Canterbury – City Guide

The City

Canterbury is renowned for its beautiful streets and world-famous cathedral – but don’t be fooled into thinking it’s so nice and peaceful all the time! We’ve compiled a month-by-month guide of things you can be getting up to in this vibrant and bustling city.

Things to Do

In the last decade, Canterbury’s student population has almost doubled. Not only has this made for a vibrant and thriving local economy, but it also means that every time you go out, you’re bound to meet plenty of like minded, young, fun-loving people.

Despite its small size, there is plenty to do around the city.

• CCCU students get into the Cathedral for free with their university student card, so take some time to look around one of the most famous historic buildings in the world (this is also probably where you and your classmates will graduate).
• If you’re looking for a bit of stress relief, have a chilled afternoon taking in the gorgeous Westgate Gardens (and learning a bit about the city you’re studying in!) on one of Canterbury’s Historic River Tours.  Student prices are £8.
• If the weather’s being good to you, then take a bus to one of the local beaches – try Broadstairs, a lovely seaside town where you can have a game of mini golf before enjoying a more relaxed night in the local bars.
• When it comes to nursing those dreaded hangovers, take a scenic walk down the canal; the local council has a number of routes available to download from their website.
• Once summertime comes around, you’ll be able to spend hours lounging around in the greenery of Dane John Gardens – and, if you fancy a quick change of scene, London is only an hour away by train.

Arts and Culture

• Fancy brushing up on your art and history? Head over to the Beany House of Art and Knowledge. It’s housed in a beautiful building and sees some great exhibitions.
• The Marlowe Theatre is Canterbury’s number one theatre venue and hosts a plethora of shows and comedy every month.
• In March Canterbury’s sees its annual, week-long multicultural feast known as Worldfest. Expect a big tent full of amazing musicians, dancers, and fellow students for a unique celebration of cultures from all over the globe.

Music and Nightlife

As the majority of the city is populated with students, Canterbury is littered with plenty of pubs, clubs and bars for every occasion.

• There are two major clubs that make up the city’s nightlife: Club Chemistry, a popular, three-storey venue that plays all sorts of music, and Chill Nightclub.
• For something a bit different, try The Old Brewery Tavern, a contemporary pub and bar which is renowned for its late night parties.
• The Penny Theatre serves great food at cheap prices and puts on quiz nights most weeks.
• At The Cherry Tree, you can get insanely cheap drinks on a Thursday night. Here you can get the cocktail called ‘Pig Fucker’, it’s a deadly mix of cider, vodka, and orange juice and is just £3 in fresher’s week.
• A brilliant cocktail bar to head to is Bramleys, where you get a complete bohemian atmosphere with an air balloon-style ceiling. They also do an awesome cheese board.
• The cheapest place to grab a drink, however, is in the campus bars

If you’re into music festivals then you won’t be disappointed.

• Keynestock is a music festival held in the grounds of Keynes College.Traditionally, a number of up-and-coming musicians will battle it out to decide who gets to play at the University’s main summer ball. The atmosphere is friendly but fun, with a BBQ and several bars, and the music is usually pretty amazing – when she was a student here a few years ago, Ellie Goulding was in the line-up. Advance tickets are around £5.

Places to Eat

Canterbury has got plenty of places to explore when it comes to food.

• Michael Caine has his own restaurant in the luxurious Abode Hotel. Probably not one for the student budget, but it’s always worth hinting to the parents when they come and visit.
• Marlowe’s Restaurant is a slightly cheaper place to go and does an evening set menu Sunday-Friday for just £13.95 for two courses.
• Make sure you book at a table at Tacos Locos, a bustling Mexican restaurant that’s popular with locals and students (tell them you’re doing your exams and you never know, you might even get a free shot of Tequila…).
• The Hutch is a vegetarian restaurant that do great dinners – and students get a discount! Win win for all your veggies.

If you’re looking for just a sandwich?

• CJ’s is hands down the best
• But Kitch and Tiny Tim’s Tearoom are also pretty decent.