Chester Hotels

Famous Chester Zoo has long occupied a big place in the heart of the Great British public. If you haven’t visited this estimable institution, now is the time, and if you don’t like animals, its worth going just for the very cool monorail.

Nowadays of course Chester is a Mecca for tourist-types – what with its excellent shops and restaurants etc. But for those who like to keep their distance from the madding crowd, Chester still has enough exclusive elegance and charm to knock your socks off.

Chester’s Top 10

Chester Events

Chester really does rock during the Chester Rocks Festival, taking place at the Racecourse in July. Tickets cost £47.50 and upwards which includes a free weekend pass to the races.

The British Masters Showjumping event offers visitors the opportunity to watch Olympic standard horsemanship skills at Chester Racecourse in July each year.

Chester becomes a city of culture during October when the Shell Chester Literature Festival comes to town. The mostly free event attracts some big names from around the world in the areas of poetry, novels, film and theatre, and provides an outlet for up and coming local talent.

Foodies will not want to miss the annual Food, Drink and Lifestyle Festival which takes place at the Racecourse in April. Advance tickets are a fiver, but kids are free.

The Cheese Rolling Festival is an ongoing traditional event. Cheer as rival teams Cheshire, Lancashire and Stilton take each other on. Takes place in March and it’s free.

Chester Film Festival features nonstop screenings, workshops and parties in March each year. Special festival passes cost just £10.

Chester Mystery Plays Forget the Olympics. The countdown to this community theatrical event is on. With just one held every five years, book now for 2013. Tickets are free.

Chester Kite Festival Watch the sky turn every colour of the rainbow at Chester Racecourse in September. Professional kite flyers and families are welcome.

Minstrels’ Court Join in the medieval madness at St John’s Church where you can try out ancient instruments, and meet Cheshire musicians and dancers. Takes place in June and admission is free.

The MBNA Chestival takes place throughout June and July and features a series of cinematic, theatrical and musical events. Colourful parades take place right across the city.

When to Go

Chester has a typical UK climate with weather pretty mild and temperate for much of the year, and extreme weather conditions a relatively rare occurrence.

In winter you can expect temperatures to be around 3-9 °C, although winter temps can fall well below freezing. Snow is not unheard of during December – March, so it pays to bring some warm clothes at this time of year. Spring sees temperatures rise to around 10-15 °C, and summer temps are on average around 20 °C, but it’s not unheard of for temps to rise to 30 °C and above.

As you are probably well aware, rain is on the cards across the UK at any time of year, so pack a brolly.

Getting There

The nearest airports are Manchester International and Liverpool John Lennon, both around 40 minutes driving distance from central Chester. The Where.com bus services runs from Liverpool John Lennon airport, and Merseyrail trains run between Chester and Liverpool.

Trains from Chester run to London Euston Station with the cost of a standard single ticket currently £69. (Check for latest deals, advance booking is advisable).

National Express runs a coach service from all the main UK cities, terminating at the Visitor Information Centre in Chester. This is very competitively priced – anywhere from £10.50 to £29.00 one way from London Victoria Coach Station.

General Information

Attractions & Activities

Restaurants & Nightlife

Climate