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
£68
1 night at 3-star hotel
Canterbury in January
Estimated hotel price
£68
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 55 miles from Canterbury. The shortest domestic flight to Canterbury departs from Edinburgh and takes around 1h 20m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Canterbury, followed by Avanti West Coast. The train journey from Canterbury to Cambridge takes 0h 55m and costs around £27 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Bristol, expect to pay about £26 for a 1h 35m trip. Located 0.4 miles from the city centre, Canterbury East is the busiest station in Canterbury. Another popular train station is Canterbury Chartham, located 3 miles from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Canterbury is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 54 miles from Canterbury. You’ll find branches of Turo and Rentacar, among others, in London.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Canterbury using National Express or FlixBus. From Bristol, the bus ride to Canterbury takes 135 miles and will cost you around £8. From Birmingham, the ticket costs about £7 for a journey of 140 miles. The most popular bus station is Canterbury Park and Ride, located 1.5 miles from the city centre of Canterbury. Canterbury University of Kent is also a commonly used station, and is 1.2 miles from the city centre.

Plane

Although Canterbury doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to London Gatwick Airport (LGW), which is located 55 miles from Canterbury. The shortest domestic flight to Canterbury departs from Edinburgh and takes around 1h 20m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Canterbury, followed by Avanti West Coast. The train journey from Canterbury to Cambridge takes 0h 55m and costs around £27 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Bristol, expect to pay about £26 for a 1h 35m trip. Located 0.4 miles from the city centre, Canterbury East is the busiest station in Canterbury. Another popular train station is Canterbury Chartham, located 3 miles from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Canterbury is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 54 miles from Canterbury. You’ll find branches of Turo and Rentacar, among others, in London.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Canterbury using National Express or FlixBus. From Bristol, the bus ride to Canterbury takes 135 miles and will cost you around £8. From Birmingham, the ticket costs about £7 for a journey of 140 miles. The most popular bus station is Canterbury Park and Ride, located 1.5 miles from the city centre of Canterbury. Canterbury University of Kent is also a commonly used station, and is 1.2 miles from the city centre.

Airports near Canterbury

LHRLondon Heathrow
STNLondon Stansted
LGWLondon Gatwick

Airlines serving Canterbury

KLM
Good (1,454 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,784 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,739 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,203 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,216 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,872 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,115 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,289 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,734 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,534 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,516 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (896 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,682 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,717 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,179 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,394 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,362 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,162 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (384 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,882 reviews)
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Find flights to Canterbury

Where to stay in Canterbury

Average rates range from around £85 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £131 and up for a 5-star experience. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Canterbury, with prices from £43 to £1,570 per night. Downtown is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Canterbury are about 1% 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)
£78+
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Crescent Turner Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.9, Excellent reviews)
£102+
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Hampton by Hilton Canterbury
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, Excellent reviews)
£65+
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Whitstable Fisherman's Huts
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, Excellent reviews)
£130+
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The Marine
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
£110+
View
Hotel Continental
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
£85+
View

Hiring a car in Canterbury

Hiring a car in Canterbury costs £39 per day, on average, or £77 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

Expect to pay £1.33 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 £15.85 and £21.14. 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 Compact car hire (Jeep Avenger or similar) is, on average, 59% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Canterbury costs £39 per day, on average, or £77 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

Expect to pay £1.33 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 £15.85 and £21.14. 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 Compact car hire (Jeep Avenger or similar) is, on average, 59% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Find car hire in Canterbury