Transport Links<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nWith London determined to drive average-earners out of the capital, a move to Canterbury is increasingly being sought by commuters, retirees and families alike. The capital is only 50 odd minutes away by high speed train<\/a> from Canterbury West<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nParking is a perennial issue in Canterbury and it\u2019s not unheard of for garage spaces to be negotiated separately. On the flip side, there\u2019s always park and ride<\/a>, with various locations dotted around the city.<\/a> This option is set to be in demand from 2020 as the city council pushes ahead with its plans to meet climate change goals and save money by increasing parking charges in the city centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNearest stations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nCanterbury West<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nCanterbury East<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nSturry<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nSchools<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nFor families, Canterbury ticks a lot of boxes. The schools for all ages are generally favourable, with Ofsted rating several primaries as \u2018good\u2019, including St Stephen\u2019s<\/a>, St Peter\u2019s Methodist<\/a> and Wincheap Foundation<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSecondary schools perform well too. Barton Court Grammar<\/a> and Simon Langton\u2019s Boys\u2019 Grammar<\/a> are both outstanding, while in 2018, Simon Langton’s Girls Grammar<\/a> maintained it\u2019s previous \u2018good\u2019 rating.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThere\u2019s a sizeable student population here \u2013 three universities worth. The University of Kent<\/a>, Canterbury Christ Church University<\/a> and the University of the Creative Arts<\/a> have a big presence and there\u2019s plenty of the kind of social infrastructure that supports University life.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOnce school\u2019s out, kids can explore the 90 acres of Howlett\u2019s Wild Animal Park<\/a>, where they can enjoy close-up encounters with gorillas, lions and elephants, along with other exotic and endangered species.<\/p>\n\n\n\nYounger kids will demand repeat visits to Toddler’s Cove<\/a>, and you\u2019ll be happy to comply \u2013 it\u2019s a fabulous outdoor space with a playground, zip-wire and wooden houses to encourage imaginative play and much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\nA short stroll or cycle along the banks of the River Stour from Toddler\u2019s Cove will bring you to the tranquillity of Westgate Gardens<\/a> for a peaceful meander or a bit of wildlife spotting.<\/p>\n\n\n\nLeisure and Amenities<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nCanterbury offers plenty to tempt everyone from downsizers to the Cool Crowd. It\u2019s near the coast \u2013 25 minutes by car, or an hour by bicycle from Herne Bay for beach picnics and swimming. This proximity to the sea means plenty of hearty, rosy-cheeked walks or an endlessly entertaining, ice cream-fuelled playground for kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/yopa-production-wordpress-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/homeowners-hub\/uploads\/2020\/04\/canterbury-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAncient Canterbury, with its rich multifarious past, will thrill history and archaeology buffs alike. Anyone seeking out UNESCO World Heritage Sites can make a beeline for Canterbury Cathedral itself, the Church of St Martin<\/a>, the oldest parish church in England and the ruined Abbey of St Augustine<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor retail therapy, head for Whitefriars Shopping Centre.<\/a> You\u2019ll find all the usual High Street suspects, with Boots, M&S and Fenwicks sharing the pedestrian friendly shopping district with Zara, Next, H&M and plenty of other big-name stores.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSmaller tourist type shops, artisan food haunts and more eclectic independent stores such as Walrus and Oyster<\/a> and Madame Oiseau<\/a> tend to be clustered in the heart of the old city and are well worth a visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\nShopping done? Kick back with a glass of sparkling Rose De Noir from local Chartham Vineyard<\/a> or enjoy excellent Italian food at Il Posticino<\/a>. Don\u2019t miss Sunday lunch at The Haywain, in Bramling<\/a>. It\u2019s traditional menu punches well above its weight by using the superb local produce on offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWork off the Sunday roast at Kingsmead Leisure Centre<\/a>, with its wide range of sports and activities for every age and fitness group.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s On? <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThere\u2019s plenty in the way of cultural activities here too. Canterbury Festival<\/a> attracts thousands of people every year and is a vibrant celebration of the arts. Marlowe Theatre<\/a> has a packed year coming up with some impressive highlights including Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes,<\/a> the Philharmonic Orchestra<\/a>, comedy, opera and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Canterbury music scene is an evolving pleasure waiting to be discovered by new audiences. Back in the 60s and 70s, there was even the \u2018Canterbury Sound,\u2019 a sort of prog-rock psychedelia. Now, there are plenty of open-mic venues, giving the next generation of musical visionaries<\/a> the chance to get their sound heard.
<\/p>\n\n\n\nSafety and Crime<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nCanterbury is by and large considered a safe place to live, with incidents of crime generally below the national average. However, like any city, it has its problem areas. Kent police have seen a rise in reported crimes<\/a> in the area over the last 5 years. Violence offences such as GBH and assault, and violent crimes without injury have both increased.Although generally viewed as a tolerant place to live, work and study, critics might say Canterbury lacks diversity, but things are changing<\/a>. In 2019, Canterbury was voted Kent\u2019s 3rd happiest place<\/a>. And to be fair, it feels<\/em> happy. The narrow, photogenic streets now house plenty of welcoming shops, bars and food haunts and a decent thrum of nightlife. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThinking of moving to Canterbury?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Parking is a perennial issue in Canterbury and it\u2019s not unheard of for garage spaces to be negotiated separately. On the flip side, there\u2019s always park and ride<\/a>, with various locations dotted around the city.<\/a> This option is set to be in demand from 2020 as the city council pushes ahead with its plans to meet climate change goals and save money by increasing parking charges in the city centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nearest stations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Canterbury West<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Canterbury East<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sturry<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n For families, Canterbury ticks a lot of boxes. The schools for all ages are generally favourable, with Ofsted rating several primaries as \u2018good\u2019, including St Stephen\u2019s<\/a>, St Peter\u2019s Methodist<\/a> and Wincheap Foundation<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Secondary schools perform well too. Barton Court Grammar<\/a> and Simon Langton\u2019s Boys\u2019 Grammar<\/a> are both outstanding, while in 2018, Simon Langton’s Girls Grammar<\/a> maintained it\u2019s previous \u2018good\u2019 rating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s a sizeable student population here \u2013 three universities worth. The University of Kent<\/a>, Canterbury Christ Church University<\/a> and the University of the Creative Arts<\/a> have a big presence and there\u2019s plenty of the kind of social infrastructure that supports University life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once school\u2019s out, kids can explore the 90 acres of Howlett\u2019s Wild Animal Park<\/a>, where they can enjoy close-up encounters with gorillas, lions and elephants, along with other exotic and endangered species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Younger kids will demand repeat visits to Toddler’s Cove<\/a>, and you\u2019ll be happy to comply \u2013 it\u2019s a fabulous outdoor space with a playground, zip-wire and wooden houses to encourage imaginative play and much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A short stroll or cycle along the banks of the River Stour from Toddler\u2019s Cove will bring you to the tranquillity of Westgate Gardens<\/a> for a peaceful meander or a bit of wildlife spotting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Canterbury offers plenty to tempt everyone from downsizers to the Cool Crowd. It\u2019s near the coast \u2013 25 minutes by car, or an hour by bicycle from Herne Bay for beach picnics and swimming. This proximity to the sea means plenty of hearty, rosy-cheeked walks or an endlessly entertaining, ice cream-fuelled playground for kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ancient Canterbury, with its rich multifarious past, will thrill history and archaeology buffs alike. Anyone seeking out UNESCO World Heritage Sites can make a beeline for Canterbury Cathedral itself, the Church of St Martin<\/a>, the oldest parish church in England and the ruined Abbey of St Augustine<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For retail therapy, head for Whitefriars Shopping Centre.<\/a> You\u2019ll find all the usual High Street suspects, with Boots, M&S and Fenwicks sharing the pedestrian friendly shopping district with Zara, Next, H&M and plenty of other big-name stores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Smaller tourist type shops, artisan food haunts and more eclectic independent stores such as Walrus and Oyster<\/a> and Madame Oiseau<\/a> tend to be clustered in the heart of the old city and are well worth a visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shopping done? Kick back with a glass of sparkling Rose De Noir from local Chartham Vineyard<\/a> or enjoy excellent Italian food at Il Posticino<\/a>. Don\u2019t miss Sunday lunch at The Haywain, in Bramling<\/a>. It\u2019s traditional menu punches well above its weight by using the superb local produce on offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Work off the Sunday roast at Kingsmead Leisure Centre<\/a>, with its wide range of sports and activities for every age and fitness group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s plenty in the way of cultural activities here too. Canterbury Festival<\/a> attracts thousands of people every year and is a vibrant celebration of the arts. Marlowe Theatre<\/a> has a packed year coming up with some impressive highlights including Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes,<\/a> the Philharmonic Orchestra<\/a>, comedy, opera and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Canterbury music scene is an evolving pleasure waiting to be discovered by new audiences. Back in the 60s and 70s, there was even the \u2018Canterbury Sound,\u2019 a sort of prog-rock psychedelia. Now, there are plenty of open-mic venues, giving the next generation of musical visionaries<\/a> the chance to get their sound heard. Canterbury is by and large considered a safe place to live, with incidents of crime generally below the national average. However, like any city, it has its problem areas. Kent police have seen a rise in reported crimes<\/a> in the area over the last 5 years. Violence offences such as GBH and assault, and violent crimes without injury have both increased.Although generally viewed as a tolerant place to live, work and study, critics might say Canterbury lacks diversity, but things are changing<\/a>. In 2019, Canterbury was voted Kent\u2019s 3rd happiest place<\/a>. And to be fair, it feels<\/em> happy. The narrow, photogenic streets now house plenty of welcoming shops, bars and food haunts and a decent thrum of nightlife. <\/p>\n\n\n\nSchools<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Leisure and Amenities<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s On? <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nSafety and Crime<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Thinking of moving to Canterbury?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n