Today I want to bring you my guide to taking a Canterbury day trip from London. The city in Kent is the setting of Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, and is home to the famous Canterbury Cathedral.
How to Get from London to Canterbury
It’s easy to get from London to Canterbury for a day trip by train. There are two railway stations in the city, Canterbury East and Canterbury West. Both are in easy walking distance of the city center and cathedral.
On Saturday morning a friend and I took a train from London’s Victoria station and arrived at Canterbury East in just under an hour and a half.
There are faster rail services from London’s St Pancras International station that get to Canterbury West in just over an hour, too.
Canterbury Day Trip
Our Canterbury day trip began on a positive note when we were greeted by beautiful blue skies as our train pulled in at noon.
We walked along the historic city wall and through Dane John Gardens, then weaved through the crowds of shoppers in the pedestrian zone to get to our main destination: Canterbury Cathedral.
Canterbury Cathedral
One of the most important churches in England, the cathedral structure dates back to Norman times and has layers of both architectural and religious history to take in.
Normally I balk at paying as much as the cathedral charges for tickets just to visit a church (Jesus couldn’t have afforded their prices!), but this one was well worth the entrance fee.
Not only was Canterbury Cathedral the largest church I’ve ever seen, but the grounds around it were beautiful and worth visiting.
We marveled at stunning stained-glass windows, stood by the haunting spot where Archbishop Thomas Becket was murdered in 1170, and strolled through the gardens outside.
We took our time walking around and exploring places like the Great Cloister and the Chapter House before heading back into Canterbury to see more of the city.
Lunch and Shopping
Our Canterbury day trip continued as we ate lunch at a little Italian restaurant in the city center.
We then worked our way through some of the shops in the tangle of narrow streets. I loved the sense of history in Canterbury and how every lane and alley felt like it held legends.
Eventually we found ourselves at an outdoor market that had popped up for the season.
We drooled as we watched the crepe vendors smothering glistening Nutella on waffles and pancakes, watched wide-eyed as the sausage vendors grilled their bratwurst, and were lucky enough to find some artisans selling great gifts.
London to Canterbury Day Trip
Our lovely Canterbury day trip ended with a train ride back to London and a good dinner with friends. It had been a perfect day out and a great way to see the city. If you get a chance to go, I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
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