Leeds Castle, Cliffs of Dover and Canterbury Day Trip from London with Guided Cathedral Tour
Description
Escape the hustle-bustle of London for a day and travel to the English countryside for a tour of Leeds Castle, Canterbury Cathedral and Dover. Enjoy viewing beautiful Leeds Castle, get an exclusive tour inside UNESCO World Heritage–listed Canterbury Cathedral, and admire the symbolic White Cliffs of Dover. Listen to your guide's expert live commentary throughout the day through your personal headphones. From October 2025 to April 2026, essential stonework will take place on the front and west sides of Leeds Castle, with scaffolding in place. Visits and tours will continue as normal, though some exterior views may be affected. Thank you for your understanding.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Located in Kent, ‘The Garden of England’, lies Leeds Castle, a beautiful medieval castle frequently referred to as ‘the loveliest castle in the world’. With 500 acres of landscaped parkland to explore and impeccably maintained gardens to enjoy, it’s easy to see why this beautiful castle was a favoured castle of King Henry VIII, who gifted it to his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. In its 900-year history, the castle has been home to no fewer than six queens and served many functions, including acting as a garrison, prison and the stately private home of its most recent owners. Learn all about this and more as our expert tour guide brings its fascinating story to life.
A designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, Canterbury Cathedral is both a serene place of holiness and beautiful tourist destination. As the Cathedral of the Archbishop, the spiritual leader of the Church of England, Canterbury holds a special place in British history. No ordinary Cathedral, Canterbury has a long history that is often described as ‘England in Stone’; from the role of its Archbishops in the Magna Carta to the murder of Thomas Becket after a power struggle with the King of England, Canterbury’s history is intertwined with that of England. Founded by St Augustine in 600 AD, the Cathedral today is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in England, and the first building in the country to be redesigned in this popular style in 1774.
Dover Castle is a medieval castle in Dover, Kent, England. It was founded in the 11th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history. It is the largest castle in England.
Soaring 350ft above the crashing waves of the English Channel, the White Cliffs of Dover are an instantly recognisable landmark of Britain. From Caesar to Shakespeare, some of history’s most important figures recognised the towering symbolism of the cliffs. Traditionally the site where British royalty would welcome overseas visitors, the cliffs served as an intimidating reminder of Britain's immovable resoluteness sense of independence.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- For a wheelchair user: Please contact us (by email or phone) at least seven days before travel so we can arrange an accessible vehicle
- The itinerary may change for operational reasons
Reviews(3,018)
Loved the itinerary and the guide was very good (Sheila). The speakers needed to be a little louder in board the coach. Overall it was a great and informative tour.
It was a wonderful day. Anna as a tour guide is fantastic; she explains everything in a pleasant, humorous way and knows everything about it. Pipp as a driver was great; she really took the best routes so that you could take beautiful photos. The tour is perfectly planned and well-coordinated. Clear recommendation 👍
Dear Guest, Vielen Dank für Ihre wundervolle Bewertung! Es freut uns sehr zu hören, dass Sie einen so schönen Tag hatten und besonders von Anna als Tour Guide begeistert waren. Ihre sympathische und humorvolle Art sowie ihr umfangreiches Wissen machen sie zu einer großartigen Begleiterin. Auch Pipp wird sich sicherlich über Ihre lieben Worte freuen. Es ist schön zu wissen, dass Sie sich während der Fahrt gut aufgehoben fühlten und durch die gewählten Routen viele schöne Fotomöglichkeiten hatten. Vielen Dank auch für Ihr Lob zur Organisation und zum Ablauf der Tour. Ihre klare Empfehlung bedeutet uns sehr viel! Wir hoffen, Sie bald wieder bei uns begrüßen zu dürfen. Kind regards, Evanevanstours team
Ana was amazing and was very thoughtful
Dear Guest, Thank you so much for your kind feedback! We’re delighted to hear that Ana was amazing and so thoughtful throughout your experience. We’ll be sure to share your lovely comments with her. We truly appreciate you joining us and hope to welcome you back for another memorable tour! Kind regards, Evanevanstours team
After almost not being allowed on the bus (booked my ticket the night before and my name was not on the tour guides roster), the coach ride to Leeds Castle in Broomfield, Maidstone, Kent (NOT Leeds) was lovely. The castle was purchased by Olivia Baille in 1926 for £180,000 (over £7.4m in 2019 pounds) and renovated beautifully. The Cliffs of Dover were spectacular and Pais de Calai France was visible (20 miles/32km). Canterbury Cathedral and town were full of history. Pope Gregory sent St Augustine to establish Canterbury in 597 AD (CE). It was the site of the assassination of Archbishop Tomas Beckett in 1170. It contains the oldest picture of Jesus in England (600sAD). Many of the walls contained colored frescoes that have faded away or were removed. The King’s School (597AD) that is attached to the cathedral is the oldest formal school in the world. Highly recommend this tour for its scenery, views of Kent and eastern England, and its rich history.
Dear Guest, Thank you for taking the time to share such a detailed review! We’re delighted to hear that, despite the initial issue with your booking not appearing on the guide’s roster, you were able to enjoy the tour and make the most of your day. It’s wonderful to know that you appreciated the beautiful journey to Leeds Castle, the spectacular views of the White Cliffs of Dover, and the rich history of Canterbury. Kent truly offers an incredible combination of scenery and fascinating historical sites. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience at the start of your tour and appreciate your understanding. Your recommendation means a great deal to us, and we’re so pleased that you would recommend the experience for its scenery, views, and history. We hope to welcome you back on another memorable journey in the future! Kind regards, Evanevanstours team
The pick up location was in the bus terminal so it was easy to find. Our guide and driver were attentive, entertaining, and knowledgeable. Even when there was an issue with traffic and a special event at one location, they tried to adjust in the best way for us, and even extended the tour time to make sure we saw all the sights.
The excursion was quite disappointing. They notified us only five days before that it would finally be in English. The bus was very uncomfortable, with small seats and little legroom. In Dover we were barely there for about 20 minutes at the port and we could hardly see the cliffs. Leeds Castle was the best part of the day. Canterbury was left for last, with a very brief guided tour of the cathedral and little more than an hour of free time to visit the city and eat, so we were barely able to enjoy it. The organization and the distribution of time were clearly improvable.
Dear guest, Gracias por tomarse el tiempo de compartir su experiencia con nosotros. Lamentamos sinceramente que la excursión no haya cumplido con sus expectativas. Entendemos especialmente su decepción por haber recibido con tan poca antelación la confirmación de que la excursión sería finalmente en inglés. También lamentamos que el autobús no le resultara cómodo y que la distribución del tiempo en Dover y Canterbury le pareciera insuficiente. Agradecemos sus comentarios sobre la duración de las visitas, la organización y el reparto de los tiempos. Nos alegra saber, al menos, que Leeds Castle fue lo mejor de su día. Compartiremos sus observaciones con el equipo correspondiente, ya que este tipo de comentarios nos ayuda a identificar aspectos que podemos mejorar. Lamentamos las molestias ocasionadas y agradecemos sinceramente sus comentarios. Un cordial saludo, Evan Evans Tours Team
The guide, Norma, and the bus driver argued about the route. The driver braked hard, stopped quickly. Norma repeated herself often: dry conditions, crops grown in Kent, the number of trucks on the road, etc. The tour is good; the personnel were poor.
Dear Guest, Thank you for taking the time to share your honest feedback. We’re sorry to hear that your experience was affected by the disagreement between the guide and driver, as well as the sudden braking and stops. We understand how this could have been unsettling and disappointing. We’re also sorry that you found some of the commentary repetitive. Your feedback is important to us, and we will share your concerns with the relevant team so they can be reviewed and addressed. We’re pleased to hear that you still found the tour itself to be good, and we appreciate you bringing these issues to our attention. Evan Evans Tours Team
Wonderful experience, only wished we had more time at Leeds castle to take in all amenities, just a lovely place, was not aware of the beautiful grounds and the restaurant.
Dear Guest, Thank you for your lovely feedback. We are delighted to hear that you had a wonderful experience and enjoyed your visit to Leeds Castle. We appreciate your comments about the beautiful grounds and amenities, and we understand that having more time to explore would have made your visit even more special. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you again on another tour soon. Kind regards, Evanevanstours Team
Was a great day. Lesley and Alex were amazing. Very informative tour. Highly recommend, family friendly.
Dear Guest, Thank you for your wonderful feedback. We are delighted to hear that you had a great day and enjoyed the tour with Lesley and Alex. We’re pleased that you found the experience informative, family-friendly, and worthy of recommendation. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you again on another tour soon. Kind regards, Evanevanstours Team
We had an outstanding guided tour, and much of that was thanks to our wonderful guide, Leslie, and our driver, Alekic. Leslie was knowledgeable, engaging, and passionate, bringing every stop on the tour to life with interesting stories and historical insights. She made everyone feel welcome and ensured the experience was enjoyable from start to finish. Alekic was an excellent driver so professional, courteous, and always made us feel safe and comfortable throughout the journey. His smooth driving and friendly demeanor added to the overall experience. Together, Leslie and Alekic made a fantastic team. Their professionalism, warmth, and dedication turned a great tour into an unforgettable one. We highly recommend this tour to anyone and are grateful to both of them for making our trip so memorable. Highly recommend the tour with this dynamic duo!
Dear Guest, Thank you for your outstanding review and wonderful recommendation. We're delighted to hear that Leslie and Alekic made your tour such an unforgettable experience. It's fantastic to know that Leslie's knowledge, engaging storytelling, and passion brought each destination to life while making everyone feel welcome throughout the day. We're also pleased to hear your kind words about Alekic's professionalism, courteous service, and safe driving. We're thrilled that their teamwork, warmth, and dedication helped create such a memorable experience for you. Thank you again for sharing your feedback and for recommending our tour. We will be sure to pass on your lovely comments to Leslie and Alekic, and we hope to welcome you on another Evan Evans tour in the future. Kind regards, Evan Evans Team
