City life
Winchester is a small but bustling city, with a population of less than 50,000. It is a safe environment and an ideal place to study. All amenities are easily accessible on foot from the main campus. The lively city offers an array of award-winning pubs and bars that provide an ideal setting for a night out. It has more than its fair share of cafés and restaurants and so there is something to suit all budgets and tastes.
Many of the familiar high street shops are in Winchester mixed in with some unique independent shops and boutiques. It also plays host to Hampshire's Farmers' Market which attracts some interesting culinary providers and celebrity chefs.
The city has an unusual multiplex cinema located in a converted military chapel with Parisian-style seating. There are two theatres as well as the Guildhall which is a venue for concerts and shows. Winchester has a number of theatres, including the recently refurbished Theatre Royal and the Guildhall, which hosts orchestral concerts, recitals, hows and for the University's student summer ball.
Winchester plays host every year to the Hat Fair, a famous street theatre festival, as well as the Hi:Fi Festival, formerly known as the Homelands.
Winchester's roots
The city is the ancient capital of England as chosen by King Alfred the Great as the seat of power for his Kingdom of Wessex. William the Conqueror commissioned the monks of Winchester to write his notorious Domesday Book which was housed in the Kings Castle. Now only the Great Hall remains of the castle and in it is the mythical Round Table of King Arthur. Winchester is also the resting place of author Jane Austen, who is buried in Winchester Cathedral.
Transport links
The University of Winchester is a 10-minute walk to the train station and the city centre. The National Express bus service picks up from Winchester to various UK destinations. Southampton Airport is located 15 minutes away by train and offers services within the UK, the Channel Islands and mainland Europe. Portsmouth provides ferry links to various destinations including France, Spain and the Netherlands. London is one hours away from Winchester by train and from there you can get to Paris via the Channel Tunnel as well as anywhere in the world from Heathrow and Gatwick airports.
There are many areas of natural beauty and historical interest in the immediate vicinity, while Stonehenge, the New Forest, Southampton, Bournemouth and Portsmouth are all within an hour's travelling distance.