Canterbury

Canterbury tops the charts for English cathedral cities and is one of southern England’s top attractions. Many consider the World Heritage–listed cathedral that dominates its centre to be one of Europe’s finest, and the town’s narrow medieval alleyways, riverside gardens and ancient city walls are a joy to explore. But Canterbury isn’t just a showpiece for the past – it’s a bustling, busy place with an energetic student population and a wide choice of pubs, restaurants and independent shops. Book ahead for the best hotels and eateries: pilgrims may no longer flock here in their thousands, but tourists certainly do.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury
A rich repository of more than 1400 years of Christian history, Canterbury Cathedral is the Church of England’s mother ship, and a truly extraordinary…
Beaney House of Art & Knowledge
Canterbury
This mock-Tudor edifice is the grandest on the main shopping thoroughfare, if not the most authentic. Formerly called the Royal Museum & Art Gallery, it…
Roman Museum
Canterbury
This fascinating subterranean archaeological site gives an insight into Canterbury’s everyday life almost two millennia ago. Visitors can stroll a…
St Augustine’s Abbey
Canterbury
An integral but often overlooked part of the Canterbury World Heritage Site, St Augustine’s Abbey was founded in AD 597, marking the rebirth of…
St Martin’s Church
Canterbury
This stumpy little building just off the road from Canterbury to Sandwich is thought to be England’s oldest parish church in continuous use. It’s also…
West Gate Towers
Canterbury
The city’s only remaining medieval gateway (1380) houses a museum that focuses on the building’s use as a prison. The views from the top are pretty good,…
Eastbridge Hospital
Canterbury
A ‘place of hospitality’ for pilgrims, soldiers and the elderly since 1180, Eastbridge Hospital of St Thomas the Martyr is the last of many such buildings…
Canterbury Tales
Canterbury
This ambitious, overpriced three-dimensional interpretation of Chaucer’s classic tales using jerky animatronics and audioguides is certainly entertaining,…

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