Chester
Cheshire,
England
Click bottom picture to go to York or see Yorkshire | England Tourist Map

Black
timber and leaded glass windows of traditional Tudor construction
in central Chester, Cheshire county, England.
© Jeff Dalton
Chester,
on the border with Wales and not far from big and buzzing Manchester
(40 minutes road travel) or strumming Liverpool (also 40 minutes)
is an ancient town - first settled in 70 AD by the Romans -
with a finely preserved and easily walkable, compact, attractive
Tudor centre but also remnants of other eras, from Roman through
Normans to Victorians.
One of the most popular tourist attractions
is the variety of interesting guided walks available, though
hiking around on one's own is not a problem.

More of Chester's Tudor speciality, black timbers and leaded windows.
Chester is about 2.5 hours by train from London's Euston or
Paddington stations.
Chester
attractions, other than just walking around the centre:
- a grand Norman cathedral.
- excavations of a Roman Amphitheatre.
- Chester Castle and its Military Museum
- Chester Grosvenor Museum of Roman artifacts.
- Chester zoo, Britain's biggest with 7,000 animals
- the county, Cheshire, also offers some magnificent stately
homes, castles, Iron Age hill forts and some unusual museums
such as the Anson Engine Museum and the Salt Museum.

Eastgate Clock in central Chester. Next, York Pictures.
© John.59
Manchester
is England's second city with little in the way of ancient interest
but a lot of modern urban attractions including some dramatic
architecture such as the Lowry Centre (a Manchester artist)
on the regenerated Salford Quays, excellent museums and art
galleries, a truly wild nightlife and, of course, the home of
Manchester United Football Club (where tours will require advance
booking).
Liverpool,
an old transatlantic port, is also undergoing a renaissance
like Manchester, spurred on by the prospect of being Europe's
capital of Culture in 2008 and thanks to a successful football
club and Beatle-oriented sights and sounds. Liverpool offers
some excellent museums and galleries, a couple of magnificent
cathedrals and lively new docklands development as well as ongoing
Beatle memorabilia, events and fab four locations.
England Pictures and mini-guides: Cotswolds | Cambridge | Oxford | London | Chester
England
Guide | UK Walks | England
Tourist Map | England
Counties
