I visited one of Britain’s 'best' cities — and it wasn’t worth the trip

I'm relatively new to travel and have always wanted to explore more of the world. But I've found that some of the best trips start closer to home. I grew up in London and, as I've got older and had a bit more money to spend, I've visited some of England's most historic cities, including Oxford, Bristol, Peterborough and Brighton. With 76 cities to explore across the country, there's still plenty left on my list.

For my cousin's hen do, we headed to Canterbury. The Telegraph's top 25 rankings for Britain's best cities in 2024 places the Kentish city at tenth. One travel journalist summed up its appeal: "With the conviviality of a market town, a cathedral for the ages, and a rich history due to its location, Canterbury rarely fails to dazzle visitors. This shouldn't surprise anyone. After all, the Kentish 'capital' invented tourism, if that's not too impolite a term for pilgrimages."

Despite all that, my visit left me disappointed. That "dazzlement" never arrived — I found it rather ordinary.

Having now been, I wouldn't rush back, and here's why:

Architecture and culture

The Telegraph praises the city's green spaces, noting: "The city as a whole scores high on green spaces. St Augustine's Abbey, the Roman Museum and Dane John mound add further layers of interest. Narrow medieval alleys, riverside gardens and ancient city walls complete the impressive architectural tableau and make the city a joy to walk around."

The city does look impressive. The cobbled streets and mix of Victorian and Gothic architecture give it a real sense of history.

That said, the fast-food outlets and high-street chains dotted around the centre do somewhat undercut the historic feel.

The narrow lanes in the city centre were the best part of my trip — small but full of character. Canterbury also has some decent green spaces.

The boat tour is worth doing; the guides share interesting stories about the city's past. But the city is compact, and once you've covered the main sights, the streets start to blur into one. The medieval charm wears off fairly quickly.

The Cathedral visit was a letdown. There was a long queue and a £21 weekend admission fee, which felt steep given that parts of the building were closed off for renovation.

Transport

As a Londoner, I always pay attention to how easy it is to get around a city. Poor bus networks are part of why I won't return to Exeter or Milton Keynes — you're never quite sure where to get off, and Google Maps can only do so much.

Our accommodation was a 20-minute walk from the city centre, which was fine for me, but I was travelling with family members who couldn't manage long walks due to health reasons. Getting to the nearest bus stop was about the same distance as just walking to where we needed to be.

Taxis weren't much help either. Every time we called, the wait was between 30 minutes and an hour.

Nightlife

The Telegraph notes: "Canterbury has a lively student population and a good smattering of pubs (the oldest, The Parrot, pre-dates the famous pilgrims), restaurants, and independent shops — the King's Mile is a superb example of old meets new, traditional and trendy. The Goods Shed might be the loveliest food hall-cum-farmer's market in the land."

The problem is that Canterbury leans heavily on its students for atmosphere. We visited at the end of July, when most had already gone home for the summer.

As someone in their mid-twenties, I was initially relieved not to be surrounded by 18-year-olds — but it backfired. On a Saturday evening, the streets were almost empty, and the bars and clubs had few customers. Despite bumping into three other hen parties, it felt like a ghost town.

A few clubs had some life in them, but after 1am, everyone made a beeline for McDonald's and called it a night.

Britain's top 10 cities, according to The Telegraph:

1. Bath
2. Wells
3. Bristol
4. Oxford
5. Edinbrugh
6. St Albans
7. Cambridge
8. Ripon
9. Worcester
10. Canterbury