Winchester
Save24 hand-picked places in 8 lists. Tick the categories you want to see on the map.
Only have a day? See 3 ready-made day plans ↓8 places on the map
Top 10
- 1
One of Europe's longest medieval cathedrals, with Jane Austen's grave.
3 tips
- Tickets are valid for a year
- Join a tower tour for roof views
- See the Winchester Bible in the library
📷 Photos
- 2
Medieval hall of Winchester Castle displaying the legendary Round Table.
3 tips
- Small entry fee
- Visit Queen Eleanor's Garden behind it
- Next to the Westgate
📷 Photos
- 3
England's oldest almshouse, famed for the Wayfarer's Dole of bread and ale.
3 tips
- Ask for the Wayfarer's Dole at the porter's lodge
- Walk there along the water meadows
- Norman church inside
📷 Photos
- 4
Iron Age hillfort with a turf maze and views over the city.
3 tips
- Steep steps; 20 min climb
- Best view back over Winchester
- Walk there via the water meadows
📷 Photos
- 5
England's oldest continuously running school, founded in 1382.
3 tips
- Visits only on guided tours
- Treasury museum open some afternoons
- Jane Austen's last house is nearby
📷 Photos
- 6
Ruins of the medieval palace of the bishops of Winchester.
3 tips
- Free English Heritage site
- Open in summer months
- Combine with the Weirs walk
📷 Photos
- 7
15th-century market cross on the bustling medieval High Street.
3 tips
- Look for the old clock over the street
- Market stalls nearby
- Passage leads to the cathedral
📷 Photos
- 8
Working medieval watermill run by the National Trust.
3 tips
- Try the flour milled on site
- Watch for otters from the mill race
- Free for National Trust members
📷 Photos
Take this map with you
Opens Google Maps with these places, ready to save to your own list.
Before you go: Winchester tips
Transportation
- Take the train from Waterloo: South Western Railway trains link London Waterloo with Winchester in about an hour.
- Use Park and Ride: parking in the centre is limited; Park and Ride sites outside town run buses into the High Street.
- Walk everywhere: the cathedral, Great Hall, High Street and water meadows are all close together, best explored on foot.
Security
- Watch for cyclists and buses: the High Street and narrow lanes are busy with buses and bikes; look both ways.
- Keep valuables safe at markets: Winchester is very safe, but busy Christmas markets attract pickpockets.
- Mind the riverside paths: the Itchen paths can be muddy and slippery after rain, so wear sturdy shoes.
Saving
- Buy advance train tickets: off-peak and advance fares from London are much cheaper than buying on the day.
- Enjoy free walks: the water meadows walk to the Hospital of St Cross and St Catherine's Hill are free and beautiful.
- Shop the farmers market: the regular Hampshire farmers market sells local produce, ideal for picnic supplies.
Weather/Clothing
- Pack for changeable weather: Winchester has mild weather but frequent rain; bring a waterproof jacket.
- Layer in summer: summers are mild to warm, but evenings cool off, so pack a light jumper.
- Dress warmly for winter markets: the cathedral Christmas market can be cold, so wear warm layers.
Cultural
- Visit Jane Austen's grave: Jane Austen is buried in Winchester Cathedral, and her house in Chawton is nearby.
- See the Round Table: the Great Hall holds the famous Round Table linked to King Arthur legends.
- Ask for the Wayfarer's Dole: at the Hospital of St Cross visitors can still request this medieval tradition of bread and ale.
Local Hacks
- Climb St Catherine's Hill: the hill offers panoramic views of the city and the Itchen valley.
- Catch the Hat Fair: in summer the Winchester Hat Fair brings street theatre and performers to the city.
- Start the South Downs Way: the long-distance path begins in Winchester, perfect for a day hike.
1-day itineraries in Winchester
Only have a day? Each one keeps you in one area, from morning to late afternoon, with lunch nearby.
Day 1 of 3
Winchester Cathedral and around
🕘 9:30–16:30📍 5 stops
- 1Winchester Cathedral
- 2Winchester College
- 3Wolvesey Castle
- 4The Weirs
- 5Winchester City Mill
Day 2 of 3
The Great Hall and around
🕘 9:30–16:30📍 4 stops
- 1The Great Hall
- 2Westgate Museum
- 3Buttercross & High Street
- 4Winchester City Museum
Day 3 of 3
Hospital of St Cross and around
🕘 9:30–13:15📍 3 stops
- 1Hospital of St Cross
- 2Winchester Water Meadows
- 3St Catherine's Hill
More cities in United Kingdom
- Aberdeen
- Bath
- Belfast
- Brighton
- Bristol
- Cambridge
- Canterbury
- Cardiff
- Chester
- Conwy
- Cornwall (St Ives)
- Cotswolds (Bourton-on-the-Water)
- Derry
- Durham
- Edinburgh
- Exeter
- Falmouth
- Fort William
- Glasgow
- Harrogate
- Inverness
- Isle of Skye (Portree)
- Keswick
- Lake District (Windermere)
- Lincoln
- Lisburn
- Liverpool
- London
- Manchester
- Oxford
- Penzance
- Salisbury
- St Andrews
- Stirling
- Stratford-upon-Avon
- Whitby
- York