“There’s no lovelier place in the world than Canterbury.” – (Virginia Woolfe)
Beautiful and Historic
The city of Canterbury located in Kent, South East England is a beautiful and charming city. It is over 2000 years old and full of history and tradition. It is a vibrant student city, home to three universities as well as numerous top colleges and schools.
Canterbury’s biggest attraction for tourists is the magnificent Cathedral, located in the heart of the city. It is one of England’s most famous places of worship, being the home of the English church. Canterbury has been a pilgrim destination for many centuries (the subject of Geoffrey Chaucer’s 14th century book, The Canterbury Tales).
The city itself is compact, encircled by a city wall in some parts, but rich in both history and modern amenities. You will see historic buildings such as the Westgate Towers, the Norman Castle, charming inns, antique stores, and quaint streets.
Things to See and Do
You can find all the modern amenities in Canterbury – everything from fine-dining restaurants to kebab takeaway shops, and designer and boutique shops alongside department stores.
Canterbury has an excellent social atmosphere with live music venues as well as the usual bars, pubs, clubs and societies. For cultural entertainment there are two theatres and two cinemas in the city. There are museums, libaries and art galleries. Of course, for those keen on sport there are playing grounds and indoor facilities as well as several gyms.
Modern Canterbury is multicultural. Ashford International (the final Eurostar train stop in the UK), the port of Dover, and London (55 minutes by high-speed train) are close by, so many visitors and tourists come to Canterbury. Listen as you walk along the busy streets and you will hear Italian voices amid the throng of Japanese language students, flanked by Spanish, Czech, Korean, Bangladeshi and Russian accents, with accompanying American and Australian twangs. And that does not even take into account the many colourful English dialects that can be found right here in Canterbury.
Academics
Canterbury has a strong academic tradition. It is one of the first places in the United Kingdom to formalise education, and is home to many prestigious educational institutions.
Canterbury was voted the UK’s safest city for students in the 2011 Good Universities Guide. It is a wonderful place to live and learn.
The beauty of Canterbury has to be experienced to be believed. It continues to enthrall visitors, and students, and its inhabitants because it succeeds in merging its past with the future.
This conference is sponsored by Warnborough College.