Tea room in a timber-framed house
Tiny Tim's Tearoom
What to order: the cream tea, tea with scones, clotted cream and jam, or the full afternoon tea if it is your meal of the day.
geocalia
Day itinerary · 51.28° N · 1.08° E
Canterbury in a day from London, 55 minutes away by high-speed train.
55 minutes by train from St Pancras: a guided walk through the alleys, Becket's cathedral, lunch at a farmers' market and Roman mosaics beneath the street.
Leaving from
Direct flight to Southend fromBarcelona 2 h 15Alicante 2 h 45Málaga 3 hGran Canaria 4 h 30Lanzarote 4 h 30Tenerife Sur 4 h 45
Part of Canterbury
Add to my trip
Total time9 h
By car1 h 45 each way
Train55 min from St Pancras
Walking tour£16 · 11:00
CathedralFrom £18
LunchThe Goods Shed
DifficultyEasy and flat
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
-
Leave London 1 h by train
high-speed from St Pancras · book a specific time
-
1
Westgate Towers and the gardens beside the River Stour
the medieval gate and the river, on the way to the centre
- 10 min on foot
-
2
Guided walking tour of Canterbury, with the cathedral precincts
leaves from the Buttermarket · £16
- 2 min on foot
-
3
Canterbury Cathedral
buy online · under-18s free with an adult
- 12 min on foot
-
4
The Goods Shed
lunch until 15:00 · book at weekends
Station Road West, CT2 8AN Canterbury · +44 1227 459153
Market €€Book - 12 min on foot
-
5
Canterbury Roman Museum
£11 · last entry 16:30
-
Back home 1 h by train
from Canterbury West · at St Pancras around 18:30
Approximate cost
About €35–50 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Westgate Towers and the gardens beside the River Stour
Canterbury is the quickest day trip from London: the high-speed train from St Pancras gets there in about 55 minutes and everything is done on foot from the station. This plan starts with the 11:00 guided walk, which gets you oriented before going into the cathedral, has lunch at a farmers' market and ends underground, with the Roman mosaics.
The day, hour by hour
9:10 · High-speed train from St Pancras. Southeastern reaches Canterbury West in about 55 minutes. Buy in advance for a specific time: it works out much cheaper.
10:15 · Westgate and the Stour gardens. The largest medieval gateway in England is five minutes from the station; beside it, the gardens along the river.
11:00 · Guided walking tour. It leaves from the Buttermarket, opposite the cathedral gate: an hour and a half through alleys, pilgrims' inns and the cathedral precincts with qualified guides from Canterbury Guided Tours. £16.
12:45 · Canterbury Cathedral. The Romanesque crypt, the spot where Becket was murdered and the stained glass. From £18; under-18s free with an adult.
14:45 · Lunch at The Goods Shed. The farmers' market next to the station, with a restaurant upstairs; it serves meals until 15:00. If you are running late, buy from the stalls.
16:00 · Roman Museum. A Roman house beneath the street, with its mosaic in its original place. £11; last entry at 16:30.
17:30 · Back. From Canterbury West, in St Pancras around 18:30.
With children or in the rain
With small children, swap the long cathedral visit for the Beaney, free and with family rooms, and keep the Roman Museum, which they love. If the weather is fine and you prefer the open air, the ruins of St Augustine's Abbey are five minutes from the cathedral.
Time45 min
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Takeaway and markets
The Goods Shed, Canterbury
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Canterbury
All year. Avoid Monday, when The Goods Shed and the Beaney are closed. On Sunday the cathedral church opens at 12:30: change the order and go in after lunch.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Buy the train in advance
The high-speed train without a booking is expensive.
- 2Do not go on a Monday
The Goods Shed and the Beaney are closed.
- 3On Sunday, cathedral in the afternoon
The church opens at 12:30.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get from London to Canterbury?
About 55 minutes by high-speed train from St Pancras.
Do you need to book the guided walk?
It is not compulsory, but buying online secures your place.
Can you take a boat on the river?
In 2026 the boat trips are not running.
Is everything open on Sunday?
The cathedral is, from 12:30; The Goods Shed, from 10:00 to 16:00.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/england/canterbury/itineraries/canterbury-cathedral-guided-walk-and-market
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.