Canterbury is one of the cities in England that deserves to be visited for all its history, its impressive cathedral, as well as other places of interest, so today we are going to tell you about… what to see in canterbury in one day.
What to see in Canterbury in one day?
We were told Canterbury was a fairy tale townwhat we confirm today, and we also wanted spend a day in town because she has 3 world heritage sites since 1988: the cathedral, the abbey of Saint-Augustin and the church of Saint-Martin..
So that you can start enjoying this beautiful city, we leave you the video that we have recorded, going around the city. the most important sites of Canterbury.
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TIPS: If once arrived in Canterbury and if you feel like it know the city in depth, this guided tour may be a good option.
And now we will explain everything you can see during a day in Canterburyif you decide to go during your visit to London.
Here we go…😉 .
Westgate Gardens
Before entering Canterbury Old Town, take a stroll through these beautiful gardens where you can see the remains of the surrounding wall.
The center of the park is crossed by the Great Stour River and is divided into 4 areas: Westgate Gardens, Tannery Field, Toddler’s Cove and Bingley Island Local Nature Reserve.
It is an ideal place for to rest or have a picnic And if you’re traveling with kids, they’re sure to have fun in the Roman-themed play area.
Want an original activity? Could you do the bet or, to put it another way, ride in a wooden boat with a guide who steers it using a wooden pole. (a bit like the gondolas in Venice 😉 ). We did it the day we went to see Cambridge And we loved that experience. 😊
Westgate Towers
Next to Westgate Gardens you will find two large towers: they form the entrance to the historic center of Canterbury..
They were built in 1379 and are 18 meters high. England’s largest city gateway..
It’s the only one left of the 7 he originally had.
Inside, you can visit its museum, which presents both the history of the city and the towers. and if you go up to the belvedere, you will have the best views of Canterbury.
Do you like escape rooms? If the answer is yes, we recommend that you go to the one they have in them, which is also is located in the original cells of the former towers prison..
St. Pierre Street
Once you have visited the towers, enter through the door and you will find yourself in the party hall. St Peter’s Street or the main street of Canterbury..
It is full of cafes, pubs, shops and historic buildings such as. Eastbridge Hospital 12th century and The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge 19th century which is a free museum with a library and an art gallery..
Near the main street was one of Canterbury’s most famous attractions: The Canterbury Talesbut it unfortunately closed its doors some time ago, after 35 years.😏
Marlowe Theater
Walking through the back streets of Canterbury we came across the Marlowe Theatre. Marlowe Theater which was inaugurated in 2011. Did you know that This is the third Marlowe Theater in the city.?
The first opened in 1950 and was demolished in 1984, the second moved into an old cinema from the 1930s and was demolished in 2009 to be replaced by another. to build the current theater which is the one you can see today (if they don’t decide to build another…).😄
With 2 auditoriums, inside you can attend all kinds of theater performances, musicals, opera and ballet..
The building itself is very modern and, in our opinion, does not have much charm except for the area where the theater is located and thanks to a curious sculpture dating from 2003 which is called Bulkhead and you can see at the entrance.
Canterbury Cathedral
Remember we told you that Canterbury has 3 World Heritage Sites? There Canterbury Cathedral founded in the 6th century is one of them and has been rebuilt and expanded throughout its history, through three wars, a fire and an earthquake.. It’s nothing.
It is without a doubt, the city’s most popular landmark and one of the must-see places to visit in Canterbury.. Inside, don’t miss the magnificent choir, the crypt and its rich library of more than 50,000 works..
It is also famous for a dark episode in its history, murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket in 1170. It seems that he was on bad terms with King Henry II and that the latter complained one day, saying: “Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest? Four of his knights took his words literally and assassinate him in the cathedral.😎
Abbey of Saint Augustine
The Abbey of Saint-Augustin is also listed as a World Heritage Site. and was founded in 598 by Augustine of Canterbury, first Archbishop of Canterburyto celebrate the success of the evangelization of the south of England.
Located outside the city walls, was originally created as the burial place for the Anglo-Saxon kings of Kent. there today you can visit its ruins.
Church of San Martin
Very close to the Abbey of Saint Augustine is the Church of San Martín. St. Martin’s Church, the third of the monuments world heritage site Who you can see in Canterbury and who is also oldest church in england.
The history of this church is linked to Bertha, Queen of Kentwho maintained the Christian religion by going to pray there every day after her husband, King Ethelbert, had ordered the restoration of the church of Saint-Martin.
Inside you will find one of Canterbury’s most important historical objects: a baptismal font. and outside, its cemetery, where the following people are buried local personalities like Mary Tourtelcreator of the Rupert bear in 1920, whose adventures you can follow today in the English newspaper Daily Express.
Dane John Gardens
Returning to the city center you will find a great place to relax on your visit to Canterbury, the city’s main park, known as Dane John Gardens..
Located within the city walls, was already used as a park by the inhabitants of Canterbury in the 12th century.although the one you can admire here dates from the 18th century.
There are areas for children, including a small maze, a café with a terrace and, for a nice visit, you just have to climb a small hill, where there are a monument commemorating Alderman James Simmons’ gift of the gardens to the people of Canterbury..
Canterbury Castle
We ended our day in Canterbury with a visit to its Norman castle, or rather its ruins.
THE Canterbury Castle was built in woodby order of William I of England “the Conqueror” in the 11th century, but the one you will see dates from the 12th century, when it was decided to build it. to reinforce it with stone.
It is known that it had at least three floors and was built using building materials. it was used as a prison in the 13th century and as a warehouse in the 19th century. after being bought out by a gas company.
We wish we could show you the inside, but… was closed due to risk of landslide and there are currently no restoration projects.
Map of Canterbury’s must-see sites.
We leave you this map, divided into the monuments to see, the places to eat and the places to sleep in Canterbury to make your visit the best it can be.
Where to eat in Canterbury
Canterbury is a very charming city and walking its streets is wonderful, but you also have to eat, right? 😇
The city is full of cafes, restaurants offering dishes from around the world and pubs steeped in history..
Let’s go get something to eat… 😋
The Old Buttermarket
Located in a pretty little square, this pub is opposite the front door of the cathedral. and was connected to it by tunnels which were used for the monks of escape..
As in any good pub, you can drink a good pint of beer or enjoy a traditional English meal. We decided to order something a little less typical and ate hunter’s chicken (chicken breast with cheese and bacon served with salad and onion rings).
Took a little while to serve us, but the wait was worth it, as we enjoyed the quantity and quality of the food..
Address: 39 Burgate
Lady Luck
This pub is decorated with vinyls, posters and even two Jukeboxes. To give you an idea of the kind of music they play there, you should know that it’s a rock and roll bar 🎹. It’s a rock and roll bar 🎹.
We recommend it for breakfast as well as for lunch, because the menu is quite varied and includes gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options..
We opted for one of their burgers, the Texaswith barbecue sauce, cheese and onion rings, served with fries.
This was one of the places to eat in Canterbury that we had targeted and we were not disappointed. The staff was very friendly and we were served quite quickly 😉.
Address: 18 St. Peter’s Street
The Old Weavers Restaurant
On the main street and close to the previous pub is this restaurant in a 16th century building by the river. just to see it from the inside, it is worth going inside..
It took us a while to get a table as we hadn’t booked, but they were very nice and we were able to eat before taking the train home. To prevent the same from happening to you, we recommend that you book. especially for dinner or weekend because it is a very popular place.
You have quite a varied menu, from which we chose something light before the trip: A few baguettes with salad and fries.
TIPS: All dishes can be ordered gluten-free.
Address: 1-3 St. Peter’s Street
Where to stay in Canterbury
Although Canterbury can be seen in a dayyou can do it, like we do, spend a night and enjoy every corner of this beautiful English city in peace..
After some research, we opted for a hotel in the center: The Cathedral Gate Hotel located next to the cathedral.
Built in 1438, it once welcomed pilgrims, which made it a privileged place of welcome. is steeped in history, labyrinthine nooks and sloping floors that give it its charm..
Our room had a view of the cathedral and the best part was…the breakfast.. As they say a picture is worth a thousand words, we show it to you. 😋
If you prefer to sleep in a more modern hotel or in another area of Canterbury, we leave you the link to all accommodations in Canterbury.
How to get to Canterbury from London
The best way to to Canterbury from London is with a tour in englishwhere you will see the impressive Leeds CastleTHE city of canterburyof course, and the Cliffs of Dover.
Excursion to Leeds Castle, Canterbury and Dover.
If you prefer to go on your own, you can get there by bus or train from London.
Bus
National Express has direct buses to Canterbury from Victoria Coach Station. The journey takes approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Train
This is the quickest way to get to Canterbury. The journey takes just over an hour and in Canterbury there are 2 stations: Canterbury East and Canterbury West.both quite close to the center, you can walk there.
After having known what to see in canterburyWhat to eat and where to sleep, you know what to do next… 😄
We hope you’ll tell us in the comments what you thought of the city.
Hello travelers.
