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The Pheasant Inn, Chester

Things to do guide

The best things to do in Chester

Updated 7 October 2026 · 13 things to do

Pictured: The Pheasant Inn

Chester began as a Roman fortress called Deva, built to keep an eye on the Welsh, and it has been showing off ever since. The legions left walls; the Middle Ages added a cathedral and a shopping street like no other; the Victorians gave it a coat of black-and-white timber and a very ornate clock. The result is one of the prettiest small cities in England.

It is also one of the easiest to enjoy. You can walk right round the centre on top of the walls in about an hour, shop on two levels at once, hire a boat on the river and still be in time for the races. Wales is just across the border when you fancy a castle or a mountain.

Don't miss

  1. 1The city walls
  2. 2The Rows
  3. 3Eastgate Clock
  4. 4Chester Cathedral
  5. 5Chester Zoo

The big sights

Everything here sits inside, or on top of, the walls.

  1. The city walls

    Landmark

    Chester's city walls
    Photo: Jeff Buck, CC BY-SA 2.0

    Chester has the most complete city walls in Britain: a circuit of about two miles that you can walk almost without a break. The Romans started them, the Saxons and Normans extended them, and the Georgians turned them into a promenade. The route passes the cathedral, crosses the four main gates, skirts the racecourse and runs beside the river and the canal. It is the best possible introduction to the city, and a pleasant hour's stroll.

    Tip: Start at the Eastgate and walk clockwise for views of the cathedral first and the river towards the end.

  2. The Rows

    Landmark

    The Rows on Eastgate Street, Chester
    Photo: Christopher Hilton, CC BY-SA 2.0

    Chester's four main streets have something found nowhere else: continuous covered galleries at first-floor level, with a second tier of shops above the ones on the street. You climb a few steps and stroll along under cover, looking down on the crowds below. Nobody is entirely sure why they were built, but they date back to the Middle Ages. Many of the black-and-white façades are Victorian revivals, though genuine medieval undercrofts survive beneath.

  3. Eastgate Clock

    Landmark

    The Victorian Eastgate Clock on Chester's city walls
    Photo: W. Bulach, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Perched on the bridge where the walls cross Eastgate Street, this ornate Victorian clock was installed to mark Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. With its wrought-iron frame and copper cupola, it is said to be the most photographed clock in England after Big Ben. The view from beneath it, straight down the street of timbered buildings, is the definitive picture of Chester. Climb the steps beside the gate to stand right underneath.

  4. Chester Cathedral

    Landmark

    Chester Cathedral seen from the south-west
    Photo: Stephen Hamilton, CC BY-SA 3.0

    A great red sandstone church that began life as a Benedictine abbey nearly a thousand years ago. Because it survived Henry VIII by becoming a cathedral, much of the monastery is still here: a peaceful cloister, a vaulted refectory and a chapter house. Do not miss the choir stalls, a masterpiece of medieval woodcarving alive with strange beasts and scenes of everyday life. Tower tours take you up to the roof for views across to Wales.

Roman Chester

  1. Roman Amphitheatre

    Landmark

    The remains of Chester's Roman amphitheatre
    Photo: Jeff Buck, CC BY-SA 2.0

    Just outside the walls lie the remains of the largest Roman amphitheatre found in Britain. It served the fortress of Deva, and thousands of spectators would have packed its tiers for military displays and gladiatorial combat. Only half has been excavated; the rest lies under later buildings. You can walk straight down into the arena and stand where the gladiators did. Next door, the Roman Gardens display columns and fragments rescued from around the city.

  2. Grosvenor Museum

    Museum

    Roman tombstones in the Grosvenor Museum, Chester
    Photo: Carole Raddato from FRANKFURT, Germany, CC BY-SA 2.0

    Chester's city museum, close to the racecourse, is the place to make sense of the Roman remains. Its gallery of Roman tombstones, many found built into the city walls, is among the finest collections of its kind in the country, each one a small portrait of a soldier or his family. There is also local silver, natural history and a Georgian townhouse at the back, with rooms furnished to show different periods of domestic life.

River, races and family days

  1. The River Dee and the Groves

    Activity

    The River Dee and the Groves in Chester
    Photo: Jeff Buck, CC BY-SA 2.0

    Below the walls, a tree-lined promenade called the Groves runs along the River Dee, with a Victorian bandstand, ice cream kiosks and pubs with terraces. From here you can take a river cruise or hire a rowing boat or pedalo. A graceful suspension footbridge crosses to the meadows on the far bank, and the medieval Old Dee Bridge and the weir lie just downstream. On a sunny Sunday, this is where Chester comes to do nothing in particular.

  2. Chester Racecourse

    Activity

    Chester Racecourse
    Photo: Chris Morgan, CC BY-SA 2.0

    Known as the Roodee, this is the oldest racecourse still in use in the world, with racing recorded here since the 16th century. It sits in a bowl of land right beside the city walls, on what was the Roman harbour before the river silted up. Race days, from spring to early autumn, are a big social occasion, and the whole city dresses up. On other days you can look down on the tight, almost circular track from the walls.

    Tip: Hotels and restaurants fill up fast on race days, particularly for the May Festival, so book early.

  3. Chester Zoo

    Wildlife

    A few miles north of the centre, this is one of the largest and most visited zoos in Britain, run by a conservation charity. It is set in extensive gardens and is home to thousands of animals, from elephants and giraffes to tiny endangered frogs. It is a full day out for families, with a lot of ground to cover. Wear comfortable shoes and plan a route, as you will not see everything.

Eat and drink

  1. Chester Market

    Market

    Inside Chester Market
    Photo: Dave Croker, CC BY-SA 2.0

    Chester's market moved into a bright new hall in the Northgate area in 2022, and it has quickly become the most sociable spot in the city. Traditional market traders share the space with a ring of street food kitchens and bars around communal tables. It is ideal for groups who cannot agree what to eat. Do try some crumbly Cheshire cheese, one of the oldest named cheeses in Britain.

Day trips

  1. Conwy

    Day trip

    Conwy Castle in North Wales
    Photo: Nilfanion, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Along the North Wales coast stands one of the great medieval fortresses of Europe. Conwy Castle was built by Edward I in the 1280s, and its eight massive towers still glower over the estuary. The town below is wrapped in its own circuit of walls, which you can walk. Castle and walls together are a World Heritage Site. The quay has what is billed as the smallest house in Great Britain, painted bright red.

  2. Beeston Castle

    Day trip

    The remains of Beeston Castle in Cheshire
    Photo: TCExplorer, CC BY-SA 2.0

    The ruins of a 13th-century castle crown a sheer sandstone crag rising abruptly out of the flat Cheshire plain. It is a steep climb to the inner bailey, and the reward is one of the widest views in England, stretching from the Pennines to the Welsh mountains on a clear day. The woodland around the foot of the rock is good for walks, and children enjoy the stories of lost royal treasure.

  3. Liverpool

    Day trip

    Royal Albert Dock in Liverpool
    Photo: 瑞丽江的河水, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Direct trains link Chester with Liverpool, making the bigger city an easy day out. Head for the waterfront: the Royal Albert Dock, the Three Graces at Pier Head and the Museum of Liverpool sit close together. Beatles fans can add the Cavern Club and The Beatles Story, and the city's two cathedrals face each other along Hope Street. It is a complete contrast to Chester, and all the better for it.

Where to stay in Chester

Not sure which area suits you? Read our guide: Where to stay in Chester →

Getting around

Chester is small and made for walking; nothing inside the walls is more than ten minutes or so from the Eastgate Clock. The station is a 15-minute walk or a short bus ride from the centre. Buses run to the zoo. For Beeston Castle and the Cheshire countryside you will want a car, while Conwy and Liverpool are both simple by train.

When to go

Spring to early autumn is best for the walls, the river and the races. The city is busiest on race days and in the school summer holidays. In December there is a Christmas market by the town hall and the Rows are strung with lights, which suits the black-and-white buildings very well.

Questions about visiting Chester

What is Chester best known for?
Its Roman and medieval city walls, the two-tier shopping galleries called the Rows, the Eastgate Clock, its black-and-white timbered buildings, its racecourse and Chester Zoo.
Is Chester worth visiting?
Yes. It is one of the best-preserved walled cities in Britain, compact and easy to explore, with good shopping and restaurants. It also makes a handy base for North Wales and Liverpool.
How many days do you need in Chester?
One full day covers the walls, the Rows, the cathedral and the river. Stay two or three if you want to add Chester Zoo or a day trip into North Wales.
What is there to do in Chester with kids?
Chester Zoo is the big draw. In the city, children enjoy walking the walls, exploring the Roman amphitheatre and taking a boat out on the River Dee.
Do you need a car in Chester?
Not for the city, which is easily walked, or for Liverpool and the North Wales coast, which are on the railway. A car is useful for the Cheshire countryside.

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