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, The Cricketers Inn (Curdridge Ln) and Bill's Restaurant & Bar - Southampton (Westquay South) are great picks.

When to visit Southampton

Southampton in January
Estimated hotel price
£76
1 night at 3-star hotel
Southampton in January
Estimated hotel price
£76
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 6 km from the city centre. The shortest domestic flight to Southampton departs from Belfast and takes around 1h 15m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Southampton, followed by Avanti West Coast. The train journey from Southampton to Birmingham takes 1h 28m and costs around £15 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Nottingham, expect to pay about £39 for a 1h 50m trip. Located 0.7 km from the city centre, Southampton Central is the busiest station in Southampton. Another popular train station is Southampton Redbridge, located 5 km from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Southampton is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 110 km from Southampton. You’ll find branches of Turo and Hertz, among others, in London.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Southampton using National Express or FlixBus. From Southampton, the bus ride to Southampton takes 185 km and will cost you around £5. From Bristol, the ticket costs about £5 for a journey of 217 km. The most popular bus station is Southampton Burgess Road Library, located 3 km from the city centre of Southampton. Southampton Solent University is also a commonly used station, and is 0.1 km from the city centre.

Plane

When flying to Southampton, you’ll arrive at Southampton Airport (SOU), which is located 6 km from the city centre. The shortest domestic flight to Southampton departs from Belfast and takes around 1h 15m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Southampton, followed by Avanti West Coast. The train journey from Southampton to Birmingham takes 1h 28m and costs around £15 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Nottingham, expect to pay about £39 for a 1h 50m trip. Located 0.7 km from the city centre, Southampton Central is the busiest station in Southampton. Another popular train station is Southampton Redbridge, located 5 km from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Southampton is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 110 km from Southampton. You’ll find branches of Turo and Hertz, among others, in London.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Southampton using National Express or FlixBus. From Southampton, the bus ride to Southampton takes 185 km and will cost you around £5. From Bristol, the ticket costs about £5 for a journey of 217 km. The most popular bus station is Southampton Burgess Road Library, located 3 km from the city centre of Southampton. Southampton Solent University is also a commonly used station, and is 0.1 km from the city centre.

Airports near Southampton

SOUSouthampton Eastleigh
BOHBournemouth

Airlines serving Southampton

KLM
Good (1,411 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,576 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,007 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,527 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,046 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,787 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,013 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,018 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,664 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,412 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,489 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,457 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (873 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,303 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,578 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,060 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,334 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,312 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,134 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,403 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Southampton

Average rates range from around £81 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £106 and up for a 5-star experience. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Southampton, with prices from £17 to £556 per night. City Centre is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Southampton are about 3% 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
voco Fareham - Solent by IHG
4 stars
Excellent (8.9, Excellent reviews)
£80+
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The Crown Manor House Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
£97+
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Leonardo Royal Southampton Grand Harbour
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
£68+
View
Holiday Inn Southampton-Eastleigh M3,jct13 By IHG
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
£60+
View
Hilton Southampton - Utilita Bowl
4 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
£82+
View
Leonardo Hotel Southampton
4 stars
Excellent (8, Excellent reviews)
£55+
View

Hiring a car in Southampton

Hiring a car in Southampton costs £42 per day, on average.

Expect to pay £1.35 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 £16.12 and £21.49. The most frequently booked car type in Southampton is Intermediate (Nissan Qashqai or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact car hire (Vauxhall Crossland or similar) is, on average, 46% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Southampton costs £42 per day, on average.

Expect to pay £1.35 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 £16.12 and £21.49. The most frequently booked car type in Southampton is Intermediate (Nissan Qashqai or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact car hire (Vauxhall Crossland or similar) is, on average, 46% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Best car hire deals in Southampton

Mini

2 adults, 2 Bags

£16/day

Mini

Economy

2 adults, 2 Bags

£19/day

Economy
Find car hire in Southampton