From waterfront living to rural
idylls, this area really does
have it all

Enjoy the South Solent region

From waterfront living to rural idylls, this area really does have it all.

Southampton is a vibrant multi-cultural, maritime city with West Quay Shopping Centre offering the best of the high street shops. The city’s Mayflower Theatre hosts West End musicals, while the Nuffield is a producing theatre on the University of Southampton campus. The city Art Gallery has recently hosted a major Andy Warhol exhibition and the contemporary art collection is one of the best found outside of London.

Every year the Southampton PSP Boat Show brings £11m with a maritime showcase that brings visitors from across the globe.

Winchester has a wealth of history and 300,000 visitors a year visit the 1,000 year old cathedral. Top restaurants, award-winning pubs and the annual Winchester Hat Fair, Britain's longest running festival of street theatre, are all good reasons to visit the ancient capital of England (Source: ITravelUK).

Romsey is the southern gateway to the picturesque Test Valley it has street markets, a thriving town centre and a 12th century abbey. Historically the River Test is best known as the birthplace of modern fly fishing – it is also the longest chalk stream at 39 miles from source to estuary (Source: Fishing Breaks).

Eastleigh is part of the picture perfect Hamble Valley. It has its own summer music festival which has been describes as a "hidden gem" with past seen performances by Badly Drawn Boy, British Sea Power, Cara Dillon and Seth Lakeman.

The New Forest is a green gym on our doorstep with opportunities to enjoy walking, cycling and horse riding. Lymington has a proud maritime tradition – and there is also the open air salt water pool for swimming.

Sailing, cycling, soaking up the local history – there is so much to do on the Isle of Wight. A great favourite with day-trippers and holiday makers there are the coloured sands of Alum Bay and the donkeys of Carisbrooke Castle.

Dimbola Lodge is the former home of Victorian photographer Julia Margaret Cameron and now houses a museum, gallery and tea room.

A favourite with Queen Victoria, visitors flock to visit Osborne House the home she shared with her beloved Prince Albert and family. Victorian poet Alfred Lord Tennyson was also a lover of the island life.

Every year the island plays host to two music festivals, Isle of Wight Festival and Bestival as well as a garlic festival in the summer and Cowes Week attracts more than 8,500 competitors and 100,000 spectators.

Many creative minds have made their home on the Isle of Wight including scientists Robert Hooke and Professor John Milne, the eminent seismologist. The late Oscar winning film director Anthony Minghella was also from the island.

Eating out on the island is also a pleasure with many restaurants and bars to choose from including Michelin star chef Robert Thompson's Hambrough restaurant and rooms which is 26 in the Good Food Guide.