Chester, England: Roman Relic
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
Contact Chester Tourist Office: tel 01244 402111 for the boring stuff such as What's On and Where To Stay...
HISTORY
The Romans conquered Chester and left a load of Roman rubble around which they built a wall. Visit the Museum on Bridge Street, walk the walls on a sunny day and check out the Tourist Information next to the Town Hall outside which is more rubble. A new Law Courts building has just been built over the amphitheatre, though, so if you are planning a visit make it quick before the council concrete over the rest of our precious heritage.
LEISURE
I used to come to Northgate swimming pool when I was a kid - it took over an hour to get there, but! it was the only pool in Cheshire with mushrooms that spouted water, and which didn't have four corners. Anyway, the Northgate Leisure Arena is still there with many more facilities than just a hole full of water, and these days it opens its doors to Computer Fairs, Model Railway meets and all kind of other events.
For cinemas, your multi-screens are at Sealand Retail Park and Cheshire Oaks - but check out the Odeon Cinema in the town centre for your traditional type of cinema, although be warned! the air conditioning has been known to be faulty in the heat of summer.
SHOPPING
With its pedestrianised centre, Chester is shopping heaven. Fall to your knees and worship the great Gods of the High Street! - all the usual chainstores you might expect as well as plenty of independents which are still managing to keep going despite the overheads. The great thing is that the shops are just piled on top of one another in the Rows (a Tudor method of split-level shopping which we can only admire them for). Get yourself a map, because the shopping area is vast - from the fountains at the top of Northgate to the river at the bottom of Lower Bridge Street, and from the stables at the end of Watergate to the subways at Boughton, you'll appreciate the many sandwich shops, cafes, bars and pubs along the way.
The Park & Ride services take you right to the heart of the shops and are well worth using (especially at Christmas and holidays), as the car parks in the city centre are far more expensive, usually full and terrible to get out of in the evening (congestion being a Roman invention).
Wear comfy shoes.
If you still need more shops then drive out to the Sealand Retail Park which is mostly household and electrical, or Broughton Retail Park which has more of your clothes and music shops. Further out still is Cheshire Oaks Outlet Village, off the M56 but beware! it is very close to Stanlow and Kemira so you won't be doing your lungs any favours, and on summer Saturdays it is Congestion City.
EATING
There's LOADS of places, from sandwich shops at the Boughton end to the obligatory posh nosh restaurants at the other - and everything else inbetween. Check out as many as you can - life's too short not to experience all the food Chester has to offer.
I'd recommend Chester Tandoori and Don Donato's (the best Calzone this side of Naples) on Brook Street - turn left out of the station, ten minutes walk. The only bad experience I had was with the Mongolian barbecue - it may be that Mongolia doesn't have any national dishes because these people insist you make up your own, and for those of us who aren't Lloyd Grossman in the kitchen (or anywhere else for that matter) this can only be a Bad Thing.
Travel out to Crabwell Manor at Mollington for that really special occasion.
HANGING OUT IN THE SUMMER
There's always something going on around the pedestrianised centre; the Council license out street acts - from violinists to clowns, balloon modellers to acrobats. Or buy sandwiches in town, cakes, wine etc and head off to the Park where the squirrels are extremely amiable. After a picnic, carry on down to the River and watch the swans and wandering tourists, or join them on a boat up the river - all sizes to choose from. There are pubs, cafes and ice cream stalls down there, too. Just don't sit on the benches which are directly underneath trees; this is pigeon-roosting territory and a direct hit can seriously damage your sense of humour.
If you're in Chester in the summer, don't miss the Raft Race (usually in July - check with the Tourist Office). Fleets of home-made rafts sail to the weir and back (or not as is more often the case). Make sure you are armed with flour and tomatoes, and go stand on the white footbridge which links Chester to Handbridge. Just stand well back when they switch the water cannons on. Afterwards, marvel at the changed colour of the River Dee and the fortitude of Chester's swans.
When Chester Races are on, choose a wine bar and put your feet up to watch the people go by - Chester is inundated with traffic and designer hats during Race Days. In the evenings the restaurants will be fully booked, the bars will be well stocked with champagne and the roads will be at a standstill. If you're into watching horses being beaten around a track for profit, though, you could always join them.
NIGHTLIFE
Hot. Too much to mention here although be aware of Branigan's (bum pinchers paradise) and Off The Wall which is a good video pub to start off an evening in. You could try and pack into Rosie's later on, don't bother though if you want conversation.
For the more erudite evening, Chester Gateway Theatre has excellent productions all year long - big names and small. Pre-book your interval drinks though.
HISTORY
The Romans conquered Chester and left a load of Roman rubble around which they built a wall. Visit the Museum on Bridge Street, walk the walls on a sunny day and check out the Tourist Information next to the Town Hall outside which is more rubble. A new Law Courts building has just been built over the amphitheatre, though, so if you are planning a visit make it quick before the council concrete over the rest of our precious heritage.
LEISURE
I used to come to Northgate swimming pool when I was a kid - it took over an hour to get there, but! it was the only pool in Cheshire with mushrooms that spouted water, and which didn't have four corners. Anyway, the Northgate Leisure Arena is still there with many more facilities than just a hole full of water, and these days it opens its doors to Computer Fairs, Model Railway meets and all kind of other events.
For cinemas, your multi-screens are at Sealand Retail Park and Cheshire Oaks - but check out the Odeon Cinema in the town centre for your traditional type of cinema, although be warned! the air conditioning has been known to be faulty in the heat of summer.
SHOPPING
With its pedestrianised centre, Chester is shopping heaven. Fall to your knees and worship the great Gods of the High Street! - all the usual chainstores you might expect as well as plenty of independents which are still managing to keep going despite the overheads. The great thing is that the shops are just piled on top of one another in the Rows (a Tudor method of split-level shopping which we can only admire them for). Get yourself a map, because the shopping area is vast - from the fountains at the top of Northgate to the river at the bottom of Lower Bridge Street, and from the stables at the end of Watergate to the subways at Boughton, you'll appreciate the many sandwich shops, cafes, bars and pubs along the way.
The Park & Ride services take you right to the heart of the shops and are well worth using (especially at Christmas and holidays), as the car parks in the city centre are far more expensive, usually full and terrible to get out of in the evening (congestion being a Roman invention).
Wear comfy shoes.
If you still need more shops then drive out to the Sealand Retail Park which is mostly household and electrical, or Broughton Retail Park which has more of your clothes and music shops. Further out still is Cheshire Oaks Outlet Village, off the M56 but beware! it is very close to Stanlow and Kemira so you won't be doing your lungs any favours, and on summer Saturdays it is Congestion City.
EATING
There's LOADS of places, from sandwich shops at the Boughton end to the obligatory posh nosh restaurants at the other - and everything else inbetween. Check out as many as you can - life's too short not to experience all the food Chester has to offer.
I'd recommend Chester Tandoori and Don Donato's (the best Calzone this side of Naples) on Brook Street - turn left out of the station, ten minutes walk. The only bad experience I had was with the Mongolian barbecue - it may be that Mongolia doesn't have any national dishes because these people insist you make up your own, and for those of us who aren't Lloyd Grossman in the kitchen (or anywhere else for that matter) this can only be a Bad Thing.
Travel out to Crabwell Manor at Mollington for that really special occasion.
HANGING OUT IN THE SUMMER
There's always something going on around the pedestrianised centre; the Council license out street acts - from violinists to clowns, balloon modellers to acrobats. Or buy sandwiches in town, cakes, wine etc and head off to the Park where the squirrels are extremely amiable. After a picnic, carry on down to the River and watch the swans and wandering tourists, or join them on a boat up the river - all sizes to choose from. There are pubs, cafes and ice cream stalls down there, too. Just don't sit on the benches which are directly underneath trees; this is pigeon-roosting territory and a direct hit can seriously damage your sense of humour.
If you're in Chester in the summer, don't miss the Raft Race (usually in July - check with the Tourist Office). Fleets of home-made rafts sail to the weir and back (or not as is more often the case). Make sure you are armed with flour and tomatoes, and go stand on the white footbridge which links Chester to Handbridge. Just stand well back when they switch the water cannons on. Afterwards, marvel at the changed colour of the River Dee and the fortitude of Chester's swans.
When Chester Races are on, choose a wine bar and put your feet up to watch the people go by - Chester is inundated with traffic and designer hats during Race Days. In the evenings the restaurants will be fully booked, the bars will be well stocked with champagne and the roads will be at a standstill. If you're into watching horses being beaten around a track for profit, though, you could always join them.
NIGHTLIFE
Hot. Too much to mention here although be aware of Branigan's (bum pinchers paradise) and Off The Wall which is a good video pub to start off an evening in. You could try and pack into Rosie's later on, don't bother though if you want conversation.
For the more erudite evening, Chester Gateway Theatre has excellent productions all year long - big names and small. Pre-book your interval drinks though.
