The Canterbury Hidden City Tour

Discover Canterbury's Hidden Secrets

The Tour is based on the History of the City, and its architecture it also covers several aspects of English Language, and the origins of phrases we take for granted.

The duration is around 2 hours, and it's a gentle walking pace around the city. Canterbury's history stretched back over the millenia, from pre-roman settlement to the present day city bustling with visitors, students, and locals alike. The footsteps of Pilgrims, and parsons, are etched into its fabric and the tour takes you in their footsteps. The tour is fully accessible for anyone in a wheelchair or with mobility issues, which given my work with the elderly I feel it's important to be inclusive.

What else you should now

As it's a walking tour, on city streets, just be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes and be sure to dress for the English Climate, i.e. on a sunny day bring an umbrella, just in case.

About your host, John Hippisley

John has been conducting both day and night time tours in the city of Canterbury since 1991 and his ethos is always about putting his clients first. He is both a writer and producer, and also volunteers for the Blind and Older people, to help them with everyday life. He lives within a mile of the city centre and can offer tours at short notice, so if you're staying and need to book, just call him and he'll be there!

Book Online Now

Canterbury The Hidden City Tour: Canterbury Unseen by John Hippisley

Order now for just £14.99 + £3.50 p&p

John Hippisley (Your Host), has been conducting walking tours in the city since 1991. A historian, writer, and published author, his passion is photography, walking and sharing his encyclopaedic knowledge of the city of Canterbury. There's so much beauty in the city, so often missed by the casual glance When you join the tour, John will direct you to look up at the many hidden features of the City, which the casual glance may miss, from grotesques carved by pagan wood carvers in the middle Ages, to the mathematical hang tiles that cover the buildings. All the while discovering little gems of English phraseology, and parts of long forgotten English history.

John will also personally sign and dedicate your copy of Haunted Canterbury if you order directly using PayPal. Please email after placing your order with the details of your dedication request. Please read our Delivery Policy before purchasing. Canterbury the Hidden City Tour is available from Amazon.com or order direct by calling The Canterbury Tours on our main number.

Our reviews

  • Toin - September, 2018

    The hidden city of Canterbury is a very interesting tour. John succeeds well in striking the right balance between providing information and humor. Things you would never notice yourself in the city center is revealed by John in a very entertaining manner. The two hours pass in a breeze.

  • Darlene - September, 2018

    If you're looking for a local tour guide as we were John Hippisley is your "go too" guy. We had been visiting Canterbury from the U.S. for 1 week before we contacted John. That was a big mistake. What we learned from John on his tour we could have enjoyed throughout the entire week we were there. His knowledge of the city's history combined with his British humor made for a very entertaining and informative afternoon. If your in the market for an education and having a good time while getting it we highly recommend this jolly fellow. Patrick & Darlene, Nevada, USA

  • Discolew - Jul 2018 - Funny and informative!

    An upbeat and very interesting ghost tour! It unravels some seriously gruesome facts that lie beneath the beauty of the city. John's knowledge is amazing and I will definitely be booking on one of his other tours next time I visit. This is definitely a must do for Canterbury visitors!

  • Janette - September, 2018

    I spent two informative hours with John. He shared his stories of Canterbury's history, peppering it with (Website hidden by Airbnb) about the origin of many of our English 'sayings', eg 'knock on wood'. Very worthwhile and friendly tour which included not only the outside of buildings but occasionally the history within. Thank you John

  • Stacey, Kent - Interesting!

    This was my first ghost tour and I went with my husband to celebrate our anniversary. It was just ourselves and John but he was fun and informative and his knowledge was incredible. We went on an evening tour of Canterbury and I would like to have gone in the buildings for a proper nose and perhaps experience some ghostly encounters but obviously they were closed. Would definitely recommend to others, thank you for the experience.ur regular trips we book an obligatory ghost tour. This was one of the best. We had a great fun tour with John. We all enjoyed it and laughed and laughed. He was very entertaining for us as a group of 12 adults although some might take umbridge as it’s sometimes near the ‘knuckle’ -but comedians often are. (But I believe he adapts the dialogue according to who’s in the group).He also kindly arranged a restaurant for a meal after the tour. - A great fun experience.