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 among the most popular tourist destinations 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, Côte Brasserie - Canterbury (2 Longmarket) and Gurkha Dine (74 Wincheap) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Canterbury.

When to visit Canterbury

Canterbury in January
Estimated hotel price
£71
1 night at 3-star hotel
Canterbury in January
Estimated hotel price
£71
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 15m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Canterbury, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from Canterbury to Oxford takes 0h 52m and costs around £19 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Birmingham, expect to pay about £23 for a 1h 33m 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 DRIVALIA , among others, in London.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Canterbury, including National Express, Megabus and FlixBus. From Birmingham, the bus ride to Canterbury takes 209 km and will cost you around £6. From Bristol, the ticket costs about £8 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 15m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Canterbury, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from Canterbury to Oxford takes 0h 52m and costs around £19 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Birmingham, expect to pay about £23 for a 1h 33m 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 DRIVALIA , among others, in London.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Canterbury, including National Express, Megabus and FlixBus. From Birmingham, the bus ride to Canterbury takes 209 km and will cost you around £6. From Bristol, the ticket costs about £8 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

Airlines serving Canterbury

Lufthansa
Good (4,665 reviews)
KLM
Good (852 reviews)
SWISS
Good (942 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,539 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,614 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,306 reviews)
Air France
Good (984 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,585 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (484 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,958 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,120 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,469 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,860 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (229 reviews)
Finnair
Good (872 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,177 reviews)
LOT
Good (685 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (923 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (827 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (833 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Canterbury

Average rates range from around £113 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £146 and up for a 5-star experience.

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 (8.6, Excellent reviews)
£96+
Marine Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
£156+
The Five Bells, Eastry
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
£97+
The Falstaff Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
£84+
The Victoria Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
£64+

Hiring a car in Canterbury

Hiring a car in Canterbury costs £40 per day, on average.

Expect to pay £1.49 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 £17.77 and £23.69. Economy (Class Economy Car or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Canterbury, while also 71% cheaper than other types, on average.

Hiring a car in Canterbury costs £40 per day, on average.

Expect to pay £1.49 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 £17.77 and £23.69. Economy (Class Economy Car or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Canterbury, while also 71% cheaper than other types, on average.