UK Adventures: Visiting Winchester in a Day

A day out from London to Winchester. I had a great experience in Winchester this summer and I also learnt a lot! Winchester is one of England's most historical places and it is well known for its connections with King Arthur.

In this blog I will discuss the route I took during my day trip to Winchester as well as an review of my personal experience there. You can learn more about the details and history of each place in my other Winchester blogs =).

Where is Winchester and How to Visit it from London?

Winchester is a small city in South England, north of Southampton and about one hour away from London.

You can get a train from London Waterloo station to Winchester from around £20.

Why Should You Visit Winchester?

Winchester is a stunning medieval city. It is probably one of the most medieval cities I have visited in the UK so far.

I will not go over too much detail on the history of Winchester but you can see my other Winchester blogs that will cover that. In the meantime, here are some cool historical facts about the place:

• Winchester developed from the Roman town of Venta Belgarum - a town in the Roman province of Britannia Superior established around 70AD.
• The Vikings invaded Winchester during the Sack of Winchester which occurred in 911 AD.
• Winchester was one of the most important cities in England until the Norman conquest in the 11th century.
• Winchester was named Capital of England under Alfred the Great - an Anglo-Saxon king from 849-899.

There are other interesting facts about the city such as Winchester Cathedral being one of the largest cathedrals in Europe, home of famous novelist Jane Austen and the Knights of the Round Table, and more described below!

What Places Must You Visit in Winchester?

I left an image of the route I took by foot during my trip in Winchester at the beginning of this blog. I will now list the places numbered in the image but you can see my other Winchester blogs which will provide more detail about the places to visit in Winchester =):

1. The Great Hall - home of King Arthur's Knights Round Table.
2. Westgate Place - a fortified medieval gateway.
3. Buttercross Monument and city market - monument and high street with variety of stalls and street food.
4. Winchester City Museum - tells the story of England’s ancient capital.
5. Winchester Cathedral - medieval Anglican cathedral with around 1,000 years of history.
6. Kingsgate and Jane Austin's house - Jane Austen is a 18th century author who romanticised rural England. She is buried in the Cathedral’s north nave aisle.
7. Keat's Walk - one of the historic Camino de Santiago route taken by pilgrims coming from Northern Europe, also known as 'Camino Ingles'.
8. Wolvesey Castle (old bishop's palace) - Monumental remains of a 12th-century palace, once the residence of the bishops of Winchester.
9. Statue of King Alfred the Great.
10. Winchester City Mill.

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