Chester Self-Guided Audio Tour: Centuries of Stories

A jury once tried a wooden statue for murder in Chester and threw it in the river.

A self-guided audio tour of Chester using an app on your phone, with no fixed start time or group to keep up with. You walk at your own pace through two thousand years of the city (a Roman fortress, a medieval cathedral, the only two-level shopping streets of their kind on Earth) listening to stories about a defeated king, a chained imp, and the odd theory behind the Cheshire cat. The tour takes 2 to 3 hours and works offline once downloaded. You get 1-year access on iOS and Android, in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and five other languages.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Chester's historic legends and sites

• Stand where king watched army destroyed
• Visit Chester's last true medieval inn
• Trace two thousand years of trade
• Enter gateway to powerful abbey
• Look up at England's famous clock
• See gilded cross smashed in war
• Search ruined arch for medieval coffin
• Consider claim about king hiding as hermit
• Uncover why statue was tried for murder

The experience

You download the tour to your phone before you arrive, so there's no waiting for a group or a guide to show up. Open the app when you're ready (whether that's your first morning in Chester or a spare afternoon between other plans), and the interactive map shows you where to go. Each stop has audio and written descriptions plus photos to help you find the exact spot, and you can pause, rewind or skip ahead however you want.

The route traces the city's layers: stand where a defeated king watched his own army destroyed from the city walls; step into Chester's last true medieval inn, pouring ale since before Columbus reached the Americas; enter the gateway to an abbey so powerful it once answered to no one but the king; look up at England's most photographed clock after Big Ben, and hear about the sad bride said to haunt below. You'll piece together a gilded cross smashed in war and lost for two centuries, search a ruined arch for a medieval coffin wedged high, and uncover why a jury tried a wooden statue for murder on the world's oldest racecourse. The stories move between the mundane and the audacious: a king thought killed at Hastings hiding out as a hermit, a cathedral guarding a chained imp, the odd theory behind the grinning Cheshire cat.

Once you download the tour, it works without an internet connection, so you're not burning data or waiting for a signal. You can listen as many times as you like over the year of access, and over 25,000 travelers have used the self-guided tours already. If you don't love it, the operator offers a full refund.

What’s included

• Audio and written guide in your choice of language.
• offline access once downloaded so you don't need an internet connection.
• interactive map and photos to identify stops.
• 1-year access on iOS and Android to listen anytime and as many times as you like.
• 100% satisfaction guarantee with a full refund if you don't love the tour.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (10 to 65 years) · Under 10: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Audio guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Polish and Russian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Tourific

Is this one for you?This tour is self-guided, so you explore at your own pace with no group to keep up with and no fixed start time: ideal if you're arriving at an odd hour, have a free afternoon between other plans, or prefer to linger at stops that interest you. If you'd rather have a human guide walking with you and answering questions on the spot, book a led tour instead.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can I do this tour if I'm visiting Chester for just an afternoon?

Yes. The tour takes 2 to 3 hours total, including time at each stop and walking between them, and you start whenever you're ready with no fixed departure time. You can break it into smaller chunks across multiple days if you prefer, since you have 1-year access once you download it.

What are the two-level medieval shopping streets, and why are they unique?

Chester's Rows are the only two-level medieval shopping streets of their kind on Earth. The tour traces how two thousand years of trade shaped the city and explains the architecture that makes them distinctive, but the audio guide walks you through what you're actually looking at as you stand there.

Do I need headphones or a speaker to listen to the audio?

The tour is audio-based, so you'll want headphones or a speaker to hear it clearly. The operator does not provide physical devices, so bring your own or use your phone's speaker.

What languages is the tour available in?

The Chester audio tour is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and five additional languages, so you can choose the one that works best for you.

What happens if I get lost or can't find a stop?

The app includes an interactive map for navigation and photos to identify each stop, so you can see exactly where you need to go. If you do get stuck, you can rewind the audio or check the written descriptions and images again.

Can I do this tour if I'm not very fit or have mobility concerns?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. You walk at your own pace and can take breaks whenever you need to, since there's no group keeping time or a fixed schedule to follow.