The gateway to the seas – Southampton, my city.

Moving forward with my blogs I would like to regularly talk about some of the destinations I’ve been to around the world, which very conveniently have quite often been places where cruises start and finish!

As they say though there is no place like home andI have lived most of my life in Southampton (except for a 5 year stint in Christchurch, New Zealand) so its probably a good place to start. There has always been, quite honestly a bit of a lack of effort from the powers that be to make it more than just a functional cruise port and commercial port in mine and quite a few others opinion.

So much of UK cruise traffic comes in and through Southampton, it would be interesting to know if people just come down and get on their cruises or does anyone stay a night and enjoy the many things the city has to offer?

The old Southampton I knew  has been slowly but surely and more recently, quite rapidly changing and it is becoming a really great destination in itself with beautiful squares, shopping and entertainment and eating venues and all the old bits and pieces that have always been there but have perhaps been a bit neglected up until now!

Oxford street

The Oxford Brasserie restaurant, Southampton

My old stomping ground and THE best place to eat out in Southampton in my opinion with the best fine dining restaurants in the city.

My first job was work experience at the Oxford Brasserie (not to be confused with Oxfords wine bar just up the road which is also very nice) opposite the old Grapes pub, which is where crew and passengers drank before boarding the Titanic. I carried on working at the Brasserie on and off for a good 4-5 years part time during my school and college years and learned a bit about food myself during this time. It is a combination of Mediterranean, French, British and Italian cuisine but all of it is good in my experience.

Its moved onwards and upwards a lot since I stopped working there ( it had a nomination for Gordon Ramsey’s best local restaurant award recently) but I have been back a couple of times for a meal and each time I wonder why I dont go more often!

As an eating out recommendation I wouldn’t look further than the Brasserie for a special night out prior to a cruise or just generally, its a Southampton institution and the welcome as well as the food will blow your socks off……

The Grapes Pub Oxford street

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g186299-d732583-Reviews-The_Oxford_Brasserie-Southampton_Hampshire_England.html

West Quay

This is somewhere I have always avoided with a passion, I’m not keen on the shopping and malls in general and much prefer an English style high street, IF I am going to venture into town for one reason or another I probably wouldnt go here. Having travelled a bit I have realised that a lot of countries really don’t do high streets like we do and malls are the go to place. The same could be said for our high streets I suppose in terms of the shop make up but at least there is room for difference on the high street, malls are highly regimented and regulated, I worked in one in New Zealand so I should know!

West Quay and Southampton walls together, you can sit outside looking towards the old walls and the courtyard in good weather.

So I’m really not a huge fan of the West Quay “mall” but they have recently opened a new wing to West Quay which is something different entirely. This is the entertainment complex right next door and it has some fantastic restaurants and outdoor seating and even though the building style borrows a bit architecturally from the Bullring in Birmingham it is distinctive and the whole area in that part of town is starting to look really nice architecturally. What with that and Carnival UKs beautiful new office down there as well, not to mention fabulous views of all the wonderful cruise ships that are in on any given day!

This all juxtaposes nicely with the old Southampton walls and everything around that way including some lovely old style pubs in this area called below bar which is just up and over the walls. I would recommend a pub called the Duke of Wellington which is tucked away behind the walls.

Above bar and the Guildhall

Me at Southampton Guildhall/civic centre

The area around here has been developed extensively in recent years and there is now a peaceful and ambient square around the Guildhall and civic centre buildings as well as the beautiful parks that run all the way down to the Bargate behind the high street. Look out for the Titanic memorial at the top of the high street for all you history buffs.

In the civic centre building itself is a museum called “Seacity” which talks about all of Southampton’s maritime history, including the Titanic as well.

http://seacitymuseum.co.uk/

The Bargate and below bar

Down here is the main historic part of Southampton, the Dolphin hotel is the oldest hotel in Southampton and has played host to Queen Victoria, Jane Austen and Nelson. I haven’t stayed here so my pick of city hotels would have to be the Grand Harbour with its Louvre style exterior and lovely rooms inside which are really well catered for pre cruise guests and a perfect location. Its a very short walk from here all the attractions at West Quay or to Oxford street. There is also the fantastic Kutis Royal Pier opposite which does brilliant Thai food and has a steak house upstairs as well. The Bargate itself of how the city was when it was a completely walled town, there are some fantastic self guided walks on the Southampton tourism website, where you can walk the walls or even do a Titanic walking trail.

http://www.discoversouthampton.co.uk/visit/things-to-do/walks-and-tours

The Bargate,

So maybe next time you do your cruise with P&O, Cunard, Royal Caribbean or any of the other plentiful cruise companies that start their itineraries in Southampton maybe stop for a couple of nights before and have a wander!

Right, Im off into town!