The walled medieval town of Chester, England, located 15 mi/25 km south of Liverpool, is one of the prettiest on the Welsh border. It's great for walking—you'll see Roman and medieval fortifications, black-and-white Tudor houses and lovely gardens.
There's good shopping along the "rows," two-tiered covered walkways fronting buildings on the main street—sort of a medieval mall. Be sure to notice the great clock atop an arch spanning Eastgate Street: It was put there to commemorate Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee. The Grosvenor Museum contains Roman artifacts, and there's a nice zoo for kids. Chester still has a town crier who appears twice a day with municipal news or the more common "All's well."
If life on the water interests you, head north out of town to Ellesmere Port for its exceptional boat museum. A day trip to nearby Llangollen makes a good introduction to Wales.
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