It's amazing how quickly a typical city break can burn through cash. But here, Hannah Foster-Roe makes the case for Southampton becoming your next budget getaway, proving you don't have to spend big (or venture far) to have a good time…
This underrated port city may seem an unlikely candidate for a weekend away, but you'll be forgiven for thinking it's just cruise-goers and students that like it here. Across from the towering bulks of gleaming-white ships there lies a much simpler, more homespun option for travellers. With open-house art galleries, acres of public parks, free walking trails and history everywhere you look, Southampton is a constantly surprising and endearing place to visit. Best of all, it's easy to do on a shoestring. Here's why you should consider dropping anchor in Southampton – and how to enjoy the best of everything it has to offer, without breaking the bank.
1. Appreciate art for free
Stroll across the road from pretty Watts Park in the city's growing Cultural Quarter and you'll find Southampton City Art Gallery on the first floor of the Civic Centre. This lovely bright space, with cavernous ceilings and quiet corners for reflection, is free to enter year-round. The impressive collection features fine art pieces by the likes of Monet, Gainsborough, Lowry and Rodin, as well as a separate room dedicated to a dramatic series of paintings by Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones retelling the Greek myth of Perseus, slayer of Medusa.
Less than a five-minute walk from here, the John Hansard Gallery specialises in dynamic contemporary art and is part of the University of Southampton. Its free exhibitions experiment with various mediums, from textiles and sculpture to digital installations and short films. Over at God's House Tower, a multidisciplinary arts and heritage venue overlooking the Solent, there's always free and frequently changing exhibitions in the gallery upstairs, often showcasing work by local artists responding to important social and environmental themes.
2. Traipse the Titanic Trail
It's impossible to mention Southampton without bringing up the world’s most famous – and tragic – ship in the same breath. The ocean liner RMS Titanic set sail on its first and last passenger cruise from Southampton on 10 April 1912 shortly after noon, from Berth 43/4 of what was then known as the White Star Dock. Five days later, it sank in the North Atlantic after colliding with an iceberg, taking the lives of more than 1,500 people with it. Now, a dedicated walking trail has been established to piece together remnants of the city’s connection to the vessel and you can download a map of the route, which takes approximately one hour and 15 minutes to complete, for free. Linking memorials dedicated to the ship's engineers, musicians and postal workers to sites such as a former sailors’ home and what used to be the headquarters of the White Star Line, the Titanic Trail is a poignant tribute to Southampton’s heritage – and provides a thoughtful introduction to the city.
In the days before the Titanic steamed out of Southampton, over three quarters of its 897-strong crew were living here, and more than 500 local households lost a family member when the ship went down. The SeaCity Museum – where the Titanic Trail ends if you walk it backwards – charts some of the journeys of the Sotonians that embarked, as well as the city’s long maritime history beyond this disastrous voyage. It’s a great day out for all the family, with easy-to-digest fact bites and plenty of interactive simulations (ever wanted to steer the Titanic?) to keep both little and big kids enthralled. Entry costs £10 for adults; £7.50 for under-16s (under-fives go free); £8.50 for concessions; and £31 for families (two adults and up to three children).
READ MORE: Unlock the Titanic’s secrets at these amazing museums
3. Explore old town treasures
Set between Southampton’s Ocean Village and its commercial centre, the medieval old town contains more than 90 listed buildings and over 30 ancient monuments. Some of its most interesting (free) sights include the bombed-out ruins of Holyrood Church (where the Titanic Crew Memorial can be found) and the Bargate, one of the UK’s finest examples of a 14-century gatehouse. Wrapped around all of this are the largely intact remnants of Southampton’s defensive walls, built during the Middle Ages to stave off further attacks after the city was pillaged by the French in 1338. There’s a self-guided walk you can do along them today, which is waymarked and studded with information boards.
Located right on the edge of the old town, God’s House Tower (GHT) is much more than a free art gallery. There are regular accessibly priced events like GHT Lates, which opens up the building after dark for live music. In the tower itself, a permanent exhibition – Stories Behind the Stones – has been designed in collaboration with local creatives to tell the story of the building’s numerous functions, as well as the wider history of old Southampton. Admission is free for under-16s and £5 for everyone else. GHT has also devised the Hidden Histories Trail, a monthly guided tour into the city’s early Black history, from Black privateers to plantation owners. Tickets cost £5 and proceeds get directly poured back into GHT’s work.
The Tudor House and Garden has stood in the old town for over 800 years and has been welcoming the public since 1912, making it the oldest museum in the city. The creaking yet cosy timber-framed building paints an animated picture of Southampton through the lives and livelihoods of the people that have called it home over the centuries, from Tudor lawyers to Victorian bonnet-makers. It looks deceptively chocolate-boxy from the street, but there’s much to see throughout the museum’s various rooms that have altered and developed over time – not to mention the lovely recreated Tudor knot garden outside. Entry costs £6.50 for adults; £5.50 for concessions and under-16s (under-fives go free); and £21 for families (two adults and up to three children).
4. Wander through gorgeous green spaces
Southampton has an unexpected abundance of green space. Six of its parks (Town Quay Park, Riverside Park, St James' Park, Portswood Rec, Freemantle Lake Park and Central Parks) have now been stamped with the coveted Green Flag Award, which recognises well-managed parks and green spaces, while its largest – Southampton Common – is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest. The common spans 365 acres and is well worth the slight trudge out of the city centre to get here. You could easily spend a whole day in its warm grasp, whiling away the hours with a good book by one of the ponds or meandering through sighing woodlands and wild grassy plains.
And the outdoor fun doesn't stop there – Hoglands Park, around the corner from the Bargate monument, also plays host to a number of events and festivals throughout the year; the free annual Mela Festival celebrates Asian culture and Beats and Eats, next taking place in September, is a mash-up of street food, DJs and live musicians (tickets just under £6 including booking fee).
READ MORE: These are Europe’s greenest capital cities, ranked
5. Stay at this stylish, wallet-friendly “hometel”
Giving that "home away from home" feeling a snazzy upgrade, Room2 Southampton offers apartment-style rooms just on the outskirts of the old town. Included in each colourful guest room is an enveloping king-size bed, fully-equipped kitchenette, comfy sofa, spotless shower room and city, harbour or park views, as well as plenty of space, free wifi and everything else you could possibly need – from a TV and Bluetooth radio to a hairdryer and iron. There's even a handy "bits and bobs box", containing items like paper clips, a calculator, playing cards and a highlighter pen. The hometel prides itself on being low carbon, low energy and zero waste too.
One of the major perks of staying at Room2 in Southampton is the later-than-usual check-out time. You don't have to be out until 2pm, meaning you're guaranteed at least 24 hours here for your money. Room rates start from £119, with optional continental breakfast bags £9.50 per person. When you sign up for the Room2 family membership, you'll get at least a 10% discount on future bookings (at any outpost), plus a complimentary stay for your birthday once you've stayed for the first time.
READ MORE: Checking in to Room2 Chiswick, the world’s first ‘net-zero carbon hometel’
6. Check out the tastiest cheap eats
While staying at Room2 gives you the option of self-catering during your visit to Southampton, eating out here can be affordable too. For instance, a lunchtime feed at Piecaramba – a quirky pie shop with comic-book heroes and pop art plastered over the walls – will keep you tied over all day for £11.95, with a generously filled pie, smooth mash, mushy peas or baked beans and a sauce of your choice.
For dinner, Tap and Tandoor is an Indian gastropub overlooking some of Southampton’s ancient walls, specialising in craft beers and home-style curries. Small plates, like samosas and aloo tikki (spiced potato cakes), start at £5.95 and tandoor-cooked kebabs start at £6.95. The signature dish is a deliciously rich and creamy butter chicken curry (£10.50), which can be mopped up with the restaurant’s special naan bread (stuffed with cheese, onion and green chilli) for an extra £4.20.
Meaning ‘my home’ in Arabic, Beity is a family-run Lebanese restaurant across the road from Holyrood Church serving up Levantine favourites like houmous, falafel, shawarma and traditional stews. Mezze platters can help groups spend less per head while trying a wider variety of dishes, while all mains are served with complimentary rice or fries and sauces, so you’re promised hearty portion sizes for your money.
7. Watch the sunset over the docks
Named after the carrack that transported the Pilgrims from Southampton to Massachusetts in 1620, Mayflower Park lies parallel to the waterfront and boasts views over the River Test and its dockyards. It’s the only park in the city centre with this enviable position, which sees a steady stream of ferries and ocean liners drifting by throughout the day. While you won’t be the only one here for sunset – residents and cruisers alike will set up camp with fish-and-chip suppers and dripping ice creams – there’ll still be a spot to sit with your thoughts as the sun slips below the horizon.
Bonus: Meet Southampton’s oldest resident
Where’s the most unlikely place you can imagine standing face-to-face with a dinosaur? If you said a shopping centre, then prepare to have your mind blown... Southampton’s sprawling Westquay retail and recreation complex has, since June 2022, been home to ‘Big Sara’ – a 150-million-year-old allosaurus fossil originally found in Wyoming. With 70% of her skeleton still intact, Sara is the one of the largest and most complete allosauruses ever unearthed. She’s the first large-scale dino to ever be displayed in a shopping centre in the UK, and you can catch her just opposite Five Guys in Westquay South until at least June 2024. While sights this rare usually carry a price tag, hanging out with Big Sara is completely free.
Hannah was hosted by Visit Southampton and Room2 Southampton. For more tourist information and trip-planning resources, go to visitsouthampton.co.uk. Prices correct at the time of writing.
Main image: Courtesy of Visit Southampton