Take a historic river boat tour along the Stour. Leaves from the Weavers Restaurant on the high street.

See a local music or comedy act at Orange Street Music Club, located on Orange Street near the Cathedral gates. OSMC is a renovated ballroom that has local acts 4-5 nights a week. www.orangestreetmusic.com

Canterbury has an interesting mix of architectural styles, from genuine Tudor buildings to 1960s style office buildings. However there are architectural gems around every corner, and many of them feaure on the Canterbury Buildings website. [3] There is no coherent style to the buildings due to much of the city having been demolished during bombing raids in WW2, however much has survived.

The Dane John Gardens (by the City Walls and around the corner from the Whitefriars development) are full of surprises, hosting events almost every weekend during the summer months. Examples include French and farmers markets with all types of cuisine.

The subways on the east end of the main street have many paintings related to the Canterbury Tales.

Landmarks

• Canterbury Cathedral, 11 The Precincts, Tel: +44 (0) 1227 762862, [4]. The burial place of King Henry IV and Edward the Black Prince, but most famous as the scene of the murder of Thomas à Becket in 1170. Canterbury Cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Chief Primate of the Church of England.
• St Martin's Church - World Heritage site (Roman Shrine). The oldest parish church in England still in constant use. If you look at the flint walls, you can still see the red brick that was used by the Romans. Worth seeing. Admission free, but not open every day.
• St Augustine's Abbey - World Heritage remains preserved by English Heritage.
• Canterbury Castle - The ruins of a Norman castle built in the 11th Century. Admission free to all.
• All of the above feature in a good free website on Canterbury Buildings, with maps and photos. [5].

Museums and Galleries

• Canterbury Tales Visitor Attraction "Medieval Misadventures", St Margaret's Street, tel 01227 479227,[6]. Daily (except Christmas Day) 10AM-5PM (with slight seasonal variations); admission adults £6.95, children (5-15 years) £5.25, seniors £5.95, students (with ID - a NUS card) £5.95 - one of Kent’s most popular attractions, a stunning reconstruction of 14th century England inside the historic building of St Margaret’s Church, based on the tales and characters of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales
• West Gate Museum, West Gate Tower - a small but fascinating collection of material about the tower and the history of Canterbury. The view from the open roof top is also excellent, allowing you to see up the high street all the way to the Cathedral
• Canterbury Roman Museum, Butchery Lane, tel 01227 785 575. M-Sa 10AM-5PM (last admission 4PM), from June-end October, also open Su 1:30PM-5PM (last admission 4pm); admission adults £2.80, concessions £1.75, family £7.20 (2 adults and up to 3 children), groups of 10+ 10% discount, teachers free - a remarkable museum of Roman period Canterbury
• Canterbury Computer Gallery of Art, on the high street, is one of the few art galleries offering a (albeit very very small) selection of digital art.
• Canterbury Royal Museum and Art Gallery with Buffs Regimental Museum, High Street, tel 01227 452 747. M-Sa 10AM-5PM (closed Good Friday and Christmas week), admission free - a splendid Victorian building housing decorative arts and picture collections, including a gallery for T.S. Cooper, England's finest cattle painter. The art gallery is the major space in the Canterbury area for the visual arts, with a wide-ranging annual program and exhibitions of both contemporary and historical work. The Buffs Museum - a branch of the National Army Museum in Chelsea, London - tells the story of one of England's oldest infantry regiments and its worldwide service. There is an extensive collection of medals with Victoria Crosses and other gallantry awards.
• Sidney Cooper Gallery - A Christ Church linked University building, on the high street. Free entry. Combined music and art events often happen. Local art and merit gallery.

People who have proof that they live nearby can get into some museums/cathedrals for free (check with the venue first).

By car

Canterbury is easily accessible from London by following the M2 South and East until it merges with the A2, linking Canterbury with Chatham, Gillingham and Sittingbourne to the north, and the port of Dover to the south. Another regional arterial road, the A28 travels eastwards to Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate and westwards to Ashford, site of the Eurostar station for rail links to France, Belgium and the continent.

Excellent "Park and ride" facilities allow you to park inexpensively outside the city and take a bus into town. The parking fee is £2.00 per vehicle per day and entitles the driver and up to 6 car passengers to a round trip on the bus to and from the city centre. For information including timetables, maps etc. see The National Park and Ride Directory

There are three (3) Park and Ride sites: Wincheap (to the West), New Dover Road (to the South) and Sturry Road (to the East), and the buses stop at a number (10+) of intermediate (every 200m ish) stops between the park and ride car parks and the city centre. Park and Ride buses currently run into the city centre regularly between 7am and 7:30pm Monday to Saturday. On Sundays only, buses run only from New Dover Road Park and Ride between 10am and 6pm (on a trial basis). During the day, the buses run from each site approximately every eight minutes.

By train

Canterbury is served by two (2) train stations and a bus station (Just one bus station); Canterbury East and Canterbury West. Both stations are only 8 minute and 4 minute walks respectively from the city centre. Fare and timetable information is available from Southeastern [2], +44 08457 484950. The journey time from London to either of the stations is between 90 minutes and 2 hours.

Recommended to walk by foot, as the town center is compact.

Local bike shop Downland Cycles is located on the London-bound platform of Canterbury West train station and rents and sells bicycles. The shop has also put together several good guides to local rides, including on road, off road, and dedicated path routes.

On Foot

The town centre is quite compact. For example, it takes ten minutes to walk down the high street. Or, for another example, it is small as 1/100th of London.

By bicycle

Cyclists are welcome in Canterbury; the first stage of the 2007 Tour de France finished in the city. However, dedicated cycle paths are relatively few. Downland Cycles (www.downlandcycles.co.uk) offers rentals and advice on how best to see the city by bike.

By bus

Canterbury is well served by buses which terminate at the main bus station at the end of the high street. Buses can be got that serve most destinations in East Kent. Stagecoach Coaches can be picked up from the bus station to Medway, London, Whitstable, Herne Bay, Greenhill, Chestfield, Margate and Sturry (these are all small towns close to Canterbury). Buses run regularly during the day however services are less frequent in the evenings. It is also possible to get to Nottingham (apparently)! Bus timetables can be found on the Stagecoach Buses website.

By taxi

Taxis in Canterbury are regulated by the city council. Charges are imposed uniformly by this regulation and are currently at

• First half mile, £2.50
• Each additional 126 yards (114.5 metres) 10p

Thus, £2.50 is the minimum charge for all taxis operating under the City Council of Canterbury.

For hiring between midnight and 7:00am an additional 50% is levied on the above charges.

Taxis can be picked up at the train stations, outside the bus station, at the southern end of the high street and by the Westgate Towers in the evenings.

Canterbury has many shops and stores, many of which are found in towns and cities across the UK. Most recently, The Whitefriars development has brought many new outlets into Canterbury making it a great shopping destination. Shops in the city include GAP, Tescos, Top Man, Next and two independent department stores: Fenwicks and Nasons. There are also a plethora of smaller shops offering a unique experience.

Canterbury is a popular destination at Christmas where the festive lights and medieval streets provide a great backdrop for retail therapy. Given Canterbury's proximity to Dover and the ferries to France, expect to hear many French voices in the streets (and hordes of - sometimes unsupervised - French schoolchildren !).

Downtown Canterbury is a veritable trove of low to mid range restaurants and cafes. Many different style of cuisine are available at prices to suit most pockets.

• Old Weavers Restaurant 1 St Peters Street, tel 01227 464 660. A small restaurant located in an area that is sometimes referred to as "Little Italy". The Old Weavers is delightfully situated by one of the spurs of the River Stour and has patio area seating. The menu concentrates on minor variants of traditional English and Italian food. Main courses start from £4.95.
• the Goods Shed, Station Road West, tel 01227 459 153. Housed in an airy converted engine shed, the adjoining farmers' market reassuring the visitor that the traditional cuisine will be of the best quality. Joint Winner of the Soil Association 2004 Award for Local Food Initiative of the Year [7]. Typical meals are the roast organic chicken with sorrel, chard and potatoes, or the vegetable platter, with mushrooms, black lentils, chard, hard-boiled egg, swede, tomato relish and salad leaves. Home-made desserts available also. Mains £8-£16.
• the Thomas Becket, 21 Best Lane, tel 01227 464384. A small traditional pub in the city centre, offering excellent traditional British food. Be warned, they don't take credit/debit cards, only cash (Euros as well as Sterling) and cheques.
• Boho Cafe Bar, located towards the Westgate end of the highstreet. Bohemian cafe serving great food. Often packed with locals, both young and old.

There are a large selection of pubs inside the city walls. Canterbury offers many chain pubs (such as JD Wetherspoons) but also many smaller venues. Due to the layout of the city, it is possible to walk down its numerous small streets and find a great place for a drink. Canterbury is also very close to Faversham, a town closely associated with Shepherd Neame brewery (Britain's oldest brewers) and has many pubs which offer many locally brewed real-ales.

• The New Inn, Havelock Street. A small pub, in a converted terraced house, so there is a 'living room feel'. During term time, due to proximity of the Christ Church music department, it is frequented by many music students (and their lecturers). The landlord is Polish and very friendly.

• Simple Simons, Church Lane. Often has live jazz music and a cozy bohemian atmosphere. One of the oldest pubs in the country.

• The Works, East Station Road. Canterbury's biggest club, spanning three floors each with their own theme of music. Regular student night on Mondays. Saturdays are more of a locals' affair, higher prices reflect this.

• The Loft, St. Margarets St. Serve good (but expensive) cocktails in a trendy (but smokey) environment. Attracts a young professional crowd.

• Westgate Inn, North Lane. situated just outside the city walls this is Canterbury's first non-smoking pub. Large but not too noisy, well suited for a casual drink and chat rather than partying.

• The Canterbury Tales, The Friars. small pub opposite Canterbury's theatre (The Marlowe). The Canterbury Tales is tucked away down many of the city's streets and regularly has live music. Often full of theatre-goers, this is a great place for a drink.

• Caseys, Butchery Lane. a very small Irish pub down one of the small side-streets off the high street. Always busy at the weekends but has a great atmosphere and frequently has live music being played. Very expensive - Guinness costs £3.50 a pint.

• Ha Ha, St. Margarets St. One of the newer restaurant/bar establishemnts in Canterbury, offering a distinctly modern theme (and modern prices to match). Half price cocktails on Monday and Wednesday.

• The Cuban, High St. A new South American themed bar/restaurant conviniently located on the high street. Food is reasonably priced and a wide variety of drinks are available from the bar, including a good range of cocktails and bottled beers.

• Alberry's, St. Margarets St. One of Canterbury's oldest and most established bars, located just off the main high street. Despite a steep evening cover charge, Alberry's remains resolutely popular with locals and visitors alike, particuarly at weekends. Food is served during the day.

• The Old Butter Market, Burgate. A classic example of one of the many "traditional" pubs that Canterbury is famous for. Some good ales on tap along with the obligatory range of largers.

• The Little Italy a lovely Italian restaurant that is situated in the town high street,it has wood top tables and great food at a reasonable price.