Recreation and Leisure

For those who already live and work here, there is no doubt that Chester has some of the best and most easily accessible recreation and leisure opportunities available anywhere. To combine the diversity and quality of these opportunities with a first class living and working environment is an immeasurable bonus.

Chester offers a heritage in a superb setting. On a stroll around the City Walls, you can view much of Chester's 2,000 years of history the magnificent Cathedral, the medieval Water Tower, the Roman Amphitheatre and Roman Gardens. Shopping is always a pleasure in the historic city of Chester, with its specialist shops and internationally famous stores.

The River Dee and Shropshire Union Canal flow through and around the city, providing a range of entertainments, from canal barge cruises to concerts played from the bandstand in The Groves. From the city centre there is easy access to woodlands and meadows, including the city's park, a wonderful example of Victorian design with floral displays.

Chester is an ideal base for exploring Cheshire's unspoilt villages and towns, together with North Wales, with its castles, mountains and popular seaside resorts. The Wirral peninsula is close by, as are the Peak District and Snowdonia National Park.

There is a host of stately homes, gardens and places of interest within easy reach of Chester: Cholmondeley and Beeston castles, Carden Estate and, of course, Chester Zoo.

The Northgate Arena offers sports facilities, including a tropical leisure pool and health and fitness suite; it is also a venue for antiques fairs, exhibitions and concerts. Chester has an abundance of health and fitness clubs for all abilities. Throughout the district, there are children's play areas and superb facilities for golf, cricket, tennis, football and ten-pin bowling.

The Summer Music Festival attracts visitors from all over the world. Chester's Gateway Theatre is home to the county's major repertory company. Arts and crafts exhibitions offer opportunities for participation, as do community arts, street entertainment and festivals.

In the evening, Chester presents a spectrum of leisure and entertainment a variety of restaurants, nightclubs, wine bars, folk evenings, river cruises with jazz bands on board, the multi-screen cinemas and classical concerts.