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. Consider staying at least one whole day in Canterbury to see all of its attractions.

Where to Eat in Canterbury

If you’re looking for affordable options, Oscar & Bentleys (10 Guildhall Street) and The Granville (Street End Lower Hardres) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Chapmans of Canterbury Ltd. (89-90 St. Dunstans Street) and Côte Brasserie - Canterbury (2 Longmarket) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Canterbury.

When to visit Canterbury

Canterbury in January
Estimated hotel price
£73
1 night at 3-star hotel
Canterbury in January
Estimated hotel price
£73
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 05m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Canterbury, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from Canterbury to Birmingham takes 1h 33m and costs around £26 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Bristol, expect to pay about £27 for a 1h 34m 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 SURPRICE CAR RENTAL , among others, in London.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Canterbury, including National Express, FlixBus and Megabus. From Southampton, the bus ride to Canterbury takes 193 km and will cost you around £10. From Bristol, the ticket costs about £4 for a journey of 209 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 05m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Canterbury, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from Canterbury to Birmingham takes 1h 33m and costs around £26 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Bristol, expect to pay about £27 for a 1h 34m 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 SURPRICE CAR RENTAL , among others, in London.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Canterbury, including National Express, FlixBus and Megabus. From Southampton, the bus ride to Canterbury takes 193 km and will cost you around £10. From Bristol, the ticket costs about £4 for a journey of 209 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

Airlines serving Canterbury

Lufthansa
Good (7,031 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,334 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,581 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (8,402 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,781 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,895 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,641 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,886 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,469 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (785 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,304 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,702 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (8,670 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (343 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,284 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,687 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,322 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,089 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,860 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,188 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Canterbury

Average rates range from around £108 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £122 and up for a 5-star experience. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Canterbury, with prices from £51 to £531 per night. Downtown is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Canterbury are about 11% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Canterbury

Most booked hotels in Canterbury

The Crescent Turner Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (9, Excellent reviews)
£89+
Hampton by Hilton Canterbury
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, Excellent reviews)
£76+
The Marine
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
£117+
The Five Bells
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
£81+
The Victoria Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
£55+
Holiday Inn Express Canterbury
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
£62+

Hiring a car in Canterbury

Hiring a car in Canterbury costs £35 per day, on average.

Expect to pay £1.40 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 £16.70 and £22.27. The most frequently booked car type in Canterbury is Mini (Fiat 500 or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy car hire (Ford Fiesta or similar) is, on average, 71% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Canterbury costs £35 per day, on average.

Expect to pay £1.40 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 £16.70 and £22.27. The most frequently booked car type in Canterbury is Mini (Fiat 500 or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy car hire (Ford Fiesta or similar) is, on average, 71% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Canterbury Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Canterbury city guide for the best Canterbury travel tips. To help you organise your Canterbury trip ideas, this Canterbury visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.