Five guided tours that bring the city’s history to life

Southampton is a city with an extraordinary story. Medieval merchants, Mayflower pilgrims, Jane Austen, the birth of the Spitfire and the devastation of the Second World War have all left their mark on its streets.

Yet much of that history is surprisingly easy to miss. Ancient buildings sit between modern shops and offices, medieval walls appear unexpectedly around corners and, beneath the city streets, remarkable vaults have survived for hundreds of years.

Our regular guided walking tours of Southampton take you beyond the familiar sights to discover the people, places and events that have shaped the city.

Here are five very different ways to explore Southampton.

Explore beneath the city on our Southampton Medieval Vaults Tour

One of Southampton's best-kept secrets lies beneath its streets. The city was once an important medieval trading port, and wealthy merchants built stone vaults beneath their houses to store valuable goods arriving from across Europe.

Our Southampton Vaults Tour takes you into some of these fascinating underground spaces, many of which aren't normally accessible to the public. Starting at the Bargate, the two hour guided walk explores Southampton's medieval past, its surviving walls and the stories behind the merchants and communities who lived and traded here.

If you've walked through Southampton before but never really explored its history, this is a wonderful opportunity to discover quite literally what lies beneath your feet.

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Discover Southampton during the Blitz

Southampton's importance as a port and industrial centre made it a major target during the Second World War. The bombing raids of 1940 in particular changed the appearance of the city forever, destroying homes, businesses and familiar landmarks.

Our Southampton Blitz walking tour explores the city through the experiences of those who lived through those extraordinary years. Over two hours, discover the sites associated with the raids and hear stories of destruction, survival and resilience.

This walk also includes access to a couple of Southampton's medieval vaults, which found an entirely new purpose hundreds of years after they were built. It's a fascinating way to see how different chapters of Southampton's history overlap.

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Follow in the footsteps of Jane Austen

Long before Pride and Prejudice became one of the world's best-loved novels, Jane Austen spent part of her life in Southampton.

The city she knew was very different from Southampton today, but traces of Georgian Southampton can still be found. Our Jane Austen Southampton tour follows in her footsteps and explores her connections with the city, the places associated with her life here and the society in which she lived.

You don't need to be an Austen expert to enjoy the walk. It's equally fascinating for anyone interested in Georgian life and the stories of the people who once walked Southampton's streets.

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Discover the Southampton story behind the Spitfire

The Spitfire is one of the most recognisable aircraft ever built, but not everyone realises just how important Southampton was to its story.

Designed by R. J. Mitchell and built by Supermarine, the Spitfire's roots are firmly embedded in the city. Our Spitfire in Southampton guided walking tour explores that remarkable story around Woolston, where the aircraft was developed and manufactured.

Over approximately two hours, you'll discover the people, places and engineering achievements behind the Spitfire, as well as the devastating consequences for Southampton when the Supermarine works became a target during the Second World War. It's as much a story about the people of Southampton as it is about the famous aircraft they helped to create.

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Follow the Mayflower story through Southampton

In 1620, the Mayflower and Speedwell gathered in Southampton as preparations were made for the voyage that would eventually carry the Pilgrims across the Atlantic.

Our Mayflower Southampton walking tour explores this internationally significant chapter in the city's history. The two hour walk takes you through historic Southampton, discovering places connected with the passengers, ships and preparations for their journey to the New World.

The tour finishes at the historic Westgate, one of the most impressive surviving parts of Southampton's medieval defences. For visitors from the United States in particular, it's an opportunity to explore an important part of a story that connects Southampton with American history more than four centuries later.

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Five tours - five very different Southampton stories

What makes Southampton such an interesting city to explore is the sheer variety of its history. Within a relatively small area you can uncover medieval trade, Georgian society, the Mayflower story, wartime Southampton and the birthplace of one of Britain's most famous aircraft.

Whether you're a local who would like to discover more about the city on your doorstep or you're visiting Southampton for the first time, joining a knowledgeable local guide can reveal a side of the city that's very easy to walk straight past.

Need help or advice? Email our friendly local team on hello@experiencehampshire.uk

Looking for a private tour? Drop us an email and we can likely arrange a tour on your preferred date