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Here you will find the answers to our most-asked questions. If you still have a query, please contact us.
There are visitor toilets in the Cathedral Precincts, and also behind the Beaney (in Best Lane) near the end of the tour.
Daily tours start from the Buttermarket, and usually finish in St Peter's Street/The High Street. If you would like to return to the Buttermarket or need to find somewhere specific, please ask your Guide who will be happy to show you the way.
Tours are on the flat with no steps or hills, and are suitable for wheelchairs but please be aware that many of the pavements are uneven and narrow and some streets are cobbled so we advise any disabled visitors in wheelchairs to bring a 'carer', who may go free of charge.
Our daily tours depart from the Buttermarket. This is the small square in front of the Christ Church Cathedral Gate. Simply follow signs to the Cathedral. Our Guide will be wearing a red sash and holding a placard.
Daily tours last 90 minutes.
Our daily tours depart at 11.00 every day (except Christmas Day), with an additional daily 14.00 tour April to October, and seasonal holidays.
Yes! Tickets may be purchased on our website up until the the start of a tour. They are also available before the start of the tour on the day from the Canterbury Visitor Centre at the Beaney in the High Street and the Roman Museum in Butchery Lane.
If you have been unable to buy a ticket in advance please speak with the Guide who will show you where to pay either during a stop on the tour, or at the end of the tour. Please note our Guides are unable to accept payment for tickets.
We do not go into the Cathedral building but enter the Cathedral Precincts (grounds) through the Christ Church Gate, and take visitors around the exterior of the Cathedral. Where possible this will also include the monastery ruins, the Dark Entry, historic King's School, and exiting via the Mint Yard Gate. If you wish to visit inside the Cathedral, you must pay for this separately. Please see the Cathedral's prices and visitor information. A visit is highly recommended!
Our tours are an excellent way to learn more about Canterbury and to get your bearings in our wonderful city. We explore the narrow cobbled lanes with their pilgrim inns and tudor houses, and Cathedral Precincts with its monastic ruins. Additional highlights can include the historic King's School grounds, infamous ducking stool, King's Bridge and Weavers Houses, Archbishop’s palace, the famous 'Crooked House', and the Marlowe Theatre. For more information see our Tour Highlights page.
Whilst all our tours include the grounds of the Cathedral (the only tour that is given exclusive access), routes in the city are varied. Every tour is individual and not all highlights the city has to offer will be seen on the tour. If there is something you particularly want to see, mention it to the guide before the tour begins and, if possible, they will try to accommodate you. Due to the distance from the city centre, we cannot include St Augustine's Abbey or St Martin's Church, but these can be visited independently, or with a private guide by special arrangement.
Please note routes may be varied at short notice, and access within the Cathedral Precincts and King's School grounds is subject to change.
Yes! All of our guides are fully qualified Green Badge City Guides. This means they have been through a rigorous 6-month training course, and passed a number of written and practical exams, accredited by the Institute of Tourist Guiding (ITG), which is the officially recognised standard-setting and awarding body for tourist guiding in England.
But more than just holding the coveted Green Badge, all of our guides are passionate about the city of Canterbury, its rich history and heritage, and they extend their research into special areas of interest. Many of our guides are also Cathedral guides, Blue Badge guides, or hold positions with local history associations.
You will discover that our guides want to share their knowledge and love of the city with you on their tour. They enjoy making the tours relevant to the group, pointing out any connections to visitors, and they will do their best to answer any questions you have.
Daily tours are conducted in English. Our Guides all speak clearly and loudly. Private and group tours are available in a variety of languages including French, German, Dutch and Spanish. Please contact us if you would like to make a private/group tour booking or visit the booking page. Please note these must be booked in advance.
At the guide's discretion, visitors are welcome to bring a well-behaved dog on a short lead on our daily tour. Please email guides@canterburyguidedtours.com or call 01227 459779 for confirmation.
Absolutely! Please see our Private Tours page for more information. We have no minimum number of guests, but do have a minimum charge.
We extend our concessionary rate to guests with a disability. Free entry is offered to carers accompanying those with a disability.
Our guided tours go ahead in all weathers, unless there has been an official weather warning to stay indoors. Please dress appropriately for the weather.
Our Guide/s can meet your group at a place of your choosing, however the most popular places to meet are as follows:
Other meeting points include Westgate Towers, East or West railway stations, and St George's Clock Tower. We can also arrange for guides to meet you at your hotel. Please contact us for advice.
We do not go inside the Cathedral (or any other buildings) during our tour, but we are privileged to enter the Cathedral Precincts (grounds) through the Christ Church Gate, and take groups around the exterior of the Cathedral. Where possible this will also include the monastery ruins, the Dark Entry, historic King's School, and exiting via the Mint Yard Gate.
If your group wishes to visit inside the Cathedral and/or have a tour inside, you must book and pay for this separately with the Cathedral. Please email visitsenquiries@canterbury-cathedral.org.
Groups are allocated 1 Guide for up to 30 persons.
Yes! If you would like smaller groups per Guide, you may book an additional Guide for a small supplement.
We offer a variety of themed tours, including literary, royal connections, gruesome tours, Canterbury Tales, and many more. Please visit our Themed Tours page for additional information. If you have a particular are of interest, or somewhere you would like to see during the tour, please let us know, o chat with your guide on arrival. Our guides are very accommodating and flexible and want you to have the best tour possible.
If your group doesn't have much time we can shorten the tour to 1 hour, however please note prices remain the same.
Longer tours of 2 or 2.5 hours can be arranged for a small supplement. Alternatively, half-day (up to 4 hours) or full-day city tours are available. These are typically for groups wishing to visit St Augustine's Abbey and St Martin's Church which are on the city outskirts, or to have a deeper insight into the city centre and its sights, such as Canterbury Castle, the city walls, Westgate Towers, Greyfriars Chapel etc.
We can arrange tours in English, French, German, Dutch, Italian, and Spanish. We also offer Clear (Easy) English for non-native speakers and those learning English.
We can cater to any age group; from primary school children to older generations! Our Guides are excellent at adapting tours to suit the group, from simplified facts and child-friendly links (such as Rupert Bear and Harry Potter), to more in-depth stories and humourous anecdotes. If your group has a particular interest, our Guides will also endeavour to include it in the tour.
Ready to explore Canterbury with the experts? Join our guides as they bring centuries of history and culture to life with incredible stories and funny anecdotes.
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