Destination Dover offers the opportunity to experience England’s oldest county –Kent. Famed as ‘The Garden of England’, the county is recognised for its uniquely historic cathedrals, castles, country houses and coastline. Majestic gardens bursting with colour and fragrance, created for royals, lords and ladies over centuries and historic castles such as Dover Castle with its military associations and Leeds Castle, dubbed ‘the loveliest castle in the world’. Resplendent with its stunning ornamental gateway, Canterbury Cathedral, one of the world's oldest, is a must-see.
Kent’s landscape and culture have inspired artistic and literary greats such as J.M.W Turner and Charles Dickens, a trend that continues to this day with an enviable range of museums, state-of-the-art galleries and festivals. Key attractions include the Turner Contemporary gallery, Folkestone’s vibrant Creative Quarter, and the innovative Marlowe Theatre.
The beautiful Kentish coastline, framed by sandy beaches, coves and secluded bays, offers endless opportunities for all ages to discover the great British seaside. Hike, bike or horse ride along nature trails, play a round of golf, stroll above the famous White Cliffs, go surfing or kayaking.
For family fun, Howletts and Port Lympne Wildlife parks offer a safari-style adventure where you can meet gorillas, elephants, lions and much more.
Kent also offers a wealth of shopping for every taste. From the boutique-lined medieval streets of Canterbury to antique-packed Royal Tunbridge Wells to Ashford’s not-to-be-missed Designer Outlet or modern shopping malls like Bluewater.
Dover is the premier hub port for cruise lines in the Southeast of England. It’s the second busiest cruise port in Britain, welcoming around 200,000 discerning cruise passengers yearly. Located just 95 minutes from Heathrow by road, it has excellent transport links by air, car, ferry, coach and High Speed rail. The 24hr port operation has the capacity for ships up to 320 metres, using two purpose-built state-of-the-art terminals and three berths and boasts award winning customer service. Fully ISPS compliant, passenger services offered include free wifi, secure parking, 24-hour CCTV, excellent catering facilities and fantastic views of the Harbour and White Cliffs.
In fact it’s such a popular destination that Kent welcomes in the region of 58 million visitors yearly, and looks forward to welcoming even more at Dover Cruise Port in the future.