Chester, Chocolate and Port Sunlight
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River Dee - Chester
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Port Sunlight ©Port Sunlight Village Trust
Here’s an opportunity to take your team away for two days combining culture, heritage and a spot of retail therapy.
Discover the historic city of Chester, famous for its Roman walls and ‘The Rows’, the remarkable 700-year-old, two-tiered shopping galleries. Indulge in some gin tasting or make your own chocolates. Visit Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet for some retail therapy and end with a tour of the remarkable Port Sunlight.
Dates
Dates available on request
Suggested itinerary
Day 1
Travel to Chester, Walking Tour, Gin Tasting / Chocolate Making
Morning: Travel first class by train to Chester. You’ll be met by a Blue Badge Tourist Guide who will take you on a private guided walking tour to see the highlights of the city, including ‘The Rows’, the famous Eastgate Clock and Chester Cathedral. The highlight will be the opportunity to walk along sections of the Roman Walls, the most complete circuit of a Roman and Medieval defensive town wall in Britain.
Lunchtime: After the walk you’ll be ready for some lunch, and we have a treat in store. Just along from Chester Cross, right in the middle of the historic centre, is Grade I listed Booth Mansion. In 1700, George Booth rebuilt two medieval houses as his town house with a Georgian frontage. In the 1740s and 1750s the building was used as the assembly rooms for the town’s social functions. In 2016 the first floor was reopened as a classic English tearoom serving light lunches and refreshments. Afterwards you can browse in the gift shop, or indulge in a gift or two from a chocolatier.
Afternoon: You’ll have free time to explore The Rows, or perhaps take a relaxing 30-minute cruise on the river Dee. Depending on the group, we can organise a mid-afternoon gin or wine tasting, or a chocolate-making session.
At the end of the afternoon we transfer to the hotel.
Evening: Enjoy a pre-dinner champagne reception before dining in the AA Rosette-awarded, Mediterranean-themed Ciro’s Brasserie.
Day 2
Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet, Port Sunlight and Travel Home
Morning: This morning we travel out to McArthurGlen Cheshire Oaks, the UK’s largest Designer Outlet with more than 145 shops, boutiques, restaurants and cafés. It’s very much like a small town, but with something to suit every taste. Each member of the group will receive a ‘Fashion Passport’, a VIP card offering 10% discount at shops throughout the outlet.
Afternoon: We then travel the short distance to Port Sunlight, a garden village built by ‘Soap King’ William Hesketh Lever to house the workers from his ‘Sunlight Soap’ factory. We’ll start with a light lunch. You’ll then enjoy a 45-minute visit to the fascinating Port Sunlight Museum followed by a one-hour guided tour of the village by coach. If time permits, a visit to the Lady Lever Art Gallery, one of the finest art galleries in Europe, is recommended.
At the end of your tour you’ll return by coach to Chester Station.
Suggested Hotels
The Chester Grosvenor *****
Located in the heart of the historic city centre, next to the famous Eastgate clock, and adjacent to The Rows, The Chester Grosvenor is a Grade II listed building. Built in 1865, the traditional black and white timbered façade belies the modern elegance of the hotel interior. The hotel has a spa and two award-winning restaurants, most notably ‘Simon Radley at The Chester Grosvenor’ which has retained its Michelin star since 1990.
The Grosvenor Pulford Hotel & Spa ****
Located just six miles south west of Chester, the privately-owned Grosvenor Pulford Hotel & Spa beautifully combines traditional elegance with contemporary luxury. There are two restaurants including the AA Rosette awarded Ciro’s Brasserie, a magnificent Mediterranean-themed restaurant.
