One of the best ways to discover a city is through its food and drink. A great weekend away doesn’t always need a packed schedule of attractions; sometimes the perfect itinerary is built around leisurely lunches, cocktails, evening meals and discovering somewhere new.
Southampton is an increasingly interesting destination for exactly that type of break.
The city combines its historic maritime character with a varied modern dining and drinking scene. From relaxed cafés and independent restaurants to stylish bars and lively evening venues, there are plenty of options for visitors who want food and drink to be a central part of their weekend.
Add boutique accommodation and some time exploring the city between meals, and you have all the ingredients for a memorable two-night break.
Start With the Right Base
If you’re planning a weekend around good food and drink, location matters.
Nobody wants to spend half the evening travelling between their hotel and the places they’ve booked. Staying close to central Southampton makes it much easier to head out, explore and change plans as the weekend develops.
Maison Carlton provides a stylish boutique base on Carlton Crescent for visitors looking for something more distinctive than a conventional large city hotel.
The character of the accommodation is important too. When you’re planning a weekend away rather than simply needing somewhere to sleep, choosing boutique accommodation in Southampton helps make the hotel part of the overall experience.
Check in, get settled and then head out to discover what the city has to offer.
Friday Night: Keep Things Relaxed
After travelling to Southampton and checking into your hotel, Friday evening doesn’t need to be overly ambitious.
This is the night for easing into the weekend.
Start with drinks before choosing somewhere for a relaxed evening meal. Southampton’s dining scene gives visitors plenty of choice, so whether you prefer modern British cooking, Italian, Asian flavours or something more informal, it’s worth researching a few options before travelling.
However, don’t schedule every moment.
Some of the best places you discover on a city break are the ones you weren’t specifically looking for. Leave room to find a bar for one final drink or somewhere that catches your attention while walking through the city.
Then return to Maison Carlton knowing you still have a full Saturday ahead.
Saturday Morning: Coffee and the City
Saturday morning is a good opportunity to explore Southampton at a slower pace.
Find somewhere for coffee and breakfast before heading towards the historic parts of the city.
Southampton’s medieval walls and Old Town provide reminders of a history that can sometimes be overlooked because of the city’s modern development. Exploring these areas on foot also gives you an excuse to work up an appetite before lunch.
For those interested in the city’s maritime story, SeaCity Museum is another option and provides an insight into Southampton’s long relationship with ocean travel.
Alternatively, if your ideal morning involves retail rather than museums, Westquay is one of the major shopping destinations on the south coast.
Either way, don’t forget the main objective of the weekend: enjoying yourself.
Make Lunch an Event
One of the pleasures of a weekend away is having time for a proper lunch.
At home, lunch can often be something squeezed between other commitments. On a city break, it can become part of the day’s entertainment.
Book somewhere you’ve been looking forward to trying, order a bottle of wine if you fancy one and don’t worry about rushing away from the table.
Southampton’s variety means lunch can be anything from casual dining to something considerably more indulgent.
Afterwards, take a walk, explore a little more or head back to the hotel for some downtime before Saturday evening.
Get Ready for Saturday Night
There is something about getting ready for a night out in a hotel that immediately makes an ordinary Saturday feel different.
Rather than going straight from a full day of sightseeing into dinner, allow yourself a couple of hours back at Maison Carlton.
Relax, change and decide where the evening is going to take you.
Saturday night is when Southampton’s choice of restaurants and bars really comes into its own. You can begin with cocktails, move on to dinner and then decide whether to continue somewhere else afterwards.
Couples might want to book somewhere special, while groups of friends may prefer a livelier evening with several different stops.
The important thing is that Southampton gives you the flexibility to create the type of night you actually want.
Don’t Forget Sunday
Sunday morning is often overlooked when planning a weekend break.
After a late Saturday night, however, a slow Sunday can be one of the best parts of the trip.
There’s no need to set an early alarm. Enjoy a relaxed morning before finding somewhere for breakfast or brunch.
If you’re not travelling home immediately, use the remaining time to explore somewhere you missed on Saturday.
A walk around the city can be followed by one final lunch, giving you a chance to extend the weekend for another couple of hours before heading home.
Visitors travelling by car could even use Sunday afternoon to explore more of Hampshire.
The New Forest is within relatively easy reach of Southampton, allowing you to swap city streets for woodland and open countryside before completing the journey home.
Build the Weekend Around What You Enjoy
The best food and drink breaks aren’t necessarily about visiting the greatest number of restaurants.
They’re about having time to enjoy them.
Choose one or two places you genuinely want to experience, leave room for spontaneous discoveries and avoid turning the weekend into a race between reservations.
Southampton works well because food and drink can easily be combined with shopping, history, entertainment and the waterfront.
Staying somewhere with character completes the experience. Rather than treating your accommodation purely as somewhere to sleep, a boutique hotel can become another memorable part of the weekend.
Whether you’re travelling as a couple, meeting friends or simply looking for an excuse to escape everyday routine, Southampton provides everything you need for a weekend built around good food, good drinks and good company.
Sometimes that’s all the itinerary you need.
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