Things to do
Things to do in Rochester
Most of what is worth seeing is within ten minutes on foot of the station. Opening hours and prices were checked with the venues, Visit Medway and Medway Council.
Rochester Castle
One of the finest Norman keeps in England and the tallest in the country. Built from Kentish ragstone in the 1120s and over 35 metres tall, it has survived three sieges and still dominates the Rochester skyline. The views from the top across the Medway are worth the climb. Open-air cinema and theatre run in the grounds through the summer. An English Heritage site run by Medway Council. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 6pm from April to September and 10am to 4pm from October to March, with last entry 45 minutes before closing. Closed on Mondays except some bank holidays.
Rochester Cathedral
The cathedral of England's second oldest diocese, founded in AD 604. The current building blends Norman and Early English Gothic and remains in remarkable condition. It houses the Textus Roffensis, a 1123 manuscript containing the earliest codification of English law, and the Textus Roffensis is currently on display. Entry is free, with donations welcome. Visiting hours are 10am to 5pm Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm on Saturdays and noon to 4pm on Sundays.
Rochester High Street
Gas-lit and lined with centuries of architecture from cantilevered Tudor houses to bold Georgian townhouses. Mostly independent, which is genuinely unusual. Antique shops, independent bookshops, cafes, and galleries sit alongside each other without any of the homogeneity that characterises most British high streets. Worth a slow walk from end to end.
Baggins Book Bazaar
Billed as England's largest second-hand bookshop, spread across interconnected rooms at 19 High Street. Labyrinthine, slightly chaotic, and genuinely extraordinary. If you have any interest in books whatsoever, budget considerably more time than you think you need.
Guildhall Museum
A 17th-century guildhall housing a well-curated local history collection. The reconstruction of a Napoleonic-era Prison Hulk is particularly striking. Good for getting your bearings on Rochester and the Medway towns before exploring. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm.
Eastgate House
A 16th-century townhouse on the High Street, with Charles Dickens' Swiss chalet standing in its garden. Open at weekends from 10am to 5pm and on some extra weekdays, with seasonal trails, ghost stories and Victorian Christmas decorations from mid November. Lenny's of Eastgate serves coffee in the garden.
Restoration House
A Renaissance mansion where Charles II spent the night before being proclaimed King in 1660. The name marks the event. One of the most remarkable historic interiors in the South East, with original paint schemes and surviving fittings largely intact. Opening is limited and seasonal, often by pre-booked tour, so check the house website before planning around it.
Upnor Castle
An Elizabethan artillery fortress built in 1559 on the opposite bank of the Medway, in the village of Upper Upnor. Beautifully preserved and set in tranquil riverside grounds. The views back towards Rochester from the water are among the best in the area. Inside visits are by pre-booked guided tour on the last Sunday of the month through the season. Pair with the Kings Arms pub for an ideal afternoon.
The Historic Dockyard Chatham
Almost 500 years of shipbuilding history across 80 riverside acres in neighbouring Chatham. One of the finest maritime heritage sites in the world, with historic vessels, original dockyard buildings, and exhibitions that genuinely reward a full day. Worth planning a separate visit rather than squeezing it in. The 2026 season runs 10am to 5pm until 1 November and 10am to 4pm until 15 November, then the site closes for winter until February 2027 apart from selected Christmas dates.
Six Poor Travellers House
An almshouse since at least 1491, with a distinctive gabled front on the High Street. It is currently closed to the public for maintenance and opens only on occasional heritage open days, when entry is free. Worth a look from the street as you pass.
The Vines and Castle Gardens
Tranquil green space running alongside the cathedral and into the castle grounds. Free to walk through at any time. The best spot in Rochester for a quiet hour with a coffee from the High Street, and considerably more pleasant than it sounds on paper.