Cirque Surreal is one of the most amazing and breath taking shows that I have seen to this day. I…read morewas constantly on the edge of my seat, with its in air acrobatics and dancers. There was not a moment when you wanted to take your eyes off the stage. This was a truly wonderful experience and an amazing thing for all the family to see young and old.

Having described this as a circus and the place as Rochester, let me just make things a little…read moreclearer. Cirque Surreal is a travelling circus, making its way around the UK. Circus is not perhaps what you might conjure up in your mind - it's not about animals and clowns, but contemporary entertainment. Had it been the latter, you wouldn't have got me anywhere near it! I'm not one for visiting travelling anything to be honest, but was fortunate to get some free tickets through work and am so glad I did. This circus is an up to date mix of entertainment, acrobatics, drama and comedy. The music the whole thing is set to is also pretty amazing. Taking out the 20 minute interval, we were entertained for about 1.5 hours and enjoyed every minute of it. I would certainly pay to see these entertainers again. They were energetic, fun and involved the audience in the show. All in all, a great evening.

A former warehouse for storing goods offloaded from the quays at Rochester docks, this theatre is a…read morelittle gem. Run by a dedicated Committee, it produces and presents around 6 shows a year and also hosts the Duncan Rand One-Act play festival; an opportunity for guest companies to present one-act plays in this theatre as part of an evening of entertainment. It's bijou, seating 100, but perfectly equipped.

Maidstone's cultural nexus. Hosts touring productions of plays as well as exhibitions and stand-up…read morebut never seems to get any big acts booked, in either the intellectual or celebrity sense. The Hazlitt's bread and butter though is music acts like A Tribute to the Eagles or The Real Shalamar coupled with panto at Christmas. It hasn't got much competition and could take definitely a few more artistic risks but a town like Maidstone gets the theatre it deserves.

I remember watching a movie a while back about how King John, after signing, and then ripping up,…read morethe Magna Carta, laid siege to this castle. I don't think it has been repaired since (though I think there are other reasons it is in the state it is in). It is one of William's castles, namely because they all pretty much look the same. It is still cool to go in and explore, and even though it is ruined, there is still a lot to check out here.

One of my favorite castle ruins, the imposing Rochester Castle, a mighty Norman tower-keep of…read moreKentish ragstone standing 113 feet, was built c. 1127 by William of Corbeil, Archbishop of Canterbury. It stands on the east bank of the River Medway. Rochester is the tallest keep (central tower) in England and has been the commanding presence of the city and river crossing for over nine centuries. The castle and keep take up half of the Roman-built walled city. From the 12th into the 14th centuries Rochester Castle played an important role in defending against invasion and uprising threats. After falling into disrepair, King Edward III reconstructed the castle and it was fully functional by 1400. Over the next three centuries it was, once again, neglected and vandalized until the city took command of the property. Though the castle's center wooden flooring no longer exists there are passageways and stairs that carry visitors to the top of the keep, offering impressive views in all directions. The English Heritage now has responsibility for preservation and its doors are open to the public. This castle is a must see when visting the South of England.

The Sweeps Festival takes place in Rochester over the May Day weekend. It is based on a time…read moreseveral hundred years ago where children were used as chimney sweeps. The festival recreates this era and the the time enjoyed by the sweeps at their annual festival. The festival is a mix of music, entertainment, Morris dancing, street entertainers and more. As with the Dickens Festival, it takes place in the centre of historic Rochester and the atmosphere is great.

A fantastic folk festival in Rochester. Gets very busy. Morris dancers galore and plenty of music…read moretoo. The beer festival put on during the event is well worth a visit. Plenty of food and drink available throughout the town as well as many shopping opportunities at the Festival stalls and High Street shops.