The Canterbury Classic Tour
Recommended by 100% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Canterbury, England
- 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Say no to research and route planning and yes to a journey through over 2,000 years of Canterbury history when you book this small-group walking tour with an accredited guide. See the medieval Westgate, the Marlowe Theatre, the Christ Church Gate and St. Thomas of Canterbury Church, and learn about everyone from playwrights to Romans. Please note: this is a sightseeing tour and entrance fees are not included.
- See the highlights of historic Canterbury on a guided walking tour
- Learn about figures such as Marlowe, the hard-partying playwright and spy
- Snap quirky attractions from weird clocks to doves in the wrong places
- Numbers are capped at just 10 travelers, for quality guide interaction
What's Included
- Reproduction historical images and objects.
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- The Beaney House of Art & Knowledge18 High St, Canterbury CT1 2RA, UK
Your guide will meet you outside the entrance to the High Street, opposite the Abode Hotel.
End point
- Saint George's Tower27 St George's St, Canterbury CT1 2LE, UK
The end point of the tour is beneath the marvellous clock tower of the former St George's Church.
Operating hours.6:00 pm
Itinerary
The Beaney House of Art & Knowledge (Pass By)
1
Statue of Geoffrey Chaucer
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Westgate Towers Museum & Viewpoint
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
3
The Marlowe Theatre
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
4
Christ Church Gate
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
5
Canterbury Roman Museum
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
6
St Thomas of Canterbury RC Church
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
7
Saint George's Tower
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
5.0
based on 102 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Michelle_S, Sep 2025
Sam was really knowledgeable about the history of Canterbury. I learned so much and really enjoyed the walk. A great introduction to this phenomenal place. Highly recommend for anyone visiting the City. It is so much more than the Cathedral and the art scene is top notch.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Hi Michelle, thank you for the lovely review, it was a pleasure to meet you and to show you around Canterbury! Sam.
Doris_F, Aug 2025
Extremely knowledgeable guide
Enjoyed every minute of the history, the fact, the fiction & everything in-between
Would highly recommend Sam.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Hi Doris, thank you so much for your lovely review! I hope that you all enjoyed the rest of your stay in Canterbury. Sam.
Starr_S, Sep 2024
Sam was a great tour guide. He was very entertaining and knowledgeable. He had answers to questions and history throughput.
Response from Host, Sep 2024
Thank you for joining me during your short time in Canterbury, I'm glad you enjoyed the tour! Sam.
Zrinka_D, Jun 2024
I really enjoyed the tour. It lasted, as promised, 1,5 hours. The guide, Sam, was great, and I learned a lot of stories about Canterbury. It was an evening walk, and only I came, and still it was done with equal enthusiasm, as there was a large group present. Thanks, Sam.
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Hi Zrinka, thank you for your very kind review, I'm glad that you enjoyed the tour! I hope you had a great journey home. Sam.
Cecilia_C, May 2024
Guide was fantastic. Learned a lot about the history and the architecture. Much more than I would have ever uncovered on my own. Great tour!
Response from Host, May 2024
Hi Cecilia, thank you for your very kind review and I'm glad you enjoyed the tour! Sam.
Miguel_G, Jan 2024
Very engaging and knowledgeable guide.
Even though it was a freezing morning the guide made the tour very enjoyable.
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Hi Miguel, thank you so much, it was a very cold morning, but I am glad it was also a very enjoyable tour! Sam.
David_W, Aug 2023
Extremely knowledge and entertaining guide, Thoroughly enjoyed the tour and perfect timing, Not too short or too long.
Response from Host, Aug 2023
Hi David, thank you for your very kind review! I'm so glad the tour (and I) was entertaining and hope it was a great part of your Canterbury experience! Sam.
Meriel_V, Aug 2023
Sam the Guide brought Canterbury’s history to life with intriguing insights from his considerable knowledge of history
Response from Host, Aug 2023
Hi Meriel, thank you so much for your lovely review, I'm so happy you both enjoyed the tour! Sam.
Elinor_G, Jun 2023
What I enjoyed most of the tour was seeing those secret gems in Canterbury that is hidden under the glimmer of shopping stores and cafes. My two teenagers loved it.
Response from Host, Jun 2023
Hi Elinor, thank you so much for your review! I'm glad everyone was able to enjoy the tour and Canterbury! Sam.
Roger_M, Jun 2023
My wife and I were in a small group which enabled us to ask more questions that would otherwise have been the case.
The 1 and three quarter hour tour of Canterbury was full of surprises and packed with facts of Canterbury from before the Roman conquest to the aftermath of the 2nd World war. Specific places of interest were The Beanie Institute, The west Gate being used as a prison, the synagogue and its connection to the Knights Templars The butter market and how the river was used as a sewer.
All in all everywhere we stopped had an interesting story behind it e.g the place where the knights stayed before killing Thomas a Becket.
Our guide Sam was excellent with a deep knowledge of Canterbury and its History
We have no hesitation in recommending the tour.
Response from Host, Jun 2023
Hi Roger, thank you so much for your very kind review. I definitely agree that small groups are a great way to see the city and ask any questions you have! Sam
Arne_G, Aug 2022
Sam is a very kind and knowledgeable guide. He told us a number of interesting stories about Canterbury.
Response from Host, Aug 2022
Hi Arne, thank you for your very kind review. I do hope that you will both be able to come back to Canterbury again in the near future! Sam.
Andrea_S, Aug 2022
Awesome tour of Canterbury. We could not have had a better experience. Excellent exploration of the city and its rich heritage without ever being tedious. Sam was our guide and he was both knowledgeable and engaging, and never boring. Wish you could have a Sam in every town we went to visit!
Response from Host, Aug 2022
Hi Andrea, you are too kind! Thank you for your kind words, I am thrilled you enjoyed the tour and hope it enhanced your visit to Canterbury. Sam.
Andy_M, Aug 2022
I would highly recommend this tour. Every stop we try to book one of these tours on the first day to get acquainted with the town. This tour was particularly good at telling us things about the buildings and the town that we would not otherwise know, which is exactly why you should book it!
Response from Host, Aug 2022
Hi Andy, thank you so much for this very kind review, it was a pleasure to show you around Canterbury! I do hope that you come back to Canterbury again in the future. Sam.
Emma_N, Jul 2022
Loved the tour, lots of interesting facts and information about Canterbury and brought to life by our great guide, Sam. He also managed to keep the children involved and entertained (6 & 11) which is not an easy task so the whole family had a great time. Would highly recommend
Response from Host, Jul 2022
Hi Emma, thank you for your very kind review! I'm very glad you all enjoyed the tour, I hope that you will all come back to Canterbury again soon. Sam.
Lloyd_S, Jun 2022
Sam the guide was excellent and really brought the tour to life. There was so much information and anecdotes that it’s impossible to pick a single highlight.
Response from Host, Jun 2022
Thank you Lloyd for this very kind review! I hope you enjoyed the rest of the evening and will come back to Canterbury in the near future! Sam.
Kenneth_P, Apr 2022
Sam is a relaxed and informative guide who clearly loves his work. His tour blends culture, architecture and art of the region. Loved every minute!
Response from Host, Apr 2022
Hi Kenneth, thank you for your review, I'm so happy that my love of Canterbury helped make the tour enjoyable for you! Sam.
Mark_G, Apr 2022
Absolutely loved it - our tour guide was knowledgeable, fun and funny. My teenager really enjoyed it, too - and that’s something!
In summary, I highly recommend this lovely 1.5 hour walking tour!
Response from Host, Apr 2022
Hi Mark, thank you for your kind review! I am so glad you all enjoyed the tour and hope you enjoy the rest of your stay here in Canterbury. Sam.
Steve_B, Feb 2022
Sam did the tour and was excellent. Great stories, great pace and an enthusiasm that gives you so much more than you pay for. We've already recommended the tour to friends!!
Response from Host, Feb 2022
Hi Steve, thank you for this very kind review and for recommending the tour to your friends! I hope you both enjoyed the rest of your time in Canterbury. Sam.
JustinePaola_T, Aug 2021
Me and my friends had a good time walking around Canterbury and being told stories and it’s very rich history of the place. Our tour guide Sam was very accommodating, approachable and informative. We’ll be back for sure.
Response from Host, Aug 2021
Hi Justine, thank you so much for your very kind review, it was a pleasure to meet you all! I look forward to seeing you and your friends in Canterbury again in the future. Sam
Agnes_B, Aug 2021
Super interesting tour where we learned a lot of fun facts about Canterbury. Thank you, Sam, for being the best tour guide around this lovely city!
Response from Host, Aug 2021
Hi Agnes, thank you for such a fantastic review! I couldn't be happier that you both enjoyed the tour and hope to see you in Canterbury again in the future. Sam
Laura_T, Aug 2021
We had Sam who was friendly and extremely knowledgeable. Canterbury is a brilliant place for a walking tour as it is flat, compact, and bursting with interesting history. We recommend Canterbury and we highly recommend Sam and Viator.
Response from Host, Aug 2021
Hi Laura, thank you for such a kind review! I hope you both enjoyed the rest of your stay in Canterbury. Sam.
Debra, Aug 2021
Thank you, Sam, for a very informative and interesting tour. We had fun and learnt lots. A great experience which we recommend. Thanks again.
Response from Host, Aug 2021
Hi Debra, thank you so much for your very kind review! I'm so happy you both had fun on the tour!! Sam.
Jonathan_C, Jul 2021
The little side stories in the history of Canterbury’s buildings and landmarks were the best part of the tour, plus Sam’s insights into any questions.
Response from Host, Jul 2021
Thank you Jonathan for your kind review! If you have any comments on how to improve the tour that would make the tour 5/5, please do let us know by email (info@cttours.co.uk). Sam
Pablo_T, Jun 2021
Sam is very friendly and created an unique and enjoyable walking experience. I would definitely recommend the classic tour for those who want to explore the classic places but also the hidden secrets of Canterbury.
Response from Host, Jun 2021
Hi Paul, I'm so grateful for such kind words such as these! Thank you! Sam.
Emmanuelle_C, May 2021
We had a lovely tour despite the weather being a little unpredictable. Sam was a fantastic tour guide and I fully recommend these tours
Response from Host, May 2021
I am so glad you enjoyed the tour despite the unpredictable weather, it definitely keeps me on my toes! Sam
Gail_M, May 2021
Very knowledgeable/polite guide.
A lovely way to get an introduction to Canterbury and a gentle wander around the beautiful city.
Response from Host, May 2021
Hi Gail, it was great to meet you both and thank you for your very kind review! Sam.
Montse_C, May 2021
Our guide (Sam) was very nice and friendly. We had a good experience and learned a lot about Canterbury and the city fun facts and legends.
Response from Host, May 2021
Hi Montse, thank you for leaving a lovely review! I hope you both enjoyed the rest of your visit to Kent and will come back again soon. Sam.
Joyce_B, Oct 2020
Thanks to Sam we had a very pleasant walking tour of Canterbury, its sights and history. It was a great way to start our trip and with Sam's insights we will be able to plan further trips to the Beaney, gardens and wall to explore in more derail. Lovely personality and very knowledgeable. I would definitely recommend Sam to others. It was also a very reasonably priced tour and we were able to bring our dog.
Response from Host, Oct 2020
Hi Joyce,
Thank you so much for your very kind review! It was a pleasure to explore Canterbury with you both, especially so early on a slightly chilly morning!!
Sam
Manisha_S, Sep 2020
Sam was knowledgeable, engaging, was obviously passionate about history and especially about Canterbury. He took us on a journey with him! He was humerous and pointed out the quirks of the city as well as the medieval, ancient side! It was our first time visiting Canterbury and this is definitely worth doing. I would highly recommend!
Response from Host, Sep 2020
I am so glad you both enjoyed your journey around Canterbury with me, especially as it was your first visit here! Hopefully this means you will return to explore further!!
Sam
Paul_Bedford, Jul 2020
Our tour of Canterbury was excellent. Sam’s knowledge of the history of the city put everything you can see into perspective. Sam manage to deliver his knowledge in a way that engaged two adults a teenager and a ten year old. Both the kids also said how much they had enjoyed the tour.
Response from Host, Jul 2020
Thank you for your kind review Paul, I am so happy you all enjoyed the tour! I hope you enjoy your future Friday trips, it would be great to see you all in Canterbury again soon.
Sam
From $20.42
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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