Owais Crawford
Southampton Airport, the UK's 20th largest airport, is located on the outskirts of the city and is known for its convenient location near several tourist attractions. The airport offers a range of amenities, including restaurants, shops, and easy access to transportation options. Southampton itself is a vibrant city with a rich history and culture, offering various attractions, such as the medieval Old Town, the SeaCity Museum, and the Southampton Guildhall. For those interested in sports, there's Southampton Football Club and the Ageas Bowl, home to Hampshire Cricket. The city also boasts a selection of shopping destinations and entertainment options, making it a popular choice for travellers. With its proximity to the sea, Southampton has a strong maritime history and is known as the cruise capital of Northern Europe, offering easy access to some of the world's most famous ships.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Northeast side of Southampton, near Eastleigh |
| Transport links | Easy access from M27 and M3 motorways |
| Travel time to city centre | 6 minutes by train, 20 minutes by bus |
| Destinations | The Channel Islands, France, Scotland, Ireland, Spain, Italy |
| Amenities | Restaurants, duty-free shop, WH Smith, cash machines, bureau de change, WiFi |
| Parking | Priority, Short Stay, Long Stay |
| Nearby attractions | Paultons Park, Marwell Zoo, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Southampton Football Club, The Ageas Bowl, Stonehenge, Longleat Safari & Adventure Park, SeaCity Museum, West Quay Shopping Centre, Southampton Guildhall |
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What You'll Learn
Southampton's maritime history
Southampton has a rich maritime history, dating back to the Stone Age. The first noted use of the port was in 70AD when the Romans used the site to ship goods to and from Italy. The Romans left in 407AD, leaving the port to the Saxons who used it as a shipping port in 700AD.
The port became important with the arrival of the Normans in 1066, who used it as their main link to their lands in Normandy and the south of France. Southampton has a colourful military history, predominantly revolving around the embarking of soldiers. Henry V’s troops sailed from Southampton to France before the battle of Agincourt. Soldiers also departed from Southampton in WWI and the Normandy Invasions of WWII.
The Mayflower Pilgrims’ Memorial at Town Quay was built in 1913 to commemorate the sailing of the Mayflower from Southampton to the New World in 1620. The Pilgrim Fathers chartered the ship to escape religious oppression in England.
The city's maritime museum, SeaCity Museum, features exhibitions on the Titanic, which famously sailed from Southampton. Southampton is regarded as the cruise capital of Northern Europe, with over four million passengers a year. Many large cruise ships, including the Queen Mary 2, sail from the port.
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Sports and music venues
Southampton has a lot to offer in terms of sports and music venues. For sports enthusiasts, the city boasts a range of modern sporting facilities, including the University of Southampton's 76-acre facility, which offers football, rugby, hockey, and more. The university also has a watersports centre on the River Itchen, where you can try sailing, powerboating, and windsurfing.
If you're a football fan, you can take a behind-the-scenes tour of Southampton Football Club, visiting the players' dressing rooms, warm-up room, baths, and tactics board. Cricket lovers can head to the Ageas Bowl, which is the home of Hampshire Cricket and also hosts live music and other events.
For music lovers, Southampton has a variety of venues to suit all tastes. The city's old town, with its medieval architecture, is a popular destination for music festivals. Central Hall offers a spacious 700-seater facility in an intimate amphitheatre-style arrangement. The Main Hall has tiered seating for 650 people and a large tiered stage.
The Platform Tavern is a well-established venue that has been hosting live music for 27 years, featuring artists from various music genres. The Dell is another lively venue, offering a welcoming spot for fans, friends, and families, with dartboards, shuffleboard, and a range of drinks.
For those seeking smaller, more intimate venues, The Attic is a highly-regarded small music venue that has hosted the likes of Becky Hill and Birdy. The Design Chapel, a converted chapel in Southampton Old Cemetery, provides a unique setting for events. Southampton Guildhall, situated in the centre of the city, is the South's largest multipurpose entertainment venue, hosting big-name musicians, comedians, and special events.
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Stonehenge
Southampton Airport is conveniently located near several tourist attractions. The city of Southampton has a lot to offer in terms of attractions, shopping, dining, and entertainment. Here are some suggestions on things to do around Southampton Airport:
- Explore Southampton's Old Town: Discover the medieval town walls, the town gate, and the Museum of Archaeology, which traces the city's evolution from its Roman origins to the present.
- Visit the Maritime Museum: Learn about Southampton's maritime history, including its connection to famous ships like the Titanic and Mayflower.
- Tour Southampton Football Club: Take a behind-the-scenes tour of the football club, including visits to the players' dressing rooms, warm-up room, baths, and tactics board.
- Experience the Cruise Capital of Northern Europe: Southampton is known as the cruise capital, with over four million passengers annually. Witness or embark on luxurious cruise ships like the Queen Mary 2.
Now, here is some detailed information about Stonehenge, one of the South's best tourist attractions, easily accessible from Southampton Airport:
- Visitor Centre: Start your journey at the modern Visitor Centre, located about a kilometre and a half from the monument. It integrates well with the surrounding landscape and offers essential information for your visit.
- Stone Circle Exhibition: Delve into the exhibition to learn about the builders of Stonehenge, their way of life, and the enduring mysteries surrounding the stone circles. You can also interact with knowledgeable staff and volunteers who can answer your questions.
- Stone Circle Experience: For a truly unforgettable visit, book a Stone Circle Experience. This unique opportunity allows you to access restricted areas and gain a deeper understanding of this World Heritage Site.
- Neolithic Period Houses: Within the Stonehenge complex, explore the replicas of five Neolithic houses. These recreations, based on excavations at Durrington, provide a glimpse into what life was like approximately 4500 years ago. Volunteers are on hand to explain various aspects of prehistoric life.
- Special Exhibition: If you're eager to learn more, don't miss the special exhibition that opened in 2015. It delves deeper into the history and inhabitants of Stonehenge, enhancing your understanding of this ancient site.
- Nearby Attractions: If you're looking for a break from ancient monuments, consider visiting Longleat, a safari park where you can drive your car and see lions, tigers, giraffes, and more. Alternatively, Avebury, another Stonehenge-like attraction, boasts the largest stone circle in the world, and unlike Stonehenge, you can touch the stones.
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Shopping
Southampton Airport may be limited in its shopping options, but there are still some great finds to be had. The airport offers a World Duty Free store, where you can grab a bestselling book, a quick bite to eat, or a toy for the kids. You can also pick up the latest headphones, gadgets, designer fragrances, sunglasses, clothes, and your favourite tipple. There's also a WHSmith bookstore, where you can find a range of books, as well as gadgets and accessories.
For foreign currency exchange, Travelex is available at the airport. They are the world's largest foreign currency exchange provider and offer services like VAT refunds for non-EU residents. You can also shop online and collect your purchases at the airport with their Reserve and Collect service.
If you're looking for more shopping options outside of the airport, Southampton's West Quay Shopping Centre, located in the heart of the city centre, offers a wide range of over 100 shops. Southampton Guildhall, situated in the centre of the city, also has a large selection of shops and restaurants surrounding it.
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Roman history
Southampton Airport, located on the outskirts of the city, is said to be built over the remains of a Roman villa. The city of Southampton has a rich and long history, settled since the Stone Age and affected by its location on a major estuary on the English Channel coast. The area has been a centre of commerce and an important military embarkation point for centuries.
The Museum of Archaeology traces the city's history from its beginnings as a Roman town to the present day. The Maritime Museum tells the story of the docks, which played a crucial role in Southampton's development. The city was a leading port by the 13th century, with the Wool House, built in 1417, serving as a warehouse for the medieval wool trade with Flanders and Italy. The town was sacked by the French in 1338, with Charles Grimaldi, the purchaser of Monaco for the Grimaldi family, allegedly using the plunder to help establish the principality.
Bronze Age objects have been discovered in Southampton, particularly by grave-diggers in the cemetery and during the construction of the reservoir. Iron Age earthworks have been found at Lordswood and Aldermoor, and evidence of Iron Age buildings has been uncovered in the city centre. The Antonine Itinerary VII mentions the Roman settlement of Clausentum in Roman Britain, which some claim was located in present-day Bitterne Manor.
Southampton Airport itself has a fascinating history. The first aircraft to take off from the site belonged to local man Edwin Rowland Moon, who constructed and tested the Moonbeam II aircraft, a single-seat monoplane, on North Stoneham Farm Meadows. In 1914, 10,000 people witnessed Gustav Hamel perform aerobatic loops and tail-dives in his Morain Saulnier Monoplane. During World War I, Stoneham Farm was requisitioned by the War Office as an Aircraft Acceptance Park, but it was given to the US Navy before it could be completed. In 1918, the Air Ministry approved the establishment of a civil air transport system serving both international and domestic routes. Southampton Airport was the site of the first test flight of the Spitfire in 1936, and the terminal's restaurant, Mitchell's Kitchen and Bar, is named after the plane's designer, RJ Mitchell.
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Frequently asked questions
Southampton Airport is conveniently located near some of the South's best tourist attractions. These include Paultons Park, Marwell Zoo, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, and Stonehenge. Southampton itself has a lot to offer, including the medieval Old Town, the SeaCity Museum, and the West Quay Shopping Centre.
Southampton has a rich maritime history, with many world-famous ships sailing from its ports, including the Titanic and the Mayflower. The city also has a medieval defensive wall, which is the third-longest stretch of its kind in England. The city also has a Roman history, with the airport itself built over the remains of a Roman villa.
Southampton Airport is easily accessible by train, bus, car, and taxi. It is located near two major motorways, the M27 and M3. The airport has its own railway station, Southampton Airport Parkway, with direct trains to London Waterloo and Southampton Central Station. The journey to the city centre from the airport takes just 6 minutes by train and around 20 minutes by bus.
