At the time it was built in 1856, the domed building in the centre of the park was the site of the world’s largest hospital, and the first ever military hospital built for the British Army. Today just the chapel remains, but if you climb the spiral stairs to the top of the building in the summer months, you’ll be able to see the ghostly outline of the various hospital wards still etched into the sun-scorched fields.
There are plenty of walking trails around the 200-acre woodland, and at low tide you can swim, sunbathe or walk along the pebbled beach, with views across the estuary.
5. Explore the romantic ruins of Netley Abbey
This evocative 13th century ruined abbey is just a stone’s throw from Royal Victoria Country Park (above). It was home to Cistercian monks until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century, and eventually fell to ruin and neglect, becoming an icon of England’s Romantic movement.
It became a point of inspiration for painters including John Constable, and it’s said that the ruin inspired Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey.
In a letter to a friend, the writer Horace Walpole wrote: "The ruins are vast, and retain fragments of beautiful fretted roofs pendent in the air, with all variety of Gothic patterns of windows wrapped round and round with ivy … they are not the ruins of Netley, but of Paradise. – Oh! the purple abbots, what a spot had they chosen to slumber in!"
6. Sir Harold Hillier Gardens
This internationally-acclaimed garden and arboretum is home to some of world’s largest and most diverse collections of trees and shrubs, including a magnolia glade and a Himalayan Valley celebrating the exquisite plants of the region.
It’s open all-year-round, with seasonal attractions throughout the year along with regular special events for children. It’s situated in the north of the city, around a half-hour drive from the city centre.
7. Follow the rabbit to Lyndhurst, and explore the New Forest
Literature and film fans flock to Lyndhurst on the eastern edge of the New Forest, to revel in its heritage as the inspiration behind Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. In the heart of the village, you’ll find the grave of Alice Liddell, Caroll’s muse for the character Alice - it’s located in a small graveyard behind the small church St Michael and All Angels. There's lots to do in the small, picturesque village too. It's lined with cutesy boutiques, tea rooms and antique shops - try the homemade cakes at the Mad Hatter’s Tea Rooms.
At the end of the high street, you'll find a gateway to the eastern section of the New Forest, marking the barrier between Southampton and neighbouring Bournemouth. There are endless opportunities for hiking and cycling across the New Forest from this neck of the woods - head to the New Forest's website for a range of maps suitable for people at all levels.
8. Southampton Library and Art Gallery
In the impressive Grade II-listed Civic Centre buildings in the centre of the town, you’ll find Southampton’s sprawling city library and art gallery. Permanent and rotating exhibitions of over 5,000 pieces represent six centuries of European art - from Renaissance and Baroque to Impressionist, Surrealist and contemporary art.
The gallery’s most notable masterpieces include the ethereal Perseus series by Sir Edward Burne-Jones, and sculpture by Edgar Degas, Sir Jacob Epstein, Auguste Rodin and Henri Gaudier-Brzeska.
9. Sip cocktails by the marina
Over the years, Southampton’s grubby yet charming Ocean Village marina has morphed into a glitzy hot spot for its resident boat owners and visitors to the city.
There's no denying it’s a scenic spot to enjoy a cocktail with full view of the marina, but if you’d like a real taste of Southampton’s more bohemian character, head to the nearby Platform Tavern, which serves an excellent Sunday roast and hosts regular live music from local musicians.
10. Absorb the Old Town's history, and retrace the steps of Jane Austen
Southampton’s Old Town sits within an ancient mile-long city wall. You can loop around what remains of the old walls, which contains over 90 listed buildings and over 30 monuments. The medieval gateway to the old town is known as the Bargate.
While it isn’t regularly possible to climb the tower, at certain times of year the towers open for art exhibitions or drama and music performances. Other key points, which you can visit on a self-guided walk, are St Michael’s Square, York Gate, Arundel Tower, God’s House Tower, and the battle-scarred Holyrood Church.
Jane Austen fans can trace the author’s steps through the Old Town on a self-guided walk.
11. Surround yourself with nature at Lepe Beach
The shingle beach at Lepe is enveloped by wildflower meadows and mudflats, and fringed with rows of towering pine trees. Situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the beach also serves as an important wildlife reserve, particularly for coastal birds including Brent geese and oystercatchers in the mudflats, moorhens, herons and kingfishers in the freshwater pools, and nightingales and warblers in the dense shrubbery.
Historic remains of World War II naval infrastructure can be seen on the beach to this day. During the D-Day embarkation from beaches on England’s south coast, Lepe Beach served as a setting-off point for thousands of troops and their supplies, making their way to Normandy.
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