Canterbury
Travel Guide > Europe > United Kingdom > England > Kent > Canterbury
In this Article
- Introduction
- Neighbourhoods
- Sights and Activities
- Events and Festivals
- Weather
- Getting There
- Getting Around
- Eat
- Drink
- Sleep
- Work
- Learn
- Keep Connected
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Quick Facts
[edit]
- County
- Kent
- Population
- 43,432
- Dial Code
- 01227
- Postcode
- CT1 to CT4
- Coordinates
-
- Latitude: 51.275 N
- Longitude: 1.087 E
On Travellerspoint
Contributors
nigelpeaco (100%)
from A Brit Visits
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Introduction
The city of Canterbury in the heart of the county of Kent is best known for being the seat of the Church of England. The impressive Cathedral sees over a million visitors each year and dominates the city. The Canterbury area has been inhabited since prehistoric times and the Romans had a settlement here. The death of Thomas a Becket in 1170 at the Cathedral made Canterbury a notable town and pilgrims visited from all parts of Europe. Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales were inspired by the pilgrimages.
Today Canterbury is a destination for visitors keen to see the Cathedral and other historic sites in the area. The city is home to the University of Kent, who have their main campus a mile from the centre.
Sights and Activities
- Canterbury Cathedral – Mother church of the Anglican Communion
- Canterbury Roman Museum – Underground at the level of the Roman town
- Canterbury Tales – The story of the pilgrimage from London to Canterbury
- Ghost Tour – A 75 minute mix of entertainment, history and haunting
- Rupert Museum – Meet Rupert and his chums
- Westgate Gardens – Landscaped gardens close to the River Stour
Events and Festivals
The Canterbury Festival takes place every October, featuring music, art, theatre, dance, films and lectures.
Weather
Getting There
By Plane
Kent International Airport at Manston is 12 miles from Canterbury. London Gatwick and London Heathrow airports are a two hour drive.
By Train
There are two mainline stations, Canterbury East and Canterbury West. These serve London Victoria and London Charing Cross, as well as Dover Priory and Ramsgate.
By Car
The M2 and M20 motorways both pass close to Canterbury. The A28 from Ashford runs to the centre and on to Dover. There is a Park and Ride facility, with busses to the city centre, with all day parking at £2.00, which includes the bus to the city. There are 1,800 parking spaces in the city, all of which attract a fee.
By Bus
Stagecoach East Kent Busses run to the Canterbury bus station from local towns and villages. Regular services operate to and from Herne Bay and Whitstable. National Express coaches from London and Dover arrive at the bus station.
By Boat
The port of Dover sees cross channel ferries from France and Belgium. The rail station at Dover Priory connects directly to Canterbury West. The Channel Tunnel facility at Folkestone takes cars to and from Calais France.
Getting Around
By Car
The best option is to park the car either at the Park and Ride facility, or in a city centre car park.
By Public Transport
Local bus services serve the city centre and residential neighbourhoods.
By Foot
Much of the city centre is a pedestrian precinct, making access easy and safe to most areas and attractions.
By Bike
Bicycle hire is available from Cycles UK, which is based at the Canterbury bus station.
Eat
Drink
Sleep
Budget
- YHA Canterbury – A short walk from the city centre
- Kipps International Hostel – 10 minutes from the centre
Mid-Range
- Clare Ellen Guest House – Four star guest house
- Alexandra House – Seven rooms
Upscale
- Swallow Chaucer Hotel – 42 bedrooms opposite the city walls
- Thannington Hotel – Family run, with a four-poster room available
Work
Keep Connected
Internet
As a student and tourist city, there are a number of Internet cafes in Canterbury.
Phone
The national dialling code for Canterbury is 01227
To make an international call to Canterbury, dial +44 1227 followed by the local number.
Post
There are post offices in the High Street and Castle Street, with additional sub-post offices in a number of other locations.
This is version 4. Last edited at 11:39 on Mar 4, 09 by nigelpeaco (+4). 4 articles link to this page.
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