The UK’s premier cruise port has plenty of attractions to visit before you set sail, says Katie McGonagle
1. Tudor House & Garden
See Southampton through the ages at Tudor House & Garden, in the city centre, opposite historic St Michael’s Church. Saved from demolition and painstakingly restored, each room offers insights into a different era of its 800-year history, from life as a grand family home with links to Henry VIII to its less-salubrious period of Victorian poverty and overcrowding.
There’s 400-year-old graffiti scratched into its walls, and a pretty ornamental garden overlooks the ruins of the Norman-era King John’s Palace.
2. God’s House Tower
This former prison has a new lease of life as a heritage centre, art gallery and cool cafe. Look out for the map displaying the city at the time of the Mayflower’s sailing in 1620 to the Americas and the real-life tales of prisoners held for crimes such as stealing food.
3. Titanic Trail
There are Titanic stories dotted all over town – from the White Star Tavern, where many well-to-do passengers stayed before the ship set sail on its maiden voyage, to the many memorials recalling crew members who never returned. The most in-depth exploration is at the SeaCity Museum, where a dedicated exhibition delves into the city’s maritime heritage and the impact of the disaster on the local area.
4. The Jetty
Take in Southampton’s pretty waterfront with lunch or dinner at The Jetty restaurant, where expansive floor-to-ceiling windows offer incredible views – topped only by the outdoor terrace and its quirky private pods. Enjoy the catch of the day and oysters by the dozen while admiring the mega yachts moored up at Ocean Village Marina.
5. Medieval Vaults
Southampton is home to the largest network of medieval vaults in the UK, used to store wool, Bordeaux wine and other goods being traded with French merchants from as early as the 12th century. Some of these underground spaces were used as air raid shelters during the Second World War.
PICTURES: James Newell; A Space Arts
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