Things to do in Canterbury

Anyone who spends even an hour or two in Canterbury’s historic centre will find it hard to resist the charms of its crooked old buildings, winding waterways and cobbled streets. Even if you do not have time to mug up on your history, just stroll down Butchery Lane or through the Buttermarket, pass through Christ Church Gate and of course, around the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Canterbury Cathedral. The world-famous Cathedral is worth more than a glance, however, as the oldest bits of it date back to the 6th-7th century AD, during Roman rule, when St Augustine was sent to convert the people of Britain to Christianity.

One of the most important is the Roman Museum, which contains superb mosaics, swords, glassware, pottery, jewellery and a helmet from around 55 BC – during Julius Caesar’s invasions of Britain – most of which was found in the city after the Blitz.