40 Things that Made Us Say, “Southampton’s Worth Exploring”, Southampton, England

When we started planning our itinerary for four months in England, Southampton popped up on our radar. Not only is it a major cruise port, but you can also hop on a ferry to/from France or Spain (which is what we did) and skip the airport hassle entirely. Once we started digging into what this coastal city has to offer, we realized we’d completely underestimated it. Like an onion, Southampton has layers—medieval walls, green parks, waterfront views, and more history than we could cram into a notebook.

This isn’t just a city to pass through on your way to a day trip; it’s a city to explore. Whether you’ve got a weekend, a day, or just a few hours before boarding a cruise, there’s plenty to keep you busy. Here are 40 of the best ways to experience this vibrant coastal hub—according to what we discovered, explored, and bookmarked for our own trip and what made us say, “Why didn’t we know about this sooner?

Southampton is the UK’s premier cruise port! – Southampton’s status as a major cruise port means that the flow of thousands of passengers a day can significantly affect the pricing, availability and atmosphere of local attractions as well as pricing and availability of transportation. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).