The gorgeous UK city with 2 miles of Roman walls you can walk for free - not York

There is only one English city that can lay claim to having the most complete city walls in the country, where visitors can walk their entire length - two miles of history and ancient charm just footsteps away.

They are considered the oldest, longest, and most complete city walls in Britain. The first parts of the walls were built by the Romans, and later they were extended and developed in the Saxon (10th century) and Norman (12th century) periods.

But from the 18th century onwards, the walls were no longer needed for defence and were adapted to become a popular public walkway and tourist attraction. You can walk the full length of the Roman Wall, which is open year-round and free to access.

The circuit includes four main gateways: Northgate, Eastgate, Watergate, and Bridgegate and with a few well-earned rest stops along the route, it can be completed in a couple of hours.

Best of all, it is completely free to access the walls' walkway at any time. However, there is a small fee if you want to participate in an organised tour, which departs from theTown Hall Visitor Information Centre and lasts approximately 90 minutes.

We are talking about Chester City Walls, of course, which surrounded a small rectangular area in the very heart of this gorgeous historic city. The Grade I listed walls are the best preserved city walls in Britain and encircle the site of the medieval city.

A footpath runs along the top of the walls, and they are complete except for one small section of about 100 metres. Along the route, you'll have a chance to see Chester's many attractions, including the castle, cathedral, and racecourse. There are several historic sites and places offering refreshments in the city where you can extend your day out. The trail follows the paved path on top of the walls.

In the past, many important towns and cities were defended by walls, but today only Chester has a complete circuit around the city. Throughout the Middle Ages, Chester was one of the most protected and strategically important cities in the county.

Since then, they have been constantly altered, repaired and sometimes attacked. One of the reasons they survive today is that, from the 18th century, they were no longer needed for defence and were adapted to become a fashionable walk and public amenity.

Some of the historic sites visible from the walls include the Cathedral, the King Charles Tower, the Roman Amphitheatre, the Eastgate Clock, the River Dee and the city's unique Rows.

The 12th-century Agricola Tower was the first stone gateway to Chester Castle, which had been founded by William the Conqueror in 1070. The South-west part of the city is also worth mentioning.

All repair work on the walls must be granted permission by Historic England. In 2020, a section of Chester's City Walls collapsed close to the famous Eastgate Clock, and work is underway to restore it. And there have been several fatal accidents of people falling from the walls, so be careful!

More than 400 years ago, in 1615, William Webb described it as "a very delectable walk, feeding the eye, with the sweet gardens and fine buildings of the city."

Much more recently, one local resident described the route they like to take when walking the walls. Speaking on TripAdvisor they said: "I always start at the East Gate because it's the first part of the wall I get to when I walk from the railway station.

I then go around the walls clockwise. After about 150 metres, you can then come down off the walls and see the amphitheatre and Roman Gardens. Then further around is the river; but I don't usually get past Bridgegate because I come off the wall there and go in to the Bear & Billet pub !"