Chester Hotels

See History up close at Chester

One of the things you notice immediately when you first visit Chester is the history. At almost every turn, you are confronted with structures that take you back to Roman times, and you sense just a bit of what life must have been like in ancient Rome.

Attractions / Places to See.

Indeed, you’ve not truly seen Chester at all unless you visit some of these historical landmarks. For instance, you’ll want to see the Cathedral at 12 Abbey Square. This is a cathedral, which was left unscathed and untouched by King Henry VIII as he dissolved all of the monasteries. He left this one untouched simply because it was his favorite. Today it appears mostly as it did in Henry VIII’s time.

You can take another fascinating trip back through time by visiting Roman Chester (in Latin, “Deva”). this was one of Roman England’s greatest military bases. Because of this, it has more than its share of Roman ruins. There is even some thought that, had the Romans not departed, the new Roman capital of England would have been Chester.

Visit the Amphitheater at Vicars Lane, it’s thought that this was the Roman Empire’s largest wooden amphitheatre outside of Rome itself (Later, a stone amphitheatre would be built on top of its foundations

Are you into Mother Nature? There’s no better way to see Chester’s natural beauty than by visiting Grosvenor Park. This classical 19th century park has a traditional Victorian layout, which includes tree-lined formal avenues, huge sweeping lawns which are surrounded by shrubbery and bedding plants, all providing a colorful display during both spring and summer months.
And while you’re in the all-natural mindset, be sure to stop by the Chester Zoo at Upton-by-Chester. This zoo ranks up there with the very best found in Europe. They have a world-class elephant collection and an unusual bat cave, where the bats fly freely--right up to the visitors!

Chester Attractions

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Chester - Museums

Chester has a fair selection of museums. While there aren’t as many as other cities have, they are mostly first-rate.
The Grosvenor Museum on Grosvenor Street is small but chock-full of information about the area’s Roman heritage. An impressive selection of roman tombstones From soldiers to slaves. There are around 35 tombstones on display.
Meanwhile, the Dewa Roman Experience on Pierpoint Lane is a fun interactive museum. It focuses on Chester’s Roman history and has dozens of hands-on exhibits. No matter how many times you visit, you’ll still enjoy it. Best to wait until after 3 p.m., though, if possible, since school groups tend to visit during the earlier hours.

Military buffs will be interested in the Cheshire Military Museum at the Castle, Chester. As the name suggests, the museum is focused on recalling the area’s military past, complete with archives, ever-changing exhibitions, and a shop.

Chester - Shopping & Dining

For a smaller city, Chester has an amazing number of shops and an amazing variety, as well. There are several centres in the city, where most of the major stores are based. Also, the Rows has many good shops and great restaurants. You’ll also find The Watergates Wine Bar there, a unique experience you’ll want to sample. And for those who are looking for real bargains, Cheshire Oaks, a designer outlet, is only 10 miles away, and is worth the trip.

When you’re ready to relax from a day of sightseeing and shopping, you’ll want to visit one of Chester’s tasty dining establishments.
The Piccolino at Pepper Row, for instance, is an Italian restaurant with a large selection of dishes and terrific service. At the Watergates Bar on Watergates Street, you’ll find reasonably-priced fare of different sorts, served in an historic Norman crypt.
If you like Oriental food, try Siam on City Road, they feature Thai food and, downstairs, Teppan-yaki Japanese food, which is prepared in front of the patrons.
For a restaurant big on atmosphere, visit Brasserie at Brookdale Place. It’s a perfect destination for a romantic getaway and also nice for more formal business dinners, the food, though, is not priced at an exorbitant level.
Or if you want something a bit more casual, Ego, at Grosvenor Street, might be more to your liking. This restaurant is especially popular with families and students. It has easy access to many cinemas, theatres and bars, as well as Chester race course.
By the time you’ve visited all the historic spots, done some shopping, and sampled the distinct food in Chester, you’ll feel that you’ve become ingrained as part of Chester’s history.