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 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 Eurostar. The train journey from Canterbury to Brussels takes 2h 01m and costs around £34 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Paris, expect to pay about £40 for a 2h 18m 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

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Canterbury, including FlixBus, National Express and BlaBlaCar Bus. From Birmingham, the bus ride to Canterbury takes 145 miles and will cost you around £11. From Bristol, the ticket costs about £7 for a journey of 155 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 Eurostar. The train journey from Canterbury to Brussels takes 2h 01m and costs around £34 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Paris, expect to pay about £40 for a 2h 18m 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

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Canterbury, including FlixBus, National Express and BlaBlaCar Bus. From Birmingham, the bus ride to Canterbury takes 145 miles and will cost you around £11. From Bristol, the ticket costs about £7 for a journey of 155 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

Lufthansa
Good (7,972 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,511 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,943 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,460 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,344 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,935 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,208 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,583 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (911 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,680 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,568 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,769 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,723 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,995 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,192 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,392 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (405 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,230 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,433 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,312 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to Canterbury

Where to stay in Canterbury

Average rates range from around £88 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £236 and up for a 5-star experience. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Canterbury, with prices from £37 to £1,576 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
The Sleep-Inn Hare
3 stars
Excellent (9.3, Excellent reviews)
£106+
View
Duke of Cumberland
3 stars
Excellent (9, Excellent reviews)
£118+
View
Hampton by Hilton Canterbury
3 stars
Excellent (8.8, Excellent reviews)
£74+
View
Whitstable Fisherman's Huts
3 stars
Excellent (8.8, Excellent reviews)
£158+
View
Hotel Continental
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
£82+
View
The Marine
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
£138+
View

Hiring a car in Canterbury

Hiring a car in Canterbury costs £36 per day, on average, or £72 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

Expect to pay £1.57 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 £18.74 and £24.98. Economy (Vauxhall Corsa or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Canterbury, while also 19% cheaper than other types, on average.

Hiring a car in Canterbury costs £36 per day, on average, or £72 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

Expect to pay £1.57 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 £18.74 and £24.98. Economy (Vauxhall Corsa or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Canterbury, while also 19% cheaper than other types, on average.

Find car hire in Canterbury