The Simple Way to Enjoy More of Chester

Chester has all the ingredients of a classic day trip. You can arrive in the morning, tick off a few famous sights, have lunch, take some photographs and be heading home before the shops close.

But that can also mean missing one of the city’s best things.

Chester is compact enough that you do not have to spend the day rushing between attractions. The historic centre, City Walls, Rows, River Dee, parks, cafés and places to eat sit surprisingly close together. Rather than trying to fit everything into a strict timetable, you can pick a direction, start walking and see where the city takes you.

That slower approach works particularly well in Chester because something interesting is usually around the next corner. You might leave the Rows for a coffee and find yourself beside the Cathedral. Walk a little further, and you are at the City Walls. Follow those for a while and the view opens across the racecourse or towards the river.

You don’t need to see everything. A few hours spent properly enjoying Chester can be far more rewarding than racing through a list of attractions.

The Simple Way to Enjoy More of Chester - Chester Taxi Services

Start With a Walk Along Chester City Walls

One of the simplest ways to get your bearings is to head upwards.

Chester has the most complete city walls in Britain, with the full circuit currently open to walkers. The complete route takes around 45 minutes, although there is no reason you have to walk all of it.

Think of the walls less as a historical trail that needs to be completed and more as an elevated walkway around Chester. Join wherever is convenient, walk for as long as you fancy and come down when somewhere below catches your eye.

You will pass the ornate Eastgate Clock, one of Chester’s most recognisable landmarks, and get a very different perspective on the streets beneath you. Elsewhere, the walls give you views towards Chester’s Roman Amphitheatre, the River Dee and the Roodee, home of Chester Racecourse.

It is also a good introduction to just how compact Chester really is. Places that look separate on a visitor map suddenly appear remarkably close together when viewed from above.

If the weather is good, take your time. Stop for photographs, watch the city below and resist the temptation to turn the walk into a race back to your starting point.

Wander Through the Chester Rows

Back at street level, Chester becomes a city made for wandering.

The Rows are unique to Chester and have been part of the city for around 700 years. These covered first-floor galleries run along Eastgate Street, Watergate Street and Bridge Street, with further sections around Northgate Street. Today they house a mix of independent businesses, cafés, restaurants, and familiar names.

You could follow a route around them, but there is something to be said for not doing so.

Take the stairs when you spot them. Walk along the upper galleries for a while, come back down to street level, peer into an undercroft, stop at an independent shop and then head up again somewhere else.

Part of the pleasure is the architecture itself. Timber-framed buildings, narrow passages, covered walkways and views down onto the streets make shopping in Chester feel very different from wandering around a conventional high street.

The covered sections are also rather handy when the Cheshire weather changes its mind. Even John Wesley commented on the Rows keeping him dry centuries ago, and they remain a useful refuge from an unexpected shower today.

You do not necessarily need to buy anything. Window shopping, people watching and finding an interesting café tucked above street level are all part of the experience.

Stop for Coffee Rather Than Watching the Clock

A relaxed day needs proper stops.

Chester has developed a strong independent coffee scene, so there is little reason to treat coffee as something hurriedly collected on the way to the next attraction.

Jaunty Goat on Bridge Street sits in the historic centre and serves locally roasted coffee alongside a vegetarian- and vegan-friendly menu. Its mix of Scandinavian influences, exposed Roman brickwork, and central Chester location makes it an easy stop on a wander through the Rows.

Bean & Cole is another independent Chester name, with its Frodsham Street coffee shop and a second outlet inside Chester Market. It focuses on speciality coffee, with single-origin beans and rotating guest coffees from UK and European roasters.

The point is not to create a cafe checklist. Find somewhere you like the look of, sit down and give yourself half an hour without worrying about where you are supposed to be next.

Swap Historic Streets for the River Dee

One of Chester’s nicest changes of pace happens as you head towards the River Dee.

The streets give way to The Groves, where you can walk beside the water, stop for an ice cream, sit and watch the boats or find a bench for a while. It feels removed from the busiest shopping streets, despite being comfortably within reach of the city centre.

Nearby Grosvenor Park gives you another easy place to slow things down. The 20-acre Grade II registered Victorian park dates from 1867 and overlooks the River Dee, with lawns, formal avenues, mature trees and seasonal planting. It also holds a Green Flag Award.

No particular activity is required here. Walk through the park, find somewhere to sit or continue towards the river.

If you fancy seeing Chester from the water, ChesterBoat runs half-hour sightseeing cruises from The Groves, giving you another perspective on the city without taking a large chunk out of your day. Longer two-hour cruises are available on selected dates if you decide that sitting on a boat for the afternoon sounds considerably better than walking any further.

Rowing boats are another option for visitors who would rather set their own pace on the Dee.

Make Chester Market Part of the Day

Eventually, all that walking leads to food.

Rather than booking several meals and organising your day around restaurant reservations, Chester Market lets you eat according to appetite rather than schedule.

Chester Market in Exchange Square brings together produce and independent traders, plus food and drink from around the world. Current traders cover everything from Mexican and Bangladeshi street food to Thai dishes, pizza, pasta, seafood, burgers, vegan food, pastries and desserts.

It works particularly well for groups because nobody has to agree on one menu. One person can fancy pizza, somebody else can go for Thai food, and another can head straight for dessert.

It is also somewhere you can stay rather than eat and leave. With more than 400 seats and food and drink trading into the evening on its standard opening days, the Market can easily become the point where an afternoon in Chester turns into an evening.

From there, you can decide whether to carry on.

Perhaps there is time for another wander around Northgate Street. Perhaps you fancy finding a wine bar or pub for a drink. Or perhaps you have walked enough and would quite happily sit down for the rest of the evening.

All three are perfectly acceptable Chester itineraries.

Leave Room for the Places You Didn’t Plan to Visit

Some of the best bits of a Chester day out are the places you did not originally have on your list.

A narrow passage off one of the main streets might lead to an interesting shop. A walk towards the river might turn into an hour in Grosvenor Park. You might spot somewhere for lunch while walking the Rows and abandon the restaurant you had been considering.

That is easier when you haven’t already allocated every hour.

Chester rewards curiosity because so much sits within a relatively small area. The Cathedral, Rows, Eastgate Clock, Roman remains, Market, Grosvenor Park, and River Dee can all fit into the same relaxed day without constantly travelling from one side of the city to another.

It also means you can change your plans based on the weather, how busy the city is, or simply what you feel like doing.

If it rains, head for the covered Rows or Chester Market. If the sun comes out, head to the walls, park, or river. If everyone is tired, find somewhere for coffee and forget about the next attraction for an hour.

An Easy Journey Home

One point in the day, convenience becomes particularly attractive.

After several hours walking Chester’s walls, streets and riverside, the prospect of working out buses, returning to a distant car park or making another long walk can suddenly feel less appealing.

That is where a taxi can make a relaxed approach to Chester work from start to finish.

Our taxis provides local taxi journeys around Chester as well as collections from Chester Railway Station, trips to restaurants, shopping journeys, nights out, eight-seater minibuses and wheelchair-friendly transport.

You can use a taxi to get into the city and forget about parking, arrange a pickup after dinner, travel back to Chester Station or get everyone home after an evening around the Market, Storyhouse or the city centre.

For families, local children travel free with Chester Taxi Services. Larger groups can also book an eight-seater minibus taxis, making it easier to keep everyone together rather than splitting the journey between several cars.

You can book taxis on 01244 421024, through the Chester Taxis app, or via the online booking service, with options to pay online, by cash, or by card.

Enjoy Chester Without Trying to Complete It

Chester doesn’t need to be treated as a list of attractions you must complete before you go home.

Walk part of the City Walls. Wander through the Rows. Stop for coffee because somewhere looks inviting. Head towards the Dee when you want some open space. Eat whatever takes your fancy at Chester Market. Stay for another drink if you are enjoying yourself.

Anything you miss gives you a reason to come back.

And when your feet finally decide they have seen enough of Chester for one day, Chester Taxi Services can take care of the journey home.

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Things to Do in Chester