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 Edinburgh and takes around 1h 25m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Canterbury, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from Canterbury to Lille takes 1h 21m and costs around £41 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Brussels, expect to pay about £34 for a 2h 05m 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 Turo and Rentacar, among others, in London.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Canterbury using FlixBus or National Express. From Southampton, the bus ride to Canterbury takes 201 km and will cost you around £7. From Nottingham, the ticket costs about £10 for a journey of 225 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 Edinburgh and takes around 1h 25m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Canterbury, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from Canterbury to Lille takes 1h 21m and costs around £41 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Brussels, expect to pay about £34 for a 2h 05m 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 Turo and Rentacar, among others, in London.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Canterbury using FlixBus or National Express. From Southampton, the bus ride to Canterbury takes 201 km and will cost you around £7. From Nottingham, the ticket costs about £10 for a journey of 225 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 (7,956 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,508 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,929 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,466 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,343 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,924 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,202 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,580 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (911 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,672 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,568 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,762 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,726 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,975 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,192 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,392 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (404 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,223 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,434 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,304 reviews)
Show more
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 £182 and up for a 5-star experience. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Canterbury, with prices from £37 to £1,580 per night. Downtown is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Canterbury are about 25% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Canterbury

Most booked hotels in Canterbury

See all
Evening Tide Bed and Breakfast
5 stars
Excellent (9.4, Excellent reviews)
£89+
View
Duke of Cumberland
3 stars
Excellent (9, Excellent reviews)
£118+
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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)
£89+
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The Marine
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
£139+
View
Yha Canterbury
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
£35+
View

Hiring a car in Canterbury

Hiring a car in Canterbury costs £36 per day, on average, or £73 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

Expect to pay £1.58 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 £18.88 and £25.17. Economy (Renault Clio or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Canterbury, while also 57% cheaper than other types, on average.

Hiring a car in Canterbury costs £36 per day, on average, or £73 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

Expect to pay £1.58 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 £18.88 and £25.17. Economy (Renault Clio or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Canterbury, while also 57% cheaper than other types, on average.

Find car hire in Canterbury