A charming city in Cheshire has been dubbed the UK’s most underrated and the ‘world’s most beautiful’, thanks to its sandstone walls and charming canal, likened to Venice
A compact yet exquisite city is frequently hailed as one of Britain’s most overlooked gems and has even been dubbed the “world’s most beautiful city”.
Chester, which boasts over 2,000 years of heritage, has been recognised for its beauty based on a mathematical principle that artists and academics have recognised since ancient times. Stooped in history, the city in northwest England has witnessed Roman occupation, Viking raids, and Norman conquest
Today, it welcomes thousands of far more pleasant tourists, but when it comes to essential UK destinations, it doesn’t rank as highly on travellers’ wish lists as places like York, Oxford, Bath or Cambridge. It comes after reports of a small fishing village with some of the UK’s best seafood but hardly any tourists.
READ MORE: I visited village named UK’s most desirable with beautiful park and ‘magical’ crystal grottoREAD MORE: Spanish town installs ‘detectors’ to track Brits while they are on holiday
Due to Chester’s charm, travel specialists at Wanderlust magazine have crowned it Britain’s most undervalued city. The Telegraph similarly described it as “a touch underrated” – dubbing it “the surprising city that’s better than Oxford and Norwich”.
Chester is renowned for its ancient red sandstone walls and a retail quarter brimming with spectacular half-timbered Tudor structures. It’s been declared Britain’s most haunted city – and houses the nation’s second most popular zoo, trailing only London Zoo, reports the Express.
This north-western treasure is also an excellent destination for retail therapy, tourist attractions and dining experiences. In addition, Chester showcases stunning architecture.
Recent studies found that a significant proportion of its buildings conform to the “golden ratio” – the mathematical proportion believed to be most visually appealing. Incredibly, the research revealed that Chester outshone even Venice in terms of its Golden ratio score, crowning it as the most beautiful city globally.
Chester boasts the most intact Roman city walls in Britain and houses one of the UK’s oldest churches – St John’s, established in AD689 by the king of Mercia. The city also features an 11th-century castle and a 16th-century Cathedral, which played host to a Royal wedding earlier this year.
If you’re not particularly enthralled by architecture or history, perhaps a scenic cruise along the stunning River Dee might be more appealing. For those who prefer retail therapy, Chester is a paradise for shopaholics.
The Rows, 700-year-old two-tiered timber-framed galleries lining the city’s main streets, are brimming with independent shops, boutiques, and eateries. Chester’s award-winning market also offers a colourful array of produce and goods.
For those seeking high street brands, the Grosvenor Shopping Centre has got you covered. This large shopping precinct is undercover, but like the rest of Chester, it radiates historical charm. After a day of shopping, you can recharge at some of the city’s finest eateries, as Chester is famed for the quality of its restaurants.
READ MORE: Clearance sale offers gardeners last chance to buy stylish faux lead planters for £30 less