YHA Canterbury

Canterbury and its surrounds are an excellent spot to spend a few days – or weeks at: stay around town for sightseeing and shopping, or venture out to coast and countryside for walks and beaches. Walk just under a mile or get the bus into the city centre from the hostel, to start off with a look at its UNESCO-listed cathedral and a walk around the Roman walls, then (after a hefty lunch), an amble around Canterbury Castle, built in Norman times just after the Battle of Hastings. Canterbury Tales walks around the city’s ancient spots and Chaucer-related history run regularly throughout the year. Also much recommended in Canterbury is The Beaney, a ‘House of Art & Knowledge’ with Café and information centre. Its space covers an art museum, library, exhibition space, art galleries and room for events and activities for all ages. Entry is free and the centre is open seven days a week. Heading into the countryside, have a mini tour of Barnsole Vineyard, set over three acres a 20-minute drive east of Canterbury – followed by a tasting, but of course… Or make for the coast to sample the famed oysters at Whitstable and take a look at The Favourite, the last Whitstable oyster yawl, or ramble the coast path between here and Margate.