World City Guide

Mini Guide of Southampton

City Overview

Southampton was founded approximately 2,000 years ago by the Romans who established it as a seaport. Its strategic maritime importance has played a significant part in how Southampton developed and even today, is integral to the city’s identity. Southampton staked its claim in the history books as the port from which the Mayflower set sail for the New World in 1620. It was also from here that the Titanic began her ill-fated maiden voyage in 1912. And still today, the city’s ports are important docks for the cruise industry; Cunard’s new luxury liner the Queen Mary II set sail on her maiden voyage from Southampton in 2004. Whilst it’s difficult to overemphasise the city’s strong links with the ocean, there’s plenty to offer visitors on terra firma. As Southampton’s strategic importance grew, it became a target for foreign armies and marauding pirates. The Normans built a castle and ringed the city with defensive walls and towers to protect themselves against attacks. Walking south from the Central Railway station down the Western Esplanade, it’s still possible to see some complete sections of these defences. Still strategically important centuries later, Southampton was targeted by the Luftwaffe and was heavily bombed during the Second World War - large parts of the old city were destroyed as a result. Much of it has since been rebuilt and the heart of the modern city is now based around the Civic Centre. The city’s growth is set to continue over the coming years with several development projects in the pipeline, including a £160 million project to create an Olympic-sized ice-rink and entertainment arena at West Quay.

Getting There By Air

Southampton International Airport
Tel: (0)870 040 0009.
Website: www.baa.com/southampton

The airport is located 7km (4 miles) northeast of Southampton on the outskirts of the city. An information desk is located inside the passenger terminal and can help with any specific queries.

Facilities include a bureau de change, ATMs, restaurants, lost property office, bars and shops. After passport control there is a range of tax- and duty-free shops. The airport is on a single level allowing good access for disabled travellers and there are induction loops at various locations throughout the airport. Facilities for business travellers include a conference centre with presentation equipment which is available for hire. There is also a British Airways executive lounge offering phone, fax and Internet facilities.

The airport is convenient for the M27 and M3 motorways and a rail service connects the city centre with a station at the airport (Southampton Airport Parkway) which is just 50 metres (54 yards) from the airport terminal building. Bus services also operate between the airport, the university campus and the city centre. Airportcarz Southampton (tel: (0)870 224 5000 or (0)23 8062 7100) is located in the main concourse opposite the arrivals hall and operate a 24-hour taxi service (advance booking may be necessary).

Getting There By Water

Getting There By Road

Southampton is situated just 76 miles (122km) southwest of London and is connected with the capital by the M3 motorway. The M27 runs east towards Portsmouth and west towards Bournemouth.

Breakdown Services:
AA (tel: (0)800 887766)
RAC (tel: (0)800 828282)

National Express (tel: (0)8705 808080; website: www.nationalexpress.com) operates regular coach services connecting Southampton with various destinations in the UK including Victoria coach station in London. The National Express terminal is located in the centre of the city on Western Esplanade within easy walking distance of the Central Railway Station.

Getting There By Rail

Southampton is connected by a good rail network with a station in the city (Southampton Central) on Western Esplanade that connects with a station at the airport (Southampton Airport Parkway). During peak times there are approximately three direct services an hour from Southampton Central to London’s Waterloo station from where Eurostar services connect with Paris, Lille and Brussels in mainland Europe. Local rail services connect Southampton with Portsmouth and Brighton to the east, Basingstoke to the north, and Bournemouth to the west. Southampton also has rail connections with the West Country, South Wales and Scotland. For rail enquiries contact National Rail (tel: (0)8457 484950; website: www.nationalrail.co.uk). Rail operators in the region include South West Trains (tel: (0)845 6000 650; website: www.southwesttrains.co.uk), Virgin Trains (tel: (0)8457 222 333; website: www.virgintrains.co.uk) and Wessex Trains (tel: (0)870 9000 2320 (ticket bookings) or (0)845 6000 880 (customer services); website: www.wessextrains.co.uk).

Getting Around

Public Transport
First Southampton (tel: (0)23 8022 4854; website: www.firstgroup.com) operates a comprehensive network of buses linking all parts of the city. Bus no. 12 operates between the city centre and International Airport. Solent Blue Line (tel: (0)23 8061 8233; website: www.solentblueline.com) and UniLink Southampton (tel: (0)23 8059 5974; website: www.unilink.soton.ac.uk) also offer comprehensive services throughout the city. Discounted fares, day travelcards and passes enabling travel of seven, 28 or 90 days are available for some services. For full details about fares, routes and discounts, contact the relevant bus company directly.

Taxis
Taxis can be hailed on the street or at ranks at the railway and bus stations. To pre-book a taxi try Abbeytax (tel: (0)23 8032 2480), Radio Taxis (tel: (0)23 8066 6666 or 0800 666 666 (free-call within Southampton); website: www.radtax.co.uk) or Streamline Taxis (tel: (0)23 8022 3355).

Car Hire
There are numerous car rental firms operating in Southampton. Alamo (tel: (0)23 8065 2059; website: www.alamo.co.uk), Avis (tel: (0)23 8061 6061; website: www.avis.co.uk), Enterprise (tel: (0)23 8065 3700; website: www.enterprise.co.uk), Hertz (tel: (0)23 8065 3000; website: www.hertz.co.uk) and National (tel: (0)23 8065 2059; website: www.nationalcar.co.uk) all have offices either at the airport, in the city or both.

Bicycle Hire
Southampton is relatively small and, for the most part, flat, so a bike is a great way to get around and see the city sights. However, at the time of writing, there is nowhere in the city that rents out bicycles. G A Cycles, 65 Shirley Road (tel: (0)23 8063 6648) sells a good selection and is just a short walk from Southampton Central railway station. Further afield, Cycle Experience, Brookley Road, Brockenhurst (tel: 01590 624 204) does rent out bikes and is close to the New Forest.

Business

Sightseeing

Sightseeing Overview
Southampton is a relatively compact city that’s flanked on two sides by the rivers Test and Itchen that run in a ‘V’ shape down and into Southampton Water on the southern coast. It’s very much a city that’s associated with the ocean and many of Southampton’s attractions have a nautical theme; the most obvious of these sights is the excellent Maritime Museum that charts the port’s distinguished history including a good exhibition about the Titanic. Much of the old city walls (rebuilt after a devastating attack by the French in 1338) are still intact and the city’s Museum of Archaeology is a great place to begin a tour of historical Southampton. Southampton is also an artistic city with notable art galleries and theatres situated in its vibrant Cultural Quarter. For those who want to stay abreast of the latest fashions, an ever-growing number of shops have helped to earn Southampton a deserved reputation as something of a shopping mecca amongst young urbanites. Surrounded by public parks, there are plenty of green spaces where visitors can get away from hustle and bustle and enjoy a walk within easy reach of the city.

Tourist Information
Southampton Tourist Information Centre
9 Civic Centre Road
Tel: (0)23 8083 3333.
Website: http://visit-southampton.co.uk
Opening hours: 0930-1700 Mon-Sat, closed on Sun and bank holidays.

The city’s tourist office is centrally located at opposite the Civic Centre. The helpful staff are able to offer advice on local attractions and events as well providing a selection of free and saleable maps and guides.

Destination Southampton (tel: (0)23 8023 5211; website: www.destinationsouthampton.co.uk) is the conference and venue booking arm of the Tourist Information Centre. They offer a free booking service and can help visitors with group bookings, hotel reservations and booking conference venues.

Passes
There are currently no tourist passes in Southampton.

Key Attractions

Museum of Archaeology
This interesting museum tells Southampton’s story through the ages with displays from prehistoric, Roman, Saxon and medieval times. There are other interesting exhibits including some from ancient Egypt. Situated on the south-east corner of the walls that had once encircled medieval Southampton, the building alone arguably justifies a visit with parts of it dating back to the 13th century.

God’s House Tower, Winkle Street
Tel: (0)23 8063 5904.

Medieval Merchants’ House
Owned and run by English Heritage, this is one of the earliest surviving merchants’ houses in England. All the furniture has been authentically recreated and visitors are able to get a glimpse of what life was like for a prosperous wine merchant, John Fortin, who lived in the house with his family over 700 years ago.

58 French Street
Tel: (0)1424 775 705.

Maritime Museum
Opened in 1912, this was the city’s first public museum that’s situated in a 14th century warehouse that was originally built for the wool trade. The museum tells the stories of the city’s maritime past including exhibitions on the Mayflower, the Queen Mary and the Titanic. Those who want to know more about the ill-fated ship can follow the Titanic Trail with the aid of a free brochure available from the Tourist Information Centre.

The Wool House, Town Quay Road
Tel: (0)23 8022 3941.

Solent Sky
Southampton and the Solent played a pioneering role in aviation development and it was here that the world’s first seaplane was built. It was also the birthplace of the Spitfire fighter plane that has become so synonymous with the Second World War.

Albert Road South
Tel: (0)23 8063 5830.
Website: www.spitfireonline.co.uk

Southampton City Art Gallery
The city’s impressive art gallery is in the heart of the Cultural Quarter and contains over 3,500 works of art spanning six centuries of European culture. Its main attraction is the exhibition of 20th century British Art which attracts visitors from all over the world.
(Note: Parts of the Gallery will be closed from June 20 – September 31, 2005 due to the installation of a new lighting system.)

Civic Centre, Commercial Road
Tel: (0)23 8083 2277.
Website: www.southampton.gov.uk/art

Further Distractions

Hawthorns Urban Wildlife Centre
The centre is set in over half a hectare of grounds to the north of the city centre. The grounds are planted and managed as different wildlife habitats and it’s a great place to learn about the different eco-systems. This is good for family visits and the perfect place to get away from the city centre and get back to nature.

Southampton Common
Tel: (0)23 8067 1921.

St Mary’s Football Stadium
After a 27-year run in the top divisions of English football, Southampton was relegated from the Premiership in 2005. Despite the setback, football remains a big passion in the city and visitors can take a tour of the ground.

Britannia Road
Tel: (0)870 2200 000.
Website: www.saintsfc.co.uk

Tours of the City

Southampton is a compact city and is relatively easy to get around on foot with all the main attractions concentrated around the city centre and harbour areas. Free guided heritage tours can be arranged through the Southampton Tourist Guides Association (tel: (0)23 8057 1858) and are available in English, French, Spanish and German. The Tourist Information Centre has a range of booklets about self-guided walks, including some great ones through the city’s parks and along the Titanic Trail.

For a city so intimately connected to the ocean, no trip to Southampton is complete without heading out on a boat trip. Blue Funnel Ferries (tel: (0)23 8022 3278; website: www.bluefunnel.co.uk) offer public and private charters along Southampton’s rivers and waterways and is a great way to get a different perspective of the area. Revellers can board night time party cruises that have entertainment such as discos and live music.

Excursions

Southampton is a good base for day trips to the many attractions in the region. Winchester, capital of ancient Wessex, is situated 21km (13 miles) north of Southampton and is famed for its cathedral (tel: (0)1962 857200; website: www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk) which dates back to the seventh century. The New Forest National Park (tel: (0)23 8028 4144; website: www.newforestnpa.gov.uk) is a short drive west of Southampton consisting of 145 square miles (375 square km) of open heath and woodland. It’s a favourite with outdoor enthusiasts who come to use the spectacular cycle, walking and horse-riding trails. Beaulieu Stately Home and Motor Museum (tel: (0)1590 612345; website: www.beaulieu.co.uk) is situated south of the park and is another popular day trip. Just a few miles east of Southampton are the ruins of Netley Abbey (website: www.hants.gov.uk/discover/places/netleyabbey.html) where Jane Austen is said to have picnicked. And south of Southampton across the Solent is the Isle of Wight. Daily ferries travel to and from the picturesque isle.

Sport

Shopping

Catering to its big population of young, chic urbanites, Southampton is a great place to shop. The West Quay complex on West Quay Road (website: www.west-quay.co.uk) offers shoppers a good selection of designer boutiques, high street retailers and traditional shops. The West Quay Retail Park over the road brings together a selection of retailers that are normally located on the outskirts of towns. Other good shopping areas include the Marlands Mall, Portland Terrace (website: www.themall.co.uk/Marlands) and the Bargate Centre, off the High Street on East Street. For more traditional shops and specialist stores, head to East Street, Bedford Place and Above Bar Street. Most museums sell a range of tourist souvenirs and gifts. Southamptonians love to shop and most of the bigger chain stores are open seven days a week. Some of the smaller, traditional shops close or have restricted opening hours on Sundays.

Culture

Culture vultures should definitely head to the Mayflower Theatre on Commercial Road (tel: (0)23 8071 1800; website: www.the-mayflower.com), the largest theatre in southern England. It opened in 1928 and has been recently refurbished and puts on an impressive programme of musicals, ballet, traditional pantomime, opera and comedy acts. Another good venue for live comedy is the Jongleurs Comedy Club, 2-4a High Street (tel: 0870 7870 707 (box office); website: www.jongleurs.com) close to the centre of town. They also serve decent food and there’s usually a disco after the comedy acts. There are two multiplex cinemas: UGC, Ocean Village, 4 Ocean Way (tel: 0871 200 2000; website: www.ugccinemas.co.uk) and Odeon, Leisureworld, West Quay Retail Park (tel: 0871 2244 007; website: www.odeon.co.uk). The Harbour Lights Picturehouse, Ocean Village (tel: (0)23 8033 5533; website: www.picturehouses.co.uk) is a great independent cinema showing the latest in art house cinema.

Nightlife

From traditional old ale houses to chic bars and nightclubs, Southampton has a thriving nightlife with no shortage of places to choose from. For a drink in the centre of town, try The Red Lion, 55 High Street, or The Duke of Wellington, 36 Bugle Street; they’re both traditional old ales houses and both have a decent bar menu. The Hobbit, 134 Bevois Valley Road, has a large outdoor seating area and stays open until 0200. For those who want to dance until the small hours, nightclubs abound. The Ikon-Diva nightclub, Leisureworld, West Quay Road (website: www.ikon-diva.co.uk) caters to the city’s young beautiful crowd and is the largest nightclub on the south coast. The Nexus Club, Eastgate Street (website: www.thenexusclub.com) is another trendy place to strut your stuff. The city also has a good live music scene with many of the bars putting on bands at the weekends; the Platform Tavern, Town Quay, in the historic dockland area of the city is a nice place to catch live music. For bigger acts, try the Southampton Guildhall, Civic Centre, Marlands Road (website: www.southampton-guildhall.com).

City Statistics

Location: Southern coast of England, United Kingdom.
Country dialling code: 44.
Time zone: GMT (GMT + 1 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 240 volts AC, 50Hz. Square three-pin plugs are standard.
Average January temp: 5°C (41°F).
Average July temp: 16°C (60.8°F).
Annual rainfall: 900mm (35 inches).

Special Events

SeaBritain 2005 (website: www.seabritain2005.com) This year-long event celebrates Britain’s relationship with the sea. Events specific to Southampton include a Titanic Memorial (Sep 4), the Southampton Boat Show (Sep 16-25) and Trafalgar Day with trips on the SS Shieldhall on the Solent (Oct 21).

Titanic Convention, Apr (website: www.visit-southampton.gov.uk), every April the British Titanic Society holds its national convention that attracts enthusiasts from all over the world
Southampton Regatta, May-Jun (website: www.visit-southampton.gov.uk), Southampton’s budding mariners take to rafts in the city’s annual regatta
Power in the Park, Jun (website: www.thisissouthampton.co.uk), Southampton Common hosts a day of live music organised by local radio station Power FM
Cowes Week, end of Jul-early Aug (website: www.cowesweek.co.uk), famous throughout the world, this is reportedly the longest-running, regular regatta in the world with the first one taking place in 1812
Euroblade, Oct (website: www.euroblade.com), Southampton’s city streets are closed off and turned into a track for inline skating. The event isn’t a race and is open to skaters of all ages and abilities and takes on more a festival atmosphere with wigs and fancy dress the favoured sartorial choice. Kneepads and crash helmets are recommended!

Cost of Living

1 British Pound Sterling (£1) = US$1.75; C$2.04; A$2.30; ¬1.47
Currency conversion rates as of October 2005