With many cruises from Southampton can take you to wonderful destinations, from France to Spain, with their beautiful wineyards, from Portugal to majestic Norwegian fjords. This charming port is a fabulous destination also on its own.

In Southampton you can spend some time exploring the city before your holiday and you won’t be disappointed.

If you have a penchant for medieval history, you’ll find plenty of interesting sites: discover Bargate, a gatehouse dating back over a thousand years to Norman times. Alternatively, you can visit St Michael’s Church on Castle Way. Built in the 11th century, it houses relics and ancient Norman artefacts.

Flash forward a few centuries and explore the Tudor house in St Michael’s Square, home to a wealthy merchant family in the 15th century. Nowadays, it is a museum displaying artifacts with nearly a thousand years of local history.

Located just an hour from Southampton, Stonehenge is a major historic site famous throughout Europe: wander around the magical stone circle and step back in time when Neolithic engineers used only simple tools to build the immense monument – the huge blocks are believed to have been transported here from Wales nearly 400km without the use of machinery .

GATEWAY TO THE NORTH

Starting a cruise from Southampton, you will have a fantastic base for exploring all of Northern Europe, in fact Southampton is centrally located for countries such as Belgium, Germany, Holland and Norway.

Before setting sail for a week’s holiday, from Southampton you can enjoy a few hours of sailing around the harbor and admire the coastal views from the sea. Extend your stay to explore other seaside towns like Brighton or Portsmouth, or head to London, which is just an hour away.

Southampton is also an outstanding location for water sports. Cruise along the coast, get your heart pumping on a high-speed speedboat or test your balance on a stand-up paddle board, all while taking in the gorgeous views.

A CENTRAL LOCATION

Southampton is home to one of the largest ports in the UK and millions of travelers pass through here each year. In 1912, the most famous of these travelers would have passed through here to board the Titanic and reach America.

Centrally located for many Northern European countries, Southampton is a gateway to Belgium, Germany, Holland, Norway and beyond.

The vacation of your life begins the moment your cruise departs from Southampton. Days at sea are full of fun on board the cruise ship and days at port will take you to the discovery of distant destinations. No matter where you are, the fun never stops!

Southampton serves as the perfect starting point for discovering some of Europe’s most stunning destinations: enjoy endless natural beauty as you sail along the majestic fjords of Norway and sip on the high-quality wines of the Bordeaux vineyards. Alternatively, stroll the wild, windswept beaches of Normandy before immersing yourself in Basque cuisine and culture on a visit to Bilbao.