Lucia - Where to go near Southampton

Fed up of always being in Southampton and in need of a break? You don’t have to take the plane and spend a week in the Bahamas to relax (although this would help a lot). There are lots of nice places nearby Southampton perfect for a day out.

Here are a few suggestions for you:

Winchester

A 20-minute train journey away from Southampton is the historical city of Winchester. Once England’s capital and the city where King Alfred the Great ruled, this beautiful city will win your heart for its authenticity and charm.

In many aspects, Winchester will remind you of Southampton: a city full of university students and tourists. However, Winchester preserved many interesting and historical sites, such as its famous Cathedral or the Great Hall, where King Arthur had his famous round table.

Winchester also has a Science Centre and Planetarium - which is actually the UK’s largest planetarium - and it hosts interesting and scientific events for both children and adults.

The city offers food street markets (weekly, every Wednesday) and antiques and vintage markets (first Sunday of the month). Moreover, Winchester hosts a lovely Christmas market, perfect for you to visit if you want to spend a day out gathering things but not being surrounded by thousands of people, like you’d do at the London markets.

Brighton

Brighton is definitely a city worth visiting for many reasons: its relaxed and friendly atmosphere will soon make you feel at ease and will make you disconnect from your daily worries, so it’s perfect for a day out or for a short weekend break.

You can start your day at the Pier, because who doesn’t love to be beside the seaside with the fresh cool breeze in your hair? You can go to the Palace Pier, enjoy the multiple arcade games and have an ice cream on your way out before you head to the Lanes.

The Lanes is a great way of getting to know the city better – take a look at all their different quirky and unique shops, which are so characteristic of Brighton.

In the afternoon, you can pay a visit to the Royal Pavilion. Once, the holiday home of George IV, you can enjoy its beautiful art gallery and its amazing gardens.

Romsey

Romsey is a small market town, but, nevertheless is worth visiting for two main reasons: its proximity to Southampton (it’s only 10 minutes away on the train) and its calm atmosphere, perfect for you to unwind.

Romsey has some interesting places for you to visit, such as Romsey Abbey, a Norman Abbey built in 907AD, the Plaza, an art-deco theatre reconverted in the mid-eighties that now hosts amateur dramatic groups, and Memorial Park, the Mayor’s Picnic takes place in mid-summer.

As you can see, you don’t have to spend lots of money or take long journeys to have a day (or two) off away from Southampton and uni.

Pick a place, tell a few friends and have fun!