London to Leeds Castle and Canterbury: Day trip

Leeds Castle sits on two islands in a natural Kentish lake — one of the most beautifully sited medieval fortresses in England.

What to see

• A medieval castle set on two islands in a natural lake in the Kent Weald — described by Lord Conway as the loveliest castle in the world
• The castle interior preserves the royal apartments of six medieval queens of England
• The 500-acre estate includes a maze, grotto, aviary of exotic birds, dog collar museum and parkland walks

What to eat

• The Fairfax Hall restaurant within the castle estate serves traditional English lunches — beef Wellington, roast meats and English puddings in a converted medieval tithe barn

Canterbury's UNESCO cathedral city is where English Christianity was founded, Thomas Becket was murdered and Chaucer sent his pilgrims — the most historically layered city in Kent.

What to see

• Canterbury Cathedral (UNESCO) — the mother church of the worldwide Anglican Communion, founded by St Augustine in 597 AD
• The medieval city walls and Westgate — a 14th-century city gate of considerable grandeur, one of the best-preserved in England
• The Canterbury Tales visitor attraction recreates Chaucer's five pilgrimage stories in atmospheric medieval tableaux

What to eat

• Kentish huffkin (a soft flatbread roll traditional to Kent) with local cheese and ham at one of the independent cafés in the Buttermarket