Portsmouth: Portsmouth is around a 40-minute drive from Southampton. The city has been used as a significant naval port for centuries, and is home to several famous ships including HMS Victory (which is now a museum ship and one of Portsmouth’s most popular tourist attractions). The 170-metre Spinnaker Tower dominates the water front, and is Britain’s best viewing tower. A visit to Portsmouth would be incomplete without taking a trip to the top and admiring the stunning views of the South Coast below.
The Isle of Wight: The Isle of Wight is located in the English Channel, approximately 6km off the coast of Hampshire. The island has several resorts which have been popular holiday destinations since Victorian times. There are a number of ferry services which operate between Southampton and East Cowes on the Isle of Wight; each crossing takes up to one hour. The island has many interesting places to visit including Monkey Haven; an award-winning attraction and sanctuary for primates, reptiles, birds of prey and other animals.
Chichester: The historic town of Chichester is less than an hour’s drive from Southampton. For 900 years, Chichester Cathedral has stood at the heart of the city. The Cathedral is famous for its art, (both ancient and modern), and is one of the city’s main tourist attractions. Chichester has been a settlement since Roman times and The Novium Museum, which is built on the remains of a Roman bath house, offers visitors a real sense of the city’s history.