My husband and I will be in England for one week in the end of May, 04. We're staying in London for 4 nights, then heading into the country. We were planning on spending 3 nights in Chipping Campden, then we would take the Eurostar to Paris on 6/1. A friend recommended that we cut our Chipping Campden time by one day so we can see Canterbury for at least one day. So, at this point, it's London for 4 nights, Chipping Campden for 2 nights, Canterbury for 1 night, then Paris for 5 nights (and on from there). We will not be returning to England on this trip. Is it really worth it to spend that day & night in Canterbury, or should we relax & stay in Chipping Campden another night? Currently, we have reservations at the 8 Bells in Chipping Campden, and the Cathedral Gate in Canterbury. We probably won't be making it back to the UK any time in the near future.

I'd skip Chipping Camden this time around in favor of seeing Canterbury and some of Kent, which is quite as lovely as the Cotswolds and has a wealth of interesting sights and sites: Knole House, Hever Castle, Bodiam Castle, Igtham Mote, Penshurst Place...all in lovely countryside.

Is the sole purpose of your trip to Canterbury to catch the Eurostar at Ashford International? If so, why not stay your full time in Chipping Campden and return to London (which is closer to CC than Canterbury) and take the train from Waterloo?

Otherwise, I think Underhill's suggestion is excellent. Bag Chipping Campden and spend your time in Kent. You will find as much quintessential English countryside there as you will in the Cotswolds. The cathedral in Canterbury is wonderful.

The trip to Canterbury would be primarily to see the Cathedral (and anything else we could see in the time we're there), but it's also close to the Eurostar (from what I understand).

Although I really appreciate and value your opinions, we're not looking to bag the Cottswolds. I'm asking if it's worth it to cut Chipping Campden short to spend only one day in Canterbury.

Thanks for your help.

We did not stay in Chipping Camden but in a nearby wonderful old hotel (Hotel de la Berre) but Chipping Camden was one of the highlights of our trip - it was a wonderul little town that wasn't so touristy.

If you're intent on staying in Chipping Campden, my answer to your question would be no, it's not worth cutting short your time there to spend one night in Canterbury. What with train changes, etc. the time you spent there wouldn't be much anyway. Sometime in the future you can plan to spend a week or more in Kent/E. Sussex and see all the great things the area has to offer.

By the way, while in C.C. can recommend a few great places to eat:

Red Lion Pub - not fancy but friendly with very good meals.

Joel's Restaurant - very nice for a bit fancier meal.

Bantam Tea Rooms - for lunch or afternoon tea.

Alexiou's Greek Tavern - good Greek food.

And in May, Hidcote Manor Gardens should be quite lovely. We also enjoyed visiting: Chastleton House, Snowshill (good pub outside gates) and Sudeley Castle.

No. Not worth leaving Chipping Campden for one day in Canterbury.

Ditto about Sudeley Castle. We spent a great afternoon there in June right before their rose festival. Beautiful gardens.

Hidcote Gardens would be high on my list of things to see in the Chipping Camden area--plan to spend several hours if you can.

But if you cut one day in CC you could at least see the cathedral in Canterbury and what's left of the old city. I think the cathedral is a must-see if you don't plan to be back in England for some time.

I would opt to stay and relax in Chipping Campden for the three nights. Three nights usually equates to just two and a half full days (max) anyway, and that doesn't seem very long. That area of the North Cotswolds is great for walking, gardens, wandering the back roads, pubs, restaurants, poking around shops, visiting stately village churches and estates. Warwick and Stratford-upon-Avon are easy day drips too.

The thing I would do differently is reverse the order of your London/Cotswold stays (first three nights Chipping Campden then London -- because you will be catching the Eurostar from there.)

Late May is an excellent time of year to be there - the countryside lush and gardens spectacular. Enjoy yourselves.

Your itinerary is zigzagging all over. Canterbury is lovely - but to go to London, then to Chipping Campden, on to Canterbury and then to London or Ashford to catch the EuroStar is pretty fractured.

If you are not stuck with the current arrangements I'd do it in reverse. I'd go to Chipping Campden first, stay your 3 days there and then go to London, bag the car and after 4 days jump on the Eurostar at Waterloo. This would be a much more efficient use of your limited time. The drive from CC to catch the Eurostar will take up a lot of time.