History looms large in Canterbury. From the Roman walls which still ring the city centre to the stunning cathedral which is one of the oldest places of worship in the UK, the south-east city is steeped in history and heritage.
The Roman Museum and the Beaney House of Art & Knowledge brilliantly bring Canterbury’s heritage to life while The Canterbury Tales is a thrilling and fully interactive time-travelling experience, bringing Chaucer’s classic tales to life for a new audience.
The entertainment scene is just as action packed with hundreds of exotic animals at Howlett’s Wild Animal Park – including the UK’s largest herd of African elephants – as well as a wide range of programming at the Marlowe Theatre, one of the leading cultural and entertainment beacons in the south-east. And cricket fans will love a day – or T20 evening – at Kent Cricket Ground, just a short six-hit from the city centre.
Canterbury also has a well-deserved reputation as a foodie hub, with our Canterbury City Centre hotel a short walk from dozens of coffee shops, bars, pubs and restaurants covering everything from afternoon tea, pulled pork scotch eggs, fine dining that mixes Asian and English influences, Turkish meze and much more. Whether you’ve come to explore the history and culture of Canterbury or whether you want to wander the streets and explore the cafés, parks and shopping on offer, there’s something for everyone.
Things to do in Canterbury
Shopping
The biggest shopping centre in East Kent, Whitefriars Canterbury is a three-storey shopping centre home to big-brand names including Tesco, Topshop, H&M, River Island, Primark and Marks & Spencer. The shopping centre is next to the Canterbury Bus Station and close to both of Canterbury’s train stations and less than 100m from our Canterbury City Centre hotel. As well as one of the largest ranges of shops in the region, Whitefriars is also home to 16 food and drink outlets including Carluccio’s, Cafe Nero and Burger King.
Running every Wednesday and Friday from 8am-5pm, Canterbury High Street Market features a host of local traders selling fresh fruit and vegetables, arts and crafts, artisan goods and more. The market takes place on St George’s St in the heart of Canterbury.
Another market and shopping hybrid worth checking out is The Goods Shed, a permanent indoor food market near the Canterbury West train station home to 12 independent food and drink outlets as well as over a dozen stalls and stands.
Getting Around
The closest international airport to Canterbury is Gatwick Airport. The 65-mile journey takes around 75 minutes by car or taxi, with the train taking just over two hours via a change at St Pancras. Gatwick is the second-busiest UK airport with nearly 50 million passengers each year flying across the UK, Europe and the rest of the world via a host of flyers including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and a host of low-cost airlines. To simplify your journey even further, stay the night before your flight at one of our hotels near Gatwick Airport.
There are two train stations in Canterbury, with the Canterbury West Train Station the busier of the two. The two-platform station runs regular services to and from London St Pancras, London Victoria and London Charing Cross as well as routes to Ramsgate, Margate, Ashford, Maidstone and Stratford. The station has a manned ticket office, ticket machines, a small café, a covered waiting room and toilets.
Shopping in Canterbury
