lifestyle
Best Swimming Pools in Southampton
Southampton has a reasonable public swimming infrastructure for a city of its size. Here's where to go for lane swimming, leisure, and…
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Southampton Stories
Independent recommendations, neighbourhood knowledge and the stories shaping the city.
lifestyle
Best Spas in Southampton
Southampton's spa offer has grown significantly alongside the city's hotel sector. Here are the places worth booking for treatment days and weekend…
lifestyle
Best Golf Courses Near Southampton
Hampshire has some serious golf country within 30 minutes of Southampton. Here's where to play, what the courses cost, and which ones…
Antiques
Antiques Southampton – Eastgate Street and Shirley Shops
Southampton's antiques scene is more interesting than its retail reputation suggests. Eastgate Street and Shirley are the areas worth knowing.
Dogs
Dog-Friendly Pubs Southampton – Where to Go With Your Dog
Southampton and its surroundings have genuinely dog-friendly pubs - not just tolerant ones. Here's where your dog gets as good a welcome…
Comedy
Comedy in Southampton – The Joiners and Beyond
Southampton's live comedy scene mixes grassroots Gong nights with bigger touring shows. The Joiners is the central venue for comedy with a…
Hen and Stag
Southampton Hen and Stag Weekends – What Actually Works
Southampton works well for a hen or stag weekend - the bar strip is accessible, the activities are varied, and the waterfront…
Free
Free Things to Do in Southampton
Southampton has more genuinely free things to do than most cities its size. The galleries, the Common, the Old Walls - here's…
Bars
Best Cocktail Bars Southampton – The Shoot, Turtle Bay and More
Southampton's cocktail bar scene has sharpened up considerably. The Shoot, Turtle Bay, and Be At One lead a city centre offer worth…
southampton
Spa Days Southampton – Best Spas and Treatments
Southampton's spa offer runs from hotel day packages to full retreat experiences in the New Forest. Here's what's worth booking.
Portswood
Student Bars Portswood – University of Southampton Pub Guide
Portswood is the University of Southampton's local pub and bar strip. Here's what's worth knowing about the pubs and what each one…
Afternoon Tea
Best Afternoon Tea Southampton – Hotels and Independents
The Pig in the Wall does the best afternoon tea in Southampton. Here's how the rest of the city's hotel and independent…
lifestyle
Best Barbers in Southampton
A good barber is hard to find and harder to leave. Southampton's barbershop scene is strong - here's where to go depending…
lifestyle
Best Vintage Shops in Southampton
Southampton's vintage and second-hand scene is better than most people expect - spread across the city centre, Bedford Place, and the student…
Craft Beer
Southampton Gin and Craft Beer – Dancing Man and Electric Circus
Southampton is producing serious craft beer and gin. Dancing Man Brewery and Electric Circus are the names to know.
guides
A Perfect Weekend in Southampton – 48-Hour Itinerary
Forty-eight hours in Southampton, done properly. The waterfront, the Old Town, a day in the New Forest, and the pub scene that…
students
Student Guide to Southampton – The Full Picture
Southampton is a working port city with two universities, a proper nightlife strip, and more going on than most freshers expect.
Cycling
Cycling in Southampton – National Route 2 and the Common
Southampton is more cycle-friendly than its driving reputation suggests. National Cycle Route 2 passes through and the Common is a natural start.