RETIREMENT LIVING IN SOUTHAMPTON
Discover a port city with a rich heritage
Renowned for its maritime and military history, and packed with culture, sports and shopping, Southampton is an ideal location for a retirement property by the sea. Our retirement properties in Southampton leave you close to all of the best attractions this famous port city has to offer, so you can spend your retirement exploring the famous sights and relaxing on the beach.
Retire to Southampton
Attractions
Steeped in history and culture, Southampton provides its residents with much to see and explore. You can visit one of the best-preserved medieval Cistercian monasteries in England at Netley Abbey, explore the medieval gatehouse of Bargate or discover over 800 years of history in Southampton’s Old Town.
Southampton is also the south coast’s shopping hub. You'll find over 100 different stores at the Westquay Shopping Centre, such as John Lewis and Marks & Spencer, as well as your favourite fashion retailers and restaurant brands. A little further out from the centre, you can explore the independent boutiques and up-market shops, bars and pubs of Bedford Place and Oxford Street, or you can pick out local produce and a wide range of craft goods at the markets near Bargate.
Community
You’ll find huge collections of publicly-owned art at the internationally renowned Southampton City Art Gallery, which features over 5,000 works, or contemporary and visual works at Solent Showcase and The John Hansard Gallery.
For evenings out, you can see opera, ballet and West End Musicals at the Mayflower Theatre, the largest theatre in southern England, or you'll find a variety of high-quality Shakespearean drama at the University of Southampton theatres. There's also classical, world music and jazz at the Turner Sims Concert Hall, tribute bands playing at The Brook, or some of the biggest touring musical acts at the 1,700-capacity O2 Guildhall.
Sights
For hundreds of years, Southampton has been a leading English port, instrumental in the shipbuilding and trading industries. Now, the marina hosts the start and finish of round the world yacht races while famous cruise ships such as the RMS Queen Mary 2 and the record-breaking MS Freedom of the Seas dock at the port.
You can learn all about the long history of the city's sea-faring exploits, including the famously tragic Titanic voyage at the SeaCity Museum, or see first-hand the iconic Spitfire fighter aircraft at the Solent Sky Museum. You can even book a trip on the SS Shieldhall, the largest working steam vessel in Britain, or ride the oldest pier railway in the world along Hythe Pier.
Surrounding Areas
Whether you're looking for historic walks or a sporting adventure, there's plenty to do around Southampton to help you keep up an active retirement. There are seven different golf courses and eight tennis clubs dotted around the city, skiing at the Alpine Snowsports Centre and miles of woodland walks and seaside strolls throughout the 200-acre Royal Victoria Country Park.
If you prefer to be a spectator rather than a participant, then you can even watch international cricket at the Ageas Bowl. Alternatively, if you don't mind taking your feet off solid ground, you can sail, powerboat or canoe around the nearby rivers, lakes and harbours.
If you fancy a seaside retirement home near a busy city that's still only 90 minutes from London, take a look at some of the impressive retirement properties in Southampton we have available.
A Full Range of Lifestyle Options
“As if moving into my beautiful new apartment wasn’t enough, everything that led up to the move was handled by McCarthy Stone. I couldn’t believe how easy it all turned out to be; I was left with just two boxes to unpack which suited me and Meira just fine.”