Itinerary of Southampton and environs in 7 days

In the South East of the United Kingdom, Southampton is a city in the county of Hampshire, less famous than London or Brighton, but no less fascinating. Its history has always been linked to the sea as it is a major European cruise port that has made it a lively place, full of historical and cultural tourist attractions, trendy clubs, parks and museums. It was also from here that the Titanic sailed! It is also an ideal starting point for visiting the surrounding area!

This is the right place to spend a week-long holiday. Here is theitinerary of Southampton and its surroundings in 7 days!
SEE ALSO: What to see in Southampton

Day 1: Old Town must-sees

Photo by Peter Trimming. Start your visit to Southampton from Bargate, once the gateway to the old walled city. From here take the High Street and you will be in the old part of town.
Visit the prominent St Michael's Church, dating back to 1770, with its light stone exterior and ornate interior.
Then move on to nearby Tudor House & Garden, a 15th-century mansion surrounded by magnificent English gardens (Mon-Thu 10am-3pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm).

For lunch, head to the Oxford Street area and find a table at Carnicero Steakhouse REstaurant & Bar, a place that serves excellent beef and pork (average cost £20.00, about €21.70).
In the early afternoon, take a walk to nearby Queen's Park and then it's a few minutes to the Solent Sky Museum (daily 10am-4pm, Sun from 12pm). Inside this historic building the aviation history of Southampton and the surrounding area is preserved and you can admire 18 perfectly preserved complete aircraft as well as several engines. Finish the afternoon with a visit to Saint Mary's Church, another beautiful church with an important altar and a typical English façade.

For your first evening in we suggest you book a show at The Brook Theatre, a modern theatre offering concerts, cabaret and live music. It can be reached from the city centre by the 2 bluestar line or the U6C line in 25 minutes, or by taxi in 15 minutes. Since the shows usually start at 9pm, first go for dinner at the nearby Top Top Chinese Restaurant, which serves upscale Asian cuisine at affordable prices (average cost £10.00, about €11.00).

In summary:

• Distance travelled: 6.9 km

• Places visited: Old Town (free), St Michael's Church (free), Tudor House & Garden (£5.00, approx €4.60), Oxford Street (free), Solent sky museum (£5.00, approx €4.60), St Mary's Church (free)

• Daily cost: £45.00 (not including any tickets to The Brook Theatre)

• Where to eat: Lunch at Carnicero Steakhouse Restaurant & Bar(Get directions), Dinner at Top Top Chinese Restaurant(Get directions)

Day 2: Titanic sites, City Art Gallery and Ocean Village

For the first stop on today's itinerary we suggest the SeaCity Museum, a Southampton museum opened in 2012 to commemorate the Titanic centenary.
Inside you will find various objects, documents and memorabilia belonging to this ship (daily 10am-5pm).
From here it's a few minutes' walk to the Titanic Musican's Memorial and the Titanic Engineers' Memorial, bronze statues and monuments commemorating this tragedy.

For lunch, stop at Nando's Southampton, a place where you can enjoy a variety of chicken dishes and a good beer (average cost £15.00, about €16.00).
In the afternoon, visit the Southampton City Art Gallery, one of the city's most important museums. Here in about two hours you can contemplate various works, paintings by English painters, ceramics and various objects (10am-3pm, Sat until 5pm).
After your visit, take a nice walk through Palmerston Park toOcean Village, the modern shopping and leisure centre built around the marina. Here you can indulge in some shopping and relaxation.

In the evening stay in this area, which is full of clubs and restaurants, we suggest The Jetty, where you can eat oysters and fresh fish with a nice view of the harbour and the sea (average cost £35.00, about €38.00).

In summary:

• Distance travelled: 3.2 km

• Places visited: Sea City Museum (£8.00, approx €8.70), Titanic Engineer's Memorial (free), Southampton City Art Gallery (free), Ocean Village (free)

• Daily Expenditure: €65.00

• Where to eat: Lunch at Nando's Southampton (Get directions), Dinner at The Jetty(Get directions)

Day 3: God's House Tower, Netley Abbey, The Common

Photo by Adrian Farwell. First thing this morning, visit God's House Tower, the first structure in England built for military purposes that now houses a museum about the city's culture and heritage (Tue-Sun 10am-5pm).
A short walk away, at the Oxford Street stop (Stop QD) take the 6 City REd green line bus that takes you in 20 minutes to Netley Abbey, a 1239 abbey that has inspired writers, poets and artists for centuries (April to September daily 10am-4pm, October to March same time weekends only).

Have lunch near the ruins at Jolly Friar, a fish & chips (average cost £10.00, about €11.00).
In the afternoon, first take a line 6 City REd bus to Holyrood Chrurch, here change and board the U1A bus (blue line) which takes you to Northlands Road, the stop for The Common. Spend the afternoon in this beautiful natural oasis characterised by parks, small forests, lakes, streams and a rich variety of fauna and flora.

Enjoy the sunset and in 15 minutes take the U1C bus back into town. End the day with dinner at Soleto Bistro, a really cosy place (average cost £20.00, about €21.70).

In summary:

• Distance travelled: 15.7 km

• Places visited: God's House Tower (free), Netley Abbey (free), The Common (free)

• Daily expense: €40.00

• Where to eat: Lunch at Jolly Friar(Get directions), Dinner at Soleto Bistro(Get directions)

Day 4: Excursion to Highclere Castle and Beaulieu

For this day, we suggest hiring a car (rental cost per day £27.00, approximately €30.00).
In 45 minutes, following the A27, you reach Highclere Castle, the famous castle from the TV series Downton Abbey where events and tastings are organised (times and cost of admission vary depending on the programme, check the official website).
Then pick up the car and drive to Beaulieu, a small town 14 miles from Southampton.

For lunch, stop at Beaulieu Restaurant & Catering (average cost per person £15.00, about €16.50).
In the afternoon, head straight to the National Motor Museum, one of the largest museums dedicated to the automobile, which houses around 285 vehicles. Then visit Beaulieu Abbey and the nearby Palace House (open Mon-Sun 10am-5pm, until 6pm in summer, single entry £24.75/€26.50).

For dinner, return to Southampton and head to the Bedford Place area, which is full of places to eat; if you like Japanese cuisine, dine at Nara, a restaurant that serves excellent Japanese dishes (average cost per person £35.00, €38.00).

In summary:

• Distance travelled: 146 km / 2 h 2 min by car including drive from

• Places visited: Highclere Castle (price depending on events); National Motor Museum, Abbey and Palace House (single ticket £24.75, approx. €26.50)

• Daily expense: €110.00

• Card, tickets and recommended tours: 4WD tour of Salisbury Plain

• Where to eat: Lunch at Beaulieu Restaurant &catering(Get directions), Dinner at Nara(Get directions)

Day 5: Isle of Wight Excursion

We recommend an excursion outside Southampton, not far from the coast: the Isle of Wight. The best way to visit the island is by taking part in an organised coach tour that leaves from the Southampton Passenger Terminal and takes in the beauty of this island.

After the approximately 1-hour crossing, the first stop is Needles And Alum Bay, ideal for a walk on the beach and some relaxation.
The next stop will take you to Tennyson Down and Comton Bay to admire the scenery.

After lunch (we recommend you bring your own), in the afternoon you will visit Osborne House, the summer residence built for Queen Victoria who fell madly in love with this island (daily 9am-5pm, admission £20.40/€22.00). Then the tour includes stops at Samdown Beach and Yaverland Beach, and before catching the ferry again you can visit Ride, the town where the ferry services arrive. Finally return to Southampton in the evening.

For dinner stay in the harbour area and eat at La Regata Restaurant, a Spanish eatery, where you can enjoy excellent tapas and paella (average cost per person £22.00, €25.00).

In summary:

• Distance travelled: 65.1 km

• Places visited: Isle of Wight (organised tour €54.86), Osborne House (£20.40 , approx. €22.00)

• Daily expenditure: €100.00

• Recommended cards, tickets and tours: Isle of Wight coach tour

• Where to Eat: Lunch at Shalcombe(Get directions), Dinner at The Regatta(Get directions)

Day 6: Excursion to Bath and Stonehenge

Leave in the morning with a hire car (hire cost per day £27.00, approximately €30.00) or an organised tour and in approximately 2 hours you will reach Bath.

This town lies along the River Avon and is famous for its natural hot springs, which in Roman times were a popular place to indulge in wellness. Enjoy a walk through the historic centre, through the green areas and along the River Avon. Cross the Pulteney Bridge, dating back to 1773, with its shops and boutiques.

Stop for lunch at Bill's Bath Restaurant, an eatery offering a varied menu in a very comfortable setting (average price £22.00, €25.00).
Continue your tour by visiting Bath Abbey (7am-7pm) and the Royal Crescent, the imposing semicircular structure of terraced houses built between 1767 and 1775.
Then get back in the car and on the way back you can't fail to stop at Stonehenge, one of the world's most famous monuments. This 3,000 BC site is a circular terrain with several monoliths and stone circles surrounded by nature (winter 9.30am-5pm, summer 9am-8pm, admission £21.10, approx €23.00). Enjoy the sunset and return.

For dinner, we recommendO'Neill's, a restaurant serving typical English food, such as hamburgers, fried chicken, eggs and mixed meat dishes (average cost £20.00, €22.00).

In summary:

• Distance travelled: 208 km / 3 h 33 min by car including drive from

• Places visited: Bath city centre (free), Pulteney Bridge (free), Bath Abbey (free), Royal Cres (£10.60, approx. €11.87), Stonehenge (£21.10, approx. €23.00)

• Daily expense: €150.00

• Recommended cards, tickets and tours: Stonehenge: entrance fee Bath: walking tour of Roman baths and city From Southampton: Bath and Windsor Tour with London Drop-Off

• Where to eat: Lunch at Bill's Bath Restaurant(Get directions), Dinner at O'Neill's(Get directions)

Day 7: Excursion to Windsor

Conclude your holiday with one last excursion: Windsor. You can reach it by train in about 2 hours from Southampton Central with the Cross Country and GWR to Reading Station, Slough, to Windsor and Eton Central (€41.00 to €66.00).

Visit the beautiful castle, official residence of the Royal family built in the 11th century (10am-4.15pm, until 5.15pm in summer, admission £23.50/€26.00).

For lunch, stop for a hamburger at Flaming Cow (average cost per person £15.00, €16.50).
In the afternoon, walk to Eton College, which has an excellent reputation and houses three museums (Natural History, Antiquities and the Eton Museum). We recommend a visit to the Natural History Museum to learn about the local fauna and biodiversity, and an original manuscript by Charles Darwin is preserved inside (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, admission £10.00/€12.00). Return to Southampton in the late afternoon.

For your last evening, we recommend returning to the Bedford area; dine at Diego's Rotisserie, a restaurant serving traditional Portuguese dishes (average price per person £25.00/€27.00).

In summary:

• Distance travelled: 194 km / 2 h 31 km by car including drive from

• Places visited: Windsor Castle (£23.50, approx. €26.00) Eton College (£10.00, €12.00)

• Daily expense: €120.00

• Recommended cards, tickets and tours: Windsor Castle entrance ticket Windsor: original hop-on hop-off bus tour From Southampton: Bath and Windsor Tour with London Drop-Off

• Where to eat: Lunch at Flaming Cow (Get directions), Dinner at Diego's Rotisserie(Get directions)

How much does a week in Southampton cost

NB: The prices in the table above are per person.

Southampton, being in the UK, is not really a cheap destination, not least because there are no cheap, direct flights from Italy. The only way to save a bit is to rent a flat for a week and do your shopping in the supermarket as the average cost of a meal, even in a pub, is around £20.00 (about €22.00). There are no passes for museums and attractions, while for transport we suggest buying 7- or 10-day passes. Finally, if you don't want to have an expensive holiday but want to see the surroundings , hire a car instead of relying on organised excursions.

• Cheap flights: from €300.00 look at the offers

• Where to stay: Hotels and B&Bs from €80.00 per room - see offers for Southampton boutique hotels and choose a perfect option especially for you!

• Card, tickets and recommended tours: Isle of Wight coach tour London: transfer to Southampton with visit to Windsor Castle From Southampton: Bath and Windsor Tour

• Total cost for one week, including flights: from €1,045.00 per person

Before you go: useful tips

• When to visit Southampton: June and July are the least rainy months with average temperatures of 22°; during the rest of the year the weather is rather wet and cool - find out more

• Getting there: Southampton Airport (SOU) has no direct flights from Italy. London Gatwick Airport (100 km away) is connected to Southampton by the National Express Shuttle Bus (journey time 2 h 35 min, departures every 40 min, cost £16.00, about €18.00)

• Where to stay: south of the city, with a variety of accommodation and close to cruise ship embarkation terminals and served by transport. When it comes to finding luxurious accommodations here, there are several exceptional 5 star hotels in Southampton on www.southampton-hotels.net that offer a truly indulgent stay. These establishments combine opulent amenities, impeccable service, and breathtaking views of the surrounding area. The Grand Harbour Hotel, located on the waterfront, provides elegant rooms, a spa, and exquisite dining options, ensuring a memorable experience. Another notable option is the Southampton Harbour Hotel & Spa, which offers stylish rooms, a rooftop bar, and a luxurious spa overlooking the marina. For those seeking a countryside retreat, the Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa, situated just outside Southampton, provides a tranquil setting, beautiful gardens, and an award-winning spa. Whether you're visiting Southampton for business or pleasure, these 5-star hotels promise a refined and luxurious experience, making them the perfect choice for a memorable stay in this vibrant city.

• Getting around: Unilink company has 5 lines, a single journey costs £2 (€2.30) and a 10-day pass £35 (€37.70). Bus company First Group offers 12 lines and Bluestar company has 25 lines and also connects Southampton with neighbouring towns. The centre is easy to visit on foot or by bicycle, the preferred means of transport for locals - find out more