Sundial

The Sundial gallery sits just outside Canterbury, a contemporary art space that punches well above its weight for a place most visitors walk straight past. It's a working studio and exhibition venue where you can actually watch artists at it - no velvet ropes or gallery attendants shooing you away from the good bits.

What you're looking at is rotating contemporary work, mostly painting and sculpture from emerging Kent-based artists. Nothing fusty about it. The space itself is modest but genuinely interesting - proper light, no pretension, the kind of place where you can stand in front of something and make your own mind up without a wall text telling you what to think.

This works best for art types and anyone with even a passing interest in what's happening in the contemporary scene. You'll spend a solid hour here, maybe longer if you catch an artist at work. Families with young kids might find it a bit sparse and quiet - there's no café, no activities, just the work.

The real draw is proximity to Canterbury itself, which means combining this with the cathedral and the town centre is entirely doable. Base yourself at Canterbury Camping and Caravanning Club Campsite just 1.5 miles away, or opt for something cushier at Canterbury Lodges and Glamping, and you've got the lot - medieval streets, this gallery, then evening walks around Mount Ephraim if you fancy something a touch greener.

Calling ahead is wise - opening hours aren't reliably posted online, and admission details are vague. Well worth ringing to check you won't be disappointed.