To the east of London, and on the brink of the eastern coast is where the busy city of kent is located. It is the home of famous heritage sites including few of the best churches in England. This place is not like the destinations around the world, where you’ll have some of the other things for a generic traveller. But this place different is a complete historic package. So without any further due, let’s take a look at the top things to do in Canterbury.
Top things to do in Canterbury
- St Augustine’s Abbey
- Beaney House of Art & Knowledge
- Canterbury Cathedral
- St Martin’s Church
- Canterbury Roman Museum
- Westgate Towers Museum & Gardens
- The Canterbury Tales
- Salsa dance
- Level up games
1. St Augustine’s Abbey
This is one of the oldest structures that you can find in the whole of England. The structure dates back all the way to 597. The place still has the remains from those days including Roman artefacts. Those found during the excavations are some of the important shreds of evidence of roman empire in England. The structure is one of the important reason for travellers to come to Canterbury. In addition to this, The little ones can spend time wrapping the saint’s attire while you can rest yourself in the pleasant gardens. Don’t forget to buy something for your loved one in the gift shop.
Also read: Top Things to Do in Rochester During Your Enchanting England Trip
2. Beaney House of Art & Knowledge
Much like the other ones that you are going to see in this list, this place is also an ancient structure. The structure has its name after the Canterbury-born who had a rich political career after relocating to Australia. He was a surgeon and made huge contributions to this museum. This structure went under a massive restoration and a grand re-opening in 2012. Since then it has become the city’s cultural hub. Nowadays, the structure is repurposed into an art gallery and a museum with exhibits from Egypt, Greek, Anglo-Saxon and Asian Porcelain. This is one of the best things to do in Canterbury.
3. Canterbury Cathedral
This is by far the best tourist attraction in Canterbury. Aside from its historical significance. The UNESCO world heritage site is also admired for its architectural beauty. The designs of the components are derived from various global architectural styles. In fact, the structure had undergone several reconstructions due to different rules at different times in a day. The structure remains in its original form and has the same charm until this day. Inside the structure, you can also witness the glass windows from the 12th century.
Also read: Best Things to Do in Paignton (Devon, England)
4. St Martin’s Church
This is another famous attraction in the same premise as the cathedral and dates back to the 6th century. Popularly considered as the mother church of England is the St Martin’s Church. The church was often visited by Queen Bertha and was a place of prayer for her. In fact, She was from a different religion needed a private place to practice her religion. Even this structure has the remains of the Roman empire and depicts a few of the historical happenings in place. If you are a history lover, this is one of the spiritual things to do in Canterbury.
5. Canterbury Roman Museum
The museum is unlike the other museums that you can find anywhere in the world. This famous museum is built around the ancient Roman town. The remains of the Roman empire was found by a few workers who were involved in the excavation of the Roman street in 1868. Later the exhibits that we see nowadays were unearthed by the bombing during the second world war. More than a couple of thousand years old pavement constructed by the Romans can be seen. And also they have created an exact model of the Roman ancient marketplace. Apart from this, you can also pick from the various guided tours available in this Museum.
6. Westgate Towers Museum & Gardens
The name Westgate comes from its location in the city. This is the westernmost point of Kent and is also one of the seven entry points into the city. On all 7 points, the gates houses were built. The tower stands tall at 60 feet height. The place today is a museum that exhibits the history of the city. This gatehouse has also played a vital role in world war two. In the museum, you get to see the execution place of the prisoners. Don’t forget to spend some time strolling around the park and the Westgate garden.
Also read Best things to do in Matlock (Derbyshire, England)
7. The Canterbury Tales
These are visual representation on the ancient pilgrimage in Kent. The Canterbury Tales were created by the English poet Geoffrey Chaucer. The whole museum is filled with exhibits pertaining to his life. He is regarded as the Father of English literature 200 years before Shakespeare. Also, You have a chance to experience campfire in the evening. You can choose from the guided tours to either the ancient garden or the Knights tournament.
8. Salsa dance
This one is for the general audience out there. The place is a refreshing spot in the evening. With the Latin dancers moving along the stage you can enjoy the Tapas menu with the town’s very own cocktail. Even if you are an avid history traveller, this place shouldn’t be skipped from your bucket list of things to do in Canterbury. You can just take a relaxing stroll along the streets dotted with Cuban bars.
9. Level up games
The list of best things to do in Canterbury won’t be complete without the Level up games. After all the history tours and a lot of walking, who wouldn’t like to spend some time in the old fashioned Mario cart for at least an hour or two. Also if you are a fan of retro gaming devices, you can buy one for yourself in this place. This place also has some scintillating and nostalgic collections of retro games from Sonic to Pokemon.
Also read: 10 of the best cities to visit in England
As you would have noticed, the place might be a paradise for the history lovers but for an average traveller, it might get used to after a certain point. These aren’t the only things to do in Canterbury. But if you could customise the vacation plan with the proper mix of the scarcely available engaging activities, you could have a great time in Canterbury.
Get in touch with the destination experts from Pickyourtrail to customise your next England vacation according to your needs. Check out our guides page for more insights on the destination before planning or leave a Whatsapp inquiry for more options.
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