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 March
Estimated hotel price
£67
1 night at 3-star hotel
Canterbury in March
Estimated hotel price
£67
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 Belfast and takes around 1h 10m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Canterbury, followed by Avanti West Coast. The train journey from Canterbury to Oxford takes 1h 06m and costs around £19 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Cambridge, expect to pay about £17 for a 1h 28m 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 145 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 Belfast and takes around 1h 10m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Canterbury, followed by Avanti West Coast. The train journey from Canterbury to Oxford takes 1h 06m and costs around £19 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Cambridge, expect to pay about £17 for a 1h 28m 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 145 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 (1,443 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,754 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,705 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,128 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,208 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,864 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,099 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,215 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,727 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,528 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,490 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (895 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,667 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,674 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,375 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,174 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,356 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,148 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,440 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (381 reviews)
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Find flights to Canterbury

Where to stay in Canterbury

Average rates range from around £84 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £107 and up for a 5-star experience. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Canterbury, with prices from £39 to £576 per night. Downtown is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Canterbury are about 1% cheaper 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)
£79+
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Crescent Turner Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.9, Excellent reviews)
£85+
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Hampton by Hilton Canterbury
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, Excellent reviews)
£66+
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Whitstable Fisherman's Huts
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, Excellent reviews)
£126+
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The Marine
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
£107+
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Hotel Continental
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
£83+
View

Hiring a car in Canterbury

Hiring a car in Canterbury costs £42 per day, on average, or £85 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

Expect to pay £1.30 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 £15.49 and £20.65. The most frequently booked car type in Canterbury is Economy (Vauxhall Corsa 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 £42 per day, on average, or £85 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

Expect to pay £1.30 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 £15.49 and £20.65. The most frequently booked car type in Canterbury is Economy (Vauxhall Corsa 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