Medway is a conurbation and unitary authority in Kent. Formed in 1998, this is a unique place that is home to some of England’s decades-long medieval castles and cathedrals. Here, you will be completely immersed into a world of complex gothic architectural designs and its many wonderful landmarks.

Famed for its rich military and maritime heritage, Medway is one of South East England’s fastest developing destinations. The region is able to combine its historic heritage with a thriving local economy. From leisure activities including shopping, eating, visiting, to entertainment, this unitary authority has got you covered.

Medway’s location also makes it convenient to reach other cities, including London and other attractions. With what Medway has to offer, the conurbation is an ideal destination for many.

1. What makes Medway unique?
2. Medway’s popular attractions
3. Nightlife in Medway
4. Sport in Medway
5. Food in Medway
6. Shopping in Medway
7. Festivals and events in Medway
8. Medway living costs
9. Travel in and around Medway
10. Explore the UK from Medway

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1. What makes Medway unique?

Medway has a very strong gig culture, especially when it is the birthplace of many bands in the 1970s. Most notably the famous Chatham-born artist, Billy Childish who had made a huge influence in the music industry.

As a developing place, Medway is currently undergoing numerous construction projects, one of it being expanding its transportation links and urbanising Chatham Centre. There have also been plans for improving the living conditions of residents, including building 600 homes and conserving 1.5 hectares worth of commercial space. With all these plans, tourism in Medway withholds a very promising future.

The River Medway is among the most famous attractions in Medway. It is recognised as one of Britain’s most important locations for leisure activities as it has made a wide and significant contribution to Kent.

Medway is home to numerous notable people. The most famous one being Charles Dicken, an English writer and social critic, who was among the residents that lived in the area. This place soon became an inspiration for Dickens to incorporate into his novels.

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2. Medway’s popular attractions

Medway’s rich history and heritage can be seen from the archives of historic museums, to the streets where medieval architecture still coincides with the modern landscape. Medway offers an abundance of activities and unique places to visit. Some you might not want to miss include:

• Rochester Castle. A historic landmark with a complex medieval history that helped protect England’s south-east coast from invasion. It is located on the London Road as a strategic fortress guarding the crossing of the River Medway.
• The Historic Dockyard Chatham. An 18th century naval dockyard with many attractions including historic Royal Navy warships.
• Rochester Cathedral. A historic monument praised for its beautiful and complex architecture style with distinctive characteristics of medieval design.
• Upnor Castle. A rare Elizabethan artillery fort that protected warships at Chatham dockyards.
• Royal Engineers Museum. A designated museum and archive for the collection of historic British military engineering.
• Diggerland Kent. A unique amusement park that includes real diggers, excavators and more heavy machinery.
• The Central Theatre and The Brook Theatre. A great place to visit if you’re into music, comedy, dance, drama, and children’s entertainment.
• Medway Park. With a great scenery, the park is great if you want to get healthy and stay active. Many programmes and community events are also hosted here.

Photo credit: Phil Pead via Wikimedia

3. Nightlife in Medway

There are plenty of pubs, casinos, and nightclubs in Medway that are scattered throughout Rainham, Rochester, Chatham, Strood, and Gillingham. Some of the best includes The Dead Pigeon, The George Vaults, The Coopers Arms, The Man of Kent, and many more. This is a perfect location for you to enjoy a night out with friends and family.

If you are looking for a calmer and more relaxing environment, Medway’s riverside beer pubs are ideal places where you can enjoy your beer while experiencing the picturesque view of the river.

4. Sport in Medway

Medway is home to the Gillingham F.C, a football club founded in 1893. The club play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium and compete in League One of the English football league system.

Other state-of-the-art facilities open to the public include:

• Strood Sports Centre. A multi sport facility with a range of sports facilities including a 25 metre - 8 lane pool, Hydrotherapy pool, 3G football centre, health suite, disability sports and more.
• Hoo Sports Centre. The centre has a lot of options including a 25-metre swimming pool, gym facilities, and squash courts
• The Strand Leisure Park. The park consists of a leisure pool with a lazy river, children’s paddling pool, a parkour training facility, outdoor tennis courts, outdoor gym, and a 5-a-side football and basketball court.

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5. Food in Medway

Medway is a food heaven that attracts many visitors from all over the globe. From a range of Mediterranean, Indian, Asian, and Continental cuisines, you are always up for a new and unique tasting experience.

If you are interested in trying out some of the best local seafood cuisine with fresh and healthy dishes, Medway will not be a disappointment. Local restaurants such as Peter’s Fish & Chips will offer you authentic dining experience of mouth watering crispy British fish-and chips.

Not only will you be spoiled with readily available delicious food from Medway’s diverse restaurant options, you will also be accompanied by an amazing scenery at nearly every restaurant you visit.

6. Shopping in Medway

For any shopaholics, visiting some of Medway’s shopping centres is a must. With numerous retail shops, high-street fashion stores, and markets, your shopping experience has never got better. There are various options of shopping centres to choose from while you’re in Medway, including:

• The Pentagon Shopping Centre. A mall with over 70 retailers, including a supermarket and high-street fashion stores.
• Dockside Outlet Shopping Centre. A mall with 40 brand name stores and fast-food restaurants.
• Hempstead Valley. A modern mall with over 50 stores, a supermarket and high-street fashion chains.

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If you are interested in purchasing local produces instead of brand-goods then Medway also has you covered. You can buy seasonal products directly from farmers and producers at The Rochester Farmer’s Market on the third Sunday of each month. Similarly, you can buy unique homemade crafts, artwork, and collectables, at the Rochester Artisan Market on the second Saturday of each month.

In Medway, you can also visit England’s largest rare and secondhand bookshop at Baggins Book Bazaar. The bookstore is described by many as a treasure chest of literature. This is a perfect place for bookworms to devour knowledge or for you to buy a gift for someone special.

7. Festivals and events in Medway

Medway has a number of eclectic festivals and events throughout the year that helped it create and maintain a tight-knit community. Attending one of these festivals will surely lighten your mood. Some of these annual festival and events include:

• Rochester Sweeps Festival. A three-day music and dance festival with more than 60 Morris sides and entertainers celebrating.
• Rochester Dickens Festival. A festival that happens twice a year to commemorate and celebrate the life of the famous English writer, Charles Dickens.
• Will Adams Festival. A music festival that celebrates the life of Will Adams, free for all festival visitors.
• Friends of Broomhill: Park tasks. A charity event to improve and enrich the Broomhill Park which has received a prestigious Green Flag award for nine consecutive years.

Photo credit: KentOnline

8. Medway living costs

When considering standards of living, Medway is a reasonably good place to live with high incomes and low house prices (in comparison to the majority of the South East of England).

In terms of living costs such as home insurance, petro, and fuel bills, it is considered to be higher than Britain’s average.

Budget guide:

• Meal out: £10.00
• Fast food: £5.50
• One-way ticket (local transport): £4.25
• Cinema ticket: £10.00
• Weekly room rent: from £70
• Parking rate: from £1 per hour

9. Travel in and around Medway

Within this place, you can access any mode of transportation. The area has an efficient and effective public transport system that includes public bus, train, and taxi. The extensive bus network and railway allow you to visit various parts of the conurbation and its surrounding area at ease. Traffic congestion is also a minor concern as it rarely happens.

Photo credit: KentOnline

By train

Medway has five main rail stations, including: Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, and Rainham. High speed trains are also available for use and can make the commute time from Medway to London’s St. Pancras International just 35 minutes.

By bus

Arriva Southern Counties bus operator provides a daily bus service every 10 minutes between Rochester and Chatham Maritime. This frequent daily bus service provides a great connectivity within Medway.

By plane

Heathrow Airport is a major international airport in London with an annual passenger volume of 80.1 million, and 1.70 million metric tonnes of cargo.

Heathrow Airport is surprisingly close, only 75 miles from Medway. The proximity to the airport not only enables you to travel anywhere in the world whenever you want, but it is also great for incoming tourists to visit Medway and for goods to be transported from Medway around the world for cheap.

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10. Explore the UK from Medway

Medway is a great starting point to start exploring neighboring cities, towns and the rest of the United Kingdom. Especially when it comprises iconic towns such as Rochester, Chatham, and Gillingham, there are always opportunities for you to plan exciting day trips or getaways with friends and family.

Commuting by the country’s high speed trains meant that travel time is only from 15 to 35 minutes. A number of cities and major destination you can easily travel to include:

London

London is the capital and largest city in England. Many London landmarks are free to visit and a must-see on any occasion while visiting London.

Many major landmarks such as the Tower of London and the Big Ben, two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, are so popular that they are synonymous with London, and the entire England. These are just two of the many iconic landmarks that you can visit in London.

There are also a variety of kid-friendly attractions to visit while in London. London Eye, also known as the Millennium Wheel, is Europe’s tallest cantilevered observation wheel that allows visitors to view London’s beautiful landscape from high-up. Other attractions such as SEALIFE London Aquarium allow visitors to discover and get close to underwater creatures.

On top of the many fun activities you can do, there are also major professional opportunities waiting for you in London. Being connected to a major economic hub of Europe and the World is a major advantage if you’re looking for economic and work opportunities.

Rochester

Just 34 minutes on the train, Rochester is a beautiful town with a rich history and diverse cultures that is located in the unitary authority of Medway in Kent. Home to some of Britain's most famous attractions such as the Rochester Cathedral - Britain’s second oldest building dating back to 604, you will be experiencing breathtaking views and landmarks, perfect for a day trip with friends and family. Aside from amazing site seeing, Rochester will also offer you with an array of leisure activities, from exclusive shopping centres, delicious restaurants, and numerous entertainment venues.

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Chatham

Also a part of the unitary authority of Medway, Chatham is a diverse town that has a rich history stretching back more than 400 years. Here, you can visit the country’s most prominent dock, The Historic Dockyard Chatham where it is known to contain many famous ships such as the Nelson's flagship HMS Victory.

Chatham is also the largest town centre for shopping in Medway. From the pedestrianised High Street to the bustling Pentagon Shopping Centre, you are filled with numerous leading brand names stores, independent shops and a range of entertainment venues.

Gillingham

Merely 40 minutes away by train, Gillingham is a perfect location for a family getaway or a day trip with friends. This is an important retail centre serving the local community with strong maritime and military connections with the nearby Historic Dockyard in Chatham and Royal Engineers barracks in the town.

There is also the Royal Engineers Museum that gives insight into the lives of soldier engineers from 1066 until present day. This is Kent’s most designated museum of national importance that contains many galleries, displaying some exceptional items such as Duke of Wellington’s battle map in the Battle of Waterloo.

Gillingham is also the birthplace of Elizabeth seafarer William Adams, the first Japanese navy and made famous of James’ Clavell’s novel slogans. Among the other connecting towns, Gilingham is the only one with tight connections with Japan. Until today, the town is twinned with the cities of Ito and Yokousoka, holding the town's most vibrant Will Adams Festival that celebrates the connections and life of seafarers.