Car Hire Chester - Mini guide to Chester

The City of Chester, on the banks of the River Dee, is the historic gem of North West England. It is the gateway to the castles and coast of North Wales and a good touring base for the great houses and gardens of Cheshire and the Wirral.

The major attraction is the Chester Zoo, the largest zoo in the UK with over 5,000 animals in spacious enclosures, set in 110 acres of gardens. Chester Zoo offers a fun and stimulating day out for everyone. As well as the 500 different species of animals and award-winning gardens, there are first class facilities.

Chester Cathedral towers above the city - the site of a wealthy Norman Benedictine Monastery which became a cathedral after the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII. Chester Castle, set in the angle of the city walls boasts the finest Norman architecture in the city. The Dewa Roman Experience has the largest Roman Amphitheatre in Britain, the Roman Garden and Minerva's Shrine. The Grosvenor Museum and Heritage Centre are good places to explore Chester's past.

A must for shopping in Chester is the 'Rows' - covered medieval shopping streets dating back to 1139. Also check out the enclosed Grosvenor Centre. For a night out, try the Gateway Theatre which features drama, comedy and dance. Chester Racecourse is now ranked as the 4th best attended in the whole of Britain, averaging 18,000 visitors per day at its race meetings.

Cheshire is a wonderful, varied county, stretching from the internationally important Dee estuary to the windswept moors of the Peak District. In between there is a rich mosaic of agricultural land, woodland and lowland heath interlaced with rivers and canals. Cheshire is famous for its gardens. Tatton Park, near Knutsford, is a world-class attraction, with 50 acres of superb gardens and magnificent parkland surrounding the Georgian mansion. It is also home to the prestigious RHS Flower Show, which takes place there each July.

Chester is easily accessed by car from the M6, M56, A4 and A483. Trains leave every half hour from Chester Station to London Euston Station (duration 2.5 hours). Manchester International Airport is a 40-minute drive from Chester on the M53, M56 motorways.

The major suburbs in Chester are: Bache, Latchford, Handbridge, Hoole, Latchford, Saltney and Vicars Cross.