Here's 10 things that attract people to the city of Southampton

Slightly underrated, the city provides a range of things to see and do for all generations, young or old. 

Here's 10 things we think draw in Southampton's visitors and put our city on the map: 

Medieval City Walls 

Southampton's medieval city walls are the third longest unbroken stretch of city wall in Britain, and provide the best views over the city. 

The Bargate was started around 1180 and the walls were finally completed at the end of the 14th century. 

The walls stretched  over a distance of a mile and a quarter and originally contained seven principal gateways and 29 towers. The walls are about 6ft thick and their height varies from about twelve feet to over twenty feet in places.

Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, one of Britain's most highly regarded academics, broadcast and wrote articles on architectural history and is best known for his series of county guides on the Buildings of England. 

He said of our walls: "In all Britain there are few, if any, examples of medieval urban defences as impressive as those in Southampton".

Tudor House and Garden

Built in the late 15th century, the Tudor house in St Michael's Square is now a museum.

It displayed exhibits from the Victorian and Edwardian eras as well as exhibitions showcasing more than 900 years of local history. 

The house is also thought to be haunted. 

Police at one time would have to make regular stops at the building because locals were constantly reporting intruders after seeing lights on in the building and shadows passing by the windows. Every single time the police arrived to investigate they found no sign of a break-in, but lights were on when they should not have been.

St Mary's Stadium 

St Mary's Stadium was built between December 1999 and July 2001, and cost a total of £32 million to construct. 

The stadium was officially opened in August 2001 Until 2006, the stadium was called The Friends Provided St Mary's Stadium as part of a sponsorship deal.

Netley Abbey

Netley Abbey was founded in 1239 and is a late ruined medieval monastery in the village of Netley. 

The building was used as a house for monks of the austere Cistercian order. 

The abbey was seized by Henry VIII during the Dissolution of the Monasteries and the buildings granted to William Paulet, a wealthy Tudor politician. 

Paulet turned the building into a mansion until the 18th century.

It was then abandoned and partly demolished for building materials. 

Visitors can now explore the ruins, which are owned by English Heritage. 

Banksy

For those who love art, there are a few Banksy murals hidden around the city. 

Bristol-born Banksy sprayed a piece of his art work (above) on a 6ft white garden wall of a privately-owned terraced house in Bevois Valley.

Hordes of people travelled to take photos of the eye-catching drawing of a monochrome young boy sat on a pavement holding a balloon with the words “No Future” in red letters above.

The “No Future” picture was painted over in 2010, although fans of Banksy can still see a  stencilled image on the wall of a derelict building in Asylum Road.

The artwork depicts a police officer leaning against a lamppost with the caption: "I used to be a florist".

Westquay

Nestled in the heart of Southampton you will find Westquay. 

The centre offers more than 90 shops to browse including John Lewis, Marks and Spencer, Zara, Next & H&M as well as a number of restaurants to try and things to do. 

Southampton SeaCity Museum 

The Southampton SeaCity Museum is based in the heart of the city and tells the story of the people of Southampton, their lives, and historic connections with the Titanic. 

SeaCity cost an estimated £15 million to build and tells the story of the city’s maritime heritage and not just the Titanic; Southampton also has the Titanic trail a walking tour linking the main parts of the Titanic story, particularly the various memorials such as to the engineers and the musicians.

The Titanic was the world’s largest passenger ship, measuring 882 feet in length, and the largest man-made moving object on Earth.

There were only 16 lifeboats and four collapsible boats on board, sufficient for only 1,178 people, one-third of the liner’s total capacity.

Of the 885 crew, only 23 were female. Some 699 boarded in Southampton, and four in 10 were natives of the city.

Southampton Crown Court 

As well as the city's rich history and modern culture, those who are found to be on the wrong side of the law might have to visit Southampton Crown Court. 

Switch Southampton

For the youth of the city, Switch Southampton is a venue that attracts party-goers from across the south. 

Deemed a hub for drum and bass and house music, the club has built itself up and is now one of the most popular clubs in the city. 

Attracting well-know DJs, EDM acts and some of the worlds biggest artists, it is one of the most upcoming venues on the south coast.

The club has hosted  Stormzy, DJ EZ, Andy C, Pendulum, Annie Mac, Seth Troxler & many more.

The club is also involved in Docklands Festival, which takes place in Hoglands Park.

The Port of Southampton 

Photo by Daily Echo Camera Club member Paul Crowther of the HMM Oslo arriving at Southampton on Friday, June 26, 2020

The Port of Southampton is a major passenger and cargo port located in the central part of the south coast.

The port has been an important part of British history for more than 2,000 years.

From the Middle Ages to the 20th century, the port was a centre for naval ship building, and also plays a huge part in the role of the development of the hovercraft, flying boat services, seaplanes and the Spitfire fighter plane.