All Canterbury Accommodation

West Gate Towers, Canterbury's great gate through which many a pilgrim has passed
The nave inside Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury City Centre's outstanding choice of restaurants & specials shopping
The Marlowe Theatre Canterbury, centre for the city's superb arts scene
Canterbury Cathedral Shop, City Centre
Canterbury Cathedral

Canterbury Tourist Information

Canterbury is one of England's most historic cities with ancient links to the journey of St Augustine and the birth of Christianity in Britain. Easily explored on foot, Kent's cultural and historic capital Canterbury boasts a host of historic sights, some of which such as St Augustine's Abbey is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Canterbury Cathedral is the international centre of the Anglican Church and dominates the city centre. A tour inside to view the Cathedral's awe inspiring gothic nave and the spot marking where Becket's tomb once was is not to be missed.

Walk through Westgate Towers, Canterbury's historic great gate where thousands of pilgrims have trod on their way to the cathedral and note Canterbury's numerous historic buildings including poor priest houses, ancient inns and hospitals and the ruins of Canterbury Castle, St Augustine's Abbey and St Martin's Church as you tour this friendly and accessible English city. Canterbury is a city linked also with the birth of English Literature and Geoffrey Chaucer's great work - The Canterbury Tales. The Cathedral will be a mecca for Chaucer fans and the Canterbury Tales attraction in the city centre is a superb family attraction and excellent introduction to Chaucer for children.

Canterbury's further appeal is its exciting arts scene culminating in the annual Canterbury International Festival. The city contains a choice of art galleries, theatres and museums including the Roman Museum exploring Canterbury's Roman history. A shopper's paradise too, Canterbury is a centre for organic and local produce and home to the famous Goods Shed covered market alongside excellent specialist and arts and crafts shopping around the Kings Mile, Cathedral and Westgate.

Around Canterbury to the north sits the ancient Blean Woodlands and to the east find Canterbury vineyards and stunning gardens at Goodnestone Park near Staple and Wingham. To the south sit the Canterbury Kent Downs and some of the most striking landscapes and ancient woodlands of the Downs. Historic villages such as Wye with its twice monthly farmers market make perfect bases for access into the Downs and onto the North Downs Way.

Featured Kent Accommodation

The Three Tuns Inn - Staple

Traditional inn with rooms, specialising in weddings and set amongst the fruit orchards of rural Kent in the picturesque village of Staple, near Canterbury.

£33 to £48 Per person B&B (2 sharing)

Canterbury City Centre Attractions

Canterbury is what you'd call a friendly city break. Virginia Woolf thought there was 'no lovelier place in the world than Canterbury'. The city's small size is a blessing, as Canterbury has low level traffic and your two feet or cycle hire are all you need to take in what the city has to offer.

A choice of renowned city centre theatres, a superb programme of guided walks and river tours along the River Stour, two big festivals, Canterbury Ghost Tours, a fine choice of Canterbury city centre luxury hotels and B&Bs, a historic cathedral, the remains of a Norman castle and St Augustine's Abbey ruins and one of Kent's most popular attractions The Canterbury Tales - it's all here in Canterbury. Canterbury's acclaim as a centre for art is no accident, The city's Christ Church Arts College is one of the best, and work by students is often on display in the city's galleries. Famous Canterbury artistic sons include the artist Thomas Sidney Cooper, famous for his pastoral and cattle scenes and one of Shakespeare's key influencers - Christopher Marlowe.

For Chaucer fans, a visit to Canterbury is a pilgrimage. Attractions in the city pertaining to the Canterbury Tales include the iconic Canterbury Cathedral. Alongside this the superb Canterbury Tales attraction is perfect for families with children.

Like shopping, love Canterbury, not just for the latest new shopping quarter at Whitefriars Shopping Centre with all your well know retail stores and adjacent parking, but also for the best of specialist shopping and co-operative style food markets. Like both York and Edinburgh, Canterbury has shops catering for all tastes. Specialist shopping however is what really rocks in Canterbury. Find the best of the city's specialist shops around Westgate Towers and St Dunstans, up the King's Mile and Northgate. Checkout too Canterbury's own local produce market - The Goods Shed near Canterbury West Station.

Around Canterbury - Blean, Chartham, Chilham & Littlebourne

Around Canterbury sit some of Kent's ancient woodlands including Blean to the north of the city and Denge and Larkey Valley to the South. The North Downs Way National Trail detours off in a loop before Wye and heads on up to Canterbury passing through many of these ancient woodlands and near the stunning villages of Chilham, Chartham and Petham. These villages close to Canterbury (Chartham is just 3 miles from the city) make excellent North Downs countryside bases affording easy access onto the North Downs Way and walking trails in the woodlands as well as easy access into Canterbury.

Popular attractions in the area include Druidstone Park, an excellent family attraction, situated in the Blean woodlands. Howletts Wild Animal Park is also within easy reach of Canterbury and for organic farm produce head to Perry Court Organic Farm's on-site farm shop.

East Canterbury - Wingham, Staple & Canterbury Vineyards

The East Canterbury area is home to historic villages like Wingham situated on the ancient coast road from London to Roman Fort Richborough - now the A257. A number of Kent attractions are in the area including historic Wingham's St Mary church dating from the 1200s, Wingham Wildlife Park and the Barnsole Vineyard at Staple.

Goodnestone Park and Gardens east of Canterbury is often referred to as Sissinghurst without the crowds and Jane Austen was a frequent visitor to these stunning Kent Gardens. Other attractions within easy reach include the historic East Kent Light Railway, Stodmarsh Nature Reserve, the old cinque port of Sandwich and Sandwich Bay beaches and golf and Canterbury City Centre. Two miles east of Minster off the B29048 sits St Augustine's Cross marking the spot where Augustine is said to have first landed in England in 597AD before pushing on towards Canterbury.

Canterbury Kent Downs - Barham, Elham & Wye NNR

South of Canterbury in the heart of the Kent Downs around Barham, Wye and Elham sits some of Kent's most stunning landscapes. Spectacular views of Romney Marsh and the Weald can be seen from the steep 260 foot coombe the Devil's Kneading Trough within the Wye National Nature Reserve. Wye and other stunning Downs villages including Elham, Hastingleigh and Elmstead make superb bases for exploring the Kent Downs and afford easy access onto the Stour Valley Way, the Elham Valley Way and North Kent Downs National Trail.

The finest of Kent Downs local produce is to be found in Wye's Farmers Markets held twice monthly. More Kent Vineyards are to be found in the Elham Valley. The Kent Downs area south of Canterbury is a haven for walkers - numerous trails and paths criss-cross the area which offers a diverse range of landscape from chalk escarpments to dry valleys and ancient woodlands.

Featured Kent Accommodation

The Three Tuns Inn - Staple

Traditional inn with rooms, specialising in weddings and set amongst the fruit orchards of rural Kent in the picturesque village of Staple, near Canterbury.

£33 to £48 Per person B&B (2 sharing)