Chester vs York

Hello! Long time no see! Well, if I could see you that is. Or can I? No, don't worry, I can't. Anyway, stumbling away from the political thriller theme that I seem to have fallen onto, over the last few months I have been able to do indulge in a few day trips. I say a few, I mean two. Yes, two trips from Manchester. One to Chester and one to York, but which one is better value? Well, relax and I'll tell you...

Size

Does size matter? Well it does if you've only got a day and you want to cram in all of the sights.For fans of Roman architecture and ruins which have survived the test of time, then Chester is the one you want. While both cities have Roman origins and boast impressive sights, Chester manages to pack these sights densely within the complete city wall. It also manages to pack in a racecourse and a riverside right by the city walls. Having these sights so close to each other makes it very easy to visit them all within a few hours.

Cathedral or Minster?

Yes, the inside of the Minster. I won't charge you for this.

Yes, both cities are famous for their places of religious worship. You can't go to these cities and not see the cathedral/minster, they truly dominate the cities. The Gothic York Minster, a truly impressive sight, requires payment to enter. £9 for students, £10 for adults, however the ticket does allow re-entry for 12 months after your visit. The Minster itself is massive, and contains various exhibitions and a museum underneath, all about the Roman occupation of York and the Roman origins of the Minster. All very interesting, but if you are like me and have a short attention span, then the re-entry feature of the ticket will come in handy. 

Boom! Chester Cathedral.

Chester cathedral is free to enter (they do like a donation), while it is still impressive, is not as large as York Minster. As a result, there isn't as much to hold your interest beyond the stained glass windows and the impressive pieces of art.

Shops

Yes, shops. Not my speciality, but I suppose they deserve a mention. Both cities had the traditional high street, that you can find in many other places. The famous York shambles is always worth a look, playing host to several cafes and souvenir shops. The surrounding area also contains several tea rooms. the most famous of which is "Bettys", which looked like you would have to queue up for hours on end, just to get a scone. 

Chester hosts the well-known Chester Rows, which are unique in Britain. Shops on two floors, which is an incredibly novel way of making the most of the space you have. There are pubs and coffee shops galore, the most eye-catching of which was "Central Perk", modelled directly after the famous coffee house from "Friends". New York, Chester, peas in a pod.

Chester Rows.

Yes, Central Perk. I wasn't kidding.

So Chester or York?

So you only have a day. If you are leaving from Manchester, both are pretty much the same distance on the train. If you want to see Roman history, go to Chester. The remains are a lot more intact, with a full city wall, amphitheatre amongst the sights. If you want a religious experience, go to York. The Minster, with it's exhibitions and museum will prove to be a more enjoyable time. If you want random shops and tea/coffee houses, then flip a coin. It really doesn't matter, you'll have a good day at both.

All pictures taken using the Nokia Lumia 1020 41MP camera. Impressive huh?