Introduction
What to do
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Hiring a car

Canterbury travel guide

Canterbury Tourism | Canterbury Guide

You're Going to Love Canterbury

With a population of 46.978, Canterbury is a must-see destination in England, United Kingdom. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Canterbury deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Where to Eat in Canterbury

If you’re looking for affordable options, Chapter One (Farnborough Common) and The Ivy, Canterbury (15 Parade) are great picks.

When to visit Canterbury

Canterbury in January
Estimated hotel price
£70
1 night at 3-star hotel
Canterbury in January
Estimated hotel price
£70
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Canterbury

Plane

Although Canterbury doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to London Gatwick Airport (LGW), which is located 89 km from Canterbury. The shortest domestic flight to Canterbury departs from Belfast and takes around 1h 15m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Canterbury, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from Canterbury to Brighton takes 1h 05m and costs around £34 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Cambridge, expect to pay about £26 for a 1h 08m trip. Located 0.6 km from the city centre, Canterbury East is the busiest station in Canterbury. Another popular train station is Canterbury Chartham, located 5 km from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Canterbury is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 87 km from Canterbury. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and Turo, among others, in London.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Canterbury using FlixBus or National Express. From Bristol, the bus ride to Canterbury takes 217 km and will cost you around £6. From Birmingham, the ticket costs about £11 for a journey of 233 km. The most popular bus station is Canterbury Park and Ride, located 2.4 km from the city centre of Canterbury. Canterbury University of Kent is also a commonly used station, and is 2.0 km from the city centre.

Plane

Although Canterbury doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to London Gatwick Airport (LGW), which is located 89 km from Canterbury. The shortest domestic flight to Canterbury departs from Belfast and takes around 1h 15m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Canterbury, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from Canterbury to Brighton takes 1h 05m and costs around £34 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Cambridge, expect to pay about £26 for a 1h 08m trip. Located 0.6 km from the city centre, Canterbury East is the busiest station in Canterbury. Another popular train station is Canterbury Chartham, located 5 km from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Canterbury is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 87 km from Canterbury. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and Turo, among others, in London.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Canterbury using FlixBus or National Express. From Bristol, the bus ride to Canterbury takes 217 km and will cost you around £6. From Birmingham, the ticket costs about £11 for a journey of 233 km. The most popular bus station is Canterbury Park and Ride, located 2.4 km from the city centre of Canterbury. Canterbury University of Kent is also a commonly used station, and is 2.0 km from the city centre.

Airports near Canterbury

LHRLondon Heathrow
STNLondon Stansted
LGWLondon Gatwick

Airlines serving Canterbury

Lufthansa
Good (7,984 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,510 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,954 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,457 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,356 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,937 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,213 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,585 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (915 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,692 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,570 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,729 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,771 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (11,008 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,193 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,392 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (406 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,248 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,319 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,434 reviews)
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Find flights to Canterbury

Where to stay in Canterbury

Average rates range from around £89 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £212 and up for a 5-star experience. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Canterbury, with prices from £39 to £1,573 per night. Downtown is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Canterbury are about 23% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Canterbury

Most booked hotels in Canterbury

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Duke of Cumberland
3 stars
Excellent (9, Excellent reviews)
£100+
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Hampton by Hilton Canterbury
3 stars
Excellent (8.8, Excellent reviews)
£73+
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Whitstable Fisherman's Huts
3 stars
Excellent (8.8, Excellent reviews)
£158+
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Hotel Continental
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
£91+
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The Marine
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
£138+
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Yha Canterbury
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
£35+
View

Hiring a car in Canterbury

Hiring a car in Canterbury costs £37 per day, on average, or £73 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

Expect to pay £1.56 per litre in Canterbury (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £18.71 and £24.94. The most frequently booked car type in Canterbury is Full-size (Ford Transit or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Toyota Aygo or similar) is, on average, 63% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Canterbury costs £37 per day, on average, or £73 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

Expect to pay £1.56 per litre in Canterbury (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £18.71 and £24.94. The most frequently booked car type in Canterbury is Full-size (Ford Transit or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Toyota Aygo or similar) is, on average, 63% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Find car hire in Canterbury