Hotels near the Canterbury Tales

The Canterbury Tales gives visitors the chance to immerse themselves in the world of 14th-century England and is an amusing way to introduce children to the delights of Geoffrey Chaucer, one of English literature's most important writers.

The journey begins in a replica of London's Tabard Inn, where Chaucer had his motley band of pilgrims assemble and agree to take turns at telling stories as they ride together to Canterbury. The first tale visitors will encounter is the one that begins the book itself - the Knight's Tale, a story of love, rivalry and chivalry.

The selection of tales featured ranges from the (toned down) rudeness of the Miller's Tale to the animal parable of the Nun's Priest's Tale. The tour ends with a recreation of the final destination of the pilgrims - The Shrine of St Thomas Becket.

Born around 1340, Geoffrey Chaucer served as a member of the king's household and as a diplomat in France, gaining in the process the knowledge of English society that informed The Canterbury Tales. He originally intended that all 30 pilgrims described in his Prologue to the Tales would tell one story on the way to Canterbury, and one on the way back, but never finished this enormous and ambitious project. Nevertheless, he was one of the first great English authors and the Tales stand as a fitting tribute to his talent.