Are Faversham and Rochester Worth Visiting? 8 Fun Things to See and Do

Discover things to do in Faversham and Rochester with a Weekender Rail Pass in the UK. Explore England on a day trip from Faversham to Rochester.

We traveled from London to Canterbury on a Southeastern Railways Weekender Ticket. We were single minded and went directly to our final destination on Friday but decided to take the return in a more leisurely fashion. 

The Weekender Ticket allows you to stop off at any station on the way home for no extra charge so we decided to check out a few of the commuter towns between London and Canterbury. 

Canterbury is about one and a half to two hours from London depending on the part of the city you are departing from. We found that adding a whistlestop en route between the two cities is a great way to break up the journey and make it a bit more fun.

And so we spent a rainy Sunday exploring Faversham and Rochester. Where are Faversham and Rochester? Faversham is about 15 minutes by train from Canterbury and Rochester is about 45 minutes to an hour by train from London. 

How easy is it to get between Faversham and Rochester? Rochester and Faversham are on the same train line and it takes about 30 minutes to get from Faversham to Rochester if you are en route from Canterbury.

Are Faversham and Rochester actually worth visiting? Let's find out. Here are eight highlights to check out if you ride the rails on a weekender pass in the UK.

The Best of Faversham

We've arrived in Faversham! Let's explore some of the fun things to do on a short and sweet stopover.

1. Jittermugs

We had departed Canterbury early on Sunday and were definitely in need of caffeine when we arrived in Faversham. We sat down at Jittermugs for breakfast and two extra large cappuccinos were placed in front of us in colorful retro mugs. We also filled our bellies with eggs and bacon on toast and a bowl of porridge served with fruit.

2. Half-Timbered Homes

Much like Canterbury, Faversham features a core of medieval architecture typified by half-timbered buildings. We splashed through the streets admiring the modest homes in town.

3. Flooded Lanes and Beached Sailboats

Flood Lane. Hmm...I wonder why they call it that. It turns out that street is appropriately named and we had to pick our way through the puddles until we emerged and crossed a tiny river. Despite the rain, water levels were low and we spotted many beached sailing vessels.

4. Shepherd Neame Brewery

Faversham is also known for Shepherd Neame, the oldest brewer in Britain. Founded in 1698, the brewery does daily tours (limited on Sunday). Unfortunately our timing was off and we missed the tour but we did manage to find a pint...read on.

5. Bear Inn

Since we couldn't get Shepherd's Neame at the brewery itself, we popped into the Bear Inn just up the road for a pint in a cozy English pub. We steeped in the vibe of this old school pub while sipping our beer.

SIDEWALK SAFARI SPOTLIGHT: Looking for other historic places to visit in England? I recommend: Spending a weekend in the walled city of Chester. Spending a weekend in Bath and the Cotswolds including iconic and mysterious Stonehenge. Taking a sojourn into North Wales with a home base in Conwy. Exploring the castle and cliffs in Dover. Checking out the best in higher education with a day in Oxford. Visiting York Minster and discovering all the other cool things to do in York.

Rochester Highlights

On to Rochester! Let's take a closer look at some of the fun things to do in Rochester, England to fill a Sunday afternoon.

6. Rochester High Street

I met my husband in Rochester, the one in the US in New York State (about an hour from Buffalo, a city filled with amazing food and architecture), not the one in the UK. However, we thought it would be fitting to use our weekender pass to stop in Rochester on our return to London. 

Much like 'our' Rochester, this Rochester in the UK was a bit gray (at least when we visited). We nearly had the High Street to ourselves as we walked into town from the train station.

7. Rochester Castle

While Rochester, New York has a university as a centerpiece of the city, Rochester in the UK features a castle. Despite the rain, we wandered the grounds and allowed ourselves to be transported back in time.

8. Tea and Cake at Fleur de The 

We celebrated our successful weekend and our 'homecoming' of sorts in Rochester with tea and cake at Fleur de The. The tea room was a classic with frilly pastel decorations. The tea and cake were served on fine mismatched china. It represented a lovely end to a lovely weekend.

Are Rochester and Faversham Worth Visiting?

I hope you'll agree that making the the trip from Rochester to Faversham or vice versa as part of a weekend break from London to Canterbury is a nice option to break up your journey. 

I wouldn't necessarily spend a full weekend in Rochester or Faversham, but if you are in England and your train is passing through, it's worth taking a few hours to explore each town. Every place is worth visiting at least once!

SIDEWALK SAFARI SPOTLIGHT: Looking for more ideas for a day out around London? why not: Take a Greenwich day trip to see the Prime Meridian? Check out all the thing to do in Kingston upon Thames? Plan a visit to the WWT London Wetland Centre for a day of birdwatching? Spend a day in Portsmouth? Check out more ideas about day trips from London here.

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