Canterbury Guided Tours

Who they are

The official walking tour of the city of Canterbury. The organisation was born in 1948 as the Canterbury Guild of Guides, the city's guides' guild, and today is an independent, not-for-profit company, Canterbury Tourist Guides Ltd. It presents itself as Canterbury's official guides and works with the city council, the city-centre traders' association and other tourism bodies.

All its guides hold the Green Badge, the city guide accreditation, after a course and exams from the Institute of Tourist Guiding, the body that sets guide training in England; some also hold the Blue Badge, the regional accreditation.

How the daily tour works

They leave every day at 11:00, all year except Christmas Day, and from April to October and in school holidays they add another at 14:00. They go out rain or shine, unless there is an official warning not to go outdoors. The meeting point is the Buttermarket, the square opposite the cathedral's Christ Church Gate; the guide wears a red sash and carries a sign. The walk lasts 90 minutes, goes through medieval alleys, passes old pilgrims' inns and enters the cathedral precincts through Christ Church Gate. It does not go inside the cathedral: the interior is paid separately.

Tickets are bought online up to departure time or on the day at the Beaney visitor centre, on the High Street, or at the Roman Museum, on Butchery Lane. The guide does not take payment, so if you arrive without a ticket they will tell you where to pay. According to their price list, an adult ticket costs £16, concessions £13, a child's £5 and a family ticket £40; companions of disabled people do not pay.

Other tours and languages

The daily tour is in English. For groups, however, they offer tours in English, French, German, Dutch, Italian and Spanish, plus plain English for those who do not speak it well. There is one guide for every 30 people at most, and they can collect the group from the Buttermarket, the Marlowe Theatre, the coach park, Westgate, the stations or the hotel. They also run private tours for couples and families, themed tours on gardens, gruesome stories, the Canterbury Tales or royalty, school programmes and talks.

Children, accessibility and dogs

The tours suit all ages from primary school, and on the daily tour children get an activity sheet for free. The route is flat, with no steps or hills, and suitable for wheelchairs, although there are narrow, uneven pavements and a stretch of cobbles. Well-behaved dogs on a short lead may come if the guide agrees; it is best to confirm beforehand at [email protected] or on 01227 459779. There are toilets in the cathedral precincts and behind the Beaney, near the end.

Bookings and cancellation

On the daily tour you can change the date or cancel beforehand through the same channel you bought from; if you do not show up, there is no refund. For group tours you are refunded in full by cancelling 24 hours ahead, and with at least two hours' notice they may offer another date. They also sell gift vouchers.