Southampton is a port city on the south coast of England. It’s a beautiful place with a great history, stunning scenery and plenty to do for people of all ages.
Being a large port city, Southampton has excellent road links to the rest of the country. The M27 is nearby and connects through to Portsmouth, and the M3 links Southampton to London. Southampton Central train station has direct services to London that takes 1 hour 20 minutes. The train station also links the city to Bristol, Brighton, Portsmouth and Oxford. If you’re using public transport, there are many buses, trains and cycle routes across Southampton. When travelling by air, Southampton International Airport is 6 minutes away from the city by train and flies to destinations around the UK and Europe.
Southampton has a great range of primary and secondary schools across the city. There are 79 state-run schools and several independent options, such as The Gregg School and two sixth form colleges. There are also two universities, the University of Southampton and Solent University, which brings many students to the city.
When heading out for some retail therapy, Westquay Shopping Centre has all the national high street brands, selling everything from technology and homeware to fashion and sports. However, Southampton has a fantastic independent shopping scene, with stores such as Beatnik Emporium (a vintage store), Vinilo Record Store and award-winning chocolate shop and cafe, Frederick’s Chocolates. There are also plenty of markets held in the city centre, including farmers markets and vintage markets.
With Southampton’s extensive range of restaurants and bars, you’re spoiled for choice when heading out for the evening. Try Argento for South American steaks or Franco Manca for Neapolitan pizzas. There’s also a strong pub scene both in and around the city. When craving a traditional ale or two, try a pub like The Butcher’s Hook, or for live music and comedy, The Talking Heads.
Southampton General Hospital is in the city centre and has an A&E department. There are also plenty of GP surgeries too.
Southampton has a long and rich history, with the museums to match. If you love aviation, take a look at the Solent Sky Museum (which used to be known as Southampton Hall of Aviation). It boasts an impressive selection of planes and marks the history of aviation in the area, which is interesting because Southampton is where the first Spitfires took off. If you prefer maritime history, then Southampton’s SeaCity Museum is for you. Alongside the impressive Titanic displays, there are interactive features, games and a picturesque cafe.
