Is 4 hours enough for the city of Canterbury?

I am going to be taking the Eurostar high speed train from Brussels to Ashford and arriving at 10:34 AM. I have to be in Chichester by 7 PM that night. I really don't think there is much to do in those two cities. Would it be worth it for me to spend the afternoon at Canterbury? I checked the train schedules, and I could spend 4 hours there (11 AM-3PM). Is that enough time to see the Cathedral and the the other sites? Or should I just forget about it and head straight on to Chichester.

I am going to be making a month long trek though Europe in August. This is my first time traveling in Europe, so this will probably be the first of many questions... Thanks!

Four hours is more than enough for the average tourist. Cathedral and remains of town walls - nice shopping area but i think much of city was perhaps ruined in war - to me not the 'quaintness' (abhor!) of many other UK cities. Cathedral area very quaint however.

Thanks for the quick reply! Awesome, I will plan on seeing it then.

"I really don't think there is much to do in those two cities"

Which two cities? There's nothing in Ashford to detain you, but Chichester's cathedral is just as attractive, in my view, as Canterbury's. It'll be very difficult to do any serious travelling in Europe without passing through Canterbury some time in the future: but Chichester's so tucked away few Englishpeople have ever got to it.

Fishbourne, a mile and a half outside Chichester, is fabulous.

And so is Arundel Castle also nearby

While Canterbury Cathedral is iconic - I would skip it. You are just too rushed. Get to Chichester and then explore that area instead. Traveling up to Canterbury and then all the way across to Chichester just adds to many other variables. You will find a ton of things to see/do there.

I agree with the suggestions to stick with Chichester. There's a link to some of the local attractions here: http://www.chichesterweb.co.uk/frame...guide.htm~main

The cathedral is lovely, Pallant House art gallery is pretty good, and there are other places to see in the area.
Here's the website for Goodwood, which isn't linked to the one above: http://www.goodwood.co.uk/house/visiting/default.htm

The Weald and Downland Museum isn't far away, either: http://www.wealddown.co.uk/
You should be able to get there by bus from Chichester (it's on the bus route to Midhurst).

You could even go to a matinee at the Festival Theatre if you wanted.

if you have the time - the Weald and Downland open air museum is amazing . . . .

Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions! The Castle at Arundel caught my eye. And its only 20 min from Chichester! Is it a very far walk to the castle from the train station? On google earth the distance looks very manageable.

And thanks "Nonconformist" for the handy links! Actually, the reason I am going to Chichester in the first place is for the Festival Theatre. My idol, Patrick Stewart, is performing there!

I walked from the Arundel station to castle on a hill in town. Not very far but i kind of remember walking along a main road. But you can see the castle gloriously rising in the near distance from the station.