Canterbury Cathedral hotels

The most famous moment in Canterbury Cathedral's long history came in 1170, when soldiers murdered Archbishop Thomas Becket at the altar after King Henry II was purported to have asked ‘Who will rid me of this low born priest?’ The site of the murder is now a shrine to Becket called the Martyrdom.

Started in 1174, the Quire in Canterbury Cathedral was the first Gothic structure to be built in Britain, and is still just as impressive today as it was in the 12th century.

Located in the crypt of the cathedral, St Gabriel's Chapel is home to some of the oldest Christian painted murals in the country, dating from the 1100s.

Canterbury Cathedral is home to many spectacular examples of stained glass windows, including Adam Delving in the Great West Window of the nave and the Miracle Windows in Trinity Chapel.

Take a river tour with a difference when you join a local guide on a rowing boat for a relaxing trip up the Great Stour river. The route takes you through the heart of Canterbury and offers a unique view of the cathedral.

The city of Canterbury, with roots stretching back to before Roman times, is much older than even the original 6th-century church, The Canterbury Roman Museum features artefacts found in excavations throughout the area, as well as information about what life was like for the residents of the Roman town of Durovernum Cantiacorum.

The city is also famous for being the subject of Geoffrey Chaucer's important literary work, The Canterbury Tales, written between 1387 and 1400. An interactive museum brings The Canterbury Tales to life for modern audiences.

Visit the ruins of 6th-century St Augustine's Abbey, just outside Canterbury's city centre. Follow the free audio tour, and see where many Anglo-Saxon kings have been buried, including Aethelbert and Eadbald of Kent.