Top 10 Things to Do in Rochester, Kent
Rochester is one of those towns that many Londoners have been meaning to visit for years. It's less than an hour from St Pancras, it looks almost exactly like the set of a period drama — because it kinda is — and it often surprises people who finally make the trip. Here's our top picks what to do when you get there.
View of Rochester Castle over the River Medway
1. Rochester Castle
One of the best preserved Norman keeps in England, Rochester Castle has been standing since the twelfth century and has the views to prove it. Climb to the top for a panorama across the Medway that makes the entry fee feel like a bargain. The surrounding grounds are free and excellent for a post-exploration sit down, especially if heights aren’t your thing!
2. Rochester Cathedral
The second oldest cathedral in England, founded in 604 AD. It's been rebuilt and expanded so many times over the centuries that it's a greatest hits of English ecclesiastical architecture. Free to enter, rarely crowded, and full of beautiful details that reward anyone who cares to have a proper gander.
3. Guildhall Museum
Rochester's Guildhall Museum is housed in a stunning seventeenth century building and covers the full sweep of the area's history — from its Roman origins to its Victorian prison hulks moored on the Medway. The hulks alone are worth the visit. Free entry.
4. Baggins Book Bazaar
Billing itself as one of the largest secondhand bookshops in the England, Baggins is exactly the kind of place you go in for ten minutes and emerge from an hour later carrying things you didn't need, but definitely want. Over 100,000 books across two floors.
5. The George Vaults
The George Vaults dates back centuries and is worth seeking out. Ask a friendly member of staff if you can see it’s namesake, the vaults, which are underneath the main part of the building.
6. Dickens House Wine Emporium
The building that inspired the home of Uncle Pumblechook in Great Expectations is now a wine shop, which feels like exactly what Dickens would have wanted. A lovely browse even if you're not buying, and a good starting point for anyone following the town's many Dickensian threads.
7. Huguenot Museum
Rochester was home to a significant Huguenot community — French Protestant refugees who fled persecution and brought their skills in weaving, clockmaking, and silversmithing with them. This small, fascinating museum tells their story and is one of only two dedicated Huguenot museums in the world.
8. Restoration House
The house that inspired Satis House in Great Expectations — Miss Havisham's crumbling mansion — is real, open to visitors, and every bit as atmospheric as Dickens suggested. Charles II stayed here on his restoration to the throne in 1660, hence the name. Open on limited days so check ahead before visiting.
9. Eastgate House
A beautifully preserved Elizabethan mansion on the High Street, Eastgate House appears in both The Pickwick Papers and Edwin Drood. The gardens contain the Swiss chalet in which Dickens wrote some of his final work.
10. The Rochester X Hunt
If the previous nine entries have suggested that Rochester rewards those who look carefully and pay attention to detail — well, that's exactly what the X Hunts Rochester Clue Hunt is designed for. A self-guided puzzle trail through the town's streets, landmarks and hidden corners. Thirty clues, a final cipher to crack, and two to three hours of satisfying exploration. No app, no guide, no booking — just a booklet and your wits. Available at xhunts.co.uk.
Getting There
Rochester is well connected by rail from London. Direct trains from London St Pancras take as little as 45 minutes with Southeastern's high-speed service. Advance tickets start from around £5 — book ahead for the best price, or expect to pay around £21-22 for an off-peak walk-up fare. Everything on this list is within easy walking distance of the train station.