# Canterbury Becket's cathedral, medieval alleyways and Roman mosaics beneath the street, 55 minutes by high-speed train from St Pancras. Easily seen in a day. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/england/canterbury · Revisado: 2026-11-12 Canterbury is the quickest day trip from London: 55 minutes by high-speed train from St Pancras and you are in a small, flat walled city that revolves around a cathedral. Archbishop Thomas Becket was murdered here in 1170, and for centuries pilgrims came to his tomb; Chaucer told of their journey in the Canterbury Tales. Today the cathedral, the ruins of St Augustine's Abbey and the little church of St Martin are a World Heritage Site, and between them are alleys of Tudor houses, tea rooms and Roman mosaics beneath the street. ## How do you get there from London? By high-speed train, which is the most convenient. Southeastern leaves London St Pancras International and reaches Canterbury West in about 55 minutes; the fastest take 51. The station is north of the wall, ten minutes' walk from the cathedral, and right next to The Goods Shed market. By train from Victoria. Southeastern trains from London Victoria go to Canterbury East, south of the centre. They take considerably longer, but the ticket is sometimes cheaper. With a return ticket you can go by one line and come back by the other if you buy it open. By car, via the A2 and M2, it takes between an hour and a half and two hours from central London, depending on traffic. The centre is almost pedestrianised and parking is expensive: use the park-and-ride sites at the entrances to the city, with a bus to the centre. The cathedral only lets Blue Badge holders park. ## What to see in a day Start at 11:00 with the guided walking tour that leaves from the Buttermarket: an hour and a half through the alleys and the cathedral precincts, with qualified local guides. Then go into the cathedral unhurried: the Romanesque crypt, the site of Becket's martyrdom, the stained glass and the tomb of the Black Prince. Allow two hours. For lunch, go down to The Goods Shed, next to Canterbury West station, or buy a picnic there and take it to the Westgate Gardens, by the river and beneath the medieval gate. In the afternoon, choose between the Roman Museum, underground and with a mosaic in situ, and the ruins of St Augustine's Abbey, five minutes from the cathedral. The Beaney, free, is the plan if it rains. Finish with tea at Tiny Tim's before the train. A warning: the boat trips on the River Stour, which used to leave beside the high street, are not running in 2026. ## Is it worth staying the night? For the cathedral one day is enough, but a night allows two things the day-tripper doesn't do. The first is to sleep at the Canterbury Cathedral Lodge, inside the precincts: admission to the cathedral is included and in the morning you can stroll the empty cloister. The second is to link up with the coast: Whitstable, the oyster town, is half an hour away by bus or 12 kilometres along the Crab and Winkle Way greenway, by bike or on foot through woodland. ## When to go Spring and early autumn are the best times: long days and fewer groups. In July and August the cathedral admission goes up at weekends and the city fills with language-course students. In December there is a Christmas market and Advent concerts in the cathedral, although it gets dark early. Bear in mind that on Sundays the cathedral church does not open until 12:30 and the Beaney is closed on Mondays. ## How much does it cost? The cathedral costs £18 from October to March, £19.50 in spring and summer and £21 at weekends in July and August; under-18s go in free with an adult. The guided walking tour, £16; the Roman Museum, £11; the Beaney, nothing. Eating in the market costs £10–15; sitting down, £30–45. The high-speed train is expensive without a reservation: buy in advance for a specific time. ## Dónde está - Cerca: Whitstable (a 9.7 km), Rye (a 43.9 km), London (a 87.4 km), Brighton and the Seven Sisters (a 99.1 km) ## Qué hacer - **Canterbury Cathedral** (2 h · All ages; under-18s go in free with a paying adult · October to March, £18; April to September, £19.50; July and August weekends, £21. Audio guide, £5): The mother church of the Church of England and the reason for Chaucer's pilgrims. Inside, the Romanesque crypt, the Gothic nave, the medieval stained glass and the Martyrdom, the corner where four knights murdered Archbishop Thomas Becket in 1170. The central tower, Bell Harry, is 72 metres high. The ticket costs £18 from October to March and rises in season; under-18s go in free with a paying adult. It opens Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 17:00; on Sunday, the precincts open at 11:30 and the church at 12:30. Buy online to go in without queuing, and check beforehand for closures for services. Dogs are admitted on a short lead. - **Guided walking tour of Canterbury, with the cathedral precincts** (1 h 30 · All ages; free activity sheet for children · Adult £16, concession £13, children aged 6 to 15 £5, family (2 adults and up to 3 children) £40): Ninety minutes on foot through the medieval lanes, the pilgrims' inns, the Tudor houses and, unlike other walks, inside the cathedral precincts as far as the King's School. It is led by qualified local guides from Canterbury Guided Tours, who set off every day at 11:00 from the Buttermarket, opposite the cathedral gate. It is in English; it costs £16 for adults and £5 for children. It is the best way to start the day and understand what you are looking at before going into the cathedral. - **Ruins of St Augustine's Abbey** (1 h · All ages; audio guide included · English Heritage ticket; 15% cheaper when bought online until midnight the day before): The ruins of the abbey founded by St Augustine in the year 598, when he arrived from Rome to convert the Anglo-Saxons. Together with the cathedral and the little church of St Martin it makes up Canterbury's World Heritage Site. What remains are the foundations of the church, the crypts and the walls of the refectory, in a meadow a five-minute walk from the cathedral, past the Lady Wootton's Green gate. It belongs to English Heritage: the ticket is cheaper online until midnight the day before and is valid all day. In winter it opens fewer days; check the calendar before going. - **Canterbury Roman Museum** (1 h · Families; underground museum, small and manageable · Adult £11, child £5.50, concession £9): A museum below street level, built around the remains of a Roman house in Durovernum, Roman Canterbury, with one of the few Roman mosaics in the UK still in its original place. There are everyday objects, a reconstruction of the market and activities for children. It is on Butchery Lane, a minute from the cathedral gate. It costs £11 for adults and £5.50 for children; you buy at the ticket office, but it is worth booking at weekends and in the holidays. It generally opens from 10:00 to 17:00, with last entry at 16:30. - **The Beaney, museum and art gallery** (1 h · All ages; a good option if it rains · Free; some temporary exhibitions may charge): A Victorian building on the high street that brings together a museum, an art gallery, a library and the city's tourist office. It has paintings, objects from all over the world collected by Kent travellers and rooms designed for families. It is free and open Tuesday to Sunday, on Sunday from 11:00 to 16:00: perfect for a rainy spell or for buying the guided walking tour there. - **Westgate Towers and the gardens beside the River Stour** (45 min · All ages; flat and pushchair-friendly · Free): The Westgate is the largest medieval gate still standing in England, a 14th-century twin-towered gatehouse at the end of the high street. Beside it, the Westgate Gardens run down along the River Stour, with flower beds, an enormous plane tree and benches: the place to sit with a sandwich from The Goods Shed, five minutes away. From there, the walk continues along the bank. Note: boat trips on the river are not running in 2026. ## Dónde comer - **Tiny Tim's Tearoom** (Café, Canterbury, €€). Qué pedir: the cream tea, tea with scones, clotted cream and jam, or the full afternoon tea if it is your meal of the day. - **The Goods Shed** (Market, Canterbury, €€). Qué pedir: From the restaurant, the meat or fish dish of the day; from the market, a sandwich and Kent cheese for a picnic by the river. ## By plane: Fly to London and take the high-speed train to Canterbury Canterbury has no airport: you fly to London, with direct flights from almost every Spanish airport, and continue by train. From central London, the high-speed train from St Pancras arrives in about 55 minutes. If you land at Gatwick or Stansted and go straight on, allow for passing through London. You don't need a car: the city is explored on foot. ### Dónde dormir if you're flying - **Canterbury Cathedral Lodge** (Hotel): The house A modern hotel inside the cathedral precincts, in a private courtyard with views of the Bell Harry tower. It is run by the cathedral itself. It has 28 en-suite rooms in the main building, all with views, and cheaper rooms in the Burgate annexe, on a second floor with no lift or views. For families or groups there is a two-bedroom apartment and a four-bedroom historic house, the Necessarium, for eight people. What makes it different While you stay there, entry to the cathedral is free, and you can stroll round the precincts in the morning before it opens to the public. A full English breakfast is included and served in the Refectory; the bar is open until 22:00. Getting there and parking From Canterbury East station it is about a ten-minute walk, and from Canterbury West, about fifteen. If you come by car, the hotel has few spaces, at £10 a night and by reservation; otherwise it sells vouchers for the city's public car parks. - **Premier Inn Canterbury City Centre** (Hotel): The house A Premier Inn hotel on New Dover Road, south-east of the city wall. Simple, predictable rooms, with air conditioning, big beds, blackout curtains and family rooms for two adults and two children. It has its own restaurant, Thyme, serving breakfast and dinner. Who it's for For families and for anyone looking for a moderate price in a small city where charming hotels are few and expensive. The cathedral is a ten-minute walk, crossing the wall at St George's. Getting there and parking Canterbury East station is about a ten-minute walk away. The hotel has no car park of its own: next door there is a small paid one, first come first served, and two minutes away the Longport one. If you come by car for a day, the New Dover Road park and ride is on the same road. ### Servicios - **Canterbury West station (high-speed from St Pancras)**: Southeastern high-speed trains from London St Pancras in about 55 minutes, the fastest in 51. A ten-minute walk from the cathedral. - **Canterbury East station (trains from London Victoria)**: Southeastern trains from London Victoria, slower than the high-speed service but often cheaper. Beside the city wall, ten minutes from the cathedral. ## Car-free: High-speed from St Pancras and everything on foot Canterbury is the quickest excursion from London by train: 55 minutes from St Pancras and you are a ten-minute walk from the cathedral. The centre is small, flat and almost pedestrianised inside the wall, and parking is expensive. The car only makes sense if you want to go on to Leeds Castle or Dover the same day. Presupuesto orientativo: 100–180 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir without a car - **Canterbury Cathedral Lodge** (Hotel): The house A modern hotel inside the cathedral precincts, in a private courtyard with views of the Bell Harry tower. It is run by the cathedral itself. It has 28 en-suite rooms in the main building, all with views, and cheaper rooms in the Burgate annexe, on a second floor with no lift or views. For families or groups there is a two-bedroom apartment and a four-bedroom historic house, the Necessarium, for eight people. What makes it different While you stay there, entry to the cathedral is free, and you can stroll round the precincts in the morning before it opens to the public. A full English breakfast is included and served in the Refectory; the bar is open until 22:00. Getting there and parking From Canterbury East station it is about a ten-minute walk, and from Canterbury West, about fifteen. If you come by car, the hotel has few spaces, at £10 a night and by reservation; otherwise it sells vouchers for the city's public car parks. - **Premier Inn Canterbury City Centre** (Hotel): The house A Premier Inn hotel on New Dover Road, south-east of the city wall. Simple, predictable rooms, with air conditioning, big beds, blackout curtains and family rooms for two adults and two children. It has its own restaurant, Thyme, serving breakfast and dinner. Who it's for For families and for anyone looking for a moderate price in a small city where charming hotels are few and expensive. The cathedral is a ten-minute walk, crossing the wall at St George's. Getting there and parking Canterbury East station is about a ten-minute walk away. The hotel has no car park of its own: next door there is a small paid one, first come first served, and two minutes away the Longport one. If you come by car for a day, the New Dover Road park and ride is on the same road. ### Servicios - **Canterbury West station (high-speed from St Pancras)**: Southeastern high-speed trains from London St Pancras in about 55 minutes, the fastest in 51. A ten-minute walk from the cathedral. - **Canterbury East station (trains from London Victoria)**: Southeastern trains from London Victoria, slower than the high-speed service but often cheaper. Beside the city wall, ten minutes from the cathedral. ## As a family: Romans underground, a cathedral and a river Canterbury works well with children because it is small: nothing is more than ten minutes' walk away and you can alternate something serious with something short. Under-18s go into the cathedral free with a paying adult, the Beaney is free and the Roman Museum is designed for families. Allow one unhurried day. ### What works best Roman Museum: mosaics and life in Roman Canterbury, underground and in an hour Canterbury Cathedral: the story of the murdered archbishop hooks children from age 8 Guided walking tour, with a free activity sheet for children Westgate Gardens, for running about beside the river ### Where to stay Premier Inn Canterbury City Centre, with family rooms Canterbury Cathedral Lodge, with a two-bedroom apartment ### Where to eat The Goods Shed, for a picnic with what you buy at the market Tiny Tim's Tearoom, for a shared cream tea ### Bear in mind The Beaney closes on Mondays Parts of the cathedral close for services; on Sunday the church does not open until 12:30 Boat trips on the river are not running in 2026 ### Qué hacer as a family - Canterbury Cathedral - Guided walking tour of Canterbury, with the cathedral precincts - Ruins of St Augustine's Abbey - Canterbury Roman Museum - The Beaney, museum and art gallery - Westgate Towers and the gardens beside the River Stour ## With young children: A small city for getting around with a pushchair With small children, Canterbury can be done without a car or long distances: from the train to the cathedral is ten flat minutes, and between visits there are gardens and tea rooms. Pick two things and leave time for the park. ### What works best Roman Museum, short and with activities for children The Beaney, free and with family rooms Westgate Gardens, beside the river, for running about ### Where to stay Premier Inn Canterbury City Centre, with family rooms Canterbury Cathedral Lodge, with a two-bedroom apartment ### Where to eat Tiny Tim's Tearoom, with scones and cakes The Goods Shed, where everyone picks at the stalls ### Bear in mind The Roman Museum is below street level: ask about pushchair access The Burgate annexe of the Cathedral Lodge has no lift ### Qué hacer with young children - Canterbury Roman Museum - The Beaney, museum and art gallery - Westgate Towers and the gardens beside the River Stour ## Consejos ### Buy the cathedral online You get in without a queue; check beforehand for closures for services and events. ### Start with the walking tour At 11:00, before the cathedral, to understand what you are about to see. ### Choose a station according to the ticket St Pancras is faster; Victoria is sometimes cheaper. ### On Mondays, a different plan The Beaney and The Goods Shed are closed; the cathedral and the Roman Museum are open. ### Wear comfortable shoes The centre is cobbled and everything is done on foot. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### Can you see Canterbury in a day from London? Yes. With the high-speed train you are there in 55 minutes; in a day you see the cathedral, the centre with a guide, a museum and have lunch in the market. ### How much does it cost to enter the cathedral? From £18 to £21 depending on the season; under-18s go in free with a paying adult. ### Can you go on a boat on the river? Not in 2026: the boat trips on the Stour are not running. ### Which station suits me best? Canterbury West if you come from St Pancras, which is the fastest; Canterbury East if you come from Victoria. ### Is the cathedral open on Sundays? Yes, but the church opens at 12:30; in the morning only the precincts and the shop. ### Can you combine it with Whitstable? Yes: it is half an hour by bus or 12 km along the Crab and Winkle Way greenway.