Foreign Language Study Tours

We are pleased to offer educational tours of Canterbury to students in a variety of languages, to complement current studies. Led by fully qualified city Guides, these tours can be tailored to your group requirements.

Who are these tours for?
These tours are ideal for British school and university pupils studying a foreign language. Our fully qualified Guides offer interactive tours, many are ex teachers, and we also have a number of native French and German speakers. A great way for students to practice their listening, comprehension, and oral skills, whilst learning about history in a beautiful city.

What languages are available?
French, German, Spanish and Italian.

These tours will be tailored to the ability of the group and the educational level, from "easy/slow"with some English translation if necessary, to more comprehensive & technical for fluent students.

What is the format of the tour?
Tours last 60-90 minutes (depending on age group) and will include the central medieval lanes in addition to the Cathedral Precincts, unless a particular topic is identified and the route is varied accordingly.

What subjects are included in the tour?
We can offer a standard tour of Canterbury, in the preferred language, (covering notable points in Canterbury's fascinating history, royal connections, the evolving architecture, fun facts and gruesome stories), or we can tailor it to include connections to the country of language study, as follows;

French - Canterbury en Français
The history of Britain and France become intertwined in Canterbury at many times over the years. Discover more about the following:

• Queen Bertha
• Charibert, Bertha's ancestor ( Roi des Francs/ Frankischer Koenig)
• Norman connections including the castle & Cathedral
• French stone in the Cathedral
• 100 Years' War
• Walloon/Huguenot connections
• The Buffs, The Parade and the Napoleonic wars
• President Mitterand/Margaret Thatcher signing Channel Tunnel agreement (in Chapter House)
• Repart of the Great South Window (and sculpting of Queen and Duke of Edinburgh) in French stone from Lavoux
• Origin of street names
• Twinning with Rheims

German - Canterbury auf Deutsch
From the settlement of Anglo-Saxons in the 5th century, to the devastating period of WWII, Germany and Britain have a long and turbulent history together which can be seen throughout Canterbury as follows:

• Saxon connections, including Anglo-Saxons, Hengist and Horsa, language connections, W.Somerset Maugham & Heidelberg
• Jacob the Jew and the ransom for Richard l when he was imprisoned in Austria.
• Anne of Cleves
• How the Cathedral was saved by German pilots!
• Bochebuster - the secret howitzer used in the Normandy invasion
• Literary connections including Marlowe and Dr Faustus
• The Blitz
• Statue of the welcoming Christ on Christchurch Gate (Klaus Ringwald)

Spanish - Canterbury en Español
Perhaps England's most infamous King, Henry VIII, took Katherine of Aragon, born in Spain in 1485, to be his first wife. Discover their links with Canterbury.

• Katherine of Aragon and Prince Arthur, eldest son of Henry, Vll brother of Henry Vlll & the Christ Church Gate
• Henry VIII and Katherine and the Reformation

Italian - Canterbury in Italiano
After the Roman invasion in AD43, Durovernum Cantiacorum was established, a thriving settlement, evidence of which can still be seen today.

• Caesar/Bigbury
• Roman Canterbury
• Archbishop Lanfranc
• Archbishop Anselm (from Aosta)
• The Pope (Gregory I, John Paul II, Pope Clement VII)

Contact us
If you have any questions about this tour, please contact us on guides@CanterburyGuidedTours.com, or call (+44) 1227 459779

Canterbury is a great place to spend a whole day, with a variety of attractions and places to visit. We are happy to offer ideas and advice for groups wishing to stay longer.