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Chester originated in the Romano-British period at the latest, when it formed the settlement known as Deva or Castra Devana, the fortress city of the 20th Legion (Legio XX Valeria Victrix). As a result some parts of Chester are around two thousand years old. It was a Royalist stronghold during the English Civil War in the 1640s, and along the walls one can see the tower from which King Charles I watched his troops do battle.
A native of Chester is called a 'Cestrian'; though as is the case that Cockneys must be born within earshot of the Bow Bells to be classed a 'true' Cockney, to be strictly deemed a 'Cestrian' the person must have been born within the boundaries of the city's Roman walls.
However, the last maternity ward within those defined limits was relocated to its current site a couple of miles outside the City Walls in the mid-1960's.
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By train
Wikitravel has a guide to [wiki=47aae13255934a59c545b41559108f2b]Rail travel in the United Kingdom[/wiki].
* From [wiki=59ead8d1e124ccfb79f3ace06f43e703]London[/wiki] [url=http://www.nationalrail.co.uk]]- Hourly service to and from London; otherwise a single change of trains at [[Crewe[/url]] connects with many other London trains. Chester is on the North Wales Coast line, over which trains starting at Crewe and Manchester run to [wiki=ae5e9b8ea096379c752e50631876a451]Llandudno[/wiki] and [wiki=34a49fcc86393d8c28a694974045baea]Holyhead[/wiki]; direct trains also run from and via Chester to [wiki=ff327667b0a752abe3910f9f1c2ec06b]Birmingham[/wiki], [wiki=288a6430a6f57a76e823d74e0dd750d2]Cardiff[/wiki] and [wiki=27fe56b89bb41bda1bd489367f044b14]Shrewsbury[/wiki].
* From [wiki=afce84ff226407a47c9782a742ba02f7]Liverpool[/wiki] (40min) and [wiki=66d3fcaef74fd4529299b5f829113a6b]Birkenhead[/wiki] - Chester is a southern terminus on Merseyrail's Wirral Line which provides direct trains.
* From [wiki=317532540adceb07d5e2ec62d5eacac2]Manchester[/wiki] (60min) - a second line runs between Chester and Manchester - the journey is the scenic route in all senses of the word. The trip takes substantially longer, but travels through rural Cheshire before reaching Manchester's outer suburbs. So if time is of the essence, you would be advised to take the more regular aforementioned rail journey and save around half an hour in travelling time.
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By car
Chester is situated near the eastern end of the A55, which becomes the M53, which crosses the M56. London is approximately 170 miles by road, Birmingham approximately 90 miles, Manchester approximately 40 miles, Liverpool approximately 15 miles.
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By coach
Most national coaches stop in Chester. Chester coach station in the city centre has now been closed. The coaches stop at a bus stop on Vicars Lane, opposite the Visitor Centre near the Roman Amphitheatre.
* National Express [http://www.nationalexpress.com]
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The city centre itself is relatively small with everything within walking distance. During the day, there are regular buses, or one can take a taxi.
* Abbey Taxis 100 Foregate Street, Chester. 01244 318318 Taxis & private hire vehicles [http://www.abbeytaxis.net]
* Northern Ferrari Hire, Deeside Lane, Chester. 01244 434445 Self drive supercar hire [http://www.northernferrarihire.com]
* Chester Taxi Services, 01244 421024. Taxis, minibuses and airport transfers available. [http://www.taxis-in-chester.co.uk/]
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* The main ornamental park in Chester and includes a pond, miniature railway [http://www.gpmr.co.uk/] and children's play area.
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Roman Chester
Chester (or "Deva" in Latin) was one of the great military bases in Roman England, and as such, has its fair share of Roman ruins. Historians have even speculated that had the Roman departure not happened, Chester would have become the Roman Capital of England.
* The city centre is enclosed by the walls, which offer a pleasant strolling route for visitors and locals alike. Walk around the top of Roman walls that surround the city.
* Believed to have been the site of the largest wooden structure ampitheatre in the Roman Empire outside of Rome for its time, with a larger stone ampitheatre later built on-top of the foundations
* With reconstructed hypocaust.
* The basement of this shop gives access to an original hypocaust.
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The Groves is Chester's own riverside promenade running alongside the River Dee from the Grosvenor Park to the Old Handbridge (which gave it's name to one of the suburbs on the other bank).
The Groves is one of Chester’s premier open spaces, running along the city bank of the River Dee. It became a promenade in the early 1700s and is now part of a longer Riverside Promenade.
In 1726, the area was leased to Charles Croughton who secured the river bank and planted an avenue of trees. By the late 18th century it had become known as The Groves. The City Walls also became a fashionable place and during the 18th century, the circuit was modified and the Groves and the walls were connected through the construction of Recorder’s Steps. In Roman times, this section of riverside was a series of quarries where stone was extracted for building the fortress. In Saxon times, The Groves was probably the main port area and may have had a concentration of leatherworking.
The Groves is also the best place to go to take a trip down the river itself through all manner of vessels from motorised tour-boats to row boats and, in warm weather, even pedaloes.
*Grosvenor Park is a classical, 19th century designed park with a typical Victorian layout that includes formal avenues lined with trees, large sweeping lawns surrounded with ornamental shrub beds and bedding plants, which provide a colourful display throughout the spring and summer months. The park is located near the River Dee and with views across the river to the meadows and Queen’s Park and out towards the south of Chester.
Grosvenor Park was one of the first public parks in Britain outside of the big industrial cities and was given to the city of Chester in 1867 by Richard Grosvenor, the Second Marquess of Westminster.
* Along the river. Rowing boats can be hired, or if you don't want to exert yourself, there are many boat trips that go from the river bank on the city centre side between Handbridge Suspension bridge and the walls, and they show you everything you will want to see!
* Located on the Roodee, originally the site of the Roman port. If you're really keen on horseracing, find out the dates of the 'races days' Chester hosts a few times a year. You may have to book/ will have to book tickets in advance, check with Chester racecourse, and there is quite a range of prices. If you just want to see a bit of the race atmosphere for free, the walls walk you right past a view of the action down below. City centre bars are best avoided before and after the races, unless you wish to be very sociable because they are usally full and diffcult to get a drink! It's also a prolonged period before a taxi can, and I say can, come and collect you because of the high volume of traffic and personel demand.
* Well worth a visit, the zoo is absolutely superb and reportedly one of the best in Europe. The elephant collection is world class and it has a unique bat cave where they fly freely around visitors. It's best to leave 3-5 hours to do it properly. It's a little way out of the city centre, so either catch a bus from the bus station, or take the train from Chester Station to Bache on the Wirral Line. The latter option is extremely quick (under five minutes) and correspondingly cheap.
* Small but informative museum majoring on the city's Roman heritage.
*Interactive museum about Chester's Roman history, with hands-on exhibits. If visiting in term time worth waiting until after 3pm to avoid parties of schoolkids.
*Museum remembering the county's military past, with archives, a shop and changing exhibitions.
* Will get you round all the main tourist sites in 30 minutes. Several bus operators run tours: Heritage Tours [http://www.chesterheritagetours.co.uk].
* Chester is the prettiest city in the run up to Christmas when the streets are tastefully decorated with lights. The shops are hectic but try a walk round the walls after 5 pm.
*A world-class day spa offering an exhilarating sensory journey with an extensive treatment menu. Definitely worth a visit when in Chester, but lots to do so need to set aside enough time to make full use of the facilities!
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Chester has fantastic shopping for its size. All the major stores are based in one of the most attractive city centres in the country. Traditional black and white Tudor buildings and The Rows (an historic two-tiered shopping gallery, the only one of its kind in the world!) coupled with good shops and great places to eat, such as The Watergates Wine Bar, are sure to make this a pleasant shopping trip.
If that doesn't satisfy your consumerist needs, Cheshire Oaks is a designer outlet 10 miles away by bus or car.
Also Chester has a traditional indoor Market located behind the town hall.
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Good choices for food are:
* A historic Norman crypt dating from the 11th Century on the main cobbled streets just under The Rows. An extensive menu with loads of choice all at a reasonable price. Well worth a visit!
* Italian restaurant. Piccolino serves a huge selection of dishes and has very good service. When you go, go for the antipesto for starters!
* A well-converted canal-side building (above Harkers Arms).Upstairs is good-quality Thai menu. Downstairs is Teppan-yaki style Japanese food, prepared in front of you with all the performance of juggling utensils, fire etc.
* Situated in a beautiful old building near the racecourse. Offers fine dining at expensive prices.
* Whether you want for a quiet lunch, business dinner, romantic treat or full on celebration, 10-16 caters for everyone who appreciates fabulous food, excellent service and attention to detail at reasonable prices.
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Chester has plenty of historic, old-fashioned English pubs, with beer at around £2.50-£3 a pint. However, most places will stop serving at around 11:30pm, and even a little earlier on Sundays. The only true exception being Watergates which trades until 2am on Friday's and Saturday's.
* A great setting in an old church crypt under The Rows. Generally relaxed by daytime with a stunning rooftop garden with outside bar. Attracts a lively crowd in the evening with great music and a wide range of cocktails, beers, shooters, spirits and bottles.
* Recently renovated seventeenth century tavern features a wide selection of beers in convivial surroundings. Decent food too.
*Good local pub, serving real cask ale and selection of beers, wines and spirits. Real log fires in winter, excellent beer garden at rear. Traditional English pub, oak beamed and bar, with pool and darts. Home of the famous B-Troop Darts Club, saviours of pub darts.
* An old tavern situated at the top of Lower Bridge Street - allegedly haunted in its basement - it serves an excellent range of beer from the Sam Smith's brewery.
* When it needed its sign painting, the artist stopped to quench his thirst half-way through, and the rest is history. Very close to the city centre, outside it offers a 'husband-creche', where ladies can deposit their hapless other halves for an afternoon's shopping in peace.
* . Defiantly traditional, 'family-hostile' pub with walls covered in First World War memorabilia. Excellent beer and good home cooking.
*Ciro’s Brasserie at the Grosvenor Pulford Hotel & Spa is a magnificent Mediterranean style restaurant offering modern European cuisine and an excellent selection of fine wines from around the world.
*Set on the outskirts of Chester at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel, the steakhouse menu comprises everything you would expect from a traditional Steakhouse with the superior quality you would expect from Marco Pierre White.
*A traditional pub of unique character, revered for its eclectic range of real ales and its quality pub food, which are served, as they should be, with a generous measure of famous British hospitality.
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Bars
For late night drinks in a superb setting, you have to visit Watergates. An old church crypt under The Rows that is deceptively large with long barrels rooms and a hidden snug, great for that chill out and chat with friends. Attracts a lively crowd in the evening with great music and a wide range of cocktails, beers, shooters, spirits and bottles. Open until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays
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* Chester's main gay bar
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Clubs
There are only a handful of night clubs and late bars to choose from. The latest any club will stay open in Chester is 3am.
* One of the best clubs, alongside the canal.
* Ground floor is a 90's Bar, Babylon. Two more floors playing different music. Good security, lively venue.
*New club with four bars in six distinct themed areas, specific rooms for different persuasions.....bring leather trousers and lube if you're visiting the top floor! Classy and always a good night out.
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There are many good hotels in and around the city. Contact the tourist office for details.
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Mid range
Most B&Bs are clustered to the East of the City in Hoole. This has its own centre, with good local pubs, some restaurants and shops. Its about a mile into the city centre and not a very attractive walk, but is convenient for the train station.
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*
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* The 4-star Mercure chester North Woodhey House Hotel is 2 miles from central Chester. 126 rooms with internet access and satellite TV.
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*Roomzzz Chester City offers 64 luxury apartments including 5 penthouse apartments overlooking Chester racecourse. Complimentary breakfast, toiletries and ready meals are all available in an inclusive price as well as onsite parking (subject to availability).
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Splurge
For the seriously moneyed, there is only one choice. The Grosvenor is the height of luxury and is in the centre of town.
* .
* Located in Chester's city centre.
*Village hotels have accommodation in St David's near Chester. The hotel boasts 140 stylish bedrooms with modern decor. There are all the typical facilities you would expect to find in modern day accommodation including an indoor heated swimming pool, state of the art health & fitness club, spa, Victory pub & kitchen, Verve grill restaurant, its own Starbucks coffee house and Hub conference and meeting facilities.
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Chester is not an especially dangerous city, with no particular reputation for crime. The general rule is the nearer the racecourse (thus more expensive), the safer the area. However, between midnight and 3am or so, especially on Friday and Saturday nights, there will be plenty of drunken people about, so stick to well-lit areas and main roads. If you are one of these people and do not know the city well, consider taking a cab home.
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[wiki=e612e56ca0235a349cffa8331d8a6ad7]Wales[/wiki] - Chester is on the border with Wales, and the Victorian seaside resort of [wiki=ae5e9b8ea096379c752e50631876a451]Llandudno[/wiki] is just 50 miles away.
[wiki=afce84ff226407a47c9782a742ba02f7]Liverpool[/wiki] is a vibrant cosmopolitan city with a vast array of shops, bars and restaurants. Its world famous waterfront with the magnificent Albert Dock, along with its numerous museums of national importance, its wealth of fine Victorian and Georgian buildings and its two very contrasting cathedrals make Liverpool well worth a visit. Liverpool One, the biggest city centre shopping development in the UK, has put Liverpool in the top five most popular retail destinations in the country. A must for any visit is a trip on the world famous Mersey Ferry. Liverpool is just 45 minutes away by train using the Merseyrail network
[wiki=317532540adceb07d5e2ec62d5eacac2]Manchester[/wiki] - vibrant city.
[[WikiPedia:Chester]]
[wiki=206b1b6daffc09f32bbb622ec43797bd]nl:Chester (Engeland)[/wiki]
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