Southampton On A Shoestring

By Author: Bonny Kominek
Total Articles: 230
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With many Britons still feeling the pinch from the recession, many holidaymakers are starting to look a little closer to home when choosing a holiday destination. This has meant a sharp increase in trade for traditional British tourist hotspots such as Southampton. Southampton has many free activities and attractions for those holidaying on a budget too.

Southampton has a wealth of beautiful parks where you can take a relaxing stroll in an idyllic setting. There are seven elegant Grade II listed Victorian parks near the Old Town, that have been recently restored to their former glory, with rose gardens, statues and fountains galore.

The historic parks of Southampton were originally common land used by Southampton residents to grow their own crops and keep their animals. One of the most popular parks is East Park, which has a range of fun activities, including tennis, putting and the traditional English game of croquet too.

Just a short walk from the centre of town is the massive 326-acre Common, which contains hundreds of different types of flora and fauna, and has been designated as a site of Special Scientific ...
... Interest by the government.

On the Common, you can visit the Hawthorns Urban Wildlife Centre, which offers visitors the chance to learn about the wildlife and ecology that make this park so unique. Elsewhere on the Common, you can find an abandoned race course, the site of the gallows, the deepest artesian well in the UK, and a Victorian lake.

There are also several superb museums in Southampton. Of particular note are the Museum of Archaeology and the Maritime Museum. The Museum of Archaeology, which was once part of the city defences, is home to one of the best archaeological collections in England.

Visit the Southampton Museum of Archaeology and you can find out all about the history of the city, from its origins in the Roman times, right up until the Victorian period. Find out more about the links Southampton shares with continental Europe through its collections of artefacts, coins, jewellery, ceramics and more.

The Maritime Museum is set inside the Wool House, which was built near the waterfront during the 14th century as a warehouse for the wool trade. It includes a series of exhibits on all the great ocean liners that have graced the docks of Southampton over the years, a model of the docks that was built for the 1939 World Fair in New York, and an exhibit dedicated to the Titanic. This guide to visiting Southampton on a budget was written by Bonny Kominek, an experienced travel agent. They recommend visiting the Octopus Travel website for the best deals on Southampton hotels.