Southampton Tourist Information and Tourism

(Southampton, Hampshire, England, UK)

Known for its waterfront setting along the Solent inlet, the city of Southampton is a modern and bustling place to visit, filled with huge shopping malls, modern buildings and an interesting past. Beneath the surface, it does not take long to discover much of Southampton's older charm, and the various remains of the city's medieval wall add much needed character, together with a number of extremely old buildings. Due to its location, the city of Southampton has gained considerable wealth from its past shipbuilding industry, with a number of notable ships being built here over the years, including both the Queen Mary, and the rather unfortunate Titanic.

The city's museums are not to be missed and are amongst the main highlights, offering a glimpse into days gone by. Those looking for the latest tourism advice and events listings should head straight for the Southampton Tourist Information Centre (TIC) along Civic Centre Road. This is always a great place to start your visit and the helpful staff and numerous leaflets enable you to really make the most of your stay. Tourist information is readily available about the city's public transport, waterfront, central shopping districts, free-guided walks and more, including a useful accommodation finding service.





A number of the top hotels in Southampton are to be found around the city centre, the waterfront and within a short stroll from Mayflower Park, the Town Quay, Harbour Parade and the West Quay Retail Park. Head to the north and you will find further accommodation lying close to Bitterne Park, Midanbury, Riverside Park, Swaythling, Southampton Common and the airport, which is located on Wide Lane (off the M27) and home to the popular Premier Inn. Just outside of the city, additional lodging is based in the Hampshire towns of Bishop's Waltham, Eastleigh, Romsey and Lyndhurst, the latter of which is situated within the beautiful New Forest.

Southampton's busiest tourist attractions include the Civic Centre - home to the Guildhall, library and many significant events throughout the year; Ocean Village - a trendy marina development full of waterfront attractions, restaurants, bars, cinemas and shops; Southampton Common - an enormous area of green in the very heart of the city, with plenty for all the family such as the Hawthorns Urban Wildlife; and the Rose Bowl - a prominent local sporting venue where many important cricket matches take place, together with many seasonal open-air concerts.

Other important places of interest in the city include the University of Southampton - an important complex comprising of seven different campus areas and home to around 20,000 students in total; Bargate - a particularly significant and historic landmark, which once was an imposing gateway into the city; Medieval Merchant's House - a 13th-century building full of period features and historic information; Southampton's Mayflower Memorial - remembering the troubled voyage of the Mayflower in the early 1600s; and the SS Shieldhall - a well-maintained steamship usually docked at the Ocean Village. More information about Southampton Tourist Attractions and Southampton Landmarks.

Some of Southampton's main museums and art galleries include the Maritime Museum - full of nautical interest, models of numerous ships and a host of information about the world-famous Titanic; Tudor House Museum - housed in a particularly old and attractive building believed to be haunted by the ghost of Anne Boleyn; Medieval Merchants House - a well-preserved 13th-century house full of antiquities and authentic furnishings; Solent Sky (Hall of Aviation) - best known for its Spitfire and Tiger Moth biplane; Southampton City Art Gallery - housing almost 4,000 paintings and sculptures, many of which were created by notable artists; and the Bargate Monument Gallery - a new addition to Southampton's galleries and part of the actual Bargate monument itself. More information about Southampton Museums and Southampton Art Galleries.

Tourist attractions located nearby Southampton include something for everyone, with the cities of Salisbury, Winchester and Portsmouth all being just a stone's throw away. Stonehenge is one of the most famous landmarks outside of the city and resides on the spreading Salisbury Plain. Those looking for a scenic day trip should consider the Isle of Wight, which is located directly south and linked by many regular daily ferries. Also close are the beaches of Bournemouth, and the towns of Brockenhurst and Lyndhurst in the nearby New Forest area. More information about Southampton Attractions Nearby.

More Southampton Information / Fast Facts and Orientation

• Country: England
• Location: county of Hampshire
• Status: city
• Population: 225,000 approximately
• Language: English
• Currency: Pound Sterling (GBP)
• Time zone: GMT / UTC and BST (British Summer Time), 5 hours from Eastern Standard Time
• Country dialing code: +44
• Telephone area code: 023
• Religion: various religions
• Average daily Southampton January temperature: 7°C / 45°F
• Average daily Southampton July temperature: 14°C / 57°F