Introduction
What to do
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Hiring a car

Southampton travel guide

Southampton Tourism | Southampton Guide

You're Going to Love Southampton

With a population of 246,201, Southampton is a must-see destination in England, United Kingdom. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Consider staying at least one whole day in Southampton to see all of its attractions.

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Where to Eat in Southampton

City Centre is the neighbourhood with the most restaurants in Southampton. These include popular favourites such as Porters Wine & Charcuterie (20-22 Queens Terrace), Edo Asia (High St) and Shanghai 1814 (Shanghai 1814). If you’re looking for affordable options, Casa Brasil Southampton Westquay (Unit WM20, Level 2 West Quay South) and L'Osteria Southampton (Unit WM16 Westquay South, Watermark Centre) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Reggina's Italian, Botley (13-15 High Street Botley) and The Cricketers Inn (Curdridge Ln) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Southampton.

When to visit Southampton

Southampton in January
Estimated hotel price
£67
1 night at 3-star hotel
Southampton in January
Estimated hotel price
£67
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Southampton in July, when the average temperature is 18 °C, and the highest can go up to 22 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is December, when it can get as cold as 3 °C, with an average temperature of 4 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in December, when precipitation is around 76 mm. In contrast, July is usually the driest month of the year in Southampton, with an average rainfall of 25 mm.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Southampton

Plane

When flying to Southampton, you’ll arrive at Southampton Airport (SOU), which is located 3 miles from the city centre. The shortest domestic flight to Southampton departs from Belfast and takes around 1h 20m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Southampton, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from Southampton to Birmingham takes 1h 28m and costs around £17 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Bristol, expect to pay about £33 for a 1h 36m trip. Located 0.5 miles from the city centre, Southampton Central is the busiest station in Southampton. Another popular train station is Southampton Redbridge, located 3 miles from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Southampton is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 69 miles from Southampton. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and Turo, among others, in London.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Southampton, including FlixBus, National Express and Megabus. From Southampton, the bus ride to Southampton takes 95 miles and will cost you around £5. From Bristol, the ticket costs about £4 for a journey of 130 miles. The most popular bus station is Southampton Burgess Road Library, located 2 miles from the city centre of Southampton. Southampton Solent University is also a commonly used station, and is 0.1 miles from the city centre.

Plane

When flying to Southampton, you’ll arrive at Southampton Airport (SOU), which is located 3 miles from the city centre. The shortest domestic flight to Southampton departs from Belfast and takes around 1h 20m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Southampton, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from Southampton to Birmingham takes 1h 28m and costs around £17 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Bristol, expect to pay about £33 for a 1h 36m trip. Located 0.5 miles from the city centre, Southampton Central is the busiest station in Southampton. Another popular train station is Southampton Redbridge, located 3 miles from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Southampton is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 69 miles from Southampton. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and Turo, among others, in London.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Southampton, including FlixBus, National Express and Megabus. From Southampton, the bus ride to Southampton takes 95 miles and will cost you around £5. From Bristol, the ticket costs about £4 for a journey of 130 miles. The most popular bus station is Southampton Burgess Road Library, located 2 miles from the city centre of Southampton. Southampton Solent University is also a commonly used station, and is 0.1 miles from the city centre.

Airports near Southampton

SOUSouthampton Eastleigh
BOHBournemouth

Airlines serving Southampton

Lufthansa
Good (7,044 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,334 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,837 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,588 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,934 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,790 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,698 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,446 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (780 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,696 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,215 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,563 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,244 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,349 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (346 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,069 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,275 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,968 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,851 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,203 reviews)
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Where to stay in Southampton

Average rates range from around £98 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £121 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include The Pig In The Wall - Southampton and The Claremont. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Southampton, with prices from £16 to £410 per night. City Centre is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Southampton are about 19% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Most popular hotel in Southampton by neighbourhood

Where to stay in popular areas of Southampton

Most booked hotels in Southampton

See all
The Crown Manor House Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
£97+
View
Leonardo Royal Southampton Grand Harbour
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
£112+
View
Holiday Inn Express Southampton M27, Jct.7
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
£72+
View
Leonardo Hotel Southampton
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
£74+
View
Red Lion Hotel by Greene King Inns
3 stars
Excellent (8, Excellent reviews)
£57+
View
Lodge at Solent
4 stars
Excellent (8, Excellent reviews)
£72+
View

Hiring a car in Southampton

Hiring a car in Southampton costs £41 per day, on average.

Expect to pay £1.30 per litre in Southampton (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £15.58 and £20.77. The most frequently booked car type in Southampton is Economy (Opel Corsa or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate car hire (Kia Sportage or similar) is, on average, 49% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Southampton costs £41 per day, on average.

Expect to pay £1.30 per litre in Southampton (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £15.58 and £20.77. The most frequently booked car type in Southampton is Economy (Opel Corsa or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate car hire (Kia Sportage or similar) is, on average, 49% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Best car hire deals in Southampton

Compact

4 adults, 2 Bags

£20/day

Compact

Mini

2 adults, 2 Bags

£20/day

Mini
Find car hire in Southampton

Southampton Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Southampton city guide for the best Southampton travel tips. To help you organise your Southampton trip ideas, this Southampton visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.