Southampton Neighbourhoods, Locations and Districts

(Southampton, Hampshire, England, UK)

An appealing and historic city set alongside the waterfront on the southern coast of England, Southampton is close to many prominent villages, towns and resorts.

The city is sited to the north of the Southampton Water, at the confluence of both the River Itchen and also the River Test.

Also nearby is the River Hamble, which lies to the south of the urban districts. Here are Southampton's main districts, neighbourhoods and locations.

City Centre

The city centre is easy to reach and linked by The Avenue, a particularly prominent artery. Located on the southern side of the sprawling Southampton Common, the centre is based around Commercial Road and the High Street, where many shops and shopping centres are concentrated. Highlights in this part of the city include the Civic Centre and Guildhall, the City Art Gallery, and the Mayflower Theatre. Nearby is the ancient Bargate structure, an old gateway and important insight into the city's very interesting past.

Plenty of pubs, restaurants and hotels are dotted around Southampton city centre. The Tourist Information Centre is an excellent source of reference and guided walking tours of the western Old Southampton provide a great way to get your bearings, lasting approximately 90 minutes and taking in many medieval and historic Victorian buildings, including the Merchant's House.

Waterfront

The Waterfront area of the city is a particularly trendy and vibrant area, with many attractions close to the Ocean Village marina, which can be found directly south of the Itchen Bridge. Also located in the Waterfront district is the scenic Mayflower Park, where many people come to enjoy the views alone. The Waterfront is the perfect place for a bite to eat and many of the restaurants here specialise in freshly caught seafood, especially around the Town Quay.

Other Districts

Other prominent city districts include Basset - home of the university's Glen Eyre Halls, the inner-city area of Bevois Valley, the eastern suburb of Bitterne, and Mansbridge next to the River Itchen. Also worth noting are the neighbourhoods of Maybush, Millbrook, Northam, Polygon, Portswood, Redbridge, Shirley, Thornhill and Weston.