Punting along the Great Stour River through Westgate Gardens in Canterbury, which is famed for its cathedral. Adam Batterbee
Punting along the Great Stour River through Westgate Gardens in Canterbury, which is famed for its cathedral. Adam Batterbee
Punting along the Great Stour River through Westgate Gardens in Canterbury, which is famed for its cathedral. Adam Batterbee
Punting along the Great Stour River through Westgate Gardens in Canterbury, which is famed for its cathedral. Adam Batterbee

My Kind of Place: Canterbury, UK


  • English
  • Arabic

Why Canterbury?

Pilgrims have been coming to Canterbury since the infamous murder of Thomas Becket in the city’s cathedral in 1170. They have since been joined by visitors who appreciate the medieval beauty and cosmopolitan atmosphere of this attractive Kentish city.

The base of the head of the Church of England, Canterbury's magnificent cathedral (www.canterbury-cathedral.org) was founded in 597 and rebuilt in the 11th century in glorious Gothic style. It's an awe-inspiring sight, especially its 12th-century choir, medieval stained-glass windows, soaring vaulted ceilings, Romanesque crypt and tranquil cloisters. The shrine to the unfortunate archbishop is behind the high altar.

The medieval cobbled streets surrounding the cathedral are filled with pretty half-timbered buildings, many holding independent restaurants that reveal the city’s thriving dining scene. Despite its rich past, the city isn’t bogged down by the weight of its own history. That’s helped by the lively presence of four universities and some bold modern architecture, including the Marlowe Theatre, dedicated to its illustrious playwright son.

A comfortable bed

The luxurious 15th-century bed and breakfast House of Agnes (www.houseofagnes.co.uk) has eight rooms in its main house, all with a geographical theme (Venetian, Parisian etc). There's a stable block with eight modern, streamlined rooms set in the extensive gardens. Doubles cost from £92 (Dh439), including breakfast.

Occupying a handsome Georgian town house a short walk from the centre, Canterbury Hotel (www.thecanterburyhotel.co.uk) offers traditional rooms and exceptionally friendly service. When the weather is warm, the glass doors to the heated indoor pool open into the adorable, flower-filled courtyard garden. Doubles cost from £85 (Dh406), including breakfast.

Find your feet

Although Canterbury sprawls a bit, its centre is compact and it’s easy to see the main sights on foot. Winding north of the cathedral just off the High Street is the King’s Mile, a jumble of streets that make up the heart of medieval Canterbury. In contrast to many homogenised British city centres, there’s an astonishing collection of independent shops, restaurants and pubs along cobbled streets.

The Great Stour River splits into two and flows through the north-eastern areas, offering riverside walks through the Greyfriars Gardens and the much larger Westgate Gardens. You can still see some remnants of the ancient Roman walls that once encircled the city.

Walk west along the High Street and you see the tourist information centre (www.canterbury.co.uk) within an imposing Victorian structure that also holds the Beaney House of Art & Knowledge (www.canterburymuseums.co.uk/beaney). This quirky museum is free and holds eclectic collections of art and artefacts.

Meet the locals

Student-friendly Canterbury is hardly lacking for meeting places, particularly along the High Street. The streets near the cathedral teem with bars and cafes, including Butchery Lane, with its cosy Shakespeare pub (www.shakespearecanterbury.com) and buzzing Club Burrito (www.clubburrito.com).

Check out the classy cafes in the Goods Shed (www.thegoodsshed.co.uk), a converted warehouse near Canterbury West train station. There's also a food hall and a very good daily farmers' market.

Book a table

Deeson's British Restaurant (www.deesonsrestaurant.co.uk) makes superb use of local produce – including food from its own smallholding – in its innovative cuisine. Start with a rich chicken liver parfait with hazelnut mayonnaise (£7 [Dh33]) before a sublime, succulent salt marsh lamb with garlicky mash (£21 [Dh100]).

Seafood lovers should make a beeline for Chapman's Seafood Bar and Brasserie (www.chapmanscanterbury.co.uk), whose owners also run one of the largest fish wholesalers in the region. If you're not there on a Wednesday for the all-you-can-eat-mussels night, then try the catch of the day (from £16.50 [Dh79], which could include a divinely cooked whole sea bass with lemon and rosemary.

Tamago (www.tamago.restaurant) does an excellent job serving what it calls Japanese soul food in a laid-back little cafe. There's a choice of curries, bento boxes and ramen in generous portions. Try the spicy kimchi ramen for £11 (Dh53).

Shopper’s paradise

There's a range of British and international high-street brands all over the city centre, including quintessentially English brands Cath Kidston and Lakeland. Outdoorsy types can get their hiking and camping gear at branches of Cotswold Outdoor and Blacks. Fans of antiquarian books can have a good rummage through the rammed shelves of the Chaucer Bookshop (www.chaucer-bookshop.co.uk).

What to avoid

Canterbury is popular with school groups, so be prepared to wade through a sea of students at certain times of the day.

Don’t miss

Take a ride on the punts that make their lazy way along the Great Stour through Westgate Gardens. There are also boat trips that go through the medieval city centre, which are entertaining thanks to knowledgeable commentary by the boatmen.

Getting there

British Airways (www.ba.com), Etihad (www.etihad.com) and Emirates (www.emirates.com) fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,600 return, including taxes. The flight takes seven hours. Direct trains (www.thetrainline.com) to Canterbury operate from London from Dh145 return and take about one hour and 20 minutes.

About Karol Nawrocki

• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.

• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.

• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.

• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Power: 510hp at 9,000rpm
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Price: From Dh801,800
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Padmaavat

Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh

3.5/5

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

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What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont

Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950

Engine 3.6-litre V6

Gearbox Eight-speed automatic

Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm

Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm

Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km

The figures behind the event

1) More than 300 in-house cleaning crew

2) 165 staff assigned to sanitise public areas throughout the show

3) 1,000 social distancing stickers

4) 809 hand sanitiser dispensers placed throughout the venue

Notable cricketers and political careers
  • India: Kirti Azad, Navjot Sidhu and Gautam Gambhir (rumoured)
  • Pakistan: Imran Khan and Shahid Afridi (rumoured)
  • Sri Lanka: Arjuna Ranatunga, Sanath Jayasuriya, Tillakaratne Dilshan (rumoured)
  • Bangladesh (Mashrafe Mortaza)
'THE WORST THING YOU CAN EAT'

Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.

Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines: 

Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.

Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.

Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.

Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.

Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

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ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages. 

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills