to explore.

With an abundance of country pubs, quaint cafes and award-winning restaurants that serve nothing but the best, freshest and most delectable items on the menu, there are enough places and more in Chester and Cheshire for all soulful foodies, ideal for all palates and pockets. Whether it is a lunch in a lovely country pub, a tempting afternoon tea or gorging on the best street food, Chester’s pastoral beauty works best with its wide array of farm markets, festivals and local breweries as well.

The Church Bar & Restaurant is one of the city’s most popular nightlife venues that offers the best seats from its Mezzanine restaurant facing its quirky bar. Weekends are usually high with live music and late bar services. Suburbs is an independent and intimate cocktail bar in the heart of Chester with delectable dishes, cocktails and wine. The Chef’s Table is a small and award-winning gluten-free restaurant of repute with the best local produce in their ever-changing menus and seasonal offerings.

They specialize in their in-house fruits cordials, marinated olives and the best coffee from Chester’s popular coffee shop, Jaunty Goat. Panda Mami is a critically admired group of restaurants competing for some of the best high-end buffet diners in the league of 5-star hotels. It offers an assortment of international cuisine with over 120 authentic dishes from across the globe, cooked before a live audience, within a luxurious setting. Other notable restaurants to visit when in Chester include the Brasserie Bar, Chez Jules, Dutton, Fiesta Havana and 1539 restaurant, late lounge & bar.

Shopping in Chester includes a wide range of gift and specialty shops, flea markets, antique stores, malls and art galleries where you can spend your money to your heart’s content. If you’re an avid shopper, you’ll truly enjoy Chester with an abundance of fashion boutiques, high street favorites and independent shops. Chester’s been an ideal place for retail therapy from the Middle Ages. The Rows is one of the oldest shopping portico, where roots, fruits & herb markets thrived, cheese and cloth markets flourished and shoemakers & ironmongers sold their wares. Presently, you’ll find particularly distinct stores in the upper galleries, specifically in the Bridge Street and Watergate Street as also some hidden gems just off the main streets like Godstall Lane and Rufus Court.

The Grosvenor Shopping Centre is situated within the City’s Roman Walls and just moments away from the River Dee with some of the best stores that cater to all kinds of shopping sprees, spanning health, homeware, beauty, fashion, jewelry or food. Open 7 days a week, the stores here are typically open from 9 am to 5.30 pm. Irrespective of what time of the year you visit Chester, and which day you pick to shop, Chester’s unique shopping experience and delightful cafes will leave you asking for more with its offerings of High Street Names like Molton Brown, The White Company, Whistles, Jack Willis, Reiss, Cath Kidston and Jo Malone, to name a few.