Places to Visit in Canterbury, England
According to insidewatch, Canterbury is a beautiful medieval city in the south east of England. The town is only half an hour’s drive from Folkstone and Dover and is a beautiful destination for those who do not want to drive too far into England. Canterbury has had large numbers of visitors for centuries. The Cathedral has been a place of pilgrimage since the 16th century and many visitors still come to this beautiful cathedral. Canterbury’s charm is well preserved. You can still walk through beautiful medieval streets and you will find the nice old half-timbered houses on both sides. It is not without reason that Canterbury is one of the most visited places in the region.
Canterbury ‘s Top 10 Things to Do
#1. Canterbury Cathedral Canterbury
Cathedral is definitely the highlight of Canterbury. This cathedral has been visited by many pilgrims for centuries. The cathedral is a beautiful example of several medieval architectural styles. It has some fabulously beautiful stained glass windows and old medieval paintings on the wall. Even for non-believers, the cathedral is an enormously impressive and beautiful building that is definitely worth a visit. If you want to know something about chrome, don’t ask one of the many volunteers, you can recognize them by the yellow sash. They are very willing to give you text and explanation.
Dutch information about Canterbury Cathedral.
#2. Canterbury Tales experience
The Canterbury Tales are a collection of stories supposedly told en route to Canterbury. The stories are witty, often in rhyme and full of human errors and quirks. The stories were written by Geofrey Chaucer. These stories come to life in the Canterbury Tales experience. Scenes from the stories are re-enacted with puppets, while people themselves hear the stories through headphones. Versions are available in many languages, so this is also possible for those who speak less English.
#3. Riverboat Tours
The trips on the river are an absolute must. You will be rowed up and down the river in a small rowboat while your mate tells you a bit about Canterbury, the history and the buildings along the river. Because this happens in a small club it is very personal. The guides of the riverboat tours are almost all students and tell with a lot of fun and humor.
#4. The Foundry Pub and Brewery
This brewery annex pub brews its own beer. You can taste a large number of home-brewed beers here while you can watch the brewing process yourself behind the bar. In addition to excellent beers, they serve delicious pub food. Highly recommended for those who want to relax. On request, the bartender can tell you everything about the beers and the brewing process.
#5. Howletts Wild Animal Park
This beautiful animal park is located just outside Canterbury. It has very spacious animal enclosures where you can see the animals walking around. The lemurs are sometimes so close you can touch them and the elephant herd is the largest in all of England. In addition to the park, the Foundation of the park also maintains several projects for the protection of animal species.
#6. Eastbridge Hospital
Eastbridge Hospital is not a hospital as is commonly thought. The word “hosiptal” used here is more in the sense of “hospitality” the English word for hospitality. Eastbridge Hospital was used in the Middle Ages to provide a place to sleep for the many pilgrims who came to visit Canterbury. Their story is told in the small museum.
#7. Abbey of St Augustines
St. Augustines was a monk who, at the behest of the Pope, left for England in the 6th century AD to convert the pagans living here to Christianity. He had this monastery built just outside the city walls in order to spread the teachings further. In the centuries that followed, the abbey was further expanded, the church rebuilt and several buildings added to the monastery. Unfortunately, Henry VIII caused Augustine Abbey to be dismantled and dismantled like many other monasteries in England. The properties were confiscated and the stones of the buildings were used to fortify his own castles. Today only the serene tranquility of the place remains, the foundation of the various buildings.
#8. Westgate Gardens
These beautiful gardens are located near the west gate. The River Stour flows gently along its banks here. The beautifully landscaped gardens are an oasis of calm in the sometimes busy Canterbury. A great place to relax, have a picnic and enjoy the birds, flowers and plants in the area.
#9. Roman Museum (Roman Museum)
This small museum was built around a very accidental discovery. During a bombing raid in World War II, a large piece of Roman tile work was accidentally uncovered. After the war, the site was further excavated and a large number of Roman utensils came to light. The museum tells the story of Durovernum Cantiacorum, the Roman city that once stood here. This city was a thriving Roman settlement with a temple, forum, bathhouses and theatre. Remains of some houses were also excavated. These pieces can be admired in the museum. An attempt is made to provide information about the Roman settlement by means of video images and scaffolding.
#10. Museum of Canterbury
The Museum of Canterbury is a nice overview exhibition of the history of Canterbury. It tells the story of the first settlement, the Romans, the medieval pilgrims and everything that happened afterwards in glorious Canterbury. The Rupert de Beer exhibition is fun for young and old. Its maker, Mary Tourtel, lived in Canterbury and that is why this little bear has been given its own place in this nice museum.
