What to do while in Southampton

This website has some useful self-guided walking tours of interest to cruisers, whether there for the day or overnighting before/after a cruise.

https://www.gpsmycity.com/gps-tour-guides/southampton-2644.html

Of the ten tours listed, most can be fairly easily reached on foot from the Ocean Terminal (berth 46) or Queen Elizabeth Terminal (berth 38/39). Some are within a 15 minute walk of the City Cruise Terminal (berth 101). You might consider a cab from the Mayflower Terminal (berth 106) as the walk through the portlands is rather dull.

There is a good variety of themes and none is too long and the terrain is fairly flat. Each has a useful map.

Here's a summary of the choices best for cruise passengers:

1. "History and Art Tour in Southampton"

# of Attractions: 7

Duration: 2 hours

Distance: 2.8 km

2. "Waterfront Walk"

# of Attractions: 8

Duration: 1 hour

Distance: 1.7 km

3. "City Orientation Walk"

# of Attractions: 12

Duration: 2 hours

3.7 km

4. "Religious Tour" (i.e. historic churches)

# of Attractions: 8

Duration: 2 hours

Distance: 4.4 km

5. "Shopping Tour"

# of Attractions: 6

Duration: 1 hour

Distance: 2.0 km

6. "RMS Titanic Tour"

# of Attractions: 11

Duration: 3.0 hours

Distance: 4.1 km

7. "Museums"

# of Attractions: 7

Duration: 3.0 hours

Distance: 3.2 km

8. "Historic Pubs and Hotels"

# of Attractions: 7

Duration: 2.0 hours

Distance: 1.7 km

All these will be interesting, and I'd add extra time, depending on how long you wish to spend at each location.

My choice, as one who enjoys good beer and who once lived in Southampton is the Pubs & Hotels tour. Be aware that bars don't open before 11 am (so you could fit in two tours if you'd like). The pub named the "Bosun's Locker" is now called the "Juniper Berry". And I would, without hesitation, add one more to their list: "The Dancing Man" brewpub, at the foot of Bugle Street, in the S.W. corner of the tour map. Superb English ales, good food and a nice patio in fine weather. For lunch, try the Dolphin Hotel, a throw-back to the days when dessert consisted of port wine and stilton cheese. Good for afternoon tea, too.

A few comments from a local ...............

Yes, most of the walks start only a ten minute walk from Ocean Terminal.

But the same from City Terminal too.

And yes, you need a taxi from Mayflower Terminal.

But I also recommend a taxi from QE11 Terminal, and dock-gate staff say the same. It's deep in the docks and the sidewalk is separated from heavy truck traffic by only a painted yellow line. A taxi for safety as much as for energy-saving.

History & Art Tour.

The Tudor Merchant's House & Gardens is well worth an hour or more. The Medieval Merchant's House has recently had very restricted opening hours, I don't know the hours of the other places. The Maritime Museum housed in the medieval Wool House moved several years ago to a brand new venue in the Civic Centre, same building as the Art Gallery. Called Sea City, it majors on Titanic, mainly in the form of dioramas, but altho I've not visited the Titanic Museum in Belfast I suspect that Sea City pales in comparison.

The Mayflower is a fine theatre venue, I've seen many shows there - the building is attractive art-deco but I don't rate it as a tourist attraction - and I doubt it's open except for shows.

The Maritime/ Titanic Museum, Art Gallery & Mayflower Theatre are at the top end of the city centre & a fair walk up the main shopping street (Above Bar) from the old-town sights.

Nightlife Tour

A few years ago the historic Wool House, quoted in the guide as the Maritime Museum was sensitively converted to a pub & micro-brewery - the Dancing Man mentioned by Canuker. Yes, well worth a visit, especially for lovers of real ale but also offers a (fairly-limited) range of pub-grub. It's opposite the waterfront on the corner of Bugle Street. Ideal for lunch, not for a romantic dinner.

The Juniper Berry, effectively on Bugle Street just up from the Tudor Merchant's House, was a gay's pub decades ago when gay had a different name & was illegal. And I'm not sure it's completely thrown off its seedy reputation. More importantly, nowadays it's more of a function venue with rooms above rather than a pub, and the historic building has lost its lustre. And no food at all for walk-ins. Just MHO, it's not a pub I'd recommend.

But just a couple of hundred yards up Bugle Street from the Dancing Man, before the Tudor Merchant's House and the Juniper Berry, is the Duke of Wellington - very much a historic & traditional pub. Decent meals too, honestly-priced. Many CC members have used it for their RollCall pre-cruise dinners.

Dancing Man or Duke of Wellington? Pretty equal in appeal, but for different reasons.

Or nearby there's the Platform Tavern - a locals' pub which often has live music. Or the Red Lion - it's a tiny pub in High Street (aka Below Bar) but very historic, mainly used by regulars.

The other venues mentioned in the guide are for much younger folk than JB, I suspect the guide was put together by a student.

A useful document, but with those caveats.

Just MHO, as always

JB :)