Things to do
Back to 'Things to see and do'
Chester is packed with shops, cafés and restaurants, yet it's got history all around. It started as a major Roman city, of course, but was also a pivotal location in the Civil War. A walk around city walls gives you a great view of the city and the River Dee – you can even row off a few calories if you hire a rowing boat!
The world-famous Chester Rows have to be seen – black-and-white tiered shops dating from the 14th century. There’s a huge range of shops, and you can amble from one to another looking down on the street below, just as people have done for hundreds of years.
Chester Cathedral has been recently refurbished, and is well worth a visit. It has a separate bell-tower, which is quite unusual.
Shopping – as well as The Rows, the city centre has its own large shopping mall in The Forum. Cheshire Oaks is a large outlet and entertainment centre on the edge of Chester.
Farmers’ Market - Chester Farmers' Market is held on the first Wednesday in every month, in the Town Hall Square, Chester.
Roman Chester
Grosvenor Museum in the city has excellent exhibits of Roman finds – and makes a great place to learn about the history of Chester. There are many remnants of the Roman walls to see around Chester.
The Dewa Roman Experience in the city centre is a museum with a difference – it’s ‘hands-on’ displays help you really understand what life was like in Roman times!