Winchester City

Whether you want to curl up in a cosy pub with friends, dance the night away, take centre stage at at karaoke or quiz with your flatmates - Winchester has you covered.

Enjoy a drink at one of the oldest pubs in England, the Royal Oak, or experience being served a cocktail in a shell at Incognito. Alfie's, O'Neill's and The Broadway are the best spots for a dance. For music, head to Overdraft for vinyl-only DJ sets; the Cathedral for a silent disco in an incredible venue and live music from new acts in venues across the city including The Arc and The Railway Inn.

For movies, head to Everyman Cinema, housed within a former chapel, close to campus and for live comedy and shows, try Winchester Theatre Royal, The Arc or Chesil Theatre.

Festivals not to be missed include immersive Boomtown in August and Hat Fair, the UK's longest running festival of outdoor arts, which brings joyful chaos to the city centre in July. Winchester Books Festival is in May, the Comedy Festival is hosted in several venues across the city and the Cheese and Chilli Festival (no explanation needed) is in June.

To explore the full range of festivals on in Winchester throughout the year, visit the festivals in Winchester website.

For lots more information on nights out in the city, head to our blog post Going Out Out.

From on-the-go street food to an extravagant graduation meal, there is something for every craving and budget in Winchester. Our favourites include New York pizza slices at 5 Boroughs; sushi, bao and kimbap at Bento Factory; Malaysian street food at Lucky Lychee; and the pies at Piecaramba.

Food is taken so seriously in the city that as well as having your usual high street favourites like Five Guys, Pizza Express and Nando's, there are so many independent eateries to choose from. The Stable and Three Joes are just two. There are regular food markets, pop-ups and food festivals like Cheese and Chilli and the Foodies Festival.

For tips on places to eat and visit for under £10, head to our blog The Best of City Life on a Budget.

Once the ancient capital of England, Winchester is steeped in more than 2,000 years of history. Follow the cobbled streets from stunning Winchester Cathedral to the ruins of Wolvesey Castle.

Most of the city’s historic buildings, monuments and museums are within short walking distance of each other. To get an overview of the city, take the short climb up St Giles Hill. From the top you can trace the sweep of medieval and Georgian buildings, laid out according to the original Anglo-Saxon street plan and catch glimpses of the River Itchen as it winds its way through the city centre and out to the meadows beyond. Look out for the Gothic turrets of the Victorian Guildhall and the perpendicular lines of the magnificent cathedral.

For more of Winchester's local tales passed down through the generations, head to our Folklore blog.

From Anthropologie and vintage clothing to a three-storied second-hand bookshop and British artisan chocolate shop, Winchester offers unique, independent shops and boutiques as well as traditional and well-known national stores.

The High Street is bustling and traffic-free with street performers and markets two to three times a week. You'll find independent shops along the cobbled streets surrounding the cathedral as well as on Kings Walk which has a record store, bike hire café, creative workshop space, and environmentally conscious cafe, Open House Deli. 

Winchester has excellent transport links including a direct train service to London Waterloo which takes just under an hour and runs every 20 minutes during peak times. Trains run to and from Southampton, Basingstoke, Bournemouth, Weymouth, Brighton, the New Forest and the north of England. Here are typical rail journey times to Winchester.

The University is close to the M3 which provides easy road access to the M25 and M27. Travelling to and from Heathrow and Gatwick airports is convenient by both road and rail and takes between one to two hours depending on your choice of transport and the time of day. Southampton Airport is just 15 minutes away by train and offers flights within the UK, the Channel Islands and mainland Europe.

National Express coach service picks up from Winchester (St Catherine's Park and Ride car park) and serves dozens of destinations across the UK. Ferry services from Portsmouth link to a number of ports in France and Spain.

You have so many options for taking a study break at Winchester. Take a relaxing stroll along the river past water meadows, through the city centre and finishing at Winnall Moors Nature Reserve. If you are feeling fit, climb St Catherine's Hill for impressive views across the city. This view is from St Giles Hill which is a short, steep walk which easily rewards your effort with views of the city and cathedral.

Winchester is on the edge of the South Downs National Park which has longer distance walking and cycling trails.

The city's cafe culture rivals European counterparts. You will have no problem getting your coffee exactly how you like it while you're catching up with friends. Have your coffee or hot chocolate to go as you take the 10-15 minute walk from the city centre back to campus.

For mindful crafting, try Bella Crafts for pottery making and paint and sip Fridays.

Just outside the city centre is Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium and Marwell Zoo is a short car ride away. It's really easy to get to lots of other cities in the region by train: London, Southampton, Portsmouth, Bournemouth and Oxford are all day trips.

Direct trains lines stretch to Birmingham, Coventry and Manchester. That is great for the occasional weekend trip home and also opens up a wider world of potential work placement locations for you.