Private tour in Canterbury Mark G

Half Day Literary Canterbury Tour

-
Hours icon 3 hours 30 minutes
Walking
Private tour for 1-4 people
Your party size

1

Tour date
View our cancellation policiesUpgrade for total flexibility with Any Reason Cancellation
Book with a depositSecure your tour today and pay your balance later
-
Hours icon 3 hours 30 minutes
Walking
Private tour for 1-4 people
Your party size

1

View our cancellation policiesUpgrade for total flexibility with Any Reason Cancellation
Book with a depositSecure your tour today and pay your balance later

Mark G.

5.0

Guide rating

11

Reviews

Tours delivered

8 hrs

Avg. response time

My acquaintance with Canterbury began with childhood day trips from London with my family, and the city's historic architecture and ambience made a lasting impact on me. Subsequent visits as I grew older, supplemented by long, enjoyable evenings with friends in Canterbury's many venerable pubs and varied restaurants, made me form a resolution to one day make my home in the city, one which I achieved in 2001 and from which I have never looked back. I am a huge fan of both Geoffrey Chaucer ( 'The Father of English Poetry', whose most famous work, 'The Canterbury Tales', will for ever be associated with the city ) and Christopher Marlowe ( born in Canterbury in the same year as Shakespeare and famed for his plays before the latter was ) so living in a location associated so inextricably with both writers always feels evocative, and I would be thrilled to share the words and stories of each with those curious enough to hear them. I was a professional actor for twenty years and am now a freelance teacher at two of Canterbury's most famous schools, as well as examining for one of the country's leading drama schools, all of which ensure that I shall bring animation, energy and plenty of eye-catching detail and colour to your tour. In 2018 I embarked on a training course accredited by the Institute of Tourist Guiding to earn my guiding Green Badge, the U. K. Gold Standard of city guiding. It was easily the most rigorous undertaking since studying for my degree, but was hugely valuable, enabling me to offer you the high standard of guiding expected by the I. T. G. . I have a keen personal interest in history, architecture, art and literature as well as all things food and drink related, which will help me to apply plenty of variety to your guiding experience. Living as I do within earshot of Canterbury cathedral's bells, I truly am a local - a proud and passionate one at that - and I look forward to introducing you to both the city's iconic sights as well as its more hidden gems. All my tours can be customized upon request. Feel free to contact me. Green Badge guiding qualification for the City of Canterbury (2019) Institute of Tourist Guiding B.A. Hons English Literature, First Class (1994) University of London Associate member of the Institute of Tourist Guiding Private guiding inside the cathedral is not permitted since the cathedral uses its own trained guides.

Have a question or want to customize this tour? Message Mark G.

Overview of your Canterbury tour

Canterbury is celebrated in the greatest work of medieval literature in English, Geoffrey Chaucer's 'Canterbury Tales' and was the birthplace of the Elizabethan dramatist - and probable government spy - Christopher Marlowe. Let me bring 'The Canterbury Tales' to life for you by taking you to the places which Chaucer and 'wel nyne and trenty in a compaignye' would have seen as well as others associated with individual pilgrims and tales. I'll also introduce you to the colourful life of Kit Marlowe who lived fast and dangerously and died young and violently but who left us plays and poetry of enduring power and beauty which influenced his exact contemporary, one William Shakespeare. Canterbury's literary connections do not end there, however; I'll show you sites associated with writers as eminent as Jane Austen, Charles Dickens and T. S. Eliot and reveal associations with living writers such as Michael Morpurgo and Kazuo Ishiguro - for 'specially from every shire's ende of Engelond to Caunterbury they wende'.

Your Canterbury tour itinerary

*House of Agnes and the Falstaff Hotel *The West Gate, through which Chaucer's pilgrims would have entered the city from London *Statue of Geoffrey Chaucer by the twelfth century Eastbridge Hospital which would have accommodated poorer pilgrims. *The Chequer of Hope Inn and other surviving fourteenth century inns which would have accommodated wealthier pilgrims *Thirteenth century Blackfriars buildings *Site of Abbot's mill *The Marlowe Theatre and memorial *The Buttermarket and its literary associations *The cathedral and King's School *Palace Street and the crooked house *The Roman wall and The Parrot, Canterbury's oldest pub. *Canterbury Castle and a walk along the fourteenth century city walls.

Want to customize this tour?

Tell your guide which places matter to you, skip what doesn't, and tailor the experience for your group's needs. Not finding what you want? Message your guide to build something unique.

Transport details
Type: Walking

This is a walking tour with no additional transportation required.

What's included
Private Guide
Tickets: Site admission
What's not included
Food Drinks Snacks
Meeting location

Canterbury, UK

To be confirmed with client

  • You can request a specific meeting location (for example, your hotel) during the checkout.
Other details
Tour categories
Art And Culture
History
Off The Beaten Path
Tour reference number
876370
Languages
English
Activity level
Light

FAQs

Who is this private tour in Canterbury best suited for?

This private tour in Canterbury is perfect for literature enthusiasts and history buffs who are keen to explore the rich literary heritage of the city. It's also ideal for travellers who want to connect with a local guide, Mark G., for deeper insights into the lives of Geoffrey Chaucer, Christopher Marlowe, and other notable writers associated with Canterbury.

Where does the tour start and end?

Is transportation included?

How much walking is involved, and is it suitable for kids, seniors, or travellers with mobility concerns?

What languages is this tour offered in?

AI-generated. Please confirm details with your guide

-
Hours icon 3 hours 30 minutes
Walking
Private tour for 1-4 people
Your party size

1

Tour date
View our cancellation policiesUpgrade for total flexibility with Any Reason Cancellation
Book with a depositSecure your tour today and pay your balance later
-
Hours icon 3 hours 30 minutes
Walking
Private tour for 1-4 people
Your party size

1

Tour date
View our cancellation policiesUpgrade for total flexibility with Any Reason Cancellation
Book with a depositSecure your tour today and pay your balance later
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