Guides
The Charms of Canterbury - Cathedral, Coast and Countryside
Many visitors know Canterbury through Geoffrey Chaucer's tales of medieval pilgrims, telling stories en route to the city's great cathedral. Chaucer remains a heritage attraction here, but it's still the cathedral that draws most people to Canterbury, and there are plenty more historic sights nearby. For a break from the Middle Ages, you can visit sandy beaches and explore pretty countryside around the Kentish hinterland.
Central Canterbury
As you walk towards Canterbury Cathedral, you're following in the footsteps of thousands of pilgrims who made their way here over centuries. Also called Christ Church Cathedral, the city's most prominent attraction dominates the historic city centre. You'll find most of the main sights and museums like the Beaney House of Art and Knowledge within an oval ring of streets that follows the line of the old city walls. The lesser channel of the Great Stour flows through the heart of the city, while the river's main channel forms its western boundary.
- Canterbury Cathedral, Cathedral House, 11 The Precincts CT1 2EH; Tel: +44 1227 762 862; Website: Canterbury Cathedral
- The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge, 18 High Street, Canterbury CT1 2RA; Tel: +44 01227 862 162; Website: The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge
Canterbury's coast
It's fun to spend a day enjoying English seaside nostalgia at attractive harbor towns like Whitstable and Herne Bay, on the south shore of the broad Thames Estuary. Whitstable is famous for its oysters, which you can sample in fine local pubs and restaurants. Just outside the town centre, you'll find Whitstable Castle, a splendid mock-baronial castle surrounded by landscaped grounds. Beside the sea near Herne Bay, you can see the square towers of medieval Reculver Abbey, built on the site of an older Roman stronghold.
- Whitstable Castle and Gardens, Tower Hill, Whitstable CT5 2BW; Tel: +44 1227 281 726; Website: Whitstable Castle and Gardens
- Reculver Towers and Roman Fort, Reculver Lane, Herne Bay CT6 6SS; Tel: +44 370 333 1181; Website: Reculver Towers and Roman Fort
Canterbury's countryside
There's lush countryside to explore all around Canterbury. In summer, you'll see swathes of apple, cherry, and pear blossom in Kent's famous orchards, as well as fields full of tall hops, which go to make Kent's equally famous ales. Look out for the distinctive conical chimneys of oast houses, used for drying hops. There are also some delightful country gardens in this part of the world. At Mount Ephraim Gardens, you'll find elaborate topiary in a dignified Edwardian estate. And at Goodnestone you can walk in Jane Austen's footsteps though walled gardens filled with roses and clematis.
- Mount Ephraim Gardens, Staple Street, Hernhill, Faversham ME13 9TX; Tel: +44 1227 751 496; Website: Mount Ephraim Gardens
- Goodnestone Park Gardens, Goodnestone, Wingham CT3 1PL; Tel: +44 1304 840 107; Website: Goodnestone Park Gardens
Rochester's castle and cathedral
At Rochester, guarding the crossing of the River Medway, you can explore one of England's more imposing medieval strongholds. The tall, square stone tower of 11th-century Rochester Castle dominates the cobbled streets of the old town centre. Like the Castle, next-door Rochester Cathedral was built for William of Normandy. In 1066, this Norman duke triumphed at the Battle of Hastings to make himself William I of England. You probably know him better as "William the Conqueror."
- Rochester Castle, Castle Hill, Rochester ME1 1SW; Tel: +44 1634 335 882; Website: Rochester Castle
- Rochester Cathedral, Garth House, The Precinct, Rochester ME1 1SX; Tel: +44 1634 843 366; Website: Rochester Cathedral
Naval history in Chatham
When you visit the historic port of Chatham you'll be among the spirits of great English commanders like King Henry VIII and Horatio, Lord Nelson. In the 16th century, Henry turned it into the home of the Royal Navy. By the 17th century it was the England's biggest naval base. The Navy left in 1984, but you'll learn all about the great sea battles of the past at The Historic Dockyard Chatham. Nearby, you can walk round ramparts, see 19th-century cannon being fired, and explore haunted tunnels at Fort Amherst, a mighty relic of Britain's Napoleonic Wars.
- The Historic Dockyard, Chatham, Dock Road, Chatham ME4 4TE; Tel: +44 1634 823 800; Website: The Historic Dockyard, Chatham
- Fort Amherst, Dock Road, Chatham; Tel: +44 1634 847 747; Website: Fort Amherst
Canterbury Guides
Great Places to Stay in Canterbury - City Inns, Country Houses, Seaside Hotels
Travel Tips - The Insider's Guide to Canterbury
From Orchards to Oysters - Where to Eat around Canterbury and the Kentish Coast
Fashionable Shopping Centers and Funky Historic Neighborhoods - Where to Shop in Canterbury
What to See and Do in Canterbury - Walks and Tours Through a Medieval City
Where to stay
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