Chester is the most complete walled city in the UK. Walk the full two-mile circuit of the city walls for views over the River Dee and the racecourse, then drop down into The Rows — the half-timbered galleried shopping streets on two levels that are unique in England, and genuinely medieval in origin.
The city has Roman origins: the fortress of Deva Victrix was established here in the first century, and the Roman Amphitheatre just outside the Newgate is the largest ever excavated in Britain. Chester Cathedral, largely rebuilt in the 14th century, has some of the finest Gothic choir stalls in England and a peaceful cloister garden. Three miles north of the centre, Chester Zoo is one of Europe's best and a full day's outing in itself.