The coastal city of Southampton has a packed line up of attractions, events and cultural happenings.
Top picks for a city break in Southampton are:
Cultural leanings: take in a gallery or two
Ideal for visitors who want to add some culture into the mix is the Southampton City Art Gallery. Free and home to one of the finest art collections in the south of England, works span the centuries with collections from Reynolds, Gainsborough, Renoir and Monet. https://southamptoncityartgallery.com
Southampton City Art Gallery (left). John Hansard Gallery (right).
Art for those with an eye for the contemporary, can be found at the John Hansard Gallery, which offers an ever-changing programme of exhibitions that champion up and coming artists. www.jhg.art Entrance is free.
SeaCity Museum
Also, in the city’s cultural quarter is the SeaCity Museum which pays homage to Southampton’s maritime heritage. With a different take on the tragedy to the Titanic Belfast Museum, the SeaCity offers a fascinating look into the devastating impact it had on the port and its people (it was home to some 500 crew and passengers). There are also plenty of interactive exhibits plus a free to download self-guided Titanic walk from the museum, which retraces the city’s connections to the doomed vessel. www.seacitymuseum.co.uk
Historical stories
Gods House Tower
More history can be explored with a visit to the Tudor House and Gardens, which offers a peek into the city’s 800 year past. Plus, at the Solent Sky aviation museum, there’s the opportunity to learn about the golden age of aviation and Southampton’s place as the home of the Spitfire https://www.solentsky.org
Shopping, pamper and play at Westquay
If retail therapy or a makeover is what is needed then West Quay Retail Park (https://www.westquayretail.com) and the Westquay Shopping Centre (www.west-quay.co.uk) – with personal styling and the Beauty Society services at John Lewis & Partners are a must. The striking-looking venue also has a VIP bowling experience at Hollywood Bowl https://www.hollywoodbowl.co.uk and a Locked in a Room escape session https://lockedinaroom.co.uk/escape-room-southampton. For those seeking an independent shopping experience, the Marlands Shopping Centre is a great pit stop. https://www.marlandsshoppingcentre.co.uk/
Gamers can take a trip to the action packed High Score arcade, a free-play amusement centre with over 60 games from old school classics like spaces invaders to sports games and the latest arcade fun. https://www.highscorearcades.co.uk/southampton
Nightlife from restaurants and bars to live music, dance and theatre
No city stay would be complete without some night time action and Southampton doesn’t disappoint. Current hot spots include the fabulous Ruby’s at the Grand cocktail lounge, Grumpy Monkey and art deco inspired Rita’s Bar and Kitchen. Other evening options include the Dancing Man Brewery, a popular micro-brewery cum restaurant right on the front by the sea. While Speakeasy lovers will enjoy the sophistication of 1932.
Alternatively, there’s live music, DJs and dance at Cafe Parfait, Switch, Orange Rooms, Popworld andTrilogy plus theatre and performance at Mayflower Theatre, MAST Mayflower Studios or The Stage Door. God’s House Tower offers GHT Lates an after-hours evening of music, art and heritage on the last Friday of every month.
For news and inspiration about what’s on and what to do in the city www.visitsouthampton.co.uk
Where to stay
The Moxy: Industrial chic meets nautical is the theme at Southampton’s Moxy. Guests can make use of the hotel’s 24/7 self-service food and beverage concept. www.marriott.co.uk
Ennio’s: Is a lively and popular restaurant offering traditional Italian fare with 10 rooms above it located on Town Quay opposite Southampton harbour. Rich in history, this prominent red brick building is one of the few remaining warehouses in Southampton. It formed part of the city wall and was once the Geddes Warehouse where Titanic passengers stored their luggage before departure. www.ennios.co.uk
White Star Tavern: This 19th century inn is located on vibrant Oxford Street in the city’s maritime district. Formerly known as The Alliance Hotel, The White Star Tavern was renamed after the White Star Shipping Line, as both passengers and crew would wine and dined here frequently. It is also has historic links to one of the most famous ships of all time – the Titanic – and it was where many of the ship’s guests stayed before joining the historic vessel.
A lively restaurant and bar serves a range of pub classics along with wines, award-winning ales and cocktails. https://www.whitestartavern.co.uk
Images supplied. Feature image courtesy of unsplash.com
